Family Ties

Part Eight

     Neither Michael nor Claire could sleep that night. They were both still in such shock and disbelief that Jenna was dead. And his mom was at the police station being questioned because the thought she might have known about abuse that was going on and she didn't do anything about it. Of course Claire and Michael knew Jenna tried to tell Judy what happened, but he just didn't want to believe her. But Michael couldn't help but be scared for his mom. "What if she has been arrested, Claire?"
     Claire now more than ever, felt guilty knowing that she was going to be leaving Michael to deal with all of this alone. She wondered if it was really the right thing for her to do at that time. Michael needed her. She didn't have to be a mother to stay there and help Michael. She was really thinking of going to Dr. Reardon and asking if she could just keep her job there. But they had to find out why Judy was with the police. Michael, I really think we need to go to the police station and figure out why your mom is there."
     Michael agreed. "Stay here with Michelle. I'll go find out what's going on."
     "No, Michael. I'm coming with you," Claire insisted firmly. "You shouldn't have to face this alone." She squeezed his hand reassuringly.
     Michael hesitated for a moment, then nodded gratefully. "Okay. Let's go."
     They quickly bundled Michelle into her car seat and drove to the police station in heavy silence, both lost in their own thoughts. The weight of Jenna's death hung thick in the air between them.
     At the station, they were directed to a waiting area. The harsh fluorescent lights and sterile atmosphere felt surreal compared to the emotional turmoil churning inside them. After what felt like an eternity, a detective approached them. "Mr. Evans? I'm Detective Larson. I'm handling your sister's case."
     Michael stood abruptly, Claire rising beside him. "Detective, please, what's happening with my mother? Why is she being held?"
     Detective Larson motioned for them to sit. "Based on our preliminary investigation, it appears your mother may have had knowledge of the abuse your sister was suffering. We have reason to believe she failed to report it, which could make her an accessory."
     Michael and Claire looked at the detective, knowing what they had to do. Michael took a deep breath before speaking. "Detective Larson, my mother was aware of the abuse. My sister tried to tell my mom that Richard hurt her."
     The detective was jotting notes down all the while Michael spoke. Both Michael and Claire agreed to give official police statements. Michael then asked if they could see Judy. He needed to see her. "Can I please see my mother?"
     Detective Larson hesitated, then relented. "I can allow a short visit. Five minutes, supervised. Follow me."
     He led them to a small, stark room with a metal table and chairs. A moment later, Judy was brought in, her face haggard and tear-streaked. Michael stared at his mother, a whirlwind of emotions in his eyes - grief, anger, confusion. "Mom. How could you do this to Jenna? Your daughter?"
     Judy shook her head vehemently. "No, no, I swear I didn't know. She told me, but I didn't believe her. I thought she was exaggerating, trying to get attention. I never imagined...oh God, my poor baby girl..." She dissolved into wrenching sobs.
     Claire watched the heartbreaking scene unfold, her own heart shattering for the family torn apart by tragedy and regret. She knew that whatever came next, nothing would ever be the same again. Michael and Claire were both so angry and upset. Tears began to fall down Michael's face. "How could you, Mom? How could you not even try and at least listen to Jenna and get her checked out. I told you that she told me that very same thing. That girl has never lied. And now, look what has happened."
     Judy's sobs intensified, her body shaking with the force of her grief and guilt. "I'm sorry, Michael. I'm so sorry. I failed her. I failed you both." She reached out to him again, desperation etched on her face, but Michael recoiled from her touch.
     "Sorry isn't enough, Mom," he said bitterly, his voice trembling with emotion. "Jenna is dead. She's dead because you refused to listen, refused to protect her. How am I supposed to forgive that?"
     Claire placed a gentle hand on Michael's arm, feeling the tension radiating from his body. She understood his anger, shared in it, but she also saw the devastation in Judy's eyes. "Judy," Claire said softly, "I know this is unimaginably painful. For all of us. But right now, we need to focus on finding out exactly what happened and making sure justice is served for Jenna."
     Judy looked up at her, gratitude shining through her tears. "You're right, Claire. I'll cooperate fully with the police. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right, even if it means facing consequences for my own failures."
      Michael turned away, unable to meet his mother's gaze. "I can't...I can't be here right now. I need some air."
     He strode towards the door, his shoulders hunched under the weight of his anguish. Claire cast a sympathetic glance at Judy before following him out. In the hallway, Michael leaned against the wall, his head bowed, silent tears streaming down his face. Claire wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as he shook with suppressed sobs. "I've got you," she murmured, her own voice thick with unshed tears. "I've got you, Michael."
     They clung to each other, finding solace in their shared pain, as the harsh reality of their new normal settled over them like a suffocating blanket. The road ahead would be long and arduous, filled with grief, anger, and the slow, agonizing process of healing. But in that moment, all they could do was hold on to one another and weather the storm together.
     As the days crawled by, more grim details emerged. Forensic evidence painted a picture of a brutal struggle, Jenna fighting for her life. The coroner's report was a clinical recitation of horrors - multiple stab wounds, defensive injuries, signs of prolonged abuse.  Judy was being charged as well. Michael pored over every document, every photograph, torturing himself with the gruesome specifics. It was as if by immersing himself in the worst of it, he could somehow share in Jenna's suffering, ease the burden of her final moments. Claire watched helplessly as Michael withdrew further into his grief, consumed by anger and guilt. She knew he blamed himself, wondering if he could have done more, seen the signs sooner. "This isn't your fault, Michael," she told him gently, cupping his face in her hands. "You did everything you could. You were there for Jenna when no one else was." But her words fell on deaf ears, drowned out by the relentless drumbeat of his self-recrimination.

As the funeral approached, Michael threw himself into the arrangements with a manic intensity, determined to give Jenna the sendoff she deserved. He chose her favorite flowers, selected music that reminded him of happier times, wrote and rewrote a eulogy that could never capture the depth of his love and loss. Through it all, Claire remained steadfast by his side, a constant presence offering strength and solace. She fielded calls from well-meaning friends, shielding Michael from the outside world as best she could. But even as she supported him, Claire grappled with her own demons. The weight of her impending departure pressed down on her, the guilt of leaving Michael in his hour of need gnawing at her conscience. She knew she had to make a choice. Between the future she had planned and the present that demanded her full attention. As she watched Michael crumble under the weight of his grief, the decision became clearer with each passing day.