Chapter 19

<Jasper Coven>

The feeling of Callie's lips still lingers on my forehead. A smile plays on my lips as I keep my eyes closed. It's relaxing to just lay here, to have Callie's hand in mine and have her body so close to me. Her slow, steady breathing is calming and for once, I'm not plagued by worry or anxiety. I feel Callie turn, her hair brushing my shoulder softly as we continue to lay in the warm grass. I open my eyes and see the sun sinking in the sky, coloring the atmosphere in various shades of orange and yellow.

I run my fingers through the ends of Callie's silky hair as I continue to watch the sun disappear behind some evening clouds. Her eyes are still closed, but her pink lips are smiling, prompting me to continue on. I chuckle and let her hair run through my fingers again, the softness making me feel at peace. I look at Callie lying next to me, her eyelids fluttering like she's in the middle of dreaming; it's a beautifully distracting sight. I check my watch and, sadly, decide that it's time for me to get back to the hospital and my mom. I bite my lip and shake Callie gently. She sits up and rubs her eyes, looking slightly disoriented.

"Sorry, I need to go see my mama." I say awkwardly as I let go of her hand.

"No, no, of course." Callie replies as she checks the time on her phone. "I should probably get home anyway."

"I can drop you off on my way if you want."

"That'd be great." She smiles and picks up her backpack.

We stand up and walk back to my house, hand in hand. My truck is still parked in front of the house and the door is still closed which means my dad hasn't figured out how to break his restraints. I breathe a sigh of relief and unlock the truck, placing my guitar in the backseat while Callie hops into shotgun. I slip into the driver's seat and put my keys in the ignition. I begin driving down the long gravel road that leads to the front gates of the family property. I drive right through the gate and continue on our usual route back to her house. The ride is silent, but comfortable, despite the nagging feeling in my stomach.

"Callie,"

She turns towards me at the sound of her name, her look asking me to continue on.

"Would you come to the hospital with me? I understand if you can't, but I could really use some support right now..." My voice trails off as we come to a stop at the red light.

"I'd be happy to." She replies and suddenly it feels like a weight's been lifted off of my chest.

I smile to myself as I continue past the entrance to her neighborhood and head towards the Everington Memorial Hospital, a few miles outside the heart of the town. I pull into a parking space near the entrance and help Callie out before heading towards the automatic doors. I make my way to the front desk where Denise is seated, typing away on a computer.

"Hey, Denise." I say and tap my fingers on the marble counter of the desk. "Two visitors passes please."

"Who've you brought with you, darlin'?" She asks as she hands me the sign in sheet.

"This is Callie. Callie, this is Denise, a friend of my mom's." I introduce, allowing Callie to step forward.

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Callie says politely, a bright smile on her face.

"Glad to meet you too; I just wish it was on better terms." Denise sighs and hands us the visitors' stickers. "She's in the same place she was the last time you came, Jasper."

"Thanks." I wave and lead Callie towards the elevators.

We go up to the third floor and I walk down the familiar hallway to my mom's room. I knock and hear her mumble 'come in'. I open the door slowly and file into the room, Callie following close behind.

"Hey mama, how're you feelin'?" I ask and take a seat on the edge of her bed.

"I've been better, sweetheart." She pats my thigh and then catches a glimpse of Callie, who's still standing in the shadow of the doorway.

I gesture for Callie to come closer and she nods, her cheeks tinted pink as she stands next to me.

"Mama, this is Callie." I say, not really sure of exactly how to introduce her.

She's not my girlfriend, but she's definitely more than just my friend...

"It's very nice to meet you, Callie; sorry about my attire." My mom smooths out her hospital dress and tucks her blanket a little tighter.

"No worries, Mrs. Coven; Jasper told me about what happened and I just wanted to come by and see if you were okay. I'm glad to see you're doing better." Callie says in a gentle voice, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Well, that was very kind of you." My mom replies with a smile; it almost looks as if she's unsure of how to respond.

"I'm gonna go get a snack from the vending machine. Can I get you ladies anything?" I ask, looking from Callie to my mom.

"A Jell-O cup would be nice." My mom looks up at me with a weary smile on her lips. "Thanks, baby."

"Callie?" I turn to her, waiting for an answer.

