Going Home With My Father (39/73)

 

After My Father and Uncle Tim thanked Bee, we headed to the car. I kept my face buried in my father’s chest as he carried me. I did not even want to look in the direction of my house. I did not want to know what had happened there. However, I would have to face the scene as we drove towards the house and past the police cruisers and ambulances aligning the street. As we pulled into the driveway of my house, I began to panic. I had no idea who was there and who was not. I was worried that Jack would be there and I did not want to see him. I did not want to see anybody I just wanted to leave and go home with my Father.

He assured me that we were only there to grab some of my things and to see my Grandma Lois whom had been extremely worried about me and where I had gone. She felt responsible because I had told her earlier that night that I was going to run away but she never thought I really would. I had no concept at the time that I had been missing for hours and that everyone had been looking for me including the police.

As we entered the house, I hung onto my Father’s hand tightly. Once we were in the kitchen, we could see the destruction that had taken place across the common areas of the main floor of the house. There were holes in the walls, furniture turned over and out of place, curtain rods hung crocked on the wall, the kitchen fridge was dented in, and some of the kitchen cupboards were barely hanging on the wall with their contents scattered on the floor below. I could only imagine what happened there in the time I was gone. There were still police and EMT’s throughout the house. Some of them taking pictures of the scene.

My Grandma Lois came from down the hall with one of the EMT’s. Her left hand bandaged up. With three of her fingers braced together. I ran over, hugged her tightly, and asked her what happened. She responded by telling me that Jack was trying to pull the kitchen cupboards off of the wall and she tried to stop him. When she did, he grabbed her hand, twisted it and then pushed her down across the floor. Grandma was a brave woman; she had no problem standing up to Jack, even if it put her in harm’s way.

My father stayed in the front of the house while Grandma took me to my room to pack a bag. I was going to be staying with my Father out in Morinville for a few days until things could be figured out between my Mother and him. I was glad to be leaving. I wanted to be as far away from the walls of my home as I could possibly be. I did not even want to see my Mother.

Fortunately, she was not there while I was. She had been taken down to the police station make her statement and to have pictures taken of her bruises and wounds. Jack had beaten her pretty badly. Black eye, fractured arm and multiple bruises and abrasion down her arms and legs.