Page 31
Story: Silent Echo
Sebastion looked back and forth between the two of them, a slow smile spreading across his face. Eli crouched down and opened his arms. “Hi, buddy. I am so happy to see you.”
Sebastion took a small step toward him and then Eli closed the distance and hugged his son, tears falling down his cheeks and his shoulders shaking in sobs. Harper ran over and hugged Sebastion from behind, crying as well.
Sebastion patted Eli’s shoulder and spoke softly. “It’s okay, Daddy. Don’t cry.”
Charlotte joined the trio, wrapping her arms around them, and knew in that moment, that they would survive.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Afterward
Charlotte would never stop wondering, if Eli had only answered his cell phone that day, if everything would have been different. Agent Preston’s investigation into him confirmed her instincts about him and Madison had been right. It had come out during the investigation in preparation for Penelope’s trial. Those eleven seconds on his cell phone when Madison had answered instead of him. Eli had had to come clean. It was one of the most painful conversations of her marriage.
“I didn’t know that Penelope had called me. Madison answered the phone.”
“And why the hell was she answering your cell phone?”
He’d hung his head, looking at the floor for a few moments. “Her car wouldn’t start. She called me to pick her up. One thing led to another …” Eli explained. “It was stupid. She was telling me how lonely she was and how much she looked up to me. Then she kissed me. I don’t know why I let it happen. I felt horrible afterward. I was in the shower when my phone rang. She answered but the caller didn’t identify herself. She thought it was a spam call because the number wasn’t in my phone. It was only that one time. I swear.”
She’d looked at him in disgust. “Youletit happen? You need to take responsibility, otherwise … I can’t even. This is not the time, but I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Over the past few months, she had been working on forgiving Eli as well as forgiving herself for sending Sebastion to school that day. It was going to take a lot of marriage counseling, and she didn’t know if she would ever really trust him again, but she had to try. Throwing her marriage away over one mistake was not something she wanted to do. Sebastion’s world had already been turned upside down. Charlotte agreed to focus on their son first, and deal with her marriage later.
It had been six months since they got Sebastion back. He was almost his sunny self again, although remnants of the trauma remained. Harper was quieter these days, hovering more than usual, always trying to make sure that he was safe. They were all doing their best to move forward without fear and anxiety. Their family had survived, and Charlotte chose to be grateful and live each day with hope.
Penelope was sentenced to twenty years in prison without the possibility of parole. She’d be forty-eight when she got out. Still young enough to live her life. But at least Sebastion would be twenty-five and no longer in jeopardy from her.
Charlotte had debated visiting Penelope to try to understand how she could have done what she’d done, but, in the end, she realized that nothing Penelope could say could make her understand. Nora had told her all about their abusive background and how it had made Penelope hypervigilant regarding the children in her care. She recalled their conversation.
“I’m not making excuses for what my sister did,” Nora had said. “I just didn’t realize the extent to which our childhood had left her damaged. Both our parents loved their drink more than us, and our father had a violent temper. Our mother did nothing to protect us. Penelope had this idealized view of the perfect mother. No one could live up to it, really.”
“I suppose we’re all guilty of that to some extent. Does anyone judge a mother more than another woman? I blamed myself for what I thought happened that day. But what I did wasn’t out of neglect. I believed he wasn’t really sick. And I was doing everything in my power to keep the house and bills paid while Eli was out of work,” Charlotte said.
Nora had nodded. “Penelope’s favorite show wasThe Brady Bunch. As old as that show is, she felt like it was the standard for what a family should be. I think the idea that you can make a new family you weren’t born into appealed to her.”
Charlotte had shaken her head. “I’m sorry, but I still can’t understand how she could do what she did. There were times I contemplated ending things. She put me through the darkest days of my life. I hope she gets the help she needs, but I also want her in prison for as long as possible.”
Charlotte’s text tone pinged, bringing her back to the present. She looked down to read a message from Eli.
Family movie night?
She smiled and typed back.
Perfect.
