Bessie was storming up the walk dragging Pacey behind her and Joey trying to keep up thoroughly confused.
Doug Witter opened front door to be floored at seeing Bessie Potter again after a long time.
"Bess, what the hell is going on… Pacey? What are you doing Bess?"
"Look at your brother damn it look at him and then you tell me what the 'hell' is going on"
Doug was trying to remain even-tempered through this whole thing.
"Pace, what happened to your face?"
"I just fell down the stairs, Dougie. That's all." Pacey says this while staring at the carpet.
"Bullshit, bullshit, if that's all it is then take off your shirt Pace. Show us that this was just an accident."
Joey stepped up and touched Pacey's arm so that he would know that she is there for him.
"Bessie no."
"Yes do it Pacey and show me that I am wrong." By now Bessie is almost hoping she is wrong because she knows things will never be the same again. However she never could stand it when Pacey was being hurt.
"Fine." And then Pacey took off his shirt and they all stared in shock at the ugly bruises on his ribs. Joey had gone white as a sheet and gasped for she was standing behind Pacey a half of foot and he just stood there with his eyes closed hoping that he would wake up from this nightmare of the most important person in his life finding out his biggest secret. His dad beats the shit out of him.
"Pacey turn around please." Bessie asked this with tears in her eyes because she knew what she would see on his back but even she was not prepared for it.
"Oh my god." With this Doug had to sit down at the image of Pacey's scarred back of welts. Old and new welts that Doug knew were from his own father's belt. The fresh ones from the night before were a horrible red and looked very painful. No wonder he had been walking so stiffly.
Ring Ring
Everyone jumped when the phone rang and Doug reached over to pick it up after calming himself down.
"Hello."
"Doug what the hell is going on you told your mother you would be over here helping her move those boxes out of the basement."
"Maybe you should tell me what the hell is going on Dad."
"How dare you take that tone of voice with me, while I should…"
"What dad what are you going to do..Ahh, we had a deal damn it"
Dial tone
"He hung up on me I can't believe he hung up." Doug slowly hung up the phone.
"He's not coming over is he?"
"I don't know Pace."
"Wait what did you mean when you said we had a deal? What deal?"
"Nothing Pace, just leave it alone."
Then everyone heard a car roar up to the apartment and then the door flew open and Pacey got so white he almost looked gray. Especially when he realized he still had his shirt off and all of his bruises were very much standing out.
"Dad."
Then Sheriff John Witter grabbed Pacey by his hair and pulled him over to him while ignoring Joey screaming.
"What the hell is going on here? Are you telling stories boy?"
"no no dad I swear please I am sorry" Pacey started almost stuttering he was so scared.
"Like it is hard to figure out, come on dad the kids got bruises all over him."
With that John threw Pacey against the wall.
"Joey, Joey."Pacey called out for her while lying on the floor. She ran over to him and held him whispering comforting words while they watched the scene between father and son.
"Damn it Doug you told me you would never be in the same room with her ever again."
"And you said you would never hit pacey again and I can see how well that panned out."
"I am a grown man and your father I can do whatever I want."
"Well I am a twenty-five year old man I can do whatever I want also." Then Doug marched over to Bessie and kissed her passionatly.
"Fine." John marched over to Pacey hauled him out of there and threw him is the squad car and peeled out.
"Oh my god. What are we going to do?"
"I don't think there is anything to do except for you to go to school Joey." Doug answered her as best he could.
"What are you freaking kidding me? We have to go after them right, I mean your dad has been drinking and now he is driving and he has Pacey in the car with them. So we go after them right? Right."
"No Joey I am taking you to school, Doug I will be right back so we can talk." With that she kissed him goodbye and took Joey to school who felt like her world had just ended.