Chapter 38

                                    

                                          
Faith POV {Throwback August 2003}: 
He pulls up in the driveway, making my chest ache a little. I watch out the window, seeing the girls hop out of the car, smiling and laughing, while he smiles down at them. They walk up to the front door, repeatedly ringing the doorbell. I open the door, causing them to rush up and hug me. They both walk into the family room to drop off their bags, while Tim walks up behind them with Audrey in his arms. 
He spares me a smile, while I feel sick to my stomach. He slides her into my arms, my hand accidentally brushing against his arm. I feel myself pull back, as if I'd touched a burning hot iron, seeing him wince. He hands me her diaper bag, while I make sure to grab the opposite side of the handle, before walking her back to sit in the family room with Gracie and Maggie. Tim remains in the doorway, making me wonder why he hasn't left yet. I walk over once more, my heart pounding. 
"Can we talk?" He asks quietly. I shake my head, crossing my arms in front of me. He sighs, narrowing his eyes at me, before nodding. Jason peeks his head around the corner, making sure everything is going alright. "How long are we going to keep doing this?" He asks, shutting his eyes for a second, as if it were killing him. I shrug, watching him reopen his eyes. "Faith, please." He begs, making me want to hear him out, but I can't. Not after what happened. "I just... I want to talk about what happened. I think avoiding the subject is just... it's letting things boil over far more than it has to." He says, sounding awfully mature for him. I take a deep breath, looking back at Jason, who's still watching us. 
"Fine." I admit, noticing the slightest of a smile on him, as he takes a deep breath. "Jason, can you watch the girls for a bit?" I ask, seeing him nod hesitantly. He leans against the wall, looking right at Tim. 
"If you dare lay a hand on her, I'm calling the police." He warns Tim, making Tim wince. I feel a chill run through me, before I grab my jacket and follow Tim out to his truck. He gets in and takes a deep breath, before starting to drive. The sun starts to set, and outlandish thoughts starting to run through my mind, like... What if he's driving me out to the middle of nowhere to kill me? What if he's just going to pull over, threaten me, or rape me? What if he's doing this to scare me? My mind races so fast it's giving me a headache. 
He pulls over on a dirt road, woods on one side, a cornfield on the other. We're in the sticks of southern Nashville. He turns toward me, sighing for a moment, before leaning back against his door. He shuts his eyes, before shrugging. 
"I guess, you should say what's on your mind first..." He lets out, leaving me with a platform to say so many scornful, burning words that have been pent up for the last nine months. 
"I don't know where to start." I reply, feeling my blood burn. He stares at me, taking a deep breath. "Let's start with the fact that you damn near tried to kill me... how about we go through that once more." I spit out, feeling my eyes burn as tears try to force their way out. I push them back, needing to appear strong, and pissed, for this. 
"Faith... I... I was scared." He says, making me laugh. I shake my head, and open my mouth to reply, before he cuts me off. "The first hit, that was uncalled for. It was wrong, and excuseless. But in Audrey's room, I was terrified..." He continues. I open my mouth to speak again, hearing him interrupt once more. "And Faith, it was sick... and twisted. What I said, and did, was disgusting, but I saw you grabbing the girls, and packing their bags, and it scared the hell out of me. I stepped out of my own skin, and I lashed out, and I hurt you. I get that... It kills me, Faith... I had a severe lapse of judgment and self-control, and I hurt you..." He continues to explain, his voice breaking as I see tears in his eyes. He stops talking for a moment, allowing me to reply. 
"You..." I start, before feeling my heartthrob. "You beat the hell out of me, Tim. You had more than enough chances to stop, and you didn't. You just continued to beat the shit out of me." I let out, my ribs hurting. "And the things you said... Tim, I can't sleep after..." I start to say, feeling unable to speak. "You would not stop saying I'm doing this because I love you." I croak, the words still cutting through me like a knife. He cringes, before leaning back even further. "I can't look at you after hearing you say something like that, while doing something like that." I continue, seeing him nod.