They had been through hell and back, but they were lucky. They’d been given a second chance. There was work to be done, and a long road ahead. But for now, her family was once again complete, and for that, Charlotte would never stop being grateful.
Sebastion took a small step toward him and then Eli closed the distance and hugged his son, tears falling down his cheeks and his shoulders shaking in sobs. Harper ran over and hugged Sebastion from behind, crying as well.
Sebastion patted Eli’s shoulder and spoke softly. “It’s okay, Daddy. Don’t cry.”
Charlotte joined the trio, wrapping her arms around them, and knew in that moment, that they would survive.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Afterward
Charlotte would never stop wondering, if Eli had only answered his cell phone that day, if everything would have been different. Agent Preston’s investigation into him confirmed her instincts about him and Madison had been right. It had come out during the investigation in preparation for Penelope’s trial. Those eleven seconds on his cell phone when Madison had answered instead of him. Eli had had to come clean. It was one of the most painful conversations of her marriage.
“I didn’t know that Penelope had called me. Madison answered the phone.”
“And why the hell was she answering your cell phone?”
He’d hung his head, looking at the floor for a few moments. “Her car wouldn’t start. She called me to pick her up. One thing led to another …” Eli explained. “It was stupid. She was telling me how lonely she was and how much she looked up to me. Then she kissed me. I don’t know why I let it happen. I felt horrible afterward. I was in the shower when my phone rang. She answered but the caller didn’t identify herself. She thought it was a spam call because the number wasn’t in my phone. It was only that one time. I swear.”
She’d looked at him in disgust. “Youletit happen? You need to take responsibility, otherwise … I can’t even. This is not the time, but I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Over the past few months, she had been working on forgiving Eli as well as forgiving herself for sending Sebastion to school that day. It was going to take a lot of marriage counseling, and she didn’t know if she would ever really trust him again, but she had to try. Throwing her marriage away over one mistake was not something she wanted to do. Sebastion’s world had already been turned upside down. Charlotte agreed to focus on their son first, and deal with her marriage later.
It had been six months since they got Sebastion back. He was almost his sunny self again, although remnants of the trauma remained. Harper was quieter these days, hovering more than usual, always trying to make sure that he was safe. They were all doing their best to move forward without fear and anxiety. Their family had survived, and Charlotte chose to be grateful and live each day with hope.
Penelope was sentenced to twenty years in prison without the possibility of parole. She’d be forty-eight when she got out. Still young enough to live her life. But at least Sebastion would be twenty-five and no longer in jeopardy from her.
Charlotte had debated visiting Penelope to try to understand how she could have done what she’d done, but, in the end, she realized that nothing Penelope could say could make her understand. Nora had told her all about their abusive background and how it had made Penelope hypervigilant regarding the children in her care. She recalled their conversation.
“I’m not making excuses for what my sister did,” Nora had said. “I just didn’t realize the extent to which our childhood had left her damaged. Both our parents loved their drink more than us, and our father had a violent temper. Our mother did nothing to protect us. Penelope had this idealized view of the perfect mother. No one could live up to it, really.”
“I suppose we’re all guilty of that to some extent. Does anyone judge a mother more than another woman? I blamed myself for what I thought happened that day. But what I did wasn’t out of neglect. I believed he wasn’t really sick. And I was doing everything in my power to keep the house and bills paid while Eli was out of work,” Charlotte said.
Nora had nodded. “Penelope’s favorite show wasThe Brady Bunch. As old as that show is, she felt like it was the standard for what a family should be. I think the idea that you can make a new family you weren’t born into appealed to her.”
Charlotte had shaken her head. “I’m sorry, but I still can’t understand how she could do what she did. There were times I contemplated ending things. She put me through the darkest days of my life. I hope she gets the help she needs, but I also want her in prison for as long as possible.”
Charlotte’s text tone pinged, bringing her back to the present. She looked down to read a message from Eli.
Family movie night?
She smiled and typed back.
Perfect.
They had been through hell and back, but they were lucky. They’d been given a second chance. There was work to be done, and a long road ahead. But for now, her family was once again complete, and for that, Charlotte would never stop being grateful.