Chapter 77: Chapter 77

The men walks in. Scott instinctively goes to hug me and Coach stops him. “I don’t think you should do that right now,” he warns. He whispers in Scott’s ear, “I’ve taken care of things. I called Justin right after EMS took her. I have the tapes. Michael is going to destroy tapes with nothing on them: he’ll never know.”

“I want to see them.” Scott smolders. Nurse Bianca looks at both men and informs them, “You will notice changes in her behavior, nightmares, weight loss, over the next few days, even weeks. If any concern you, please feel free to contact us, or better yet, bring her back.”

Scott looks at the nurse with gratitude, “Thanks.” When we get to the car, the first words out of Scott’s mouth are, “I’m so fucking angry.” I cower at his tone.

“Check your temper,” Tammy admonishes, “your going to scare her.”

“It was my fault, Coach.” Scott is reduced to tears. “I should have stayed with her and confronted that prick head-on. This is my fight with Michael, not hers.”

“Bullshit it’s not your fault,” Coach argues. "Nobody ever expects someone to react like that or asks to be treated that way.”

“Coach, Isabella, and I were together last night before Michael flew in. I should have stayed with her, but I was so stupid! I was too afraid we would get caught. I left her behind before Michael arrived. I should have stayed with her, staked my claim if you will.” Scott wanted Coach to know, he failed me.

“No, it was my fault,” I interject meekly. When we arrive at the Village, Scott glances at Coach and says, “It’s okay, I’ll take care of her. Keep your phone on. I’m coming over later to watch the tapes. We’re going to have to postpone camp filming indefinitely until her face heals. We can’t have anyone seeing her like this. I’m going to kill him,” he mutters. “Just be there for her,” Tammy chastises. “That’s what she needs right now.”

Coach goes ahead to the Village. Scott looks at me and says, “Are you ready to go in?” I nodded, he takes his jacket off and uses it to cover my head as he carries me back to the Village. He takes me to his room and lays me down on his bed before turning on the shower for me. He speaks softly, "Do you want me to undress you, or can you do it?” I answered with my actions, as I started disrobing.

Tears stream down my face again as I notice Scott looking at the scratches all over my body. He’s horrified, I can see it in his eyes. I walk slowly to the shower and step in. I don’t move. Scott comes in to check on me and when he sees me still, he starts lathering soap in his hands and begins washing me, gently touching all my scratches, where I was assaulted. Tears fall down his cheeks. He starts crying again, which only makes my shame worse. I’m broken. He’s trying to piece me back together again. He begins washing Michael off my body and for that, I’m grateful, even though I’m not able to show it. It hurts me so much to see him crying, I feel unworthy of his tears.

I can tell Scott is going to wash me where I was violated. He lathers extra soap on his hands and then started washing my private area. It burns like peroxide in a fresh wound. I begin sobbing uncontrollably until Scott has to towel dry me off and then dress me. He carries me to his bed, turning out the light.

“Go to sleep, baby. Nothing is ever going to hurt you again. I’m so sorry.” He sits at the opposite end of the room and vigilantly watches me sleep, my soldier. When Scott is sure I’m sleeping, he sneaks out of his room and goes to Coach Tammy’s room. He taps lightly on the door and Coach answers immediately, “I can’t believe what that prick did to her. You should have seen her just now.

She undressed and let me shower her, but she just stood there frozen. When I went to wash her where that fucker violated her, she went into this uncontrollable sobbing fit. She is lying in my bed right now and she couldn’t even see out of one of her eyes. One side of her face is completely swollen. She has scratches all over her body like she’s been clawed. I swear to God he'll pay for this.”

“I have the tape right here, but I don’t think you should watch it,” Tammy said with concern. “You are too angry.”

“I know I shouldn’t watch, but a larger part of me needs to see what I let that asshole do to her.”

Coach stops Scott with a flat palm to the chest. “You didn’t let him do anything to her. Get that out of your head.”

“I never should have let him be around her. I have to see for myself what happened. I have to be fast, I don’t want her waking up without me being there.”

“I can’t watch it,” Tammy confesses. “I’ll stand outside the door until you finish.” He presses play and steps out into the hallway. Scott watches, unaware of how brutal the confrontation is going to be. The first thing that shocks him is that Isabella admits to him that they slept together, oh my God. He smashes his hand, full force, into her. "I can’t believe it. That slimy bastard wanted to fuck my smell off of her. It was my fault, my fault entirely," Scott mutters to himself.

The tape shows Michael forcing her to suck him like she’s a two-bit prostitute. “He has to pay for this. Where’s he staying? He’s lucky my skates aren’t here, I would slash his fucking throat with my blade.”

Only seeing red, Scott takes the elevator to Michael’s floor. It opens to a hallway with a set of French doors at the end. Scott knocks on the door and waits for Michael to open it so he can gain entry. After the second knock, the door opens.

"You better go back to Lagos before I fucking lose my temper and give you what’s coming to you,” Scott warns. His hands are fisted at his sides, knuckles turning white. "Isabella and I will run the camp when she recovers from being brutalized by you, you fucking asshole. We’ll decide who will leave the camp when Isabella has recovered.”

“Brutalize Isabella? Whatever are you talking about?” he feigns innocence.

With the sheer force of the Olympic athlete he is, Scott draws his arm back and plants his fist heavily into Michael’s face. There is a distinct crack noise followed by the spewing of Michael’s blood. The sight is rewarding to Scott. He is ready to inflict more damage when Coaches words linger in his memory, ‘Vigilante justice isn’t going to help Isabella.’

