Chapter rewrite complete

I stood in front of the oversized doors that marked the entrance to my parents' mansion. Mother's car was proudly on display in the driveway. She must have found out I was coming. I knew granny wouldn't betray me like that, but the home health nurse might. Mother always liked to use bribes to get information out of the staff. I wasn't fond of her methods, but I had to admit they were effective. She paid them just enough they wouldn't leave, but not so much they could afford to turn down a bribe.

Walking over here hadn't been that bad, actually going inside was proving to be a challenge. Danny placed his hand in my shoulder and I took a deep breath. I couldn't put this off forever, and I knew Danny would stay with me the whole time, no matter what happened.

I rang the doorbell. Walking right in didn't feel right, this place hadn't really felt like home in years. It was weird. I knew I lived here, but I wasn't home. I hadn't really had a real home ever since my parents made their first million and mother became obsessed with status.

Mother opened the door, looking as perfect as she always did- not a single hair out of place, or smudge in her make-up. I could almost understand looking that perfect when she left the house, but there was just no reason for it at home.

"Oh, Sammykins! I'm so happy you're home!" Mother pulled me into one of her fake, lady-like hugs. I never liked a whole lot of physical contact, but if she was going to hug me, she could at least do it properly. On the bright side, I didn't scream as soon as she touched me. "Thank you for getting her here safely, Daniel. I'll take it from here. You know where the door is."

"I'm just trying to take care of her," Danny said, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Of course, but this is really more of a family matter." I guess mother had realized that shouting wasn't the only way to get what she wanted from people she felt were beneath her.

"Okay. I'll see you later, Sam." Danny gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, silently telling me he wasn't really going anywhere. When the door closed behind him, the tempreture in the room dropped. He really had stayed. A part of me was scared he wouldn't.

Mother lead me to the parlor where granny was waiting for me. Granny wheeled her way over to me, taking my hand in hers. "Sam, my sweet girl. Are you doing okay?"

"Not really, but I'll get there."

"I understand. I won't make you talk about it if you don't want to."

I smiled at her. Granny always knew how handle things. "Thank you."

My mother stood in the corner, her arms crossed and lips pursed. "Well, I'm sorry but I think we do need to talk about it! Samantha, you cannot accuse a boy of rape just because you and your little friends don't like him!"

"It's not like that!"

"Please grow up, Samantha. A nice boy like Dash would never do such a thing. Making a mistake and regretting it is not the same thing as rape. The Baxters raised that boy to be better than that. If youhad no intention of ever having a physical relationship with him, you shouldn't have gone on a date with him."

"What the fuck does that have to do with it? I'm not a virgin anymore and I sure as hell didn't ask for it! That spells fucking rape to me! It doesn't matter that I went on that damn date with him. It wouldn't matter if I had married that bastard! He forced hinself on me! The circumstances don't fucking matrer!" The memories were threatening to take over again. I didn't plan to get this mad, but the anger was the only thing keeping me from losing touch with reality again.

"Language! That Fenton boy is corrupting you! Dash is a nice boy, from a good family and I will not hear any more of this nonsense! That poor boy is in the hospital! He has been through enough with you making such outlandish claims!"

"Dash is not a nice boy! He has spent years shoving people, including friends, into lockers and beating up anyone whondared to exist in his presence when he was mad. Now he's added being a rapist to that list!" My anger was only getting mother more worked up, but I needed it. I was not going to let mother see me weak and at the mercy of those memories. I couldn't trust her not to use it against me.

Mother turned to granny. "Do you believe this, Ida?"

Granny could usually keep her emotions perfectly in check, but they were clearly written all across her face. "You're asking if I believe my granddaughter is an all too familiar emotional mess and that she was raped? Yes, I do!"

"Your old age is getting to you," mother remarked.

I turned on my heel and left. I was not going to listen to anymore of mother's bullshit. This whole event was the one time I actually tried to trust her to stand up for me when I needed it, and it was proving to be a mistake.

"Honestly, Pamela! When have you ever known that girl to lie?" I could still hear their fight as I stormed off.

"How about every time she says she's going tonher room and she's not there?" I didn't know mother had actually caught on to that. Good for her.

"That is normal teenage behavior. This is a pretty big thing to lie about and when Sam lies about something big, she does it to keep people out of trouble, not get them into it!"

I started running, not wanting to hear any more of mother's bullshit. I didn't want to leave granny alone with her, but I couldn't be around my mother any longer. I didn't want to admit it, but the fact that my own mother didn't believe me hurt. She was actually trusting a total stranger, who she hadn't even spoken to, over me, her own daughter.

