One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  Unfinished Business

Part  |  Two

I honestly don't remember if John said something afterward. It felt like everything was going in slow motion and the room was closing in on me. I heard him in one ear and Tanya in the other calling my name. After that I don't remember what happened, I remember sitting in my car sticking my keys in the ignition. I didn't remember dropping the phone and quickly collecting Cameron before running out the house because it all just passed me by so quickly.

Tears burned my wide eyes, my hands were shaking, my heart was beating faster as the seconds passed, and my hands were shaking as I maneuvered around all the cars on the freeway. I was definitely driving past the speed limit and I knew if I didn't calm down I would be pulled over. I lifted my foot off the accelerator just a little bit, but I was still going a little above the speed limit. I tried to take in deep breaths to slow down my hearts beating, but my tears clouded my vision and everything became blurry. I was already going above the speed limit and I couldn't see before tears were clouding my vision so I knew if I didn't find some way to calm down I'd cause an accident.

Suddenly the sound of Cameron's wails sounded from behind me in the backseat and I quickly stomped my foot down on the accelerator before turning my car right so I could make the next exit. Car horns beeped as I barely managed to turn in front of them without turning on my turn signal before finally I was on the ramp leading into the city. I drove around for a while until finally I stopped in front of a tall building and turned around in my seat.

"Oh baby I'm so sorry! Mommy is so, so sorry!" I apologize as I unbuckle Cameron from his carrier and pick him up in my arms. He continued to wail as I lightly pat his back with one hand and rubbed his growing blonde hair with my other. "I'm so sorry."

After I got Cameron to calm down which took no longer than five minutes I found myself on the freeway heading to the one place I knew I could find safety...for now. 

As I sat there in the driveway of the house I once used to call home I suddenly became nervous and terrified. My bruises weren't covered and I had a baby with me. There was so much my parents didn't know about and I was scared to tell them. I knew they would catch on that the baby I was holding was my own and the bruises covering my face, legs and covered arms were caused by John's brutality.

Knowing John would probably be pulling up in the driveway any minute now I quickly climbed out the car and lifted Cameron's carrier out the backseat. I slammed his door shut before stomping towards the front door. I looked around at the houses in neighborhood and noticed a few new faces and cars but recognized a lot of old ones too like the Gregory's. Once I made it up the porch steps I came to a stop at the door and eyed a pink balloon taped to the mailbox before leaning down and picking up the spare key from underneath the welcome mat. Once I unlocked the door I stepped inside and slammed it behind me.

More tears built up in my eyes when I heard voices coming from the living room come to a stop. Slowly I headed towards the living room and ignored my heart beating loudly in my chest. I was nervous about seeing my family for the first time in over four years, but I knew it was time for them to learn the truth.

As soon as I stopped in the living room archway, all heads turned to face me. I immediately recognized my sister Katie who was no longer a kid but a teenager, my brother Ethan who looked a lot older, my sister Ally who still looked the same in the face but now had black hair and a swollen belly, and my parents who still had their natural hair color but had a few gray ones sticking out. I recognized one face from years ago, but I didn't remember his name. He was Ally's boyfriend, the one I met when I tried telling my family about John's abuse but was interrupted. And then there was a woman sitting next to Ethan and holding his hand. She was thick with a round face, but she was beautiful with natural brown curls and big green eyes. I took in all of their faces before slowly my eyes went down to the baby girl standing up next to the unfamiliar woman holding Ethan's hand. She looked a lot like Ethan in the face, but had a mess of brown curls on top of her head.

Ethan had a daughter. I had a niece. A niece who I never knew existed.

Life had gone on without me.

I was left behind. I was---"

"Stephanie?"

The sound of my brother's voice caused me to slightly jump and face him. He was now standing up with a hard look on his face. He was eyeing the bruises covering my body; I could just tell that's where the hard look came from. I could see anger slowly building up in his eyes as his eyes slowly went down to the bruises on my legs, but then they softened when he saw the baby carrier in my hand. He closed his eyes and breathed out through his noise before opening his eyes again. He slowly came towards me and I stared wide eyed as he stopped in front of me. I flinched and whimpered when he suddenly raised his hand up.

"Don't hit me, please, I'm sorry I haven't contacted you guys," I cried as a tear fell from my eye. I continued to try to move my head away as he brought his hand closer, but stopped once his cold palm came in contact with my bruised cheek. He slowly ran his thumb over a huge deep red colored bruise before moving his hand down to my split lip. He kept his hand there for a few seconds before dropping his hand and narrowing his eyes.

"What happened Stephanie?" he growled as his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

The mysterious woman cleared her throat, but Ethan didn't move an inch. "Ethan, honey, calm down okay?"

He ignored her and grabbed hold of my chin making my eyes go wide. He lifted it up and examined the purple colored bruise. "Stephanie, I want you to tell me who did this to you. Don't lie to me Stephanie."

I knew he knew and he knew that I knew he knew he just wanted me to come out and say John's name anyways so he could have a reason to go out and hunt John down. I was scared because I knew he would do something stupid and I knew John would allow him to just so he had a reason to press charges against Ethan for assault. I could try and get him to calm down, but I knew that would just make him even angrier. It didn't matter what I did, either way Ethan was going to make John pay for ever laying a hand on me.

Slowly I opened my mouth so it formed a small 'o' before whispering, "John."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Ethan yells out in frustration before moving past me and punching a hole in the wall. I let out a loud scream and immediately Cameron cried out and as did Ethan's daughter. The mysterious woman picked the baby up from the floor and bounced her up and down in her lap as she kissed the side of her head. I eyed my parents who were both looking at me with tears in their eyes before sitting the carrier down on the floor and lifting Cameron out of it. I slowly rest his head on my shoulder and lightly pat his back as he continues to cry.

