Concrete Angel Part 7


Thanks again to CCA for always letting me know how I'm doing with this story and all my others. I really need the boost in confidence. Thanks.

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry it's taken so long to post. Hope you all enjoy. Oh yeah, I don't own a darn thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, Meg has a sister?" Faith asked.

"Appears so. She lives somewhere in Pennsylvania. Ah . . . California."

"What is it? Pennsylvania or California?" Faith took a bite out of her pizza.

"No, it is California, Pennsylvania. Never heard of it."

"Me either. You gonna call her?"

Bosco didn't answer at first. He held his cell phone in one hand and the paper with the number in the other. He didn't know what to say. How do you tell someone that their father beat their little sister.

"Bosco?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna call her now." Bosco grinned at Faith. "Try not to chew so loud. I need to hear."

"Shut up." Faith slapped him playfully.

"Shh, it's ringing."

"California Morgue," a giddy voice said.

"Excuse me?" Bosco was afraid he had dialed the wrong number.

"Jess, don't," another voice hissed.

"I was kidding. Damn place is as dead as a morgue though. I'm sorry sir. How may I help you?" the girl asked sweetly.

"Yeah, I uh . . . I need to speak with Jayme Hargrove."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"California Morgue," Jess said into the phone.

"Jess, don't," Jayme hissed. She hated it when Jess pulled stupid stuff like that.

"Hey, Jay. It's some guy." She handed Jayme the phone.

"I'll take it in my room." Jayme got up and walked to her room. "This is Jayme."

"Yeah, I'm Officer Boscorelli with the NYPD. I'm calling about your sister Meg."

"Oh god," she gasped. "She's not . . . you know . . . she's not?"

Jayme's stomach dropped. A police officer from New York was calling about her sister. It couldn't be good. Maybe that was why that Sellers woman kept calling. Two years and no news. Now this.

"She's not dead."

"Thank god," she mumbled. "Tell me he didn't hurt her."

"Your father?"

"He did. Didn't he? Some woman kept calling. I thought it was just him. I haven't seen him in four years. I hate the man. If he hurt Meg, I'll kill him. I'll kill him like he tried to do to me, only I'll succeed."

Bosco took a deep breath. Bastard did beat on his older daughter. Now he really wished he could have done more harm. How was he going to tell her that her sister could have died?

"He beat her pretty badly."

"I'm going to kill him."

"Ma'am. He can't hurt you anymore."

"Yes he can. You don't know what it's like."

"I do."

"Yeah? Sure. It's your job to say that to make me open up or whatever. How bad is my sister?"

"She'll recover. Scared mostly. Does she know about you?" Bosco couldn't recall Meg ever mentioning a sister.

"Yes. I used to write to her and Erin would read her the letters," Jayme said. "I can't get to New York right away. I have finals. I'll . . .," she trailed off. "Know what? Forget it. I'm on the next plane. What hospital?"

"Angel of Mercy," Bosco said just before the connection went dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jayme silently thanked her mom and grandma for leaving her so much money. She never touched it unless she needed it. Right now she needed it. Erin even left her some money, but that belonged to Meg. It never felt right to her that Erin left her money.

"Need one of us to drive you?" Rachel asked.

"No. I'll just leave my car in overnight. I'll be back in a few days to finish classes."

"Good luck. Call us." Jess hugged her friend.

"Good luck? Jess!" Rachel hissed. "Your sister is fine. Just believe that. Let us know. Ok?"

"I will." Jayme jumped in her car and began her drive to the Pittsburgh airport. "Oh, I am so glad that stupid expressway is open."

She used to complain about the expressway because it upped the toll road price. It did cut the trip almost in half and she needed to cut time. She opened her glove box and pulled out her secret stash of quarters and was on her way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The yellow taxi pulled up in front of Angel of Mercy at about 2 a.m.. Jayme paid the man then dragged her two bags out. Visiting hours were long over. That wouldn't stop her. Not when for the past two years she worried and looked for her baby sister. She struggled with her bags as she made her way the main desk.

"Miss, visiting hours are long over," a young man said.

"Look, I know that. I just found out my eight year old sister is here. I flew from Pittsburgh. Can you please let me go up and see her?" Jayme looked at the man for a few seconds. When he asked for the name Jayme nearly jumped. The moment he told her what room, Jayme was off.

"Miss . . .," a nurse began.

"I know visiting hours are over. I'm here to see my sister. Megan Hargrove."

"She's sleeping."

"I'm sure she is. Can I just stay here? I have no where to go. I just need to see her real quick."

"We've been bending the rules already, why not bend some more." The nurse began to walk. "You can't disturb her. Slip in for a second then out."

"Thank you."

Jayme looked at the nurse before going in. Without realizing it she held her breath. The little form on the bed was her baby sister. Meg was eight now, but the image she always had in her head was of the little four year following her every move.

