Take a Breath (Take 1) Read Online Free

was
pounding and I was wondering what had happened.  “Mum, what’s
going on?”  She looks up at me, tears streaming down her
face.  
     
 “One of the neighbours heard your screams and luckily the back
door was unlocked so he was able to gain entry.  He managed to
yank him off you before, before.”  A little sob escapes her lips
before she continues, “There was a fight and Alan managed to get
away.  I doubt very much he will come back now.”
     
    He
never did but the police searched for him and we moved as soon as we
could on to the next venture.  My mum has always been funny with
ever me since that incident and I always felt in the way of
everything.  I’m so glad now I’m older and can get away from her
when I want to.  Alan has never been found, he seems to have
disappeared into thin air and so be it, he was a monster.  I think
my mum found the whole thing embarrassing and just wanted it to go away
as quickly as possible. At times I still think about what happened that
night and I can’t stand the smell of whiskey anywhere near me because
of it.
     
    My
mind quickly comes back to the car and I see Jake glaring at me. 
Does he know?  If he does, that was such a cruel comment even from
him.  “I don’t understand Jake, why are you so mad and what do you
mean by, I need protecting?”  
     
  He shakes his head, “Nothing.  Men just seem to fly around
you.  You’re like honey to a bee and you make people
crazy.”  
     
  I’m stunned by this, what does he mean?  I look at him in
shock, “Are you angry with me?  What is it you would like me to
do, move out?”  He visibly winces at my comment and tightens the
steering wheel.  
       “No, of course not.  Forget I said anything.”  
     
  He turns and puts the car in drive and we head off back
home.  The rest of the journey is made in silence and I’m feeling
sober all of a sudden not knowing how to think or react.  He parks
the Range Rover in the garage and we unlock the door.  The house
is silent and all the lights are off.  
       “Stella, Matthew?”  Jake shouts around the house.  
     
  I hear a door open upstairs and Matthew pops his head over the
stairwell, “Hey Dad, hey Ana, did you have a good time?”  
        I turn and look at Jake suddenly feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders from the whole day. 
     
  He looks over to me expression unreadable and then looks up at
Matthew, “It was eventful.  Where’s Stella?”  
        Matthew shrugs his shoulders, “I haven’t seen her since I came in.”  
     
  Oh dear, where is she?  “When was that Matthew?” I ask
trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably.  I have a bad
feeling in my gut.  
       “Well, I’ve been in since about 4.30, and there was no one here.”  
     
  I find myself walking down to the basement bedroom where she
normally sleeps.  She says that it’s because Jake snores, but I
never hear him.  The first thing I do is fling her wardrobe door
open and I see an empty space staring back at me.  My shoulders
sag and I’m suddenly enraged knowing full well that she has fled yet
again.  How could she do this to Jake, to Matthew, to me?  I
pick up one of her favourite ornaments sitting on her bedside and I
throw it at the wall.  It falls in tiny pieces as I slump to the
floor in a heap.  I can hear Jake and Matthew upstairs shouting
for me but I can’t move, what a shit day.  They both stand at the
bottom of the stairs staring at me in disbelief.  They look at me
and then at the debris on the floor.  Jake is about to say
something when I point to her wardrobe. He has to know, I can’t hide
this from him.  He walks over, peeks inside and lets out a deep
breath.  I get up from the heap I’m in, suddenly feeling
exhausted.  I look at Jake with tears in my eyes and say, “I’m
sorry Jake.”  I walk up the stairs and head for my room.  How
can my day get any worse than this?  I bet he wishes he