(46) For All the Girls Before

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Makennah adjusted to the comfort and ease of the Jeep quickly. The seat hugged her back. The steering wheel turned smoothly and effortlessly. The seat warmers soothed the ache in her bones and calmed her tense muscles. She had never driven such a large vehicle before but it bolstered her with a new sense of power.

On the road, Makennah calculated a route to a nearby city using her GPS. She wasn't 100% certain where she was going, but she knew she could find her way there.

She did what she did best.

She hunted.

Half way into her trip, Makennah stopped at a nearby gas station to purchase some Advil since her neck was killing her. It was so painful that she could barely think about anything else. Inside the gas station, she also put her phone on 'do not disturb' since she was receiving multiple calls from Carolynn, Will, Matt and even Theo. She wondered if they recruited him to help find her but she couldn't even think about that. The knowledge that Theo might know what happened to her tonight made her want to crawl out of her own skin and hide in a cave.

It was a little awkward because of the time that passed, but Makennah called an old friend who might know the location where she was trying to go. The old friend didn't, but she passed her along to someone else who might.

That person knew relatively what neighborhood but not the exact house.

So Makennah drove around until she found the neighborhood.

Finally, someone texted her the exact address.

Since thirty minutes passed and her throat still pulsed with her heartbeat, Makennah popped two more Advil, washed it down with a gulp of water, and parked the car down the street.

Considering the late hour - almost midnight - the fact that a few lights shone through drape covered windows surprised Makennah. In a prominently wealthy neighborhood, all of the paved driveways hosted Mercedes, Infinities, Jaguars, and Audis. Most of the houses edged on a million dollars in value. Although major renovations had been done to most of the houses, their old style shone through.

The colonial style home with a huge expansive porch and towering columns upheld a massive black roof that contrasted with the stark white siding. Low lights hidden in the shrubs and landscape shone picturesquely on the front of the host with a blazing red front door. On the side of the porch, there was a display of small hay bails, large and medium sized pumpkins, and a cute scarecrow in a flannel shirt. The two large white columns that flanked the front door also supported gatherings of pumpkins.

Stuffing her hands in her pockets, Makennah approached the front of the house by walking up the driveway. Without a thought of hesitation, she rang the doorbell.

Just when she thought no one was going to answer, the front door swung wide open.

Maisie Green with her deep brown eyes stood on the other side of the door in LuluLemon leggings and a Broncos crew neck sweatshirt with bare feet. "What do you want?" She asked.

Just as the words escaped her mouth, Makennah stepped into the light and her eyes registered the bruises and swelling that morphed her body. Maisie's eyes widened.

"I'd just like to chat," Makennah explained nicely.

"What happened to you?" Maisie asked as if she couldn't help herself.

"What do you think?" Makennah asked. Maisie knew. Makennah didn't have to explain.

Maisie glanced over her shoulder to ensure no one was listening. In the distance, Makennah spotted a tv flashing ads in a living room that was far enough out of ear shot.

"He came after you? Why?" She asked.

"I don't know. He said you had been asking questions about our past relationship. He assumed that I talked to you." It was cold outside but she didn't take offense that Maisie didn't invite her inside.

Maisie's hand clenched on the door knob and she stepped closer. "Well...yeah...I wondered what happened between you two. I...didn't know that he was that way with other people. I just thought it was me."

Her honesty surprised Makennah. She didn't say it outright, but she admitted to the abuse. Or at least things happening in their relationship that shouldn't. "What I said to you at the game was true. He will get worse. And you are not the only one."

Maisie sighed. Her shoulders tensed uncomfortably. "When did that...happen?" She asked.

"Tonight. He found me at work. I don't know how." Makennah shrugged. A residual ache lingered in her neck but she was loosening up with the assistance of the painkillers. "Maisie, I'm worried about you. He had those crazy eyes. The ones where you know he's getting out of control."

She nodded. "I know what you're talking about."

