Rebuilding
After
the brief reunion and explaining that Brian would be in testing all day we
headed out to the parking lot. Mickey offered to take my car so that I
could go with Kevin. He wanted to talk to me about Rick. We
climbed into his truck.
“The
OPD are going to set up a couple plainclothes policemen at your place. They
simply don’t want to take any chances with this guy. You wouldn’t believe
all of the charges against him,” he said as we pulled onto the road.
“Like
what?” I asked him not really sure if I wanted to know.
Kevin
looked a slight bit uncomfortable.
“Well
he has been charged with 15 counts of rape, another 11 counts of sexual assault
and 10 murder charges. But he has never been proven guilty.”
I
felt sick, this guy was a deranged pervert. If he ever got his hands on
me there was likely no doubt I would never make it out alive. And if by
some chance I did, the emotional and physical scars may be too much to deal
with. In ways I almost felt more scared now then I had in that cabin in
the woods. I could tell Kevin could see my distress.
“You
could come stay with me if you like,” he suggested. “If it would make you
feel better.”
I
sighed.
“That’s
okay. Michaela will be with me now, Anita’s staying at my place and with
the policemen around I’m sure I’ll be alright.”
It
sure wasn’t the way I felt, but with everything else Kevin had to deal with now
I didn’t want him to worry about me too.
“If
that’s what you want,” he said and then focused his eyes on the road.
There
wasn’t much else to talk about. Besides Rick the other thing weighing
heavily on our minds was A.J.’s funeral. It was
this afternoon. No one had discussed it all week. No one wanted
to. Going to the funeral would mean accepting that he was never coming
back. It hadn’t even really hit me until today that he was gone.
And now having to accept it and say goodbye? It was going to be one of
the hardest things I ever had to do. It would be one of the hardest
things that we had all ever had to do.
We
finally arrived at Brian’s and my place. It was a quaint house. Not too
big not too small, but just right for what we needed. Neither of us were
really extrvagent spenders. We liked to live
comfortably. Not to mention you kept a lower profile that way as
well. Michaela pulled up right behind us. Kevin once again asked if
I’d be fine and then took off. He to had things to do before this
afternoon.
I
showed Michaela to a guestroom and then gave her a quick tour. She had
never stayed with us before. We passed another guestroom. The one
Anita was staying in. As usual the door was closed. She barely ever
came out of that room. I rapped lightly on the door. I heard a
slight murmuring so I opened the door.
Anita
sat on the bay window staring out at the backyard. It was the same
position I found her in everyday. She would sit there and stare blankly
out the window not really even looking at what was beyond the glass. It
was freaky like something an insane person in a psycho thriller would do.
I wanted to do something for her so much. It hurt me to see her so lost
and alone. But she wouldn’t let me help her. Slowly I could see the
person that I’d known as my best friend melting away and I felt helpless and
guilty for not being able to do anything about it.
“Would
you like something to eat?” I asked her.
Never
taking her gaze off the window she simply shook her head.
“Anita
you have to eat something,” I continued.
Again
she just shook her head, barely even acknowledging my presence. She
hadn’t even noticed Mickey. If this kept up she was going to end up in a
grave beside A.J. But I simply closed the door and continued down the
hall.
“Shouldn’t
you do something?” Michaela asked looking somewhat confused and angered that I
hadn’t tried harder.
“I
only wish I could,” I said bitterly.
“But
you can,” Michaela replied.
I
stopped and turned around to face her.
“Don’t
you think I’ve tried!” I spat back at her.
“Do
you think I enjoy watching my best friend waste away physically and
mentally. She’s losing it Mickey. Everyday I try to reach her, but
just like now she acts detached. She is off in her own little fantasy
world and she won’t let me in. It’s like trying to give emotional comfort
to a brick wall. It drives me nuts that I can't help her, I feel like
I’ve lost her too,” I finished tears overtaking me.
For
the second tine that day she took me into her arms.
“Don’t
worry Lisa it’s not your fault,” she whispered soothingly.
"Tomorrow
we will go and get her help okay?” she said looking at me. I nodded.
“If
she survives the funeral today.”
***