"I'm good, thanks." She replies as I stand up.

I walk out of the room, closing the door gently behind me. I look through the pane of glass and find Callie seated on the end of my mom's bed, which warms my heart for some reason. I exhale a deep breath and walk down the hallway towards the vending machine where all of my favorite artificial snacks await me. I put some money in and buy a Jell-O cup for my mom and a bag of Cheetos for me. I grab my change from the machine before making my way back to my mom's room.

I open the door quietly and set the snacks on the food tray the nurses left here from my mom's last meal. The room is still and relatively quiet, the only sounds being that of Callie's breathy, gentle voice.

"Dear God, I know you're there, but sometimes in the craziness of the world, it's hard to find you. This woman is hurting, both physically and emotionally; she's lost and needs someone to turn to. Please help her to know that you're there for her and that you'll get her through this life, no matter what challenges lie ahead. I ask that you give her strength; strength to stand up for herself and her son as well as strength to persevere through the abuse she faces daily. Help her to know that you love her, God and that you have a good plan for her. Help her to know that she's beautiful and that she's worth more than what her husband does to her; help her to know that she deserves more. In your son's name I pray, amen." Callie finishes her prayer, my mom and her letting go of each other's hands.

I watch as my mom brushes some tears from her cheeks, pulling Callie into a tight embrace.

"Thank you," She whispers, smoothing Callie's hair. "I really needed to hear that."

Callie nods as my mom releases her, a soft smile on her face. That's when they both notice my presence and beckon for me to come over. My eyes lock with Callie's as I take a few steps towards them. Without saying a word, I pull Callie into a hug, my arms wrapping around her much smaller frame. I feel her face nuzzle my neck as I hold her close to me.

"You're amazing." I whisper, my arms still wrapped around her.

"I'm just trying to help." She answers kindly. "In any way that I can."

We release each other and I roll the tray over to my mother so she can have her snack. Callie takes a seat in the chair next to the bed, leaving me to sit on the end of my mom's bed. I watch as my mom takes a bite of the Jell-O, her shallow cheeks chewing slowly. I look from her to Callie and back again; a feeling of warmth spreading throughout my body.

Maybe things will start looking up...

~~~~~

It's dark outside and we've long since left the hospital. I'm currently parked in Callie's driveway, watching her gather up her backpack from the floor. She smiles at me and slings the strap over her shoulder.

"Thank you for coming with me; you were amazing back there." I say sheepishly and rub the back of my neck.

"I'm glad you brought me to see her, Jasper." Callie looks at me with her bright eyes, her hand rubbing my shoulder comfortingly.

"I think she really needed to hear those things coming from someone else, you know, besides me and the nurses..." My voice trails off as our eyes meet. "Just so you know, my mom comes home on Saturday, so I think we'll need to postpone the movie."

"Of course, I completely understand; don't worry about it." Callie chuckles as she opens the door. "Let me know if you want any help; I'd be happy to come over and assist in any way I can."

She scribbles her number down on a napkin I left in the console and then she hops out of the truck. I watch her walk up to her front door and slip inside, her mom embracing her tightly and slamming the door shut. I drive away, tucking the napkin safely into the front pocket of my jeans.

~~~~~

It's Saturday and I'm seated in my mom's hospital room, the napkin with Callie's number on it taunting me. My mom is supposed to be released today and the doctor is off getting the paperwork together. My mom is dressed in a tank top and a pair of sweatpants, her face glowing thanks to all of the painkillers in her system. She's laying on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling as if deep in thought. Mrs. Arthurs comes through the door a few seconds later with a weary smile on her face.

"I'm so glad you're doing better, Delilah." She murmurs and kisses the top of my mom's head.

"I'm actually really happy that you're here, Mary." My mom says and sits up slowly, being mindful of her mending ribs. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

Mrs. Arthurs gives me a hopeful look as she turns to face my mother.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"As painful as this is for me to say, I'd like to press charges against my husband." My mom looks at Mrs. Arthurs, her eyes misting over. "I've been thinking about what you were saying a few days ago and I feel like things need to change, but that won't happen without someone taking action."

Thank you, mama, thank you for finally coming to your senses.

