Excerpt: Hurtful Protection

Hurtful Protection

  Part One: “Returning to a place I once knew as home.”

This story begins on a day I’ll never forget…

“We are gathered here today to say goodbye to one of our role models in this town Mr. Frederick Hamilton…”

Frederick Hamilton was my father. He had lived in Berry Town all his life taking care of everyone but himself. I never thought people would appreciate his hard work, but I guess I was wrong. The whole town had gathered at the cemetery to say goodbye. They had provided food and coffee and chairs so we could sit around in a small ceremony.

“You’re okay sweetheart?” Aunt Vivian asked.

“Yeah I’m okay.” I cracked a smile. The truth is that I was devastated. Here I was sitting in this old town, wearing a black dress I refused to wear on any other occasion, and saying goodbye to someone that meant so much to me.

“Do you want some coffee?”

“No, I’m okay.” I got up and walked to the other side where a few guys were working on his grave.

“You shouldn’t see that.” I heard him say.

“Don’t tell me what I can or cannot do.” I said angrily. How dare he speak to me?

“I already apologized Alexandra, what more do you want from me?”

“I want you to leave me alone.” I looked deep into his brown eyes and sighed. “Goodbye.”

“Wait, at least…meet Lucas.”

“No.”

“He has nothing to do with what happened that night. He is innocent.”

“Is he bothering you?” Jason asked. Jason was my brother and very protective. “I told you not to come to the ceremony. You already did enough traumatizing my sister.”

“Jason, let’s not argue.” I intervened. The last thing we needed was for an argument to break out.

“I was just apologizing to her again. Alexandra is still my wife and we have a son together.”

“You raped her and the judge annulled the marriage.” Jason was furious at this point. His jaw was shut tight and his fist was ready to just punch the lights out of Matthew.

“I don’t care what no judge says, we’re married.”

“Stop this!” I yelled at them both. “I lost my father, I don’t need this crap right now.”

I took off running from the ceremony. I couldn’t do this anymore; I didn’t want to be in Berry Town anymore. I thought of driving back home that same afternoon.

“Don’t go off like that, okay?”  I sat beside my grandfather and leaned on his shoulder. “I know there is a lot of memories in this old town but…you should stay for your father’s memory.”

“Grandpa, what happened after I left?”

“Everyone was really hard on Matthew. They kicked him out of school and ruined his chances of becoming a doctor. They said since he wasn’t man enough to keep you, he shouldn’t be allowed to become someone important in society.”

“That’s not how we dreamed for things to be. We wanted to get marry and I don’t know form a family.”

“Did he rape you Alexandra?”

“I don’t know. He said it was he and I believed him but…I don’t really know. I can’t remember anything that happened that night.” Tears ran down my cheeks as I tried to remember. “If I could remember then I would be able to say what really happened.”

“He really loved you and…I really don’t think he meant to rape you.”

“I don’t know…” I looked away.  I wasn’t sure of what happened and I really couldn’t say anything concrete. “What about daddy?”

“For a long time he couldn’t forgive Matthew. It wasn’t until he saw Lucas that he spoke to Matthew. By then Lucas was about three years old, he is five now. He looks so much like you and he has your personality too.”

“And Matthew?”

“He was in jail for a few years but his mother couldn’t take care of Lucas. She asked Fred to drop the charges and he did. He really respected Janice because he knew she worked really hard.”

“How is Janice?”

“She past away.”

“What?” Janice is gone?

“Yeah of cancer. Unfortunately, there was nothing the doctors could do. By the time she was diagnosed with cancer it was too advanced.”

“Oh grandpa…” I cried. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Janice was too embarrassed to talk to you. But she left something for you.” I helped grandpa get up from the couch. I followed him to his room and from a small box he pulled out an envelope.

I opened it carefully. In the front it said: Alex Autumn Hamilton.

By: AA