"Shh its okay, mommy's here," I cooed in his ear.

"Stephanie?" I look up and my eyes meet Katie's small blue eyes. She's sitting on the floor next to Ally with her hands resting in her lap. When she sees that she has my attention she clears her throat and opens her mouth. "Can I hold him?"

I looked at her with wide eyes for a few seconds before frantically nodding my head and trying to smile. "Of course you can."

She nods her head as I slowly walk over towards her. Cameron's whimpers a little as I pass him over to Katie, but stops as soon as he's in Katie's arms. I watch as Katie looks down at Cameron with wide eyes filled with love and care. She quickly looked up at me with wide eyes and asked, "What's his name?"

I open and close my mouth a few times before finally speaking. "Cameron. Cameron Schmidt.....John said he always liked the name," I say whispering the last part.

I hear someone sigh from behind me before my father's voice fills the room. "Stephanie, sweetheart, what happened?"

I sighed before opening my mouth and telling them everything, or at least I could tell in just five minutes. I told them all about John's threat on our wedding day, which I didn't think nothing of, I told them about the time he caught me talking to Chuck a month after being married, and I definitely told them about the first time he had ever hit me. Their reactions broke my heart, but I continued to tell them what happened up until just very recently when he almost hit Cameron.

"I swear to God I am going to kill that son of a bitch! When I am through with him he is going to wish he never laid a hand on my sister! I knew I should have killed him all those years ago, but I didn't because I wanted to make my sister happy. Next time I see him I swear to God I am going to beat him until he's---"

"Ethan!" my mother scolded. He looked over at her with a questioning look and all she did was look at with wide eyes as if they were having a silent conversation. He just nodded his head and turned towards me once again.

"Stephanie, look, you don't have to be scared anymore you and Cameron are safe with us. We---"

I shake my head. "No, I can't stay here. I know I'll just cave and go back to him as soon as he gets here. I have to leave, and I have to leave now," I say as I quickly stand up and take Cameron out of Katie's hands. I quickly place him in his carrier and lift it up off the floor, ready to leave and not look back until I know it's safe. Just as I am about to exit out of the living room, Ethan steps in front of me and blocks me from exiting.

I let out an irritate sigh and shake my head. "Ethan, this is my decision, not yours. Let me leave."

He just shakes his head and continues to block my exit. "No, Steph, you can't just appear back in our lives just to disappear again. There is so much stuff that both of us have missed out on and I don't want you or any of us to miss out on anything else. You're safe here, Steph, so just stay."

I shake my head again and open my mouth to protest, but before I can the sound of the phone ringing causes all eyes to turn to the house phone sitting on top of the fireplace. Quickly I turn around and walk over to the phone. I had a feeling it was John calling, but maybe it could be Tanya calling. After clicking the talk button I held the phone up to my ear and waited for whoever it was calling to speak first.

"Stephanie?" Tanya's voice asks through the phone.

I let out a sigh of relief and nod my head even though I knew she couldn't see me. "Tanya I am so glad it's you and not---"

"John, he's...he's coming to your parents' house. I tried stalling him for as long as I could, but he...he threatened me Steph! He told me to tell him where you were going or else he'd...he'd hurt my kids and I couldn't just let him do it, Steph," she cried through the phone. Even though I wasn't physically there to see, I could still tell she had tears falling down her face.

I sigh and look down at Cameron with sad eyes. If he could threaten to harm Tanya's kids then he could hurt our own. "Look, Tanya I'm leaving town okay? I don't know when or if I'll ever see you again and I just want to thank you so much for everything. I...I'm so sorry for dragging you into my mess. I just want you to know I'll always love you and appreciate everything you've ever done for me."

I hear her sob through the phone and my heart breaks some more. "I love too Steph, and you are the best friend anybody could ever have. I just want to let you know I appreciate you too and.....bye."

Without saying bye back I quickly hang up and turn to face my family again. I sigh and slowly walk until I'm standing in front of Ethan with tears in my eyes. "I am sick and tired of people making decisions for me. I have let one man rule my life for the past five years, and I'll be damned if I let my own brother rule my life after I managed to escape the man who has made my life hell. I don't want to hide away from the world anymore, I don't want to be locked up inside all day without having a phone to call somebody, or permission to just go into the backyard. I am sick and tired of getting beat just because I don't cook dinner in time or talk to other guys when we are out. I want to live my life without anybody holding me back. I want to be happy and I want my son to be happy, so Ethan I suggest you move out of my way and let me go."

He looked shocked at my outburst, but I didn't care because I meant every single word. I was not only saying this because of John, but also because my family. Growing up I was always expected to join clubs like band or math club. I was expected to make good grades and hang out with the people my parents accepted. I've always been sheltered and forced to live the life others have made for me. Now that I was finally free from John, I finally realized that I have never lived the life I wanted to for myself and now it was time to start.

Without saying anything, Ethan moved out of my way. I looked up at him before walking past him and heading towards the front door. Just as I open the door I look back at my brother who stood in the middle of the hallway with sadness in his eyes and maybe...surprise? I give him a small smile heading out the door.

It was time for me to start making my own decisions.

---

Okay I've been asked this question a lot lately. I'm not annoyed by it or anything I just want to make this clear to everyone.

How old are you?

I am 13 :)