"Oh, Delilah." Mrs. Arthurs exclaims, tears dotting her cheeks. "I've been waiting years to hear you say those words; I'll get right on it."

She exits the room in a haste, most likely going to find a phone and call the police station. I stand up and pull my mom into a hug. I feel her body shake with sobs as she holds me close.

"Jasper, I never thought I'd be ready for this, but now I've realized that it wasn't fair of me to do that to you. I'm sorry, baby, I'm so, so sorry."

"There's no need for you to apologize, mama; I wanted to protect you, it's what people do when they love each other." I run my fingers through her hair and feel burning tears on my cheeks. "I'm glad you came to your senses while you still have time."

"Jasper," She says and pulls away from me. "Thank your friend Callie for me; after her prayers, I felt like God gave me the strength to do this, like he was telling me it was time."

Callie is like a guardian angel for both of us...

I just nod as Mrs. Arthurs comes back into the room.

"Sweetheart, some policemen are going to come by and take your statement before they go and arrest Johnathan." My mom looks like she's about to interrupt, but Mrs. Arthurs stops her. "They already have a file of every complaint and shred of evidence needed to convict him; you're doing us all a favor by turning him in."

My mom looks down at her lap, the tears falling faster every second. I sit down next to her and wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"I'm so proud of you, mama and Charlie would be too. You're giving me all I've ever wanted." I whisper, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.

This makes her cry even harder, her cheeks wet and red from the sadness.

"You both deserved a better mother." She states and covers her face with her shaking hands.

"Really? 'Cause I don't think I could've asked for anyone better."

My mom looks up at me and smiles weakly.

"What did I ever do to be lucky enough to get a son like you, Jasper?"

"God was lookin' out for you, I guess." I reciprocate her smile and hold her close to me.

The next few minutes pass in silence until two policemen arrive and knock on the doorframe, awaiting permission to enter. I gesture for them to come in and they take off their hats as they make their way to my mom, who's still seated on the hospital bed. They kneel down, their eyes never leaving my mom's broken arm.

"Mrs. Coven," The older policeman, a guy with gray hair and glasses, says gently and places his hand on my mom's knee. "We're going to need to take your statement if that's okay."

She nods and grasps my hand tightly, finally ready to talk about our situation, about everything dad has done to us.

"Please describe in detail what happened to you the night your husband abused you."

Which night? There have been plenty...

"It started after he asked for whiskey. I could tell he was already high on God only knows what and I didn't want him to have an overdose." My mom admits, still staring at her lap.

I still don't see how this would be such a problem...

The policemen scribble down some things on their notepads before allowing her to continue on.

"At first, he just seemed angry, but that escalated, as it always seems to." My mom brushes a tear from her cheek and inhales a deep breath. "He got up from his chair and hit me straight across the face before yelling at me to get him his alcohol. I still refused, and that just made him madder. He punched me in the face, giving me a black eye. After that he continued to physically harm me. I hit the floor hard a couple of times, he beat me up a little more and then Jasper came in."

My mom leans on my shoulder, her hand still squeezing mine.

"I was in a chokehold from which my husband released me and then punched me. Jasper tried to get me away, but Johnathan had a pretty good grip on me. I tripped on some old carpeting and went sailing towards the ground. He wouldn't let go of my arm and that's when I heard it crack, but even then he wouldn't let me go. It wasn't until Jasper forced him away that the abuse of the night actually stopped."

My mom takes in a few shaky breaths as she tries to calm herself down.

"Mrs. Coven, if you wouldn't mind, could you please come down to the station? We have a few more questions to ask you about the abuse and the situation at home."

My mom nods as I help her stand up. We follow the policemen out of the hospital room and down to the main lobby.

"We'll meet you at the precinct." I state and lead my mom, as well as Mrs. Arthurs, to my truck.

We all get inside and I speed off, following the sound of the wailing police sirens. Within five minutes, we're back in town and parked in front of the Everington Town Police station, a place that's become all too familiar to me over the years. As kids, my mom would bring Charlie and me here when she needed to file a domestic abuse report. That was back when she had faith in the justice department, though; for the last few years, her faith had become almost non-existent, as if every blow by my father was a blow to her faith instead of to her body.

