Page 28 of Cuts Like an Angel: Part 2

She sat there, her mouth hanging open, confused and pissed. “Fine, what do you want to know?”

He removed his seat belt too and faced her, those intense blue eyes angry and yet beautiful all at once. “I accidentally saw a picture in your purse.”

Her eyes popped and her heart lurched. “You accidentally?”

“You left your purse in the bathroom, it fell and spilt, I … saw a photograph. I looked.”

It was a confession of sorts but not one he was entirely sorry for. No, he was too busy assuming the worst about it, clearly. “What do you think it is, William?” she asked, her throat going tight from pain.

“I asked you to tell me. I’m not going to guess.”

She turned her face when tears flooded her eyes and pain gripped her chest till she gasped for air. “I had a dead baby,” she forced out shaking her head. “I was going to tell you.”

“You have a child?”

“Had,” she corrected, bitterly.

“You gave your baby away?”

She jerked to him, confused. “No, I didn’t give her away,” she barely whispered, her throat shutting. “She was killed. By her own loving mother, grandmother and grandfather. She wasn’t wanted,” she choked out. “And I was too young and too stupid to have a say in the matter.” She swiped the tears flowing. “But that’s bullshit,” she gasped. “I coulda fought harder I coulda done a lot of things. I should’ve run and protected my baby, but I didn’t, I let them kill her,” she strained. “And then? I demanded they let me dress her and have one picture with my baby before they took her. Can you believe that?” she gasped, horrified with herself. “I demanded a picture with my dead baby. But I didn’t demand they let her live. Let her breathe.”

William’s arms were around her and painful wails tore out of her. “You were young, Rosie. Shhhh.”

“I could’ve fought,” she argued bitterly. “I keep having this dream that I fight, and I save her life. And I wake up remembering that I didn’t. I didn’t fight. I didn’t save her.”

“You saved me, Rosie,” he whispered. “I know I’ll never compare, but you did, you saved me,” he urged hotly. “I would never be happy you lost her, but look who you’ve turned into. Look what you’ve done with that tragedy. You’ve determined to do the right thing for others. You’ve determined to speak for others who are trapped in silence. You learned Rosie. You grew. You became a mother and friend to many that nobody fights for, nobody cares for, nobody demands life for. That’s you.”

He suddenly pulled away and started the car.

“What are you doing?” she asked, wiping her eyes.

“It’s my turn. But I can’t tell you this secret, Rosie. I need to show you.”

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