Damaged Souls

Chapter 12 Mistakes

As me and my father held each other closely, Austin began to question me. "Caroline, why were you staying with that man...? And why did he call you his daughter, with a different name?" I felt panic fill my head, I didn't know if I should tell the truth or lie. "He didn't kidnap me, he, offered me a job as a housemaid, Violet was just a nickname, I needed the money so I took it..." I exclaimed, and Austin nodded. "Are you sure Caroline...? We can arrest him, and you'll never have to see him again..." my father said.

I thought more, long and hard. I could've told them everything, right then and there. How Jack had done unholy things to me and held me hostage, I could have Jack arrested, right then. "I'm telling the truth" I lied. I made the stupidest decision of my life there. As awful as Jack was, I just wanted us to go on with our lives. As long as I was far away from him, I'd be happy enough with that. Jack was never a good man, even while I lived with him. He was an abuser, with an insatiable need to satisfy himself. Upon returning home and realizing that I had left, and wouldn't be coming back, his thoughts were filled with ideas on where he wouldn't get caught. He chuckled a little, and went to work. That night, he dreamt of me and blood red rivers.

My father tightly held my hand as he finished up with Austin, and then he smiled down at me. "Caroline, I'm gonna take you home..." he said, tears in his eyes. I smiled, crying as well, and then it hit me. "Dad, there's someone you're gonna wanna see..." I said, and gently led him along. We walked for a few minutes, and stopped at the garage. I gently knocked on the door, and it slowly opened, with Dustin standing there. For a moment, Dustin was in just as much shock as our dad. "D-Dustin...?" My dad rasped, and Dustin nodded. I smiled and as my dad took my brother into his arms. "Dad, i-it's been years..." Dustin said quietly, trying not to cry. I was surprised, Dustin had seemed to have a slight hatred for our dad all the years we were gone.

As father and son wept in each other's arms, I finally felt what I had desired for years now, family... My father stroked Dustin's hair, and gently kissed his forehead. After letting go, Dustin tightly hugged my small body. "Caroline, I'm so sorry for what I did the last time we saw each other" he cried, his guilt of making me run away from him flooding from his brown eyes. "I was so stupid, I wasn't thinking straight! I should've thought of my health and your feelings, Caroline..." I smiled as I hugged him back. "It's okay Dustin, what matters is that we're finally together again..." I whispered. My family had long been broken, all because of my mom's death. After ten long years, we were all finally mature enough to admit our wrong doings, and were finally putting our family back together.

It wouldn't be long from that moment. One more day. My father looked us both in the eyes and smiled. "Let's go home kids... I promise, there is no alcohol anywhere" he chuckled, and held both our hands. Our home was not much different looking to how it was when me and Dustin left eight years ago. The same white walls and tiled floors. I could tell that the walls had been repainted white, some of our broken furniture replaced, the carpets as well. I stared in disbelief at the clean dishes, stocked fridge, and clean, everything!

"Dad, you really fixed this place up..." I said, astonished. "After you two left, I knew what I had to do..." he replied. Walking upstairs, I slowly opened the door to my former bedroom, and smiled upon the sight. Everything was still in it's place, my bed, books, my toys and stuffed animals. I gently touched the blue toy butterfly I had on my old vanity.

I inhaled the air, feeling content. I laid down on my bed, and stared at the ceiling decorated by stars. All the mistakes of the past had finally been resolved. The problems had finally been fixed. I had finally once again found my place in the world. Smiling, I closed my eyes to the dreaded Jack Privet, his awful home, and his sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.

Or so I had thought...