Stepbrother

by Stacy McWilliams

  “This boy just saved his stepsister’s life; we need to take her home to make sure she is looked after and you need to respect that. He’s given you his car keys, so why don’t you go get his car and follow us?”

  Jan nodded and we both climbed into the back of the squad car sitting as far apart in the confined space as we could. The officers climbed in and we began the drive home. All the way I tried to avoid looking at Cooper by turning to look out of the window, but I could feel his stare burning into my back all the way home.

  When the officers climbed out, my mom appeared on the steps and gasped as she saw Cooper climb out of the car. The door was opened for me, but I didn’t want to get out. I wanted to run away as Shawn appeared on the doorstep, glaring at Cooper and me with narrowed eyes.

  “Hello, officers, how can we help you?”

  My mom broke the tense silence and I shrank back as Shawn’s eyes turned glacial.

  “There was a bit of an incident today and we thought we’d better drop these two off so we could speak to you both.”

  My mom’s eyes widened, and I wanted to turn and run away, but I couldn’t. I had to face whatever was coming.

  “May we come inside?”

  My mom nodded, before muttering,

  “Of course, come on in.”

  Shawn led the way to the living room and offered the officers a drink as everyone sat down. I sat on the farthest seat, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my back.

  As soon as we were seated the officers began speaking, explaining why Coop and I were brought home in a squad car and I shrank further and further back as Shawn glared over at me. He was like a snake and I could sense he was coiled ready to spring.

  “So, in short, your son is a hero, and Bailey here needs to make sure she’s paying more attention when she crosses the street.”

  “Well done, Cooper,” my mom said, as Shawn nodded along.

  The officers stood and wished us well before leaving. I just wanted to go to my room, but as soon as Shawn and my mom saw the officers out, they argued all the way back to the living room. I couldn’t make out their words, but I could see Cooper’s spine stiffening as they neared the room.

  “Cooper, go upstairs. Jan is waiting for you.”

  Shawn’s voice was firm, and Cooper stood at once. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it and began walking from the room. At the door he turned back and spoke.

  “It wasn’t her fault. The car went through a stop sign…”

  “NOW, Cooper!” His dad cut him off and I straightened. My mom shook her head at me and walked from the room, leaving me with Shawn.

  My palms began to itch as he stood and stared at me without moving.

  “You endangered yourself and my son by using your cell while crossing the road.”

  His voice was quiet, and I wanted to run from the room. He stalked towards me and I began to shrink back onto the sofa. He was going to hurt me, I just knew it from the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice.

  “Stand up.”

  I shook my head and tried to scuttle further back, but he grabbed my arm and yanked me up from the sofa.

  “Defying me will make this worse.”

  He shoved me towards the other sofa, and I fell over, landing on my face. I started to scramble away, but he caught me and began hitting me with his belt, over and over again. I screamed as he hit my already injured back. I couldn’t help it and he hit me again and again.

  My voice was hoarse from screaming, and my entire body ached and every blow sent a wave of agony through me when my mom finally came back into the room.

  “That’s enough. She’s been punished enough.” My moms’ tone was ice cold and it hurt more because she’d promised she wouldn’t let him do this to us again. I couldn’t believe she’d let him beat me again.

  He finally stopped the blows, and I could feel blood trickling down my legs and on my shoulder. The belt had also managed to hit my cheek and I could feel blood running down my cheek. As I struggled to stand, and failed, sinking back onto the couch, part of me wished I’d been hit by the car.

  I heard my mom and Shawn's footsteps retreating and I just lay there on the couch. I didn’t want to move; I couldn’t because of the pain radiating through me, but I also didn’t want to lie there and wait for them to come back, so I summoned up my willpower and pushed myself up.

  My head swam and my legs wobbled, but I managed to make it to the staircase. Every step was agony, but I climbed them, sobbing hard. I finally reached the hallway and I could see my room, but I had to stop every few steps as the pain made my vision blur. I couldn’t believe my mom let Shawn beat me again.

