Page 88 of The Moment Promised

Jason looks like he’s going to kill him.

“I took her out of the state Florida and into the state of Georgia, not across the country.” Finn pulls me aside, standing directly in front of me. “Continue.”

Jason’s jaw ticks, he acts on impulse. I blink and Finn is in Jason’s grip. My pulse misses too many beats, my body trembles, and adrenaline takes over.

“Get off him!” I shout, pure rage in every syllable.

My mother screams, her richstay at home wifefaçade shattering to pieces. “Jason.” She eases toward them. “Let’s all just calm down.”

“Calm down? Get back in the fucking kitchen and stay in line!”

You can’t fight violence with violence. Nobody wins. Each side loses soldiers, wives lose their husbands, children lose fathers...innocent people die in the crossfire. It’s a vicious cycle.I recall my ninth-grade history teacher’s voice.

You can’t fight violence with violence.

I swallow down the lava that burns my throat, that heats my muscles. It prepares me to fight with my body, but I won’t. Instead, I pull out my phone and beg God to not let Jason break the man I love.

23

Imake sure my phone is on silent, so when I press record, Jason won’t hear the sound. I watch in the tiny screen the scene that’s unfolding only a few feet away. I hesitate, my body screaming to protect Finn. But just as I’m about to lower my phone, my best friend quickly glances at me, realizing what I am doing. He gives the slightest nod and I know he understands how big this moment is. If I stand a chance against this war, I need to think with my head, not my heart, so I steel my resolve and keep filming.

My mother and I lock eyes. I see the wave of realization wash over her, and I silently plead with her to let me continue. She diverts her eyes and walks away; into the kitchen, as she was told.

Anxiety ripples through me more than it ever has before. I watch through the screen, trying to stand still to get proper footage but my hands tremble so much it’s hard to make out what’s happening.

“I’ve dreamt of this moment since you were a kid.” Jason yanks Finn by the collar, spinning them around. Finn looks winded as Jason slams him into the wall.

“You mean when I was an innocent kid playing with Adeline?” Finn eggs him on for me.

For evidence

For justice.

So Jason will be locked behind bars. For our safety, for the world to be a better place… If I can just stop shaking.

My heart catches in my throat at the contact of Jason’s knuckles against Finn’s ribs. A loud sob leaves me, I hear my breath as I hyperventilate.

I know it hurt, but Finn doesn’t let on.

Now Jason’s knee goes straight into Finn’s groin. Finn groans in pain, but he still doesn’t put up a fight. At least not a physical one.

Jason punches Finn’s beautiful face. “I want you to look in my fucking eyes as I kill you!”

My stomach clenches. This has to be enough. I end the video and send it to Finn. Not taking a single chance in losing the evidence.

My confident voice causes every hair on the back of my neck to stand up. “You have one second to get off him before I call the cops.”

Jason’s flaming eyes burn into me, making me want to shudder, but I don’t.

For the little girl that needed me all those years ago, I won’t.

I stare him down, phone in hand, waiting for him to back away.

“You wouldn’t call the cops on your own dad,” he says with arrogance.

I pull my gaze away only for a second while I fumble with the screen. I type the digits and by the time I look up to show him my phone, Finn is free of Jason’s rage. The wall beside him endures it, a fist sized hole in the dry wall.

Jason grabs his hand in pain, probably broke it in his temper tantrum. I ignore him and rush to Finn.

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