Mrs. Arthurs helps my mom out of the car and leads us to the front doors of the precinct. For as long as I can remember, Mrs. Arthurs had been there to help my mom. She took care of Charlie and me while my mom would talk to the cops for hours, she would come check on my mom periodically, she stayed with me every time my dad sent my mom to the hospital and most importantly, she was always there, holding my mom's hand when she needed it most. These are things I can never repay Mrs. Arthurs for as long as I live.

We all walk in together and find the policemen from earlier already waiting for my mom. They take her good arm gently and lead the both of us to a more private interview room. They stop Mrs. Arthurs at the door and whisper something to her. They don't think I can hear them, but every single word reaches my ears.

"Mary, we've already dispatched a unit to the Coven house; the husband is in handcuffs."

That bastard finally got what he deserved.

The policemen close the door behind us and gesture towards the metal chairs seated at a wooden table in the middle of the room. We all sit down and the cops turn to my mom, their pens poised to take notes. I notice a file with my dad's name on it stationed at the left corner of the table. The idea of seeing what's in it captivates me as they begin to question my mother again.

"When did the abuse begin?" The older policeman asks gently.

"It must've been after my sons turned about ten and six; that was the year the farm took a hard hit, causing Johnathan to turn to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain."

Pencil scratches against paper and another question is asked.

"What kinds of drugs? Where did he get them?"

"Mostly weed and maybe a bit of heroin if he got enough money scraped together; as to where he got them, I don't know. I was mostly there as his servant, his enabler; he didn't really let me into the darkest parts of his life."

"How did the abuse evolve?"

"It began with just insults or harsh words when he was in a bad mood, but it quickly escalated to physical abuse in a matter of what felt like days. He began to hit me and bruise me and make the house barely livable. My sons would ask why their daddy was doing those things to me and I never had a good answer, I could never find the words to explain to them what was going on." My mom bites her lip as tears burn on her cheeks.

"Did he ever abuse your sons?" The policeman in front of me asks.

My mom nods, but doesn't elaborate, prompting them to turn to me.

"Could you tell us the extent of your father's abuse towards you and your brother?"

"He would mostly hit us or insult us, maybe whip us a few times with his belt. As we got older, his abuse seemed to get harsher because we'd reached an age where we could defend ourselves against him. It was like there was a physical fight between him and one of us daily. He would get mad that we fought back and then he'd hit us even harder the next time." I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Thank y'all for your time," The older policeman closes his notepad and looks at the both of us. "We'll call with any follow-up questions."

He stands up, shakes my hand, pats my mother's broken arm and then leads us out of the interview room. Unfortunately, there's a group of policemen carting my father in at that very moment. I'm about to shield my mother from seeing him, but it's a little too late. He spots her and his eyes flare with anger. I step in front of my mom, holding my hands out in front of her as if that'll protect her from my father's murderous glare. He struggles against his restraints and those restraining him as he passes by us.

"You'll regret this." He shouts as the policemen begin to lead him down the hallway towards booking.

"You'll regret the day you ever laid a finger on her." I reply, my voice not wavering one little bit.

The look he gives me as they finally pull him down the hallway is one that will haunt my nightmares forever; it doesn't even seem human.

Good riddance.

~~~~~

The house is quiet, but it's not the habitual silence that normally accompanies my dark empty house; it's not the quiet of walking around on eggshells to avoid my father's wrath, but the quiet of hope and a new day. Mrs. Arthurs helps my mom upstairs and gets her situated in her bed while I pop a TV dinner into the microwave. 

I look out into the living room and catch sight of my father's empty recliner, a grin spreading across my lips. It's over, he's actually gone. The microwave dings, snapping me out of my daydream. I move the hot food onto a plate and then pop another TV dinner in for myself. I stuff my hand into my front pocket and find the napkin where Callie's number is written in swirling script. I pull out my phone and dial her number, nervously pressing the device to my ear. I wait with baited breath for her to pick up.

"Hello?" She says in the bright, cheery tone I've become accustomed to.

"Hey, it's Jasper. I could really use someone to talk to if you're willing to come over." I bite my lip and rub the back of my neck.

"I'll be right over," She replies and it's almost as if I can hear the smile in her voice.

"Thanks," I say and hang up, my grin widening.

I'm lucky I have her to count on.