“Eight years?” Lily asked with her brows furrowed.
Matteo brushed the skin of Lily’s shoulder as he placed his arm around her. His touch made Lily keep her mouth shut once again, for which Tara was grateful.
“Eight years ago, I was fifteen and my father came out of prison.”
Lily held still and even Adam—who normally said anything that came up, sat stock-still.
“He had been sent to prison because he’d abused my mother Gloria and me. A neighbor had heard me crying out when he knocked me around.”
She downplayed what really had happened. She didn’t know why she did that. Maybe because Owen’s family stood so far off from what she’d endured? The lives they lived were completely opposite from hers. She didn’t want to burden them with the awful truth.
“Anyway, he came out of prison and he came after my mother again. She knocked him out cold with a frying pan… I don’t know why we didn’t immediately left the apartment or why my mother wanted to tie him to a chair… but I helped her. My father woke up and he said some nasty things I don’t want to repeat. I-I knocked him on his head again.”
Lauren’s hands covered her mouth as she listened to Tara’s story. Tara knew she had to focus on the table to be able to finish her story. She didn’t want to cry in front of Owen’s family. They probably thought she wanted them to feel sorry for her.
“We left him there and ran away. My mother took me to six different states in two years’ time before we ended up here. We both knew that my father would come after us… and he did.”
Chloe’s gasp filled the silent kitchen. The silence made an awful contrast with how vibrant and full of life this kitchen normally was.
“He… he…”
Tara searched for the strength to carry on.
Chloe pushed a glass of water in front of her and said, “Here… drink this.”
“Thanks.”
“Did he found you here in Winter Peaks?” Caitlin asked.
“Yes. I lived in an apartment above Jenny’s with my mom. But she was out working.”
“Damn,” Adam said as he pushed his chair back.
“I, eh… I didn’t know what to do. He told me he was going to hurt me the same way I hurt him. And I know he would have killed me that night if it hadn’t been for Jenny showing up.”
“Jenny?” Lauren asked.
“Yeah. She pulled a gun on him and he left.”
“Jenny from Jenny Mountain Bistro?” Matteo asked in bewilderment.
Tara’s upper lip pulled. “You didn’t see that one coming, eh?”
“Why didn’t she ever tell anybody what happened? We were worried sick about you…” Lauren mused.
“I’m sorry, Lauren. I’m so sorry for leaving Owen. For leaving all of you without a word.”
“I just don’t understand… We could have helped you, sweetheart. You were like a daughter to me. We took you into our home—into our hearts…” Lauren said before she sobbed.
Tara hung her head in shame. “I know. I’m sorry.’
Owen rubbed Tara’s back and said, “That’s not all to the story.”
Tara nodded, but she couldn’t continue just yet. She took the glass of water and spilled some on top of the table because she couldn’t seem to make her hand stop trembling.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re not mad. I was just worried. And I guess I got my feelings hurt when you didn’t say goodbye…” Lauren said.
“Is it okay if I tell the next part?” Owen asked Tara.