"Your mother?"
Grace nodded and sniffed. "And her asshole boyfriend." She gripped handfuls of flannel. "He...he..." She shook her head. "I can't go back there."
Richard let out a deep breath and hugged her tightly. "Will you answer a question for Daddy? Pumpkin, did he touch you?" She let out a strangled cry and burst into tears, her control breaking. "Okay," he said, rocking his sobbing daughter. "You don't have to go back there. We'll work it out. Shh. Daddy's got you."
"Don't make me go back."
"I won't," he said.
She sniffled and gripped his shirt tighter. "I can't. He's too strong. I…I…”
"Okay," he said tenderly. "Shh. You're not going back there. I promise." His gentle words and comforting embrace gave Grace the cocoon of safety she needed to let out the tears if not the words.
Carey rolled over and opened her eyes, realizing the sound she was hearing was not part of a dream. It took a few more seconds for her to wake up enough to determine the cause of the keening cry. Grace. Hopping out of bed, she moved to the living room. "Grace," she said softly, reaching for the lamp. The light showed the teen twisted in the blankets, her face wet with tears. "Grace," she said louder, kneeling down next to the couch. "Come on, you're having a bad dream." Without thought she reached out and stroked the young woman's hair. "It's all right, Grace." The cries became more desperate and Carey had to back up when the teen's arms began thrashing about. "Grace. Grace, wake up now."
"No...help, help! No!" Grace shot up into a sitting position, eyes wild.
"Shh, Grace, it's just a bad dream," Carey said, putting her hand on the teen’s shoulder. Slowly the blue eyes focused on her. "Easy now, just a bad dream."
"Oh God," Grace whispered, burying her face in her hands. "It seemed so real." Carey remained quiet, giving her time to form her thoughts. "It felt like I was right there." Grace took a shuddering breath, then another. "It was so real. I just..."
"Keep going," Carey urged, gently rubbing the upset young woman's shoulder. "It won't stop until you let it out."
The teen shook her head, tears leaking out between her fingers. "I can't."
"Yes you-can," Carey said.
Grace fought to control herself, then laid back down, her tears glistening in the lamplight. "I'll be okay," she sniffed. "Sorry I woke you."
"It's all right you woke me," Carey said, pulling the covers up over the teen. "But as for being okay..." She tucked the blanket around Grace's shoulder. "That won't happen until you stop giving him control over you and talk about it. Grace, did you tell your father what happened?"
Fresh tears leaked from upset blue eyes as the teen nodded. "A little. I couldn't tell him all of it, I just..." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "It hurts."
"I know it does," Carey said, using the corner of the sheet to wipe the tears from Grace's face. "And the more you fight it the more it's going to hurt until you get it out. You deserve to get past this," she said, giving Grace's shoulder one last squeeze before standing up. "You really do." She walked over to the lamp, turning the knob and sending the room into darkness. "Try to get some rest," she said, fighting the urge to sit in the recliner until Grace fell asleep.
"Thanks, um...ma'am."
Carey smiled in the darkness. "Instructor Carey doesn't fit any better at a time like this, does it?"
"No," Grace said. "Joanna doesn't seem right either."
Moving to the archway, Carey leaned against the wall. "My friends just call me Carey. Between us and only in private," she said.
"Of course."
"Now go to sleep."
"Good night...Carey."
"Night, Grace."
Grace showed up at formation seconds before Instructor Gage called Attention, saving her from having to speak to Latisha or Jan. The words being said might as well have been in Hungarian for all the meaning they had to her, empty sounds fluttering through the air. Unfortunately for her, there was no way to avoid conversation at breakfast. She mumbled hellos to those that greeted her but kept her eyes down and on her tray as she moved through the line.
"Hey girlfriend," Latisha said when Grace arrived at the table, tray in hand.
"Hey," Grace said without enthusiasm.
"What's the matter, Scary on your case again?" Jan asked.
"Just tired," Grace said, keeping her eyes on her tray and not on her friends.
"Too bad," Jan said. "So what do you think, is Short Shit going to have us run five miles today?"
"Who cares," Grace said. "Pass the syrup."
"Who put the boot up your ass?" Jan asked as she handed Grace the squeeze bottle.
"I told you, I'm tired," Grace said, putting the bottle on the table with more force than necessary. "Could they water the syrup down just a little more?" she said, stabbing at the waffle. "Of course they wouldn't need to if they'd make the food at least partially edible," she said, her voice rising. "What the hell is it with the damn waffles?" She let the fork drop. "They're not that fucking difficult to make."
"Oh yeah," Latisha said, making a circle with her forefinger and thumb. "Sure, Grace. Just tired. What did Scary do to you this morning?"
"Nothing," Grace said, pushing her tray away. "Just drop it, okay?"
"Damn, get the girl some coffee," Campbell said.
"You want coffee?" Jan asked.
"Do I look like I want coffee?" Grace pushed her tray away. "Oh, forget it. I'm not hungry anyway."
"Is there a problem here, ladies?
"No, Instructor Donaldson," Grace said, rising from her seat. "I'm just leaving, ma'am."
"You haven't touched your food," Donaldson said, pressing down on her shoulder. "Sit."
"Yes, ma'am," Grace said in a resigned tone, giving her friends a dirty look as she sat down. The table was silent until Donaldson left.
"Whatever," Jan said, looking to make sure no instructors were watching them, then taking one of Grace's waffles. "You're entitled to a bad day."
"If you need to talk," Latisha offered.
Grace waved her hand. "Thanks but I'll be fine. Just something I need to work through myself." She pushed the other waffle onto Jan's plate.
"See ya later." After taking a quick look to make sure Donaldson was otherwise occupied, she left her tray on the table and ran out of the mess hall. She was halfway across the parking lot when she heard Jan calling her name. "I don't want to talk about it," she said when her friend caught up with her.
"Come on, what's got you so wigged out?" Jan asked. "You were so excited yesterday about your dad coming to visit."
"But she had to come too and ruin everything."
"Your mom?"
"Yeah."
"What did she do?"
"She came- up here with that asshole husband of hers. She knows I hate him, but she doesn't care. She still thinks she can get me to come live with them, but I'd kill myself if she tries to make me go back there. I swear I would."
Jan took her arm. "You can't mean that, Grace."
"I mean it all right." Grace pulled her arm away and walked off.
Jan just stood and watched her go. There was something about the way Grace had looked at her when she said it that made her believe her. Damn. What do I do now?
"Instructor Carey, can I talk to you?"
Carey stopped in front of the door to her office. "Don't you have class right now?"
"I have study period, ma'am," Jan said, nervously looking up and down the hall.
Opening the door, Carey held her hand out. "After you." They went inside. "What can I help you with, Bowen?" she asked as she put her cap on the hook.
"I shouldn't say anything because I don't want her to think I'm a snitch or that I'm narcing her out, but I'm worried about Grace, ma'am."