  I was still half sobbing as I passed Cooper’s room, but I knew he wouldn’t hear me. There was loud music playing as I staggered, hitting his door a little. I urged my feet on, but before I could take more than a step forward, Cooper’s door opened.

  He stared at me for a second, then spun, shutting the door without a word. In that second my heart broke. I stuffed my fist into my mouth to quiet the sobs and forced myself into my room where I closed and locked the door.

  I gingerly took my jacket off and saw that it had been shredded in several places and my loose shirt was sticking to me, caked in blood. Tears streamed freely down my face as I tugged my shirt over my head and dropped it on the floor.

  I was about to take my undershirt off when there was a knock at my door. I didn’t want to open it, because I was scared and because I couldn’t stop my tears. The knock got louder, and I hoped that if I ignored it, it would go away. but it didn’t. The knocks got more persistent, and after a few more minutes I gave up and opened the door. Cooper stood there with my shopping bags in hand.

  “You left these downstairs.”

  I nodded numbly at him and reached out to take the bags from him when he dropped them, stepping back. His eyes took in the red welts on my arms and I saw him wince as he turned away.

  “You should’ve let the car hit me,” I muttered brokenly as I closed the door.

  Within a second it crashed back open and Cooper stormed into my room. He raced towards me and gripped my shoulders, ignoring my yelp of pain as he caught some tender skin.

  “Never say that again. Never, ever again.”

  He shook me so hard my teeth rattled and glared down at me before he quickly released me and rushed from my room.

  I stood shocked for a minute, but I knew I needed to get my jeans off. The wet material stung as I pulled them down and I collapsed on the floor sobbing as I saw the mess of my legs. I struggled to get out of my jeans, and I wished I could call my dad or go and stay with my grandparents or Cate, but I couldn’t do that to them.

  I finally managed to get them off and I grabbed my pillows and my comforter, taking them into the closet and making a bed on the floor again. I locked and then barricaded the door, before lying down on my front.

  My sleep was broken, and I woke repeatedly through the night, thinking I could hear someone moving about in my room, but I didn’t move. I needed to go to the bathroom, but I couldn’t face moving, so I lay on the floor and tried to ignore the aching of my back and legs.

  Morning finally arrived and I could hear my mom in my room, calling out to me. I unlocked the door and moved out into my room to see my mom sitting on my bed with a pensive look on her face. Her eyes widened as she took in the crisscrossing marks on my arms and legs.

  “You need to be more careful, Bailey.”

  I stared blankly at her without speaking and she stood up, walking towards me. My eyes widened and I shrank back away from her, but she didn’t say a word. She just left the room and I saw a brand-new cell on my side table.

  She paused at the door and called over her shoulder, “You are grounded until after New Year’s. School is out for today and tomorrow. Text your friends and let them know you’ll see them after Christmas.”

  But the dance… I glanced at my closet seeing my pretty dress for the dance hanging just inside, and I swallowed
down my tears at not being allowed to go.

  “I have a meeting to go to and Shawn has already left for work. Cooper is at practice; we’ll all be out all day. Stay in your room; you may leave for breakfast and lunch, but after that, you are to return to your room.”

  My mom closed the door with a snap, and I sank to the floor in defeat. I hated this house and the people in it; I hated them all. My body shook as sobs overwhelmed me and I wanted to run. I wanted to get away, but I had nowhere to go, so I just lay there, in the middle of my room, and sobbed until I had nothing left.

  The next few days were manic as my mom got the house ready for the picture-perfect Christmas, but I stayed in my room, barely eating. I didn’t speak to anyone, not even my friends. I texted them telling them I was on bed rest because of the almost accident. Cooper was barely home and the one time I saw him he wouldn’t even look at me. My mom popped in now and again to check on me, but mostly left me to my own devices and I hadn’t seen Shawn at all.