"Oh, Meg. I prayed you'd never see the monster that he really is. Erin never knew. I should have told. This never would have happened if I weren't such a coward," Jayme whispered.

She stayed there watching Meg sleep. Her eyes were fixed on the rise and fall of her sister's chest. They were all the other had. That thought scared her to no end. She could barely manage her own life. There was no way she could manage Meg's as well. Jayme also knew that she'd die before Meg got carted off by complete strangers. She had been through that. There was no way Meg would experience it.

"I'll see you in the morning."

Slowly Jayme turned and left the room. There were two chairs pushed together with a blanket and pillow laying on top. Her two bags were next to it on the floor. She thanked the nurse then reached into her bag for her Psychology book. Studying always but her to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bosco pulled into the parking lot around 10 a.m.. He didn't get much sleep that night, but then again he didn't expect to. His mind was plagued by so many things. He thought about his childhood friend Tina and how no one saved her. He thought about how much he had wanted to rescue Meg. Finally he thought about Jayme.

He wondered what she had gone through. Had she suffered like Meg had? Was she screwed up like he was? Why hadn't Meg ever mentioned a sister? That one he couldn't figure out.

"Morning," he said to the nurses as he walked to Meg's room.

"Officer Boscorelli?" Dr. Kost appeared. "There's someone in my office you may want to meet. According to the nurses she got here around 2 in the morning. I found her asleep in the chairs outside Meg's room when I got here. She's now in my office, still sleeping."

"Meg's sister?"

"Yes. Follow me."

He followed Dr. Kost to her office. They could hear Jayme's frantic voice before even opening the door. Dr. Kost flew open the door and they rushed in. Jayme was thrashing wildly about on the couch. Bosco watched, unable to move as kicked and squirmed. She seemed to be fighting someone off.

"Please, don't. No! Daddy! Don't let him. Daddy, don't leave me," she pleaded. "Please, no. You're hurting me. DADDY! Come back. Stop it. Stop hurting me!"

"Is she ok?" He finally managed to ask.

"Must be a nightmare." Dr. Kost approached Jayme. She sat in the chair next to the couch. "Jayme? Wake up. It's just a dream."

"Don't . . .stop touching me. Daddy come back. Help me Daddy!" Jayme screamed before waking up. She shot up and looked straight at Bosco. "Stay away from me. My daddy didn't mean it. Stay away."

"Jayme, you're safe." Dr. Kost reached out her hand. "This is Officer Boscorelli. No one here will hurt you."

"It was so real. It was like it was happening all over." Jayme tucked a piece of brown curly hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize."

"Sorry I freaked out at you," Jayme said to Bosco.

"Yeah, no problem." He shifted his feet nervously.

"I hate to do this, but I have rounds to make. Will you be fine if I leave you too talk alone?" Dr. Kost got up.

"I'm fine now. Go, do your job." Jayme reached down to her bag.

"I'll talk to you later then." She turned and left.

Bosco watched Jayme dig into her bag and come out with a small bag. From there she pulled out an elastic band and pulled her hair back. He tried to cover his shock when he saw the long scar coming from her hair line to her shoulder. She looked him in the eye, which made him quickly shift his gaze to the floor.

"You called me. Why are you here?"

"I live across the hall from your father and sister. I'm the one who brought her here."

"So, they haven't lived there long then."

"Six months."

"Six months! You let him beat her for six months?" Jayme got up.

"No. I didn't know. I swear, it was only recently that I found out. And I did everything I could. The system is so messed up, kid," Bosco said.

"I know what you mean. Stupid people. Should have known ten years ago when they placed me in foster care. Instead, they give me back to him and keep my mom from me. They had the whole thing flipped."

"I wish I could say things have changed, but I'd be lying."

"You can ask. It's ok." Jayme placed her hand on her scar.

"I didn't mean to stare."

"Human nature, Officer." She took a deep breath. "The day before my mom was to officially gain custody of me, my father and I were attacked in an alley way. I received most of the injuries. Go figure."

"Is that what you were dreaming about?"

"No. Something different. Pretend you never heard it. Let's just say it's about the monster that is my father."

"I won't bring it up unless you do."

"I'd appreciate it." Jayme fiddled with her watch. "On the phone when I said he can still hurt us, you said you knew. What did you mean?"

"I had a father similar to yours. Beat on me and my ma. I have a younger brother, but he rarely touched Mikey."

"So, you know what it's like to take the beatings for someone else?"

"Yeah."

"Never knew anyone who grew up like I did. I always kept it to myself. Didn't let anyone know. How could I? It would just cause more trouble," Jayme admitted.

Bosco completely knew where Jayme was coming from. He never talked about what his father did. Not really. Not until Faith. He couldn't help but wonder if Jayme had someone like Faith in her life that she could talk to.

"Your father hit Meg a lot when you lived with them?"

