Page 14 of The Scars of Us

Once I finished on the elliptical, I went in search of Kamden. As I passed some of the exercise rooms, I saw a flyer that read:

Kickboxing/Self-defense classes

Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 P.M.

Sign up at the front desk

Maybe I should look into that, especially since Kaleb might get released.

I shook my head, immediately attempting to dispel my thoughts and block out my emotions before they started to take over. I couldn’t afford a public breakdown, especially in front of Ryker.I’d never be able to come here again.

Kamden was doing squats when I walked in, but he stopped when he saw me.

“You finished?” he asked, wiping the perspiration from his brow with a towel. He handed it to me when he was done.

“Yeah, but I can wait for you if you’re not ready.” I took the towel from his hand, which was soaked with his sweat.Gross.

“I only have a few more reps.”

“Okay, that’s fine. I’m going to get some water.”

As I waited, my eyes scanned the room anxiously. I tapped my foot nervously on the floor as I looked around. I told myself that I wasn’t looking for Ryker, but that was a lie. I wanted to see him one more time before we left, but I didn’t.It’s probably better this way—the less of him, the better. Now if only I could get him off of my mind.

Once we got home, Kamden’s phone rang. “It’s Mom,” he informed.

“I’m not here,” I said, dropping my purse on the table by the door and heading toward the bathroom to shower.

Rolling his eyes, he answered the phone, “Hey, Mom. No, Kaiya’s not here.” He paused for a few seconds before angrily snarling, “What?”

The tone in his voice stopped me dead in my tracks.Oh no. What now? He couldn’t have gotten out that fast, could he?

My heart beat furiously beneath my chest, fear clenched my lungs, making it almost impossible for me to breathe as a panic attack began to take hold.Breathe, Kaiya. In, out, in, out. Don’t have another breakdown.

“No, Mom, it’s not great! He should be left to rot in there forever for what he did to Kaiya!” he yelled before abruptly hanging up his phone.

It began ringing a few seconds later, but Kamden rejected the call. He smiled sympathetically as his anger began to recede, and his eyes softened when they met mine.

Pushing my emotions down, locking them away inside me, I numbed myself, preparing for the worst.

“Just tell me,” I impatiently insisted.

Kamden sighed before speaking, “Kaleb’s release was approved, pending a six month observation period.”

Fear tried to take hold of me again, clawing at my walls, but I forced it down. I needed to be stronger if I was going to survive this whole ordeal. “Can we stop it?”

“I’m going to try. I want to go up there as soon as possible, and I think it would be best if you came with me.”

“Kamden, I can’t.” Shaking my head, I wrapped my arms around myself for comfort. “I can’t be that close to him.”

“You know that I wouldn’t ask you unless I thought it was absolutely necessary. I think that if you remind them what happened, tell them how much what he did has affected you, I doubt they’ll give the final approval on his release.”

I sighed. “I’ll think about it. I can’t guarantee anything though. I can barely keep it together with him miles away.”

“You’re stronger than you think, Ky.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know you can do it,” he voiced confidently as he gave me an assuring smile.

Uncomfortable focusing on myself, especially when it involved Kaleb, I changed the subject, “I need to shower. I’m all sweaty.”

Turning around, I didn’t give Kamden a chance to make me talk about the issue any further. I heard the phone ringing again when I entered my bathroom.

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