  Christmas morning arrived and my mom came into my room, dragging me none too gently downstairs. She made me sit at the table while everyone ate breakfast. I just played with my food, not eating; moving it around my plate while my mom chatted about the weather, work and how she couldn’t wait to go on the winter break Shawn had surprised her with, but I tuned them all out, focusing instead on the falling snow outside the window and the shape of the snowflakes.

  My eyes darted around the room to Cooper who was sitting across from me. Our eyes met and held for a moment before I quickly looked away until my mom declared it was time for us to go visit Zane. I didn’t want to go, but my mom made me.

  She applied concealer to my cheek and told the nurse I was a clutz when she asked about the mark on my face. I didn’t say a word the whole day and I avoided everyone’s eyes, even Cooper’s as we drove home in the car.

  The next few days passed in a blur and I sat on my kindle or sat doodling or writing, anything to take my mind elsewhere.

  Cooper’s gift was still in the bag from when I’d bought it. I hadn’t given it to him yet, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to. Every day I changed my mind, but I only saw him at meal times and most of the time Jan was with him, so I didn’t bother.

  On New Year's Eve, I was sitting alone on the deck, wrapped up in a warm jacket and sipping a hot chocolate as I sat out in the light snow, enjoying the feel of the snowflakes as they touched my cheek. My back was almost completely healed, but my face had a tiny mark from the buckle of the belt.

  “Hey,” Cooper’s voice broke the silence and made me jump.

  I didn’t speak to him. I had nothing really to say and I was still hurt and angry with him.

  He sat down across from me and sipped his coffee without a word. For a while, we sat in companionable silence, and then he turned to face me.

  “I know I keep saying the same things, but I truly am sorry, Bails. I’m sorry you felt like you weren’t worth saving. I’m sorry I keep pulling you in and then pushing you away.”

  I didn’t look at him as he spoke. I watched the snow landing on the frozen lake and he stood up and didn’t move for a moment.

  “I wish I could change everything for you, but I need you to know that you are worth saving.”

  With that, he turned and rushed back to the house.

  That was the last interaction I had with him for weeks and I replayed it over and over in my head.

  I heard my mom and Shawn's footsteps retreating and I just lay there on the couch. I didn’t want to move; I couldn’t because of the pain radiating through me, but I also didn’t want to lie there and wait for them to come back, so I summoned up my willpower and pushed myself up.

  My head swam and my legs wobbled, but I managed to make it to the staircase. Every step was agony, but I climbed them, sobbing hard. I finally reached the hallway and I could see my room, but I had to stop every few steps as the pain made my vision blur. I couldn’t believe my mom let Shawn beat me again.

  I was still half sobbing as I passed Cooper’s room, but I knew he wouldn’t hear me. There was loud music playing as I staggered, hitting his door a little. I urged my feet on, but before I could take more than a step forwards, Cooper’s door opened.

  He stared at me for a second, then spun, shutting the door without a word. In that second my heart broke. I stuffed my fist into my mouth to quiet the sobs and forced myself into my room where I closed and locked the door.

  I gingerly took my jacket off and saw that it had been shredded in several places and my loose shirt was sticking to me, caked in blood. Tears streamed freely down my face as I tugged my shirt over my head and dropped it on the floor.

  I was about to take my undershirt off when there was a knock at my door. I didn’t want to open it, because I was scared and because I couldn’t stop my tears. The knock got louder, and I hoped that if I ignored it, it would go away. but it didn’t. The knocks got more persistent, and after a few more minutes I gave up and opened the door. Cooper stood there with my shopping bags in hand.

  “You left these downstairs.”

  I nodded numbly at him and reached out to take the bags from him when he dropped them, stepping back. His eyes took in the red welts on my arms and I saw him wince as he turned away.

  “You should’ve let the car hit me,” I muttered brokenly as I closed the door.

  Within a second it crashed back open and Cooper stormed into my room. He raced towards me and gripped my shoulders, ignoring my yelp of pain as he caught some tender skin.

  “Never say that again. Never, ever again.”

