carry her across the parking lot until she disappears through the doors of the center. Now, it’s time for me to make my move.
Rushing across the pavement, I don’t stop for anything or anyone. I don’t slow down until I’m through the same doors my girl disappeared through a few minutes ago. When I get to the room they meet in, I see Denise standing outside. She’s always out here to greet the members as they make their way inside the room.
“Killer, what are you doing here?” Denise asks when I stop next to her.
“You know why I’m here. How is she doin’?” I question, knowing I can’t have any details based on the law, but I can be told if she’s okay.
“It’s a daily process. I’ve told you this. I’m hoping today is a major breakthrough for her,” she replies.
“Why is that?” I immediately need to know.
“Gwen is getting up to share her story. She still hasn’t talked to Kim or anyone else, has she?” Denise questions me.
“No. None of us know how to help her. She still won’t let Kim or any of the women come to a session with her, so we know how to break down her defenses to talk to us. Denise, I need this. I need to be in there to hear what she’s been through,” I order, knowing down to my bones I need to hear her story and be there even if she doesn’t know I’m there.
Denise looks at me for several seconds, trying to determine what game I’m playing. She’ll find the truth in my eyes about how I feel for Gwen. I won’t hide anything from her.
“If I let you do this, you better keep it to yourself. Kim or anyone else can’t know what I’m about to do. If I didn’t see how bad you love that girl, I wouldn’t even be thinking of helping you. Don’t make me regret this Killer,” she warns me.
Nodding my head, I listen as Denise tells me to wait in the hall until I hear her announce Gwen about to get up to speak. Then I can sneak in and remain against the wall. I’ll still be able to hear my girl speak from there. It also allows me to slip back out the door once Gwen is done talking. I’m only here for her and don’t need to hear what anyone else has to say. They aren’t my business.
The second I hear Gwen’s soft, melodic voice begin to speak, I’m through the door. My eyes land on her small form as she curls in on herself. Gwen is trying to protect herself even now.
“Growing up, I didn’t have your normal childhood. I wasn’t allowed to go to school. Instead I had tutors. If I got too close to them, they were quickly replaced with someone new. This process repeated until I gave up trying to let someone else in my life. Friends were only things I read about in the books I managed to hide from my father and his men. I never had a friend growing up. There was no one for me to talk to or share things with. The only thing I could do was sit in silence and realize there was nothing I could do to change it. The only time I could talk to anyone was if my father had a party. Then, kids my age were allowed to speak to me because it would allow my father to seem as if he was a kind, loving father.
“It was just my father and me from the time I turned three until a few years ago when I managed to get away from him with the help of my sister. My mom simply disappeared one day without a word. I didn’t ask about her until I turned four. That was the first day I was beaten so bad I spent almost two weeks in bed. I wasn’t taken care of by anyone; I was simply left to suffer in silent misery.
“When I was healed enough to move around, I became another servant of my father’s. At four-years old I was expected to clean, help cook, learn from the men and women who worked for him. If I didn’t do my tasks good enough, I was taken to a room and beaten again. Or I’d be locked in a closet with no food, water, or light for days on end. Even when I wasn’t in the room for a