Love and Sorrow (Small Town Secrets Book 5), стр. 59

Another sign that Sarah was beginning to heal was that she wanted to go to school the next day—and it made me realize something.  Maybe the worst part for my child was over and, now that she could voice what had happened, she was beginning the journey to wellness.  My hope was that she would be able to put all this shit behind her.

For me, though, it was just beginning.

When I took Sarah to school that morning, I walked in with her.  For the first time in ages, Sarah didn’t seem upset that I was walking into the building with her—and she even gave me a hug before running down the hall toward her locker.

I paused, finding the courage to rap on Kevin Campbell’s door.  Although it was slightly ajar, I didn’t feel comfortable just popping it open.

“Come in.”

When I peeked my head in, I couldn’t muster a smile.  “Do you have a minute?”

His shoulders seemed to stiffen, but he was nice enough.  Fucking A.  This was awkward as hell.  “Hi, Randi.  Come in.”

After sitting down, I started talking.  “I just wanted to update you regarding Sarah.  She made a breakthrough in therapy.”

“What kind of breakthrough?”

“She told us what happened to her to cause her behavior problems.”  I struggled, not knowing how much I should tell him.  “It’s pretty bad.”

For the moment, Kevin seemed to set aside his own discomfort as he focused on my words.  “What is it?”

This was my daughter’s story—and, yet, I knew he would be bound to confidentiality.  I didn’t have to tell him everything—just enough that he’d understand what was happening with her.  “She was sexually abused.”

He was quiet for a bit as it sunk in.  When he finally spoke, I could barely hear him.  “My God.  What happened?”

“I don’t know how much I should tell you, but we met with Child Protective Services, and they’ll be reporting it to the authorities.”

“Well, that’s good.”  I could see in his eyes that he had more questions than I’d be able to answer.  “Did Sarah tell you who did it?”

“Yes.”

“Was it someone she knew?  Most victims know their abusers.”

“Yes.  It was…prolonged, I guess you’d say.”

“My God.  Randi, I had no idea.  I’m so sorry.  The few times I talked to her, I thought she was experiencing some sort of depression, and I knew she was acting out—but I never suspected sexual abuse.  I feel like such a—”

“How could you have known, Kevin?  You’ve only known her for a couple of months.  I’ve lived with her for her entire life and didn’t have a clue.  How could I blame you for not spotting it?”

“But I’m trained in this field.  I should have at least had an inkling…”

“Then what does that make me?  I know Sarah better than anyone else.  I knew something was wrong, but I never would have guessed this.  Does that make me a bad mother?”

“Of course not.”

I had my doubts about that, but now wasn’t the time.  “Then you get my point.  I just thought you should know.  It may help in dealing with her in the future.  But I can tell the sessions with the psychologist are helping her.”

“By sharing her story, she’s reliving the trauma.  Doing that can be very therapeutic.  She’s telling people she trusts, who care, and it really can aid in the healing process.”

“I believe it.”  My jacket was starting to make me feel overheated in his warm office, but I didn’t plan to stay long, so I kept it on.  And, while I wanted to bolt out of there now that the important information had been shared, I knew there was something else I needed to take care of first.  “Kevin, about the other night…”

“What about it?”

“You left in a hurry.  I feel really bad about the whole thing.”

His expression turned to stone.  “Don’t.  I didn’t realize you had someone else in your life.  I guess I should’ve asked first.”

Too quickly, I corrected him.  “It’s not like that.  Well, I guess it kind of is.  Justin and I are very close.”  Now for the hardest part.  “I probably—no, I definitely tell him a lot of things I shouldn’t.”

“I know women have their own locker room talk, but I honestly had no idea two friends of the opposite sex chatted about things of that nature.”

Already, I was starting to feel better.  “I’m really sorry.  I feel so bad about the whole thing.  Women do talk, but I shouldn’t have said anything—what happened between you and me should have stayed there.”

Folding his hands together on his desk, he looked me straight in the eye.  “Well, you’ve had a lot on your mind.  Can I be frank with you?”

I suspected I didn’t want to hear it, but I said, “Of course.”

“Maybe you’re blind to what’s going on because you’re living it—but what happened was more than a simple slip.  Your friend said what he did because he thinks of you as a lot more than a friend.  If it had just been a confidence, he would have kept it.  But by revealing it the way he did…that was his way of communicating his feelings about you to me without voicing it.”

“What do you mean?  He was trying to embarrass you and piss me off.  And it worked.”

“Did you talk to him about it afterward?”

“Yes, of course.  I told him I was angry.”

“And what did he say?”

I thought back to that night, the night we’d wound up fucking in my kitchen like animals.  Actually, Justin had been in complete control; I’d been the one worked into a frenzy.  “He said it was just a joke.”

“Did he happen to tell you how he feels about you?”

Although frowning, I almost laughed.  “Before or after his girlfriend called?”

“He has a girlfriend?”

“One of many.”

Kevin’s voice softened, and I was pretty sure he thought I’d lost my mind.  “Look, Randi, all I know is, from what little I saw, it seems like the two of you have a pretty strong bond going on there that I frankly