Torn Apart

With Katelyn on a 24-hour lockdown at the mental facility, and Katie refusing to see her, Madeline decides to head home. Stepping into the house, she flips on the foyer light. Happy memories come to mind. All the fun times she and the girls shared. She then remembers the horror Stan has put her through. The bruises and broken bones, the lies she was forced to tell. She suddenly recalls the baby she lost when Stan pushed her down the stairs. She moves her hand to her stomach. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe too. Brushing the tears away, she looks around again. We've had good times in this place, a lot of bad too. She wearily heads towards the stairs.

She sees family photos neatly arranged on the wall beside her. Her massive collection starts at the bottom and works its way around the hall.

She runs her fingertips around the first picture's cherry-colored frame. I wish we could go back to the way it was back then. She moves to the next. The events of that day replay in her mind as she stares into the photo.

~~~

It's Katelyn's first day of school, and the child is bubbling with excitement. Happy the day is finally here.

"Hurry up, Daddy," Katelyn says. Grabbing the tail of his jacket, she pulls him towards the door.

"I'm coming, princess, I'm coming." He laughs. It was all the child talked about for weeks.

"I want one last picture before you go."

"Another one?" Katelyn asks, stomping her foot in protest. Her mom has been taking pictures of her all morning long. A few she hopes no one sees.

"One more, and you can go."

"I'm going to be late."

"The more you argue, the longer it'll take."

Katelyn rolls her eyes. "Fine."

Madeline laughs through her tears. "You always were an argumentative child."

Madeline picture all the fun time they had in the backyard. How Stan used to act like an overgrown kid. She was your little princess, the apple of your eye, until you found out she was mentally ill.

Madeline moves to the next photo. I took this on our last family vacation. Fond memories come to mind. We were so happy then. Madeline looks up to smiling faces all around her. "Where did I go wrong? Oh, where did I go wrong?" She sobs, collapsing on the steps.

***

Stan is happy to see that neither his wife nor daughter at the house when he arrives the following morning. He glances at the battered child beside him, smiles, and says, "I guess it's just you and me now, princess."

She looks up at him, smiles, and says, "I like it better that way."

"Me too, princess, me too."

I'll take better care of you than mom ever did. "I'm going to fix something to eat. Do you want anything?"

"A cup of coffee would be nice."

Katie smiles. "Comming right up."

Stan is settling on the couch when someone pounds on the front door. "I'm coming, I'm coming, he grumbles, stomping towards the door.

The barrier flies open, Madeline's nosey friend bursts into the room. "I want to see Madeline, and I want to see her now," she orders, pushing past him.

"I don't know where she is. So if you don't..."

She scans the room then turns to face him. "You better not have hurt her, Stan," she warns, poking her finger into his chest. "Because if you did, so help me God, I'll..."

Stan grabs her hand, glares into her eyes, and says, "I didn't do a damn thing to her, so get out of my house before I throw you out."

Pulling her hand away, Marge growls, "You wouldn't dare." Turning, she darts up the stairs. "Madeline, honey, where are you?"

"She's not here, Marge."

Reaching the landing, she spins around. "What do you mean she's not here? She was here when I last spoke to her an hour ago."

"She must've left shortly after because she wasn't here when I got home."

Marge storms down the stairs to where she and Stan are face to face. "I better not find out that you hurt her." She's told him before that Madeline is the only thing that's keeping her from tearing him apart.

Stan gulps. "I... I didn't lay a hand on her."

Katie walks in from the kitchen. "Aunt Marge," the child exclaims, running towards her.

"How are you feeling, honey?"

"Much better now that I've had something to eat."

She sees the snacks in the child's hands and laughs. "That's good." Giving Stan an evil eye, she asks. "Have you seen your mother today?"

"She wasn't here when we got home."

"Maybe she's visiting Katelyn at the jail." Stan grins.

"Katelyn didn't go to jail. She went to the state hospital."

"I hope they keep her the rest of her life."

"That's an awful thing to say, Katie, just awful," Marge scolds.

"Well, that's where she belongs, on a ward with all of the other crazies."

"Maybe I'll get lucky, and they'll lock Madeline in there too." Stan chuckles.

Katie glances over at Stan. Her eyes sparkle when she says, "I hope so, Daddy."

Marge gasps at their response. "I can't believe you two are saying this, after everything that Madeline's done for you. All the sacrifices she's made to keep you two ingrates happy. I don't think either of you deserves someone as wonderful as her." She stomps towards the door. Turning around at the entranceway, she says, "If I find out you did anything to her, so help me, God..."

"I didn't do anything to that psycho, I swear."

She hears footsteps beside her. She looks over to find the cops coming up the walk. "Then why are the police here?"

Stan glances over and sees two officers stepping onto their porch. That's all I need, more busy bodies snooping around.

The detectives eye the guest and then him. "We're with the Berryville PD, and we have a few questions about your wife."

"Yea, what about her?"

"Have you talked to her lately?"

"I haven't seen or spoken to her since she visited Katie at the hospital yesterday. Why?"

"We discovered her car in a ditch a few minutes ago, but she isn't inside."

"Oh my God, you did hurt her. You did. You did something to her car." Marge blurts out.

"Can I speak to you a minute, Ma'am?" Rachel asks, pulling Marge to the corner of the porch.

"Where were you this morning?" Jerry asks Stan.

"I've been at the hospital with my daughter since I brought her in last night."

"You didn't step outside?"

"Not once."

"Daddy slept in a chair beside my bed." Katie smiles, clinging onto her father's arm.

"Security footage will tell us if you're lying, sir."

"Check all you want, but I didn't leave the room until it was time to take Katie home."

~~~

Marge glares at Stan and says, "I know he did something to her. I know it."

"Why do you think that?" Rachel asks.

"He's very abusive to her and the girls. Well, to Madeline and Katelyn, he wouldn't lay a hand on his precious Katie."

"You've seen him hit her?"

"No, but I've witnessed him busting things and her broken bones afterward. Check her hospital records. You'll see I'm telling you the truth."

"Did she ever tell you he hit her?"

"She always makes up excuses on how she got hurt, but I've worked with a lot of battered women. I know their excuses, the signs."

"What is your name?" Rachel questions, glancing up from her notebook.

"I'm Marge Tucker, Madeline's best friend. The only one Stan hasn't managed to run off."

"Do you know where she might go, a relative perhaps?"

"She has an Aunt in Florida, but I doubt she'd go there. The two have never gotten along."

"Is there anywhere else she might go?"

"No, she pretty much keeps to herself."

Rachel pulls a card from her pocket and hands it to the distraught friend. "If you hear from her or think of somewhere she might go, please have her call the station."

Marge nods. "I will, officer."

***

Rachel is skimming through the hospital reports as she walks towards her desk. I wonder why we weren't notified? She wonders as she continues to read.

The hospital has a legal obligation to report suspected abuse. Yet, many don't get reported because of the confusion between the HIPPA laws, the patient's right to confidentiality, and the state laws.

"Marge is right, Jerry. Madeline has been in the ER numerous times this year and the one before."

"I've talked to the hospital staff, and they all claim that Stan didn't leave Katie's side for a minute."

"I still believe he has something to do with Madeline's disappearance."

"I do too."

"Check his phone records, see who he's called recently. Kirk, canvas the neighborhood see if anyone saw anything. I'll talk to their friends.