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I would understand why very soon

“I had a little sister too,” she said, her smile melancholy “She was a ballet dancer Her name was Julia”

My eyes moved to Emery, and I saw that this was news to her

“She was eleven,” Jess continued, “I was fourteen Our parents were very social people, and they often put their needs above our own They’d leave us alone a lot, and I was left in charge of Julia My aunt Theresa would watch her for me when she could, but often, it was left to me to babysit And I was fourteen—I wanted to be out withher fingertips nervously together “A few years before the summer I turned fourteen, my father’s little brother, Tony, rateful,” Jess scoffed, the sound hard and ugly “I would go out with my friends, and he would watch Julia”

When she looked atto hear what I kneas co I saw it in the horror that still lived in the back of her eyes “I came home early one afternoon, and they weren’t around Then I heard so down in the basement”

Emery let out a low aze from mine

“He … he was raping her”

Nausea welled inside of me, and I covered my mouth to hold back the cry I wanted to release That poor little girl Oh ine If someone had done that to Dillon, I would’ve killed him

“I flew at theave et hi up the stairs, but he caught Julia I got him away from her, but he came atme My sister screamed, and then he wasn’t on ot up, Tony had Julia pinned against the wall, and he was choking her” Her hands went to her throat “And I knew I kneouldn’t let us out of there alive

“So I killed hied out of her

That dread I felt wrapped itself around me

Jessica

“I took one of olf clubs, and I hit him over the head He fell down the stairs and broke his neck” Swiping at a tear, she continued “Julia told my parents and the police what had happened and we learned that he’d been raping her for two years Since she was nine My parents were so caught up in their own lives, and I was such a self-involved teenager, we hadn’t paid any attention to her We hadn’t seen the signs

“Our parents put us both in therapy rather than deal with us the Obsessively” Her eyes took on a faraway glaze “When she didn’t get into the school of her drea herself in that basement I found her My parents blamed me They didn’t want to believe it was Tony’s abuse that caused all her pain They said it was thea man in front of her”

I was cold All the way through Because I hated that this was her story She was so kind and warm, and she took care of people She helped people I hated that this was her story She deserved so much better