Heather

“You’re glowing, lass,” Aunt Cass says from my Mom and Dad’s kitchen.

“Am I?” I laugh.

Mom and I coerced her into coming over to bake cookies and watch movies with us. Aunt Jennifer and Bean are here too. They’re in the back yard torturing Noah into getting the grill started.

He was across the street with the rest of the guys, when Bean sweet talked him over here, with the promise of steaks. It’s like a family day around here. The guys across the street, us girls over here.

It’s been sort of peaceful around here, eerily so. Lucy finally stopped calling and trying to apologize. This time before disappearing, Eugene called to tell me he would be taking a trip. I found that odd, his voice had something in it. Almost like a warning. I was distracted at the time, babysitting for both Nellie and Kamara.

I push all that stuff aside, as Aunt Cass moves to the table. She narrows her eyes on me. I smile, watching her back, amused.

“Aye, fuck me, yer going to make me ask,” she huffs. “I’ve been dying to see the ring.”

My eyes widen. “He told you?” I gasp.

“He’s me son, lass. He knows better than to keep secrets,” she lifts a brow pointedly.

I palm my forehead, shaking my head. Cass just laughs at me. My shoulders sag, but I quickly perk up at the thought of showing someone my ring and getting to talk about planning the wedding .

I reach into my t-shirt for the long chain around my neck. When I reveal the ring on the end of the chain, Cass’s eyes tear up and she covers her mouth. I feel a little teary eyed, as I watch her reaction.

“That little fucker did good, the wee monster. I told ye he would charm his way into yer heart. Little shit pulled it off,” Cass chortles.

I laugh, feeling my heart fill up. The doorbell rings and I drop the ring and chain back on the inside of my shirt. Lifting from my seat, I start for the door.

“I got it,” Mom sings, getting there before me. I turn back for the kitchen, but pause, when I hear mom’s loud gasp. “Come in, come in. Oh, my God, what happened to you?”

I rush to the door to see who she’s talking to. My birth mother comes into view, causing me to skid to a stop. Her face looks like someone used it as a punching bag. One of her eyes is sealed shut, her lip is busted. Little cuts and bruises litter her face.

I stand with my mouth open. “Is…is Rob here? I…need his help,” my mother tries to say, it’s then that I realize her jaw might even be broken or fractured.

Tears blur my eyes. Anger rises in me, but I don’t even know where to place it. So I lash out at my mom.

“You come to dad now,” I shriek at her. “You’re kidding me, right?”

She inhales a shaky breath. “I wouldn’t be here if it were just me,” she reaches out of my view, pulling someone forward.

When Amanda comes into view a blood curdling shrill rips from my lips. Her face is just as busted up, her arm cradled limply to her chest. Tears staining her chubby cheeks.

“H…he found out I was going to your place. Th...that I was hanging with your friend. He lost it on me, mom threw herself on me to make him stop,” Amanda sobs.

I feel bile rise in my mouth. I’ve been so busy at work catching the office up, I haven’t gone to check in. When Eugene called I was relieved. He’d said Amanda was fine. She’d been excited about junior prom.

I can’t even think straight. I haven’t been in my old place in months. I moved right in with Brax. Lucy. I never got the key back from her. I never invited Amanda to my place. How did she know to go to my apartment?

Drunk with rage, swaying on my feet, I lift a finger, pointing at Amanda. “Is this the first time?” I choke out.

Amanda’s head drops. “No, he broke my arm once before. Mom usually takes the beating for me. She wasn’t home that time.”

I don’t know what happens after that. I can’t see straight. I hear people behind me calling my name. I just don’t stop moving.

I’m going to fucking kill him.

* * *

Braxton

“It’s Heather,” Noah booms. “Her stepfather beat the shit out of Debbie and her kid. It’s bad, dude. Deb’s jaw looks broken and the girl’s arm looks like it too.”

I’m moving, before he can finish. I feel like I’m on fire. There’s nothing and no one that’ll stop me. Uncle Ronan gave me the green light two days ago. He just ask for time for a friend. He knows I’m not leaving anyone breathing.

I asked Ry to have my back. He never asked why, he just said that he would. We were going to make a move tomorrow night. Debbie and Amanda were going to be away at a two day school function, for Amanda’s Junior year.

I vaguely hear Ry, as I exit the door. “Let’s go. He’s going to blackout. Her stepfather is the one that hurt her.”