Support for Sarah's Recovery

Deliah's world crumbled beneath her feet. "You're saying...Sarah was raped?"

Mrs. Johnson gasped and collapsed onto the sofa in shock. "Sarah," she whispered. Mr. Johnson, looking pale, gently moved Deliah away from the door and turned to the police officer. "Where is my daughter now?"

"She's currently at the hospital with the group of boys who rescued her," the police officer informed them. "Matthew McCall is in custody and has confessed to his crimes. I'm not sure about her condition, though. She's at Texas Health Hospital. Would you like a ride in the police car?" he offered.

"That would be a good idea," Mr. Johnson nodded shakily, aware of his mental state making it unsafe for him to drive.

He turned to his wife and daughter. "Let's go, honey. We need to make sure she's okay." Mrs. Johnson nodded with a sob, rising from the couch. Deliah followed in a daze, the shock still coursing through her body, the horrifying news not yet fully registering in her mind.

She had seen her sister that morning. Her sister, who had been upset because Deliah had been distancing herself, but still, her sister had been well. And now?

"How is she?" Deliah asked anxiously as they rushed to the hospital. The Aerospace boys were there, looking exhausted. Philip appeared to have been crying, and Alex seemed to be in the worst state, sitting in a corner and staring blankly into space. His eyes were puffy, his breathing rapid and shallow, and his fingers fidgeted nervously.

"She's being examined by the doctor to determine if that... that guy hurt her in any other way," Steve explained with a heavy heart. He turned to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, offering an apology, "I'm so sorry."

Mr. Johnson shook his head. "It's not your fault."

Mrs. Johnson slumped into a hospital chair, trembling. "How could that boy do this to our Sarah?" she whispered between sobs. "She's such a nice girl, and... and..."

Another tear went unnoticed as it rolled down Alex's cheek. His cheerful, kind girl... devastated.

This content may violate our content policy. If you believe this to be in error, please submit your feedback — your input will aid our research in this area.

"She was broken, utterly shattered. Physically, mentally, in every conceivable way. He wondered if he could ever piece her back together, uncertain if she could return to the Sarah she used to be. He was willing to do anything to assist her on this journey.

The door swung open, and a female doctor emerged. "Hello. Are you friends and family of Sarah Johnson?" she inquired, eyeing them. Brad nodded, and they all gathered around the doctor, with Alex at the forefront. "How is she?" he managed to ask, his voice trembling.

"Physically... aside from, well, you know," the doctor cleared her throat, "she's stable in all other aspects. Our concern is her mental trauma from the incident. During our conversation with her, she appeared deeply frightened, which is entirely understandable given the circumstances. Victims of rape often grapple with significant mental distress. However, I believe she may need some time before she can feel comfortable around men again. When a male nurse accidentally entered the room while we were speaking to her, she screamed in fear."

Alex lowered his gaze, his heart heavy.

"My suggestion is to allow her to gradually reintegrate with males. For the next few days, perhaps only her father should be close to her," the doctor advised. "Then, little by little, you can let her other male friends interact with her. However, physical contact... you must be extremely cautious for now. Even a light touch could trigger her, so be careful."

"But is she okay now?" Alex inquired weakly, referring to her general well-being.

"Yes. Females are allowed to visit her, and her father, of course," the doctor confirmed, casting a worried glance at the boys. "As for the boys... I'm afraid we'll have to keep you away from her for the time being."

"We understand," Henry acknowledged. "Thank you."

The doctor nodded and departed. Deliah and Mrs. Johnson hurried into the ward, with Mr. Johnson close behind. Alex stared at the door as it closed, longing to be by her side. He didn't just want to see her; he wanted to hold her."

But he couldn't.

Alex heard Deliah sobbing inside, with Mrs. Johnson fussing over Sarah. He swallowed hard, his hand instinctively reaching for the doorknob. He really wanted to go in.

"Maybe you can peek," Joe murmured. "This is a private moment, Alex. The boys figured we should go. You can stay and see if you want to peek or not. Just look at her, but don't let her see you or something. Stay strong, mate. Don't break now; she needs you."

The boys thumped Alex on the shoulder and walked away.