"He did this to me effortlessly. Slammed me up against a wall. Tried to run away. He grabbed me and choked me. Literally the only reason I got free is because my brothers came to pick me up and that found me like that. They beat the crap out of Lucas. He was lying on the ground barely moving."

Maisie covered her mouth with her hand. "Is be okay?"

"Stop worrying about him," Makennah barked. "This isn't about him. It's about you and me and every other girl that he abused."

Maisie reeled back at her sharp tone. This wasn't the time for niceties. This was business.

"He is not my problem anymore," Makennah continued. "He's yours. And he's starting to do to you what he does to everyone else. You're stuck. I know you are. But you don't have to be."

Maisie glanced over her shoulder again before she inched closer and tugged the door almost shut behind her. "What do you want with me?" She asked.

"You have the power to stop him. You have the power to turn this around. You have the power to save other girls like us. I don't. I didn't. I never did."

Maisie shoved her hands through her hair. "He's not that bad right now. He's not..."

"Stop." Makennah held up her hand to halt her. "Look at me. He is in that bad place right now. It just didn't happen to you. It happened to me."

Maisie sucked in a shaky breath. She couldn't look at Makennah. "I don't know what you expect me to do."

She shrugged. "That's up to you. But you don't have to stay trapped. You don't have to torture yourself. Don't even bother making up excuses about how you love him or he loves you. He can't love you, Maisie. He's jacked up in the head. He needs help. He beats women. That is not love! And you don't deserve that! No one does! Tonight, Lucas trapped me and choked me until I almost passed out. I'm gonna be healing from this for at least two weeks. I do not want this to happen to you. I don't want you to get choked out or hit or punched or abused, Maisie. You don't have to hide this anymore. You don't have to wear the long sleeves or the pants or the scarves." Makennah took a deep breath and calmed herself down as the memories plagued her. This was all too familiar. She and Maisie were so similar, walking this path together. "It's time to stop with the excuses. It's time to stop letting him off the hook. It's time to stop hiding how he hurts you. How he hurt us."

Silent tears rolled down Maisie's cheeks. She hugged herself, holding herself together so that she didn't crumble. "I know," she admitted weakly.

"There is no shame in seeking help. There is no shame finding refuge with people who love you and will take care of you. Most importantly, you have parents who can take care of this for you in the best way possible. They have the connections. You also have power, Maisie. You can stand up to him. You can leave him. You can dump him. You can press charges. You can send him away for everything that he did to you, me, and all the girls before."

Even though Makennah spoke to Maisie, her own words seemed to be something she needed to hear. As much as she pushed the Sinclair's away, she needed their help. She needed the boys to fight off Lucas and to help tell Carolynn and Will what happened. She didn't realize it, but their protection made her feel safe enough to cry in her bed alone at night. They offered a silent security blanket. And even though she wouldn't take them up in their legal help, Will would travel through hell and high water for her in this situation.

"I'll think about it," Maisie whispered.

"Don't let him hurt you. Don't let him break you," Makennah encouraged her with all of the strength she had left. She felt the energy seeping out of her pores with every breath. Her body felt fatigued and worn out. It had been a long day.

Finally, Makennah pulled Maisie into a hug. Perfect strangers. United by tragedy.

Surprisingly, Maisie wrapped her arms around Makennah's torso. "For all the girls before that didn't have the power to stand up to him. Do it for them."

Without another word, Makennah released Maisie and pivoted on her heel. She hopped down the steps and travelled through the grass to get to the Jeep. As soon as the door closed behind her, Makennah burst into tears. Heart wrenching earth shattering painful sobs. It racked through her body and tore her soul apart.

It hurt. It all hurt. Her head. Her neck. Her body. Her soul. Her heart.

And she was tired. So so tired.

It was time to go home.

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Ironically, or maybe not so ironically....

Coincidentally, or maybe not so coincidentally...

Like many other things in her life, when things started to go bad, everything else began to follow, swirling around the drain until it all plummeted.

On the way home, the Jeep busted a tire. Luckily, she was near a gas station that was still open at one in the morning. She rolled to a lopsided stop in the parking lot and hopped out to survey the damage.

