SEPARATED: CONCLUSION TO UN-RELATED by Kimberly Schwartzmiller Page A

knew how much I loved him and she knew I’d never risk him going to jail because of me. Joe had sat there the entire time, shaking his head and watching the battle rage between foster mother and daughter. I finally got the nerve up to look him in the eye and he immediately looked at the ground.
    “You stay the hell away from me! You got it?” I ordered.
    “I um, I don’t even remember…I’m sorry, Abby…I swear to God, I’m sorry.”
    He stood up and stumbled down the hall to his own room.
    “That’s better. You look tired dear, why don’t you get some sleep?” Nancy said with a knowing grin. 
    I faced Nancy and realized I was now a couple inches taller than her, “You listen to me, now! You keep that animal locked up! I want a lock on my door and I’m to have the only key!  If not, I will tell Kellan…and I know he’d rather go to jail than have that animal touch me again. Are you clear on that ?” I didn’t know where my courage came from, but I had had enough, and although I wasn’t about to risk Kellan going to prison for me, I also wasn’t going to allow that man to touch me again. I’d keep quiet…for Kellan’s sake. I knew I could do that…for him. 
    Nancy nodded and said, “We have a deal.”
    I walked to my room and stripped everything off my bed. I wasn’t sure I could ever sleep in it again, but then I remembered my night with Kellan, and I decided I would just put Joe out of my mind and focus on Kellan. I was suddenly very glad that he wasn’t going to call me that night because I wasn’t sure if I could keep it together. 
    “One hundred days…and he’ll re-claim me as his own. One hundred days.” I chanted to myself as I re-made my bed with clean sheets and cleaned up my room.
     
    I spent the day pacing in my room, wondering what to do about what Joe had done. I so desperately wanted to tell Kellan, but Nancy’s threats kept running through my head. I had gone over everything in my head for hours and I had finally decided that Kellan could never know. I knew he would get on a plane and come back the second I told him. He’d end up in jail for beating Joe and then Nancy would be right…they’d all go to jail…and Kellan would lose everything he had worked so hard for…and I’d lose him.
    I forced myself to sit on the edge of my bed, but couldn’t get the image of Joe out of my head, so I finally curled up on the floor in my bedroom with a pillow and one of Kellan’s shirts. I knew I couldn’t call Kellan, but I needed to talk to someone. I dialed Tyler’s number and then remembered he was gone…too. I cried myself to sleep wishing Kellan was there with me, and knowing if he had been, Joe would have never touched me.
     
    “Hi! I’ve missed you.” Kellan said Tuesday night when he called.
    “Me, too!” I said, trying my best to keep my emotions in check.”
    “So, how many days?” he asked, waiting for my nightly countdown.
    “What? Oh, um, I’m not sure…”
    “What? What’s wrong, Abby?”
    “I just miss you…so much,” I said, the tears starting.
    “What’s wrong? What happened?” he asked, certain something was up.
    I had to stop and pull myself together…I had to. “I’m fine, Kellan. Really. I just miss you so much. The countdown was starting to depress me, that’s all.”
    “Are you angry that I can’t come home for Thanksgiving? You know I would if I could.”
    “No, I’m not angry, I understand. I just miss you.”
    “Are you sure that’s all it is? Nancy’s not giving you any grief, is she? If she is, I’ll take care of it, I promise.”
    “No, she’s…okay. They’re leaving me alone.”
    “Then what is it, Abby? I know something’s wrong.”
    I started to cry, unable to contain my grief. I wanted to tell him so bad, but I knew I couldn’t. I knew I had to come up with something to tell him about why I was so upset. Since telling him the truth wasn’t an option, I had to think fast.
    “I um…Nancy found my birth