Wanting Winter(58)

“Can you figure out who did this to her? DNA?” Mom asks as she holds me tighter.

“We will be checking. Once we get the results, we will let you know. Just don’t overwhelm her or ask too many questions. She probably didn’t think she would be found. Almost two months of this kind of thing can change a person. So be patient.”

“Thank you, doctor,” both my parents say before he leaves.

“What kind of monster would do this?” Dad paces the room. I feel Mom’s tears fall on me. “My sweet, sweet baby.” She kisses the top of my head.





Trent


I pace up and down the waiting room. I just want to see her, knowing now that she’s awake. She is alive. I know the doctor needs to tell her parents what’s going on, but she didn’t wake up for three days.

Her body was healing, but fuck, three days.

Candice is talking to Mrs. Daniels and when I hear Candice cry out, holding her stomach, I run over to her. She clings to me.

“She was raped, Trent. They raped her,” she cries and I cry with her.

“She won’t speak,” Mrs. Daniels says. “Whoever did this, this monster, made her stop talking. The doctor thinks it’s Winter’s way of holding on to some control. My baby,” she cries. “That monster hurt my baby. They belted her, cut her, beat her black and blue. Everything you can think of they did.” She falls to the floor, and I kneel down holding her until her husband runs over pulling her into him.

“She is safe now,” he reassures her.

“My poor baby. My poor, sweet baby. Who could do this to someone so sweet?” she cries out in pain.

“Come on. Let’s go for a walk. I am sure Winter would like to see some familiar faces,” he tells us, giving us a small smile, but I can see he is ready to break down also.

I watch them walk down the hallway, and I walk into her room. Her eyes go straight to me then to Candice. She doesn’t say anything, just watches us. I come to her side, looking at her, and it’s like I’m looking at someone else. It's not just her hair: I loved looking into her big eyes, seeing all the emotions she was feeling, but now they’re empty.

“Hey Winter,” I say. “I’ve missed you so much.” I take hold of her hand.

Her eyes go to the contact of it, but she doesn’t show any sign of emotion or try to make any movement.

“Winter, I am so sorry, for everything,” Caddice cries. “It should’ve been me that this happened to, not you. You didn’t deserve any of this.” She hugs her, crying into her, but Winter looks at her then to the door.

“Winter, can you tell us who did this to you?” I ask her, and she looks back to me. “If you say who did it, they will be locked up and won’t be near you ever again.”

She doesn’t say a word.

“Winter is it, someone, we know?”

Nothing. She just blinks looking at me.

“Winter, please tell us who did it,” Candice pleads, but Winter just sits there.

The doors open and Joshua, Drake, and Patrick walk in. They all look at Winter, and she looks to each of them, her eyes landing on Patrick last and he stares back at her.

“Is she saying anything?” Drake asks walking closer. “Mrs. Daniels mentioned it when we walked past her.”

“She’s not saying a word,” Candice cries. Drake wraps his arm around Candice’s shoulder and Winter watches the interaction.

“Winter, once we get you out of here we will dye your hair back. My treat. I am sure you don’t want to be looking like this one over here,” Joshua tells her pointing at Candice, winking at her, but I know its forced, he is trying to make her more at ease.

“Winter,” Patrick says, coming closer.

Winter looks at him, really looks at him.

“I’m sorry you went through all this.”

She looks right at him.

“You are starting to have more color in your cheeks.” He gives her a small smile but she just stares at him.

“Is it me or does anyone else just want her to tell us to shut up or she will cut our dicks off?” Joshua jokes, and we all chuckle. Well, all but Winter.

“I hate this. Winter just say a word.” Candice takes hold of her shoulders, looking into her eyes. “Just tell us you are okay.”

“Of course she isn’t okay; she probably won’t be the same again,” Drake tells her, pulling her away. “Winter, you talk when you’re ready.”

“Yeah, you talk when you’re ready,” Patrick says. Again she stares at him.

Visiting times are up and we all say our goodbyes. We are walking down the hall when I tell them I’m going to quickly use the bathroom and that I will meet them outside. I wait for them to leave I quickly run back to Winter’s room. She hasn’t moved. She just sits there, looking around the room. She doesn’t look at me in surprise that I’m back when I walk in, her eyes just stay on me.

I walk closer to her, looking deep into her eyes. “Winter, is it someone we know who did this?” I look, trying to spot anything, but she just looks blankly at me. “It’s someone we know isn’t it?”

Nothing.

“I did miss you, Winter. I will find who did this; I’m going to kill them,” I promise her and leave.