* * *

Present:

“I always knew you had a hard head,” Ida Sue says, bringing me some more tea. The shit is horrible, but she swears it will take away the pain in my head.

“Funny,” I mutter, and it hurts to talk that much. I take the tea, my hands so fucking weak that it’s embarrassing.

“Here’s the pain pill the doctor prescribed,” Petal says, coming in behind her mom. She looks so scattered with dark circles under her eyes, and she’s still pale from being sick. All that, and she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Well, it looks like you have two of the prettiest nurses around,” Jansen says as he comes in, too. I wince because his voice is loud and booming.

I don’t really know what happened to me after I was attacked at the house. I went down, and when everything faded, the next thing I knew I was tied up in an old abandoned Bi Rite grocery store. I kept waiting for someone to show up, but no one did until Daniel and a couple others from the Sheriff’s office showed up to free me. Daniel said he was working on an anonymous tip. After hearing from Petal how her mother confronted my father and remembering the voice above me just before the world went black… I can pretty much piece it all together. I just wish I couldn’t. No one wants to admit their own father is a fucked-up asshole who deserves to hang. I’m not sure how I feel about it all, and I know someday that my father and I will have to square off. If I get my job as sheriff back, I will make it my mission to pin him to the wall. All of that can wait for now. Right now, just holding my dick to piss takes major effort.

“Damn, Luka, you look like you got the wrong end of a grizzly bear,” White says, coming in Petal’s bedroom, which once felt large, but with everyone in here, it’s starting to feel small and in need of oxygen.

“Is there a right end?” Petal asks dryly. I almost want to smile, but it just hurts too much.

“Good point. You always were the wise sister,” White jokes.

“I heard that!” Maggie says on her way in. I try not to groan, but the noise and all of the action is slowly getting to me. Oddly enough, it’s my mother-in-law who comes to my rescue… again.

“Okay, we’re wearing the poor boy out. Let’s all head out to the kitchen.”

“I made jelly rolls!” Maggie announces.

“Oh, God,” White whimpers, holding his stomach.

“I have cereal,” Ida Sue says, gathering everyone up and heading them out of the room.

“You guys never want to eat what I cook. I swear I’m getting better!”

“I’m sure you are, Magnolia,” Ida Sue mutters with a smirk, looking over her shoulder at me and Petal. “She’s not,” she mouths, and that does make me smile.

“I told you never to call me that! I hate that name.”

“Oh, stop whining! At least I didn’t name you Magnolia Outhouse!”

“Oh my God! Are you saying I was conceived in an outhouse?!”

“I’m not saying you weren’t,” Ida Sue answers. She turns around, winks at us, then closes the door, muffling Maggie’s screams. Thankfully.

“Your family really is crazy, Lo’.”

“Yeah, but they’re a good kind of crazy.” She laughs, helping me to take the medicine the doctor prescribed. She has to take the tea away from me, and once I get the pill swallowed, I fall back against the pillow—weak as a kitten.

“True. At least you don’t have someone who rapes, kidnaps, and—possibly worse—lurking in your family tree,” I answer dejectedly.

“Oh, Luka. Sweetheart, I didn’t mean that,” Petal whispers, kissing the knot that’s still swollen on the side of my head—one probably put there by my own father. Realistically, I know he did; I just can’t make myself admit it completely yet. That might make me weak, but it’s there just the same.

“I know you didn’t, Lo’. It’s just the truth. I’m so sorry I exposed you to a man like that—you and River. I wish I had gotten my head out of my ass sooner.”

“To be fair, you have a cute ass. It’s hard for me to pull away from it myself.”

“God. I can’t believe you went there,” I laugh weakly. “I hate to say this, Lo’, but I think everyone is right. You are like your mother, more and more every day.”

“There are worse things. I’m starting to gain a new respect for my mother.” She leans from her chair, stretching against the bed and my torso to brush some of my hair from my face.

“I am, too. She’s quite a woman. And she has one hell of a daughter.”

“Maggie’s not too bad.”

“Brat. You know what I meant.”

She moves so she can lean a little farther and kiss me softly on the lips. I take the kiss, her taste and touch comforting me like nothing else can—except the words she gives me next.

“I love you, Luka.”

“I love you too, Lo’, so much it hurts.”

“No more hurting. We’ve had enough of that.”

“My father is still out there running free,” I whisper, hating him more than I could even begin to explain.

“You’ll take care of him too, eventually.”

“I will,” I vow. It won’t be easy, but I won’t let what he’s done go unpunished. Hopefully I will be able to do it as Sheriff of Mason, but if not, I’ll find other ways.

“Don’t worry about it right now. We’ll deal with it after you get healthy. I want you to rest. I have to go to River’s school. He’s getting an award today for his letters and colors.”

“Damn it. I should be there. I could—”

“No, you couldn’t. You’re going to lay right there and do nothing Luka Parish, or I swear I’ll tie you to this bed!”

“Damn, Lo’. I didn’t realize your tastes were that kinky. If you wait until I’m better, I might be able to work that out for you—but I’m thinking you will be the one tied to the bed.”

“We’ll negotiate after you get better.” She smiles, her face blushing slightly. She stands up and bends down to give me another kiss. “Please rest, sweetheart. I need you healthy.”

“I will. Have I told you how much I love you, Lotus Petal Parish?”

“I still hate when you use my full name, but you’re forgiven this time. See you in a little while.”

I watch her leave, and something shifts inside of me. Despite the anger, hurt, and hate boiling inside of me because of my father, right now I feel happiness and love. I have Petal back, and I have my family back.

That’s all I need.