"Your mother is something else."

Danny. I'd almost forgotten he was here. As soon as I saw him, I collasped against his chest. Tears leaking out of my eyes. I had let myself think my mother might actually act like a mother for once in her life, and realizing how wrong I was hurt more than I could have ever expected.

"She's not my fucking mother. A mother would have at least entertained the idea that I was telling the truth."

"I know. Let's pack a bag or two and I'll take you back to my house, okay?"

I nodded, trying to stop the flood of tears. At least I wasn't stuck here. I had a safe place I could go, where people actually believed my story instead of a stranger's.

There was a knock at my door. Danny went invisible again as I begrudgingly opened it, ready to slam it shut again if it was my mother.

Granny had made her way up to me and wheeled herself into my room.

"I'm sorry about all that Sam. I tried to keep her from knowing you were coming, but she offered someone a better bribe than I did. Your mother has her own issues she won't even acknowledge, but that's no excuse for her behavior."

"Thanks, granny. I know it's not your fault."

"I need to ask you what happened. I don't need the details, just the name."

"Dash Baxter raped me."

"I believe you, sweetie. Was he the only one involved?"

"Yes."

"Okay. That's all I needed."

Granny, where's dad?" It was weird that I hadn't seen him. He was usually mother's shadow- never actually doing anything, but always there.

"You know your father has never been the type to deal with problems directly, especially once your mother starts screaming about things. He's doing what he does best- taking care of things behind the scenes."

"What does that mean?"

"I can't give you the details, because I don't know them, little one. All I know is he's calling in a favor and he needed to be certain about the name of the person responsible. I'm fairly certain that Dash won't be a problem for you or anyone else ever again." Dad sticking up for me was a nice thought, but I wasn't convinced. He'd never gone against mother before and I wasn't sure he had the nerve to ever do it.

"Is he really going against mother?"

"I think so. I'd never seen him as worked up as when he heard the news."

"Even he does it, he'll never admit it." I still wasn't convinced he'd actually do anything. To me, it was more likely that he was just gathering information for the unlikely event that mother came to her senses.

"No," granny laughed. "He's smart enough not to invoke your mother's wrath." Granny face had a sad smile. "As much as I hate to see you leave, I think you'll be better off if you go back the Fenton's house for a while, at least until your mother pulls her head out of her ass. You need a home that is supportive right now, not just a place to sleep."

"Mother's head is pretty far up there. I'm not sure she even can pull it back out."

"There might be some truth to that," granny chuckled. Granny held out a small slip of paper with a phone number on it. "I snuck in a cell phone you mother doesn't know about. I'll always be here if you want to talk."

"Thanks, granny. You've always been my rock."

"I try, dear. I'll start a new fight with your mother. I can probably keep her distracted for about 20 minutes so you can pack and slip out unnoticed."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me, dear. Starting pointless fights with your mother is one of my only forms of entertainment around here." I spotted that youthful glint in her eyes as she sped off. Being an old woman never stopped her from acting like an ornary teenager from time to time. Granny was the master when it came being a pain in mother's ass.

Danmy reappeared at my side. "At least one person in your family has some sense, possibly two."

"I don't think dad will actually do anything unless my mother approves it first. He's always been a coward around her. I've never seen him defy her wishes."

"Even just planning to act is better than what your mother's doing."

"True. It's not much, but I guess I'll take it. I know better than to expect much more from him."

Danny helped me pack my bags. All the clothes I had were way tighter than I was comfortable with. I hadn't ever really liked to show off my figure, but now it just felt dangerous. If mother didn't shut down my debit card, I'd have to get some stuff that fit a little looser. If she wasn't going to be there for me when I needed her, then she didn't get a say in what I wore anymore.

I had tried to be a good daughter and meet her in the middle on most things, but if she couldn't do the same for me, then there was no point to it. Mother and I had never had a great relationship, but this whole event was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I checked my bags several times, making sure I had everything I needed. I knew I wasn't coming back to this damn house for a long time, if I ever did at all. Danny and I left the moment I heard mother's signature heels coming up the stairs.

As Danny flew us back to his house, I was filled with the same sadness I'd carried for most of my life, but this time was worse than the others. I was no stranger to my mother failing to have my back when I needed her, but at least before I'd been able to keep hope that she would be there if anything really big ever happened. Now I knew that wasn't true. That woman had no interest in really being my mother, not if it meant risking her reputation. She was a narcissist, with the money and status to make herself truly feel like the center of the universe.

There was no way I could even try to look past it anymore. She wasn't really my mother and she never planned on becoming that person.

Comments and feedback are always welcome!

Invisible One