Alex leaned closer to the door and pressed his ear against it. "Mom... I'm okay," he heard a faint voice, Sarah's, murmuring softly.

Alex swallowed, pushed the door gently, and peeked in through a tiny slit. He saw Sarah sitting on the bed, looking pale and still unfocused, but in much better shape than when he found her a few hours ago. "Sarah..." he whispered, his eyes fixated on her.

Sarah seemed to hear him at that moment, and she slowly turned her head toward the door. Alex quickly pulled away and closed the door softly. She wasn't ready to see him, but he was willing to wait, even if it took forever.

A week passed.

Every day, Alex went to the Johnson house to inquire about Sarah secretly while she was in her room, and she had no idea he visited. They exchanged messages daily, and Sarah told him once that she was ready to see him.

But Alex decided to play it safe, so he waited for a week, even though he longed to see her.

At the end of the week, Alex selected his nicest outfit as he entered the house. He swallowed nervously, and Mrs. Johnson nodded at him. "She's ready, I think," she said with a soft smile. "Go in, but keep some distance from her for the time being."

"I understand," Alex nodded.

He ascended the stairs and saw Deliah coming out of her room. She smiled softly at Alex and approached him. "You're here to see Sarah?"

Alex nodded, taking a deep breath. Deliah looked back at Sarah's room and bit her lip. "She's still a little unstable at times. I'm not sure how she'll react to you. She hasn't seen a teenage boy our age for a week. I'm not sure if she'll be scared or not."

"I know, but I'll wait. I'll do everything I can to help heal her scars," Alex murmured.

Deliah gazed up at Alex, taking in his exhausted appearance that seemed to have aged him significantly in just a week. "Alex... I want to let you know that I give you and Sarah my blessings. Whatever happened between us, whatever you two did, I want to put it all behind us."

Alex met her gaze. "Deliah..." He extended his hand. "Friends?"

Deliah reached out and shook his hand. "Friends," she affirmed. Alex was about to head into Sarah's room, but he hesitated, biting his lip as he retrieved a red leather-bound book from his jacket.

"I believe this book contains two years of your life. You have the right to know," Alex said, passing the book to Deliah. "Read it carefully, Deliah. And please remember that you've changed since then; don't take it to heart."

Deliah blinked, staring at the book. It was her sister's diary. "What...?" She mumbled, flipping to the first page. She then went downstairs, sat on the couch, and began to read.

Nervous and jittery, Alex knocked on the door. He had always been forthright about his feelings for Sarah, but now he felt a different kind of anxiety.

The door slowly creaked open, revealing the one person he had longed to see. "Alex," Sarah said, her eyes bright.

They stood there, studying each other's faces. "You look exhausted, Alex," Sarah noted. "Haven't you been sleeping?"

"You too," Alex murmured. "We can be the tired couple."

Sarah smiled, the faintest curve of her lips. Alex swallowed hard, wanting to hold her. "Sarah, do you think I can... I can hug you?" his voice trembled. "I've missed you so much."

Tears welled up in Sarah's eyes as she nodded slightly. She gave him permission.

Alex closed the distance between them, taking a deliberate step towards Sarah, and his movements were slow as he extended his hand towards her shoulders. In that moment, Sarah flinched, a subtle reaction that Alex didn't miss. He withdrew his hand immediately and studied her closely, concern in his eyes.

"You're not ready," he observed.

Sarah bit her lip and shook her head, determination in her eyes. "I can do this. It's just a hug, and I..."

"Sarah, you're not ready," Alex softly murmured. "I can wait. I will wait." He gazed at her longingly, biting his lip. "Do you think... holding hands...?"

Sarah nodded, and Alex carefully reached out to take her hand, his gaze fixed on her face. As she showed no signs of fear or discomfort, he gently interlaced their fingers and relished the way their hands fit together. He stared at their joined hands, caressing her hand with his thumb.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "If I hadn't been late that day..."

"It's not your fault," Sarah reassured him, shaking her head. "It was... traumatizing. But I'm Sarah Johnson. I'm strong, and I'll get through it."

She turned back to him, wiping a tear from her cheek. "And you'll be here with me, won't you?"

Alex nodded, bringing her hand up to his lips and tenderly kissing her fingertips. "I'll be here with you. Forever."