It was then that she turned her phone off of 'do not disturb' and the missed calls and texts came flooding in.

C- where are you? Please answer

W- this isnt funny Makennah. Please answer the phone

M- mom and dad are kinda freaking out. At least let us know you're okay

N- you good sis?

T- Makennah what on earth is going on?

T- are you okay? Please tell me you're okay

T- where are you? The Sinclair's think you came here but you didn't. What happened?

T- you're worrying me, sweetheart

C- you are grounded for eternity

W- Carolynn is freaking out. Please just come home

T- call me. I just wanna know you're okay

M- listen I know this is like...a personal crises for you or whatever and maybe this isn't the best time to say this...but please don't wreck my Jeep.

Makennah laughed a little at Matt's last text. It was the tiniest little thing that helped ease the tension in her back.

The stress of everything else piled on top of each other like falling dominoes. She needed a cigarette.

Thirty minutes later, she stood outside leaning against the Jeep with the flat tire, managing to stay warm in her hoodie and jean jacket while she smoked multiple cigarettes in succession. She smoked so much that her head felt funny from the overdose of narcotics.

Due to the bad events that just kept coming, Makennah was forced to call Will and Carolynn for help. Shortly, she explained her location and situation. Without question, Will said they were on their way to pick her up.

And that's how she ended up passing the time smoking Marlboro's.

She drowned the guilt in nicotine and self-care. After the day she had, Makennah deserved to take the edge off. Instead of driving herself insane with her thoughts, she coped the only way she knew how.

When Will and Carolynn arrived, she didn't bother hiding the fact that she was smoking. Whether or not they saw the cigarettes, the smell lingered as a telltale sign. Maybe the only thing she could depend on at the moment was her incoming punishment. Might as well embrace the surety of it.

As Will parked the car, Carolynn rolled down the window and gave her the stink eye as Makennah sucked in one last drag before she tossed the cigarette butt on the ground and smashed it with her boot.

When she got in the car, Carolynn said, "You're washing your clothes tomorrow."

"And my car," Will added.

"And your shoes," she said.

"And the Jeep, If you smoked in there."

Makennah scoffed. "I would never do that," as if it were obvious and a harsher crime to repay than simply smoking cigarettes.

"Well pardon us but we aren't too sure what you won't do at the moment."

"Fair." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"We'll talk about your punishment tomorrow," Will finished their conversation with that and drove silently all the way home.

Maybe worse than the yelling was the silence. She might have felt better if they berated her for running away without explanation then popping back up with a flat tire and a pack of Marlboro's. The fading nicotine effects only reminded her that she sported painful bruises and swelling to match. And the pain was going to get much worse before it got better.

Even though she couldn't see Carolynn's face, Makennah sensed that she was seething with anger. She sat rigidly in her seat with her arms crossed. Every once in awhile, Will glanced in her direction to ensure she was okay.

Makennah realized that, even though they were angry with her, she was thankful and blessed to have them. Even though they were highly displeased with her actions following a catastrophe by their standards, they stayed up because they hadn't heard from her and waited for her call until she told them where she was, to only drive outside in the cold to come pick her up. Her own mother would never do that. In fact, her mother never even asked where Makennah was. She never checked in or called to ask if she was alive. She never received a punishment because Makennah never did anything wrong in her mother's books.

During her relationship, Candy ignored the bruises on Makennah's arms and neck. She acted like it wasn't even there. Maybe she didn't even look at them. Her abuse didn't faze her mother. She didn't care.

In the back of Will's car which started to smell like cigarette smoke, Makennah cried silently. Tears rolled down her cheeks from the utter abandonment that overwhelmed her. Always she stood alone to fight her own battles.

She sucked in the tears. She swallowed her weaknesses. And she told herself she was okay.

Makennah would heal. And she would be okay.

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Thank you to my dedicated readers who have stuck with Makennah through this journey.

Idk where you all are but it's bed time here so goodnight to you all!

Xoxo

W. Carolina