For Her Family Ch. 03

Unable to deal with any more complexities and problems, Alex fled to her bedroom, racing by her son's room and the bathroom. She quickly changed out of her clothes and into a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt and carried the hamper down to the washroom. She busied herself in the mindless repetition of sorting clothes, putting them in the wash, and folding an already clean set. She did not abandon her activity until she heard the door close again and the cheery voice of her daughter echo into the house.

"Hello, anyone home," Annabel called out. She grinned happily as she saw her mother step out of the laundry and come quickly to embrace her in a tight hug. The nineteen year old was a little worried by her mother's strained complexion. "Are you okay, mom?"

"Yeah. I just missed everyone. Its been a tough couple of months. It's the first time that the house has been empty. I'll be okay. Promise," Alex assuaged her daughter. She turned as she saw David come galloping down the stairs as young men have a tendency to do. She couldn't help but smile at him. It faded when she remembered that he knew her secret. David favored her with a knowing smile then embraced his older sister and picked her up and spun her in the room.

"Long time, no see, sister. How'd finals go?"

"Great. I think I did really well on the one this morning. I don't really know about the other two though. The profs are a lot tougher to read in the classes," Annabel happily chirped. Alex abandoned her two kids to their college aged chatter and headed to the kitchen to get dinner ready. She wanted to cook a great meal for the first night everyone was home.

The rest of the night went exactly as Alex hoped it would. Her family was happy and warm and everything seemed like it would be a great Christmas. There were brief moments that seemed to interrupt Alex's perception of reality when she would catch David glaring at her. But just as she thought she would catch him, he would look away as if nothing was going on. His conversation and mannerisms seemed normal enough, it was just in those few seconds that she found herself worrying what he thought of her. The phone did ring a bit too much for her liking, but Annabel was making plans to catch up with all her friends who were back in town for vacation. David just disappeared to his room as soon as dinner was done, announcing he was tired.

The next day was Thursday, and Annabel was gone early to meet her friends for a day full of shopping. Mike had also left for work- flu season was in full swing and it was a pediatrician's nightmare. Too many overprotective mothers freaking out over a runny nose meant long hours during the break. That left Alex home with her youngest child, David. She had been tormented by the knowledge of his being aware of her betrayal of his father's trust and of her surrender to the blackmail. She knew that she would go crazy if she didn't clear the air quickly, but she was afraid of what might happen if the blackmailer found out David knew.

She knocked on his closed door and heard him call for her to come in. She opened it and closed it behind her. David was still in bed, his hands clutching a video game controller and his TV flashing a bloody spray of simulated violence across the screen.

"David, we need to talk." When he did not look up she continued. "I know what you saw and I need you to believe me that I did not want it to happen. I need to tell you what happened, but not here."

David's eyes snapped up to her. "You don't think I know what I saw, what you were doing, and who you were with. Or should I say who weren't you with!"

Alex quickly and forcefully shushed him. "You don't know anything. You have to give me the chance to explain. But not here. Please. Let's go someplace where I can tell you about it. Please. You at least owe me that much."

"I don't owe you anything. Apparently our responsibilities don't matter in this family. I should just tell him," David practically yelled.

"Please. Just give me half an hour. That's all. Please. We can go right now."

David gave her a nod of his head and climbed out of bed to get dressed. Alex paused momentarily in the doorway, hoping that somehow her relationship with her son would be repaired in the next few hours she had with him.

The car ride was filled with small talk about everything under the sun. The topics changed quickly, because David only provided her with sullen one word answers. For a while Alex drove aimlessly, partially because she hoped that some sign of warming would come from her son, and because she wasn't sure where she could discuss the sensitive matters with her son. The only thing she could come up with, was the high school from which he had graduated the year before. She figure that the first week of Christmas break would ensure that then entire property was deserted. It would be a wide open area where she hoped that she could tell him everything she needed to, without risking more exposure.

She pulled her car behind the large dark building and put it into park. Silently, the mother and her son stepped from the vehicle. They would walk to a small curb lining the practice fields in the rear of the school and take a seat.

"David, a lot of this is going to sound unbelievable and impossible. I scarcely believe it myself. But three months ago, someone got a hold of some information that could really hurt your sister. I helped her cover what she did up. If I did not, she would probably spend the better portion of her life in jail and our family would be destroyed. The person that got a hold of this information contacted me a few weeks afterwards. They threatened to blackmail me if I did not go along with them. I have had to do things, which I never would have done before, to protect this family. That picture you saw was one of those things." Alex rested her case. Her son stared at the ground beside her.

"I don't believe you. Your face, in that picture, you liked it! You liked that man screwing you. You're just a slut. Some old guy screwing you in a dirty bathroom stall and you had him take pictures of you. God! What are you, some kind of whore?!"

David's outburst was not what Alex had hoped for. She had thought that he would understand. "David, your sister killed a woman. She was drinking and driving and she accidentally killed her. I can't let anything happen to any of you! You have to understand!" Alex was panicking. She had to fix this; she had to get control again.

David was quiet again. Until he muttered, "whore", under his breath. Alex lost it. She was tired of her own guilt trips and couldn't handle having her son judging her so unfairly. She was telling the truth! Before she knew what had happened, her hand had shot out and connected with David's cheek.

He looked up stunned, his face slack and pale. Then as the red impression of her hand filled on his cheek, everything tensed again. His strong muscular frame leapt at her, his hands digging into her shoulders and hauling her to her feet and dragging her back to the car. He slammed her into the side of the vehicle, his jaw set angrily against her. His hands quickly moved to her breasts and pawed her heavily while he taunted her. Alex's hand flew up to the side of his face over and over again, as he groped her painfully. Finally one of her blows seemed to get through and he stumbled back, a stunned look on his face. One of his marauding hands drifted to his face and his other hand dropped to his side. Alex slid down the side of the car, sobbing from the shock of her son's response. She heard David's door close softly and she realized ordeal was over. She too climbed back into the vehicle and began the drive home.

As they pulled into the driveway, Alex heard David stutter a profuse and sincere apology. She could not bring herself to forgive him, or his betrayal of her trust. Not yet, at least. David fled to his bedroom and Alex went to the computer, intent on deleting all the pictures of her blackmail. Just as she started it up, she received another phone call. It was a blocked number and she sensed whom it would be. For the first time since the ordeal began, she did not answer. Alex was determined not to pick up, not to answer the phone. There was a moment of silence as the caller hung up. Then it began to ring again. Alex hung up for them this time. Moments later, the home phone began to ring. Alex quickly pressed the red button that ended the relay. Then the house was silent.

Alex rejoiced in the silence. She had refused. She had said no. She had finally put a stop to the blackmailer. Her mind would be oblivious to the threat of consequences for a while at least. Later that night, as she watched the television in her room, she realized that she had made a mistake. A flashback from the same scene months before popped up on the news. The world went numb for Alex. There was a partial picture of the Explorer speeding from the scene of the accident. The body of the victim was clearly visible at the bottom, but the license plate and much of the vehicle had been cut away. The news anchor relayed an update on the cold case of a tragic accident. Someone had anonymously faxed a cropped image of the accident that contained valuable clues for police. But some portions of the evidence had been intentionally damaged to shield the perpetrator. A large reward was offered to anyone who knew either the tipster or had information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the crime.

Alex's thumb tapped the power button and she collapsed back into the bed. She had almost cost her daughter her life. All because she had wanted a moment's peace. How selfish she had been! When the phone predictably rang she obediently reached to answer.