Chapter 2: Home

The flight to Seattle wasn't as horrible as I had been afraid it would be. I mainly had Esme to thank for that. Lacey had taken an instant liking to her and it seemed the reverse was true as well. Esme seemed to be more than happy to play with my daughter. When Lacey asked her if she could read her a story I tried to intervene on Esme's behalf but she happily agreed to it.

The hours breezed by quickly and before I knew it we were touching down in Seattle. I'd almost forgotten just how much it rained in Seattle until I heard the rain lashing against the window. If I were smarter I would have bought us raincoats before coming. "Momma it's raining,"

I smiled. "Get used to it sweetie. It rains a lot here,"

"Pretty,"

I held on tight to my daughter's hand to keep her from running off as we finally started getting off of the plane. I said goodbye to Esme figuring that this would be the last time that I ever saw her. I looked for signs pointing to where the luggage pick up was at. Lacey spotted our luggage before I did. As soon as I grabbed our luggage it was off to the pick up area to look for my father.

"There's grandpa!" Lacey shouted when she spotted him amongst the crowd of people waiting to meet their loved ones.

"Dad!" I yelled.

My dad's eyes lit up and a big smile appeared on his face.

"Grandpa!" Lacey got her hand loose from mine and ran through the crowd of people to my father. I ran after her. Henry ran by my side. "Lacey what have I told you about running from me like that!" I scolded her.

"Sorry momma,"

"Oh it's okay. She was just excited to see her grandfather now wasn't she?" my dad picked Lacey up and hugged her tight. "How is my favorite granddaughter?"

"Grandpa, I'm your only granddaughter," Lacey giggled.

"It's good to see you again. Dad," I hugged my father tight. A few tears fell down my face. A feeling of peace and serenity came over me. I was home now. Home at last. "It's good to have you back. How are you feeling? I've been extremely worried about you two,"

"We're fine dad,"

"And how's, you know, everything?" My dad hesitated to say the word cancer out loud.

"I feel fine, dad. Honestly today is one of those days where I can almost forget that I am sick,"

He sighed. "Where do you want to go for dinner? The sky's the limit,"

"Cheeseburgers," Lacey said.

"Why don't we stop at the diner we always used to go to together, dad? Is it still open?"

He laughed. "I still go there all the time,"

It had been years since the last time I visited Seattle. He and my mom had divorced when I was eight years old. Because of the custody arrangement I would fly back every Summer to visit my dad. The Summer before I turned 14 was the last time that I visited. Not long after that was when I gave birth to Lacey. After that traveling back and forth became way too complicated. My dad understood and agreed that it was best if I just stay with my mom in New York City even during the Summer. Instead my dad would come vacation with us in New York.

A wave of nostalgia overcame me as we pulled up to the diner. My dad and I used to come here all the time when I would visit him. After my cancer treatments this is where he would take me to cheer me up. The cheeseburgers were just as good as I remembered as were the milkshakes.

"Momma can I have another milkshake?"

"No sweetie,"

"Why not?" she pouted.

"Because then you will not be able to sleep tonight. That's why,"

"But I-"

I gave Lacey the look which quieted her instantly. She knew that if she pressed the matter she would be in trouble. That didn't always stop her from trying though.

"So Ness. I've been meaning to tell you but I did get you enrolled in school. You'll be starting on Monday,"

I sighed. "And what about Lacey, dad? Who is going to watch her while I'm at school?" I asked.

"Don't worry. There is a daycare center close to the school. I already spoke to the center about leaving Lacey with them and before you say anything I will cover the cost,"

"But dad-"

"No but dad. I don't want child care to be an issue for you. You are a bright young lady and I'm not going to let anything stop you from getting an education,"

I was speechless. I wasn't used to feeling this level of emotion all at once. Tears formed in my eyes again. "Anyway, perhaps we should get home. I'm sure you are both tired from your long flight,"

"Just a bit," I yawned.

Dad and I continued to talk all the way home. His house was exactly as I remembered it. My dad helped me carry my bags upstairs to my room. It was the same room that I always had. The only changes made were that I now had a newer bedroom and I now had a desk with a laptop. My dad had turned the spare bedroom next to mine into Lacey's new bedroom. My daughter loved it. She was excited to sleep in her new pink princess bedroom tonight.