  He shook me so hard my teeth rattled and glared down at me before he quickly released me and rushed from my room.

  I stood shocked for a minute, but I knew I needed to get my jeans off. The wet material stung as I pulled them down and I collapsed on the floor sobbing as I saw the mess of my legs. I struggled to get out of my jeans, and I wished I could call my dad or go and stay with my grandparents or Cate, but I couldn’t do that to them.

  I finally managed to get them off and I grabbed my pillows and my comforter, taking them into the closet and making a bed on the floor again. I locked and then barricaded the door, before lying down on my front.

  My sleep was broken, and I woke repeatedly through the night, thinking I could hear someone moving about in my room, but I didn’t move. I needed to go to the bathroom, but I couldn’t face moving, so I lay on the floor and tried to ignore the aching of my back and legs.

  Morning finally arrived and I could hear my mom in my room, calling out to me. I unlocked the door and moved out into my room to see my mom sitting on my bed with a pensive look on her face. Her eyes widened as she took in the crisscrossing marks on my arms and legs.

  “You need to be more careful, Bailey.”

  I stared blankly at her without speaking and she stood up, walking towards me. My eyes widened and I shrank back away from her, but she didn’t say a word. She just left the room and I saw a brand-new cell on my side table.

  She paused at the door and called over her shoulder, “You are grounded until after New Year’s. School is out for today and tomorrow. Text your friends and let them know you’ll see them after Christmas.”

  But the dance… I glanced at my closet seeing my pretty dress for the dance hanging just inside, and I swallowed down my tears at not being allowed to go.

  “I have a meeting to go to and Shawn has already left for work. Cooper is at practice; we’ll all be out all day. Stay in your room; you may leave for breakfast and lunch, but after that, you are to return to your room.”

  My mom closed the door with a snap, and I sank to the floor in defeat. I hated this house and the people in it; I hated them all. My body shook as sobs overwhelmed me and I wanted to run. I wanted to get away, but I had nowhere to go, so I just lay there, in the middle of my room, and sobbed until I had nothing left.

  The next few days were manic as my mom got the house ready for the picture-perfect Christmas, but I stayed in my room, barely
eating. I didn’t speak to anyone, not even my friends. I texted them telling them I was on bed rest because of the almost accident. Cooper was barely home and the one time I saw him he wouldn’t even look at me. My mom popped in now and again to check on me, but mostly left me to my own devices and I hadn’t seen Shawn at all.

  Christmas morning arrived and my mom came into my room, dragging me none too gently downstairs. She made me sit at the table while everyone ate breakfast. I just played with my food, not eating; moving it around my plate while my mom chatted about the weather, work and how she couldn’t wait to go on the winter break Shawn had surprised her with, but I tuned them all out, focusing instead on the falling snow outside the window and the shape of the snowflakes.

  My eyes darted around the room to Cooper who was sitting across from me. Our eyes met and held for a moment before I quickly looked away until my mom declared it was time for us to go visit Zane. I didn’t want to go, but my mom made me.

  She applied concealer to my cheek and told the nurse I was a clutz when she asked about the mark on my face. I didn’t say a word the whole day and I avoided everyone’s eyes, even Cooper’s as we drove home in the car.

  The next few days passed in a blur and I sat on my kindle or sat doodling or writing, anything to take my mind elsewhere.

  Cooper’s gift was still in the bag from when I’d bought it. I hadn’t given it to him yet, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to. Every day I changed my mind, but I only saw him at meal times and most of the time Jan was with him, so I didn’t bother.

  On New Year's Eve, I was sitting alone on the deck, wrapped up in a warm jacket and sipping a hot chocolate as I sat out in the light snow, enjoying the feel of the snowflakes as they touched my cheek. My back was almost completely healed, but my face had a tiny mark from the buckle of the belt.

  “Hey,” Cooper’s voice broke the silence and made me jump.

  I didn’t speak to him. I had nothing really to say and I was still hurt and angry with him.