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***Warning. Contains some offensive language****
Lisa burst into tears, unable to hold back the tide of emotions that raged through her as she listened to Mary-Anne. She ran out of the room and out of the house. Robert ran after her and the slamming of the back door echoed throughout the house. Bobby sat numb, curled up in a tight ball, unable to look at Mary-Anne. Maggie controlled her emotions but worried for the family. Officer Harris looked directly at Mary-Anne.
“Let’s take a break. Why don’t you and Maggie go out for a walk and get some air.”
He looked over at Maggie and added, “And I trust I don’t need to remind you how important it is that you do not discuss this case at all. Nothing. Don’t even talk over feelings. Just walk.”
Maggie nodded as she motioned to Mary-Anne to follow her outside. Mary-Anne stopped by Bobby and stroked his hair, “Bobby, I wish I could be different. I wish I could say things different. I really do love you, you know.”
Bobby remained curled up, ignoring her words and touch. No one saw the tears flow down his cheeks nor felt the tearing of his heart. Mary-Anne watched for any reaction and seeing none, walked out with the social worker.
“Son, you don’t need to be here” Officer Harris stated softly, “Everyone will understand if you need to leave. This is far more than any 12 year old should experience.”
Bobby looked up through tear-stained eyes, “Mary-Anne is 12 and she’s still here. Why didn’t no one stop all that from happening? Was everyone really stupid or what!”
“I have no answers for you, son,” Officer Harris said sadly, “I really wish I did. All we can do now is listen, believe and hopefully we’ll stop Mary-Anne’s father from hurting any more people.”
Officer Harris pulled his chair close to Bobby and sat in silence, as Bobby struggled with his emotions. After a half hour, Bobby’s parents returned as did Mary-Anne. Everyone returned to their seats, Officer Harris returned his chair to sit opposite Mary-Anne as she continued with her story.
“Tracey was really cool. She took my dad and I to the hospital and waited until we were done. My dad told the nurses some story of camping and hiking and my falling off the mountain. I couldn’t believe they fell for it but nothing surprised me anymore. Tracey asked if dad wanted to go back for his camping stuff. He told her some story of how his truck broke down and he’d just call for a tow truck. She bought us something to eat and told us she was going to her friend’s house a long way from there. And Dad, he pretended to make a phone call and came back saying his credit card was stolen and he didn’t know what to do. So Tracey gave him money! But he said no, it would be better if he could just drive with her to Ontario where we lived. He lied so much even sometimes I got mixed up on what was the truth.”
Lisa held Robert’s hand tightly, turning more and more pale with every word. Bobby watched Mary-Anne not really trusting her, sensing something wasn’t right with the story.
“So we took off with Tracey. And when she got to a motel, she paid to have us stay in another room. And my dad asked her not to tell anyone about us because he was a real private man and didn’t like being talked about. I’m sorry, Tracey was really nice but stupid. She believed everything my dad told her.”
Bobby shook his head. Something was definitely wrong with this story. If only he could figure it out but what was it?
“Yeah and anyhow, my dad he got Tracey to kiss him one day. Then Tracey, she fell in love with my dad and well, he made her promise never ever to speak of us and she didn’t. She gave him lots of money too. And Tracey did drugs with my dad too. I saw them.”
Without thought, Lisa yelled out “NO!” Mary-Anne jumped and smiled.
“Oh yes, it was the truth. Honest! I wouldn’t lie!”
Bobby jumped up, finally figuring it out.
“NO! Mary-Anne you are lying! Tracey hated drugs because her best friend died when she used, Mum what was that drug Tracey’s friend used? You know, the one who flipped out here in the basement and we had to get the ambulance for.”
“Bobby, sweetheart, you are right! Sylvie – she used cocaine for the first time in our basement without Tracey knowing. Tracey was upstairs talking on the phone. Officer Harris, my son is right.”
Robert quickly added, “Sylvia. I remember. It was so tragic. Bobby was almost 5 years old then. He was playing in the living room and had to go get another track to his road set. I’ll never forget his scream when he went into the basement. Tracey never really recovered from that. She hated drugs before that happened and absolutely despised drugs after. I know, without a shadow of doubt, my daughter would never use drugs.”
“And Dad, she’d never be as stupid as Mary-Anne is saying,” Bobby added, “I know she wouldn’t be.”
Officer Harris looked directly at Mary-Anne.
“What do you have to say about all this, Mary-Anne? Are you testing the waters to see how we’d react? Or do you really believe what you are saying.”
Mary-Anne’s smile disappeared with the officer’s words. She stood up, kicking the chair across the room. Screaming, she literally spit out the words as she stomped around the room, angry at the world,
“I hate you all! I’m telling you the truth! I told you no one would believe me! You are all a bunch of bastards!”
Officer Harris put out his arm and stopped the social worker from approaching Mary-Anne.
“Who is the bastard, Mary-Anne?”
“You are! Bobby is! Lisa and Robert are! You all are!”
“Who is the bastard, Mary-Anne?”
“You are!”
Screaming, she grabbed a lamp and flung it at Officer Harris. He ducked as the lamp flew past, smashing against the wall.
“Who is the bastard, Mary-Anne?”
“I AM! I KILLED TRACEY!”
With those final words, Mary-Anne crumpled to the ground and burst into tears. Grabbing her legs, she pulled herself into the fetal position and began to rock. Backwards, forwards, slowly in a trance, she rocked. Tuning out all that were around her – singing softly nursery rhymes without meaning.
Officer Harris sat down on the floor beside her.
“It’s time to stop running Mary-Anne, it’s time for the truth. Nursery rhymes won’t protect you anymore from the monsters in your head. Only you can protect yourself. It’s time, Mary-Anne, time to speak the truth and end the lies forever.”
© 2001
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