Tired and suffering from jet lag Lacey and I went to sleep earlier than usual that night. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

"Hey Nessie, great game!" one of my friends high fived me. "Way to get us out of that jam by hitting a homerun. You're a lifesaver Nessie,"

"I don't know about that,"

"Well you saved the game that's for sure. Hey, do you want to come over to my place and hang out? It could be our own celebration. Just the two of us,"

"Sorry I have to get home. My mom said to go straight home after the game. I'll see you tomorrow though,"

"Okay Nessie. Be careful,"

It was dark outside and I couldn't wait to get home. It wasn't a long walk. It was only about a mile and a half from the park. Since my mom worked a lot I was used to walking pretty much everywhere by myself. It was dark outside. When I was about halfway home I decided to make a quick detour to stop at a doughnut shop. I still had a few dollars left over from the allowance my mom had given me the prior week. As soon as I opened the door I saw Bryce King and his gang sitting there and laughing.

I gritted my teeth. I couldn't stand Bryce. He always made sexist and derogatory remarks to me and other girls. He thought he was God's gift to mankind just because his father owned a bank up in Rochester that made the family extremely wealthy. The bank had been passed down from generation to generation since the 1940s when Royce King II had died and left it to his grandson Royce King IV. Royce King III had been mysteriously murdered in a hotel back in 1933 along with some of his guards. He left behind a newlywed pregnant wife. I knew all of this not because I had any particular interest in Bryce King's family but because he and his older brother Royce King VI wouldn't stop boasting about their family and their family's history.

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and walked straight ahead to the counter. One of the boys wolf whistled at me as I walked by their table. "Lookin fine their hot stuff! Why don't you show off more of that ass of yours?" I heard Bryce laugh.

"I'll take two of the buttermilk glazed bars. Oh and one of the Nestle Chocolate milks please,"

"Coming right up,"

The cashier gave me my total and handed me the bag after I gave her the exact amount of cash. I left the shop and continued my walk home. For awhile I heard nothing apart from the crunch of gravel underneath my feet. "There she is,"

My heart skipped a beat. I looked behind me and saw Bryce and his friends following me from not too far behind. I picked up the pace. "Oh come on sweetie we just want to have some fun with you!" Bryce shouted. I started to run and I made a left turn down a smaller street hoping that I would be able to lose them. I skidded to a halt when I realized I was at a dead end. Shit. Shit. Shit. They saw me and they knew I was cornered. I tried to think through the panic and remember what little self defense I knew. The little voice at the back of my head told me that I didn't stand a chance against one of them and there were five of them.

Then I ran. With any luck I would be able to get past them without a problem. There was a gap. Yes. I can make it. Bryce noticed and he quickly covered the gap at the last second and caught me. I screamed as he twisted my arm. I dropped the doughnuts and the milk on the floor. Bryce slammed me so hard against the wall that the back of my head cracked open. My vision went slightly blurry. I could feel Bryce groping me and then he violently yanked my pants and underwear off. I screamed when he forcibly entered my body. He punched me hard. "Shut the fuck up bitch!"

When Bryce finished raping me the others raped me also. Then Bryce raped me again. It went on like that for probably half an hour at least until they decided they were done with me. They walked away laughing. "Bryce it looks like you're going to have to find a new girl to drool over,"

"Ehh there's plenty of those. I might have to learn some impulse control though," they laughed as they walked away from me thinking that I was about to die.

I woke up in a panic. Henry was at my side instantly as the panic attack began to engulf me. The sheer terror of that night was as present now as it was the night that it happened. Every day over the last three years I was forced to see them in school. Everyday I relieved that same terror and panic over and over again.

Someone knocked on my door. "Momma," Lacey had tears running down her face. "I had a bad dream. I'm scared,"

I took a deep breath trying to calm myself down. That, along with Henry's presence, calmed me down.

"Momma,"

"It's okay sweetie. Come here,"

She ran to my bed and hugged me. I hugged her tight to my chest. "Momma why are you crying?"

"I also had a bad dream sweetie. It's okay,"

"What about?"

I forced a smile. "It's nothing important," she snuggled into my chest. I sighed. I knew that one day I was going to have to tell her about what happened to me and the circumstances surrounding her conception. I wasn't looking forward to that conversation. She already had questions about her father. Questions that I was in no way prepared to answer. I knew who her father was. After she was born I secretly gathered DNA samples. Bryce King was her biological father. She looked a lot like him also. But she wasn't him. She was a sweet child who could never hurt a fly. Heck her Dr. Dolittle-like beliefs let her to believe that she actually could talk to flies and other animals.

"Momma can I sleep with you and Henry tonight? Henry says it's okay with him,"

"I'm sure he did Lacey,"

Henry whimpered.

"Come here baby. Let's try to get back to sleep. Okay?"

"Okay momma," she yawned and closed her eyes.