"Meg? No. Never. Meg was his baby. He just used it as threats to keep me in line. I wasn't about to chance it. She would have died from any beating he gave her at that age. He cherished Meg. I was a link to my mother who he hated. To destroy my mother, he'd hurt me and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No. Not really." She got up and walked to the window. "Why do you care about my sister?"

"I don't want to her to grow up like I did."

"How's that? Parents abuse their kids all the time. It's an epidemic. No one really cares. It's just the PC thing now. Most people pretend to care. Why is it that you care so much?"

Bosco took a deep breath. Jayme seemed like a sweet girl, but very cautious of other people's intentions. She was testing him, and Bosco knew it. Testing the waters so to say. He just didn't know why. Unless she wanted to tell if she could trust him.

"When I was Meg's age, my best friend was killed."

"I'm sorry . . .," Jayme started.

"By her own father," Bosco said. "I live across the hall from Tina. We both knew what kind of dad the other had. One night he beat her to death. A whole apartment building full of people let it happen. I tried to stop it, but all I got in return was a beating of my own. I can't let that happen to anyone else."

"But why are you still hanging around. I mean I'm not trying to sound ungrateful for being here for Meg. It's just most people don't hang around."

"Your sister felt safe with me. I was never good with children, except for my partner's. Then your sister showed up. She helped me be a man I could actually live with."

"Can I see her now?" Jayme questioned.

"Yeah."

Bosco reached down to grab Jayme's bags then opened the door for her. She didn't look like Meg at all. She had curly brown hair that barely stayed back in its pony tail and dark brown eyes. The facial structure was even different. He felt small standing next to her even though Jayme only stood 2 inches taller. She definitely didn't look 20. More like she was still in high school.

"She was touch and go, but she's a fighter."

"With a father like ours, you have to be." Jayme stopped once they were at Meg's room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The road runner was outwitting the coyote once again. The antics on the cartoon usually consumed her. Only she couldn't enjoy it. Meg looked out the small window. Miss Sellers had spent the night with her but when she woke up she was all alone. She wasn't mad though. Miss Sellers was a busy lady.

"Meg?" Bosco poked his head in.

"Hi."

"I brought you a visitor."

"Who? Is it Ty? He said he'd come back."

"No. Ty's not here."

"Who then?"

Meg watched curiously as Bosco entered. The door swung shut, but then quickly opened again. A young woman walked in. Meg's eyes widened. It looked liker her, but it couldn't be.

"Hi, Meg."

"I know you. How do I know you?" Meg asked nervously.

"It's me. Jayme." She took a step forward.

"Jayme? I had a sister named Jayme. I think. Daddy would say one thing then another."

"Not had Megan. I'm your sister. What ever he said was . . . ," she began.

"No." Meg shook her head.

"Yes."

"Stay back." Meg closed her eyes and tried to remember. "Daddy said it was your fault. Everything was Jayme's fault! You lie! You lie and my daddy punishes me for it!" Meg screamed.

"Oh, Meg. What did he tell you?"

"You need to be punished. He can't," she sobbed. "He can't. So he punishes me."

"Meg, I love you. You're my baby sister. I . . .I . . .."

"If you loved me you wouldn't have left me with him. You left! You left me. All I had were letters. Letters that were full of lies. Daddy said you were a liar." Meg's face was now red.

"No, Meg. I didn't want to leave you with him," Jayme managed to get out.

"You left me with him."

"I had no choice in leaving. He loved your mom. He loved you. I didn't think he'd hurt you." Jayme moved closer.

Meg listened to her sister. Her dad always said not to trust her. He said she was the reason for everything. But then there were the letters. Her mom said Jayme meant every word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jayme sat down next to Meg's bed. Bosco stood behind her. Her heart was breaking. Her father had turned Meg against her. This wasn't the reaction she was looking for. Meg wasn't supposed to hate her.

"Listen to me. Dad hurt me like he hurt you. I landed in the hospital more times than I've had birthdays. My mom had to take me away. He meant to kill me. He only punished you. It doesn't seem like it, but there is a difference. I wouldn't have survived much longer. He cherished you. I don't know what changed."

"Momma said you weren't the things Daddy said. He said them when he was mad. Other times he'd tell Momma not to talk about you. For so long I wasn't sure. Then Momma died and he only mentioned you when he hurt me. I believed him. Why? Why did I believe him?"

"You loved him," Jayme said sadly.

"I hate him," Meg cried. "I hate him."

"Let it out,' Jayme coaxed.

"I hate him. I hate him. I . . . I HATE HIM!" She screamed. "He's not my daddy anymore."

"I wrote him off years ago," Jayme whispered.

She heard Bosco take a deep breath reminding her that he was still there. She could tell he cared about Meg. It was in his eyes when he watched her. She saw that look in her friend's dad's eyes. Love. Unconditional love.