It was much later that night, and Manny was lying awake in bed. Her mind was racing. Her father had explained everything to her: Julie's brother had sexually abused her for years. When Julie finally got the nerve to tell her parents, her father called her a liar and shouted about what a horrible child she was. Her mother said nothing, but started drinking heavily. Soon her parents divorced, and Julie had to live with her brother and father. Her brother continued to abuse her, and her father continued not to believe her. Julie eventually talked to a counselor at school about what had been going on, and the counselor reported it. Julie was no longer allowed to live with her brother or her father, and she didn't want to live with her mother, so she went to live with Manny's family while everything was getting sorted out. She had been really stressed lately because she didn't know what was going to happen to her brother. Despite what had happened, she still loved him very much and didn't want him to get in trouble.
Manny's mother had called later, reporting that Julie had had an anxiety attack. She was now resting peacefully in the hospital, and Manny could go visit tomorrow.
Manny tossed and turned all night; she didn't get a single wink of sleep. All she could think about was getting to see Julie tomorrow.
*
Manny slowly entered the white hospital room. Julie was lying in bed, hooked up to a bunch of tubes. She smiled.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," Manny said meekly.
"I'm sorry I scared you... I didn't mean to..." Julie looked away. "I guess you know all about what happened."
Manny's eyes started watering. "Jules, I am so sorry that happened... it must have been horrible..."
Tears were streaming down Julie's cheeks. "I wanted to tell you," she sobbed. "I wanted to so badly. But I couldn't. I just couldn't."
Manny reached for Julie's hand. "I know... it's okay..." She squeezed Julie's hand.
"I'm just so scared now... how can I trust anyone? What if they do what he did?"
"You're safe now, Julie. He'll never touch you again. You're safe." She pulled Julie into a hug, knowing that it would take a long time for Julie to get over what happened. But she knew she wanted to be there every step of the way.
Manny's mother had called later, reporting that Julie had had an anxiety attack. She was now resting peacefully in the hospital, and Manny could go visit tomorrow.
Manny tossed and turned all night; she didn't get a single wink of sleep. All she could think about was getting to see Julie tomorrow.
*
Manny slowly entered the white hospital room. Julie was lying in bed, hooked up to a bunch of tubes. She smiled.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," Manny said meekly.
"I'm sorry I scared you... I didn't mean to..." Julie looked away. "I guess you know all about what happened."
Manny's eyes started watering. "Jules, I am so sorry that happened... it must have been horrible..."
Tears were streaming down Julie's cheeks. "I wanted to tell you," she sobbed. "I wanted to so badly. But I couldn't. I just couldn't."
Manny reached for Julie's hand. "I know... it's okay..." She squeezed Julie's hand.
"I'm just so scared now... how can I trust anyone? What if they do what he did?"
"You're safe now, Julie. He'll never touch you again. You're safe." She pulled Julie into a hug, knowing that it would take a long time for Julie to get over what happened. But she knew she wanted to be there every step of the way.