“I’m going to care for her now, and if I ever see you go near her again I will kill you with my bare hands,” Scott promises to slam the door on his way out. He then sneaks back into his room. Isabella is lying in bed and Coach is sitting in a chair watching her. Her eyes are closed and she is covered with blankets. “She has to be hungry,” Tammy comments.

“I haven’t seen her eat in a while,” Scott confirms. “I’ll go down to the cafeteria and get her food. You want anything?”

He shakes his head. “No, thanks, I'm fine. Are you okay?”

“No, I’m boiling over. I broke the fucker's nose. I left him bleeding profusely, but that’s not enough for me, I feel the need to kill him,” Scott hisses to him.

“Okay, that’s enough, contain yourself. Go get her some food now,” he insists.

Scott goes down to the cafeteria and spots Nelly. She is getting her breakfast when she turns and sees him. She smiles and pushes her wavy blond hair from her face. “Hey, Scott!”

“Hi, Nelly.”

“Do you know what the delay is? When are we going to deliberate?” she inquires.

“Let’s do this, collect all the skaters into the boardroom for 3:30 and we’ll have a meeting with the skaters and staff informing them what is causing the delay. Call Justin and have the cameras rolling.”

The person behind the counter interrupts impatiently, “Can I help you?” Scott glances at her with irritation and orders two breakfasts.

“Sounds like a plan.” Nelly smiles at Scott. “I hope everything is all right.

You look stressed.”

“No, it’s not,” he answers honestly. He wants to confide in her, but she will know, soon enough.

Scott takes the food back to Isabella. She is still sleeping or at least pretending to. To Tammy, Scott says, “I bumped into Nelly downstairs. She’s going to round up everyone at 3:30 in the boardroom. I’ll make an announcement. This reality show isn’t going to have censorship. Isabella’s going to be upset, but she needs this. Thanks for watching her, I’ll take care of her now.”

Coach gets up. “You’re welcome. I don’t think what you’re planning is a good idea,” he warns. “She might not forgive you if you show her looking like this on national television. You are going to ruin Michael’s reputation, and if the police don’t have enough evidence to press charges, then he can probably file a lawsuit against you for slander."

“I don’t want to show the tapes of Isabella, but I want to show the aftermath. If it will help one person in the same kind of situation, then it wasn’t for nothing. I know from the bottom of my heart she’s a caring soul who is willing to help others, and it will squash him at the same time. It might even force the police to press charges if we get enough pressure from public supporters."

“Don’t you think you’re getting revenge at her expense?” Coach argues. “No, I’m not. I’m helping her recover in a way I know will work. I’m doing it for us. We’ve always been a team and when one of us gets weak or gives up fighting, then the other compensates. That’s what people who love each other do. I’m doing everything in our best interest. If you watched the tape you will know he’s destroyed her. I think it’s her only chance at a full recovery.”

“You know what’s best.” Tammy shrugs and quietly leaves the room, leaving Scott alone with me.

“Open your eyes, baby. I brought you some food.” I get up and go to the bathroom, avoiding the mirror. I’m disgusted by the way I look. I go back and sit a foot away from Scott. He takes the food out of the bag and places it on his bed. I wonder if Scott is angry with me. Does he see me like a whore, too? I can’t bear the thought. He brought me scrambled eggs and toast with juice. Scott takes a forkful of eggs and tries feeding me. When the eggs hit the back of my throat, I flashback to when Michael shoved his meat into me, and I start gagging. I race to the bathroom to throw up.

Scott follows me. I brush my teeth in an attempt to erase the vile memories. Out of habit, I look in the mirror, it's like seeing the damage for the first time. I’m shocked at my reflection. My eye is black but opens no more than a mere slit. My cheek is swollen and angry bluish-purple. I don’t think I ever looked worse in my life. I felt dirty, demoralized, violated, broken. I want to take another shower. Scott is wrong, I’m not even a little bit hungry. I’m repulsed by food. I freeze facing the mirror.

Scott clears his throat as he stands closely behind me. Recalling his presence, I flinch and he steps back. “You’re still beautiful, sweetheart.”

“I’m married.” A tear falls from my wretched face. “I’ll never be the same.”

“Only you can control whether you will be the same. This is temporary, a really bad blip in your life that I’m going to help you get through. It’s what’s on the inside that matters.”

“That’s ugly too,” I spit.

“No, you’re not,” Scott says firmly. “Do you want to try eating again?” “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”

“I want to take you back to your room. We have to get some of your clothes.

We are having a meeting in the boardroom at 3:30," Scott informs me.

“Will Michael be there?” I tremble uncontrollably. I felt sick again but this time with nerves.

“No, he won’t. I sort of punched him. I’m pretty sure I broke his nose. I told him to go back to Lagos before I kill him, we can take care of everything from here, he’s not needed,” Scott elaborates. “I have to make a phone call. I’ll be right outside the door.”

Scott goes into the hallway pulling his cell from his pocket, “Hi, Justin? I want to announce the sexual assault at today’s meeting. I want the athletes and coaches to know the truth about why there’s a delay. I want to provide what is promised and that’s a reality show with no censorship. I need you to get this approved by the studio before we go ahead. I’ll check back in with you at 3:30. That should give you enough time to have it okayed.”