Conquer

Prologue

She pulled the knife out and Andrew fell to his knees on the floor. Lillian stood in shock. Without thinking she threw a tea towel at him and ran to the phone.

Would he get up and try to come after her? Lillian did not know and ran to the phone before she could find out.

“Mama!” Lillian screamed as she awoke from her nightmare. It was the one she had been having since that day. She blinked as the light came on. Martha and James Dwyer, her parents, stood with concern and fear seeping from both their sets of green eyes. Lilian immediately felt guilty. She hated putting them through this.

Martha sat on the bed and pulled Lillian into a hug. “It’s alright now Baby,’ she crooned soothingly, “It’s over. He’s gone.” Lilian held on to her mother for dear life.

“‘I’m sorry Mama,’ she whispered.

“Don’t be sorry, Love,” her father said still standing in the doorway, “It’s perfectly normal. The doctor said so.” His worried expression also showed so much love that Lillian’s heart nearly broke. They had been so supportive since the night she came back home from the hospital. Lillian shook as her mother held and rocked her like when she was a baby.

“Want some tea?” her mother asked, “It will help you go back to sleep.”

Lillian nodded and grabbed her old, blue house coat before she emerged from the bed and stood up. Holding Lillian from both sides, Martha and James Dwyer walked their daughter to the kitchen.

The whistling of the kettle held a sound of home to Lillian. Her mother busied herself getting milk from the fridge and mugs from the cupboards. Lilian rotated a strand of her long dark brown hair in her fingers. She looked around and wished she would be seeing the homey kitchen for a while more. Her father looked more concerned by the minute as he held Lillian’s hand. She smiled weakly at him.

“‘Are you sure moving to Grand Rock is the best thing Lilian?” Martha said without turning around. The sound of the tea hitting the cups was almost as mournful as her mother’s voice, “You can stay here as long as you like. You know that.”

“Yes,” her father chimed in, “Its only been three weeks since you left him.” James was still so mad at Andrew he couldn’t even say his name. They didn’t blame her and Lillian was so grateful. The psychiatrist had assured her that putting that knife in Andrew’s shoulder had only been to save herself, nothing more. Lillian believed that but still couldn’t believe she had actually done it. She started shivering.

“I need to find out what life I have for me,” Lillian answered both of them, “and Linda says I can stay with her until I find a place of my own there. I need to slow down, guys, and find out how to live without him.”

“That won’t be hard Love,” he father answered in a confident manner, “Grand Rock is only twenty minutes away, so you can always come back here, every now and again. “

Her father didn’t talk about that night much. He knew that the emotional scars were going to be there for a long time, but seemed confident that she could manage on her own. Martha wasn’t so sure.

Lillian smiled up at Martha as the steaming cup of tea was laid in front of her. The heat of the cup warmed her hands as she raised it to her lips. The tea smoothly went into ther stomach, warming her inside and out. She needed that comfort right now.

“I need my own life. I need to find out who I am without Andrew and his constant rules. I need my own rules. I am looking forwar to starting the business in a smaller place. I think a small town could use an Event Planner. I just need this. You both understand, don’t you?”

Her mother sat with a reassuring smile. Her yellow house coat opened slightly at the neck. She smiled a little sadly and raised her own cup to her mouth. They were all silent for a few minutes. Lillian’s parents just watched as Lillian sipped her tea.

“Would it be okay if we went to help you settle in,” Martha asked,

“Of course, “ Lillian answered and took her mother’s hand, “I will love that. You two have been so understanding. More than I deserve, I think sometimes.”

“Nonsense,” her father said, “None of that was your fault. It’s just maddening that he convinced you that we would be mad at you, “ her father got up and held his daughter from behind, “You recover anyway you need to. We’re here and always will be.”

They finished tea and Lillian went back to bed. She fell asleep easily after the tea and the talk. Andrew did not enter her dreams this time.

There was more anxiety permeating her parents’ room.

“Is she doing the righ thing, James, going to a strane place? She needs us.”

“She needs to find out where she fits right now. You know what the doctor said.”

“He didn’t raise her for 18 years, we did. She needs us.”

“And she will have us Martha. She’s not moving to Mars. Don’t worry. If she phones and needs us we can be there in twenty minutes. It will be find. Linda will be there. She’ll take care of Lillian. Stop worrying.”