Confrontation and acceptance

Chapter 21

Kelly and Michael Hunter were both average in height and build. Kelly was fair-haired and Michael had dark hair. They both carried a suitcase each up to the door.

"Well don't just stand there, help us in." Kelly handed her suitcase to Phil, who looked as though he'd seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?" Michael reached the door with his suitcase and an extra bag. Sean scowled.

"You haven't exactly come at a good time."

"Understatement of the century!"

"What is your problem?" Kelly glared at him.

"Your son is the problem!"

"Stop it! Stop it!" Sam screamed. "I don't need this right now."

"I'm sorry, I'm Kelly and this is my husband Michael and you are…?"

"Sam and I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude, but I've had enough of him today."

"Well this is not my fault! It's his fault!" He pointed at Phil but remained looking at Sam.

"What have you done now?" Michael didn't sound too surprised.

"I haven't done anything."

"No? Why don't we ask Abi?"

"Because she got the wrong end of the stick."

"I don't think that's possible."

"I said we weren't going to ask you." Everyone was getting angrier by the second.

"Look just leave it, all of you, you don't know what happened, so shut up!" Sam shouted, mostly at Sean, but turned to face Abi as well.

"How did it happen then?"

"Look, let's just leave it yeah? You can see she's getting upset." Phil's attempt to calm the situation failed miserably.

"No I want to hear this."

"Leave it Sean." Sarah usually didn't get involved in arguments, but this was an exception.

"Come on tell me how he ended up in your bed then?"

"Phil?" Kelly and Michael turned to him, the shock clear on their faces.

"It's not true?" Phil looked up at the ceiling.

"Phil, tell me you didn't." Kelly sounded desperate. He just looked down at the floor. "Oh Phil." She now sounded disappointed.

"Everyone just leave it! I don't want to talk about it!" she was clearly extremely upset, and with that, she ran upstairs, her eyes threatening to overspill.

"Look what you've done now. Why the hell did you have to do that?" he moved to follow her up the stairs before Abi stopped him.

"No, I'll go. I don't want you upsetting her anymore." She was spiteful and gave him a spiteful look to go with the voice and ran up the stairs.

The door creaked open to reveal Abi.

"Mum." She got no reply. "Mum are you ok?" her voice was softer.

"I told you to leave it."

"Maybe you could tell me how it happened then?" her voice turned harsh again.

"I told you I don't want to talk about it! I don't want to talk about how it happened! Just leave it!" She was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mum, did Phil…" she paused. "Mum, did he rape you?"

"What?" Sam stopped crying for a couple of seconds due to the shock.

"Mum, it's ok, you can tell me about it."

"Get out!" the tears spilled down her face again as she screamed through the sobs.

"Mum?"

"GET OUT!" Sam stood up and continued to shout at Abi until she was at the door.

Phil appeared at the top of the stairs and walked over to where Abi was standing, just in front of the doorway.

"What is going on?"

"Go away."

"What's wrong? Let me see her."

"No!"

"Just let me past."

"No! Just stay away from her." Sam rushed out of her room, pushing past her daughter in the process and ran into Phil's arms, crying uncontrollably. Phil wrapped his arms around her tightly and whispered in her ear.

"Shh shh, it's alright, it's ok now, shh." Abi looked shocked.

"Mum!"

"What have you said?"

"Nothing. I didn't know she was going to react like this."

"What did you say?"

"Like I'm going to tell you."

By this time, everyone had gathered at the bottom of the stairs to see what the argument was about. Sam had calmed down a little, she felt safe and secure, although she was still weeping quietly.

"Come on, come on shh." As they stepped towards the bedroom door, Abi opened her mouth to speak before Phil cut in.

"Don't even bother." He took Sam back inside her room and they sat on the bed as she began to quieten down and the sobs became quieter and less frequent.

He cupped her face in his hands and she looked up into his eyes, he wiped the tears away with his thumbs and kissed her forehead.

"What happened?"

"It's what she said. It really upset me."

"What did she say?" he slid his hands down to her neck and looked into her eyes.

"She asked me if you raped me."

"She what? Oh I'm so sorry. I know you're upset, but she didn't know, she doesn't know."

"No, but she's accusing you and she's been like this since she got here."

"I know, I know, she doesn't like me, but we can get through it."

"She keeps asking me if you've been hurting me"

"She said that?"

"It's the fact she even thought that, she… she…"

"It's alright, calm down." He pulled her into a loving embrace.

"My own daughter thought that of you. That hurt."

"Like you said she'll come around… when she finds out."

"I've had enough. I can't take this anymore."

"It's alright, we'll be alright."

Thanks for reading again, please review and I will ud soon. Luv Sam xxx