Page 112 of Beautifully Shattered
I scream a vicious screech as my second hand wraps around his neck, squeezing hard.
“So you tell me,Dad. What was all that for? WHAT THE FUCK WAS ALL THAT FOR?!”
With another scream, I shove myself back, fisting my hands in my hair as I start pacing, too wild to even make eye contact with my husband and my friends.
“Abigail… I’m so sorry. MysweetAbigail.”
“Shut up!” I snap, turning my glare back to him as he sinks to the floor against the fridge. “I don’t want to hear your apologies. That can’t bring my daughter back. The only thing you can do now is tell me everything, so I can save Tahli.”
“W-what about Maggie?” my dad stammers, and I scoff.
“That cuntcan die for all I care.”
I don’t know who I am right now.
I’ve never spoken like this. Even when I was a more unhinged version of myself that day at the chapel, I was neverthis.
“Is Mum related to Minister Banes?” I snap, needing to get the information and be done with him, and I watch as my dad nods.
“He… he is her father.”
I stop pacing, the room turning eerily silent aside from my dad’s sobs.
“Minister Banes is my grandfather?”
My dad nods.
“I didn’t know. Your mother had always told me her father was dead.”
“Jols.” I turn to face my friend. “Can you please get the scrapbook?”
Jols nods and hurries deeper into the house as I pivot back and face my dad.
“So Banes is her father, and he is the leader of the cult. Correct?” I snap, and my dad nods. “She grew up in the cult, but then left?”
“I overheard Banes scolding her at the chapel the day that crooked cop brought you there,” my dad sobs. “He told Priscilla there was a reason she was outcast, and he’s not sure if what she’s offering can redeem her.” My dad shakes his head. “I don’t know what that means. When I asked her about it, she ignored me and walked off.”
“Here, Abs.” Jols enters the room with the scrapbook, and I open it to the first page, holding it out for my dad to see.
“This is Mum sitting on Banes’ knee, isn’t it?”
My dad nods. “Yes.”
Turning to the next page, I hold it out and point to the boy who looks a lot like Daniel.
“Is this Karl Stone?”
A sob lurches from my dad’s lips as he nods. “Y-yes.”
“Why is Daniel’s dad there?”
Shaking his head, my dad starts sobbing uncontrollably, so I spin, holding my hand out for Ringo’s gun, and even though he lifts a questioning brow at me, he hands it over.
When I turn back, my dad’s eyes go wide as I point the gun at him.
“I didn’t know. I swear, sweetheart. If I had known, I would have put a stop to it.” He sobs, shaking his head, eyes pleading up at me. “It was Karl who got her back involved in the church. I wish I’d figured it out sooner.”
“Stop fucking rambling and tell me who Karl is to Mum?!”
