Page 66 of Hooked on a Demon
Trauma. She hadn’t thought of losing her career and her relationship with Sam as such, but it feels right. It has shaped who she is now. But it also doesn’t need to be what defines her. Her head turns, and she looks out the window, watching the wind rustle through the rust colored leaves. And it’s here that she decides that’s all Sam is to her now, the wind rustling through.
“I’d like to talk more about Declan now,” she says, her voice soft.
“Absolutely.”
* * *
Dr. Colson was right when he told her she didn’t need to carry everything she’s been through alone, and it’s far past time that her parents actually knew everything she’s been through. Which is why she is currently parked outside her family home, trying to work up the courage to go in and tell them everything. Well, everything about Sam, at least.
Slapping her hands on the steering wheel, she groans in frustration. It shouldn’t be this hard. “Alright. Do it. Get out of the car and go inside,” Eliana commands herself. Taking a deep breath, she opens the car door and follows her command. It takes her an extra second at the door to muster the courage to walk in.
Cora walks around the corner, appearing at the end of the hall as Eliana closes the door behind her. “Ellie!” her mother exclaims, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by,” she replies, being pulled into her mother’s arms. Her mother’s hugs are always something special. She gives them out freely, but they are filled with warmth and affection. Some days, Eliana swears they contain magic, able to melt away the worst of feelings, stress, and any ailments the receiver is experiencing, which is exactly what Eliana needs right now. She knows this conversation will not be easy, so she’ll take any sense of comfort she can.
With her face still smooshed against Cora’s shoulder, Eliana mumbles, “Is Dad home? I’d like to talk to you both about something.”
Cora instantly pulls away, holding Eliana at arm’s length. “Is everything okay?” she asks, her brows furrowed with concern. “Amos,” Cora calls over her shoulder.
“Yes, dear?” he answers from somewhere deeper in the house.
“Can you come to the living room, please? Ellie’s here and needs to talk to us.”
Rather than answer, her dad can be heard walking through the house. He meets them in the living room where Cora and Eliana are already sitting on the sofa. “What’s wrong?”
Eliana laughs awkwardly, her mother’s hands resting on top of hers. “Nothing’s wrong. Well, not anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Cora asks.
“I’ll get to that, but before I start, I want to apologize in advance for not sharing this with you earlier. I thought I could handle everything on my own at the time, and honestly, I was embarrassed. But after talking with my therapist—yes, I’ve been in therapy—it’s time you know the truth about why I moved back to Leeside.”
“Okay. What do you have to tell us, dear?” Amos asks.
She takes a deep breath, steadying the nerves rushing through her body, reminding herself that Colson was right, she doesn’t need to carry this alone anymore. “So I was in a relationship while I lived in Hollybrook. His name was Sam. We were together for a couple of years and he’s the reason you were never able to come and see me dance while I lived there. While the relationship started nice as they all do, he became manipulative and controlling.” Her eyes flick to her father, seeing his chest puff out with anger as he leans forward, ready to interject. She holds her hand up to stop him. “You can ask whatever you want after, but please, let me get this out.”
He hesitates a moment before nodding his acceptance, but doesn’t change his position, still prepared to fight for her.
“He never hit me, but sometimes he would get rough, grabbing my wrist or arms to keep me from going places he didn’t want me to go. Through his manipulation, I lost contact with you all, friends, and was only allowed to be with him if I was going anywhere other than work. I believe he didn’t want you to come and see me because he feared that you would pull me away from him, making him lose his control over me. It wasn’t until I was injured on stage and needed surgery that I realized everything he had been doing to me. How he had separated me from my world. My people. He was away on a work trip at the time and refused to come home to help me. I moved back here as soon as I was able and haven’t talked to him since. I couldn’t afford to stay in Hollybrook on my own without working full-time, so yeah. That’s why I moved home.”
Tears fill her mother’s eyes as she envelops Eliana in her arms. “Oh, honey, I wish you had told us sooner.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” Eliana sniffles, reaching a hand around her mother’s back so she can wipe the tears from her eyes. “But I’m okay now.”
“What do you need us to do?” Amos asks, his voice still showing his anger as he shifts into fix-it mode.
“Nothing really. I’m safe now and away from him. Therapy has been helping me so much to be able to work through it all and to recognize that it was an abusive relationship.” She laughs awkwardly. “My therapist would be proud of me for saying that.”
“Does your brother know?” Cora asks.
A chill falls over her, making her shiver. “No. And I would prefer to tell him myself when the time is right. I know he’ll instantly go into his protective mode, and I don’t need him doing that before being reassured that I’m okay.”
A look passes between her parents, one she knows means they’ve silently communicated something she will never be privy to. “Alright,” her father says after a moment, “we won’t tell him, but we also can’t keep this a secret forever.”
“I wouldn’t ask that of you. But thank you for allowing me to share it on my own terms.”
“We love you, honey. We only want what’s best for you.”
“Thank you.”
