Skeletons

It was a big night for Jane Echols, as she stepped up to the podium and addressed a huge crowd, mainly consisting of women. This was something near and dear to Jane, as she was speaking at her very creation: a huge foundation for survivors of domestic abuse. Her speech, for the most part, was the same one she always gave; consisting of inspiring words and also mentioning the motivation behind her foundation: her daughter, Bridget.

Jane mentioned how Bridget was a tragic victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, Tommy Delaney, and added that Jane has worked to help other women and save them from the same fate that tragically befell Bridget. In a surprise, Tommy appears at the event; full of passion and anger, but this wasn't a brutish anger. Rather, Tommy had the look of a man on a mission.

"No! You can't be here!" exclaimed Jane, who later became even more shocked by another familiar presence: her own daughter, Bridget.

"Bridget!" said Jane. "That's impossible... I buried you myself."

In a flash, Jane opens her eyes, revealing that the speech, as well as Tommy and Bridget's appearances, were part of a nightmare--a recurring one she had for five years. Bridget was a victim of domestic abuse, but that was the only truth told by Jane. The abuser wasn't Tommy; it was actually Bridget's husband, Evan Baxter, who was introduced to Bridget by Jane. Jane knew how much Bridget loved Tommy, but Jane always looked down on Tommy and thought that he was "beneath" her daughter. Jane forcibly ended that relationship and set up Bridget with the more wealthy Evan.

Evan was charming at first, but the abuse started right after the engagement. Bridget told Jane, but was met with dismissal and excuses for Evan, who Jane claimed was "nervous" about the wedding. It became worse when they did get married, though Jane was too focused on building her foundation, an ironic statement that Bridget pointed out during one argument, which actually saw Jane slap Bridget and admonish her for "disrespecting" her and Evan.

As for that fateful night, Evan called Jane under the claim that it was an emergency, and that's when Jane found her daughter, deceased--a wine bottle smashed on her head. It was too late for Jane, but she finally realized that Bridget was right, and that Evan eventually killed her. But despite this, Jane accepted Evan's hush money, and helped bury her daughter, while falsely claiming that Tommy was an obsessed ex who killed Bridget.

The truth did come out a week later, and Jane is now in the same place where she woke up from her recurring nightmare: a prison cell. She received a reduced sentence for turning in Evan, and this day is actually her last behind bars. However, Jane will remain in an emotional prison for the rest of her life, as she not only betrayed her values, she betrayed her one and only daughter as well.