It was over. Carl had found her and she was still alive. She didn't want to think about what they were doing to him back there. Hopefully it would be enough to keep him from coming near her ever again.

“You okay?”

Sally nodded to Mike. But it was a bit of a fib. She was feeling woozy as they pulled up to Donnie's mother's house. It was a beautiful wooded spot just past the edge of town, on what used to be a small farm.

Two adorable little houses sat next to each other, separated by less than fifty feet. They looked charming, with white picket fences and matching front porches. That's about all she could see in the dark.

"The one next door is Donnie's place."

That explained the two houses.

Mike helped her out of the car and up to the front door. He rang the doorbell.

"Bring her in here, son!"

"Yes, Mrs. Donahue."

He held Sally around the waist and he guided her to the bright and cheerful kitchen. He eased her into a chair. Mrs. Donahue walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. She was a stunning older woman, with long black and silver hair and blue eyes.

Just like Donnie's.

"Tsk tsk. Look at you honey. Who did this to you?"

"My ex."

“He find out you’re with my boy now? Didn’t like it much I gather.”

“Yes, m’am.”

Mrs. Donahue started talking and didn't stop while she gently examined Sally's face.

"Not the first time either was it? Well don't worry, I've got plenty of experience with this. First myself. Then the kids. And then Donnie getting into every scrape he could. I swear you would think that boy had magnets in his fists."

She pulled at Sally's silk top.

"Take this off, honey. I’ll get you a robe. You can go now, Mike."

"Donnie told me to stick around. Okay if I sit on the porch?"

"Course, honey. I'll bring you out some iced tea in a little while. Send Marie in if you see her."

Sally sat very still while Donnie's mother tended to her. The older woman tsk'd a few more times but was otherwise silent. She knew what she was doing too- being as gentle as possible while thoroughly cleaning all the cuts and abrasions. She finished everything off with an ointment and bandages.

"Best to let some of these breath. Just covered up the worst of them."

"Thank you."

Mrs. Donahue laughed.

"Girl, you're the first woman Donnie's ever brought home to me. I'd knit you a sweater if you were cold. Now then, you want a bourbon and a lie down? I don't have anything stronger than a Tylenol."

Sally shook her head. She didn't want to fall asleep. Not until she knew that Donnie was okay.

That he hadn't done anything stupid on her behalf.

"No, thank you. But I'd like some coffee if you have it."

"Afraid to go to sleep eh? Don't blame you. I don't have coffee though. Just tea."

"That'd be fine, thank you. I just- I just want to see Donnie when he gets back."

That made Mrs. Donahue beam. She brewed a pot of tea and poured Sally a cup. She was sipping it when a beautiful teenage girl came in.

"Come here Marie, say hello to Sally. She's Donnie's good friend."

Marie came over and gave Sally a shy little curtsy. It would have been adorable on a child but Marie was a lovely young woman. She was also simple. That was plain to see when you looked into her eyes.

Sally's heart twisted when she thought about all that this family had been through. She looked around again, not wanting them to see the pity in her eyes. She started noticing the fine craftsmanship of the home. It had been meticulously restored and renovated.

"You have a beautiful house, Mrs. Donahue."

"Oh this here is Donnie's place."

"I thought he lived in the house next door?"

"That's Donnie's place too. We live here, but he owns 'em both. The barn too. Though you probably knew that."

Sally shook her head slowly. She had no idea Donnie was so well off. In fact, she had no idea what he even did at all. His mother was looking at her shrewdly.

"You don't have a clue about him, do you? Just some pretty boy on a bike with nice eyes?"

Sally frowned. She didn't think of him that way exactly… did she?

“No, it’s just-“

“Yes?”

“Well, everything happened kind of fast.”

Mrs. Donahue snorted. Sally had a sinking feeling that Mrs. Donahue didn't think much of her at that moment.

"Here, take this flashlight. Marie, take Miss Sally out to the workshop."

She stood and followed Marie out of the house, hearing Mrs. Donahue muttering.

"How a body could be in love with someone and not know the first thing…"

Mrs. Donahue had a point.

She walked out a well worn path toward a barn about a hundred yards from the house. An enormous willow tree filled the space in front of it. A flat wooden swing hung from one of the sturdy branches above. Marie ran ahead and slid the barn doors open. She flicked a switch and ran back to the tree, hopping onto the swing.

Sally watched her on the swing for a minute. The girl was happy. She knew she was safe and loved.

Thanks to Donnie.

Sally walked into the open barn door and her mouth dropped open. The interior of the barn was modernized, with industrial lamps hanging high above, illuminating the room from corner to corner. There were work tables and heaps of scrap metal everywhere.

But most of all, there was art.

Huge metal sculptures were everywhere. A motorcycle that looked like it could take flight with the enormous wings spread out from the sides. There was an angel that looked like Marie as well as many abstract but beautiful designs. There was another motorcycle across the room that made a shiver run down her spine. It had horns and a tail, almost like a… no it was… a bike fit for the Devil.

How had he managed to make these out of metal? They looked so fluid, like they were molded out of silk. Then she saw the torches lining a high metal rack.

Of course. Donnie was a welder. Well, more than that really. He was a metal smith. And an artist.

An incredibly talented one.

She walked through the barn in awe, with something new to see at every turn.

A small figure hanging from the ceiling caught her eye. It was pirouetting, with long copper hair streaming down it's back. It almost looked alive the way it was spinning on it's wire. She stepped closer to get a better look.

The figure was a woman. Her head was thrown back and there was something wild and free is the way her arms were reaching behind her, almost as if she was about to take flight.

Her heart started pounding in her chest.

It looked like her.

Donnie had sculpted her.

All the fears she'd had about him, all the walls she'd put up, they all came tumbling down in that instant. He did love her. His mama had said so hadn't she?

She stayed in the workshop for almost an hour, touching things and just letting herself revel in her new discovery.

Donnie loved her.

And she loved him.

Finally she went back to the house with Marie following at her heels. Nobody seemed to mind that it was the middle of the night. She showered, wanting to get the slightest hint of Carl's touch off of her. Then she let Mrs. Donahue give her one of Marie's nightgowns and put her to bed like a child.

She closed her eyes and thought about the future for the first time in what felt like forever. She was exhausted. But she didn't sleep. She couldn't. She had to wait for him.

Donnie came home around dawn.

She heard his mother whispering as he came into the house.

"She's resting."

"I just want to see her. Is she going to be alright?"

"She's okay. He got in some pretty bad licks. You said she got in some too?"

"And then some."

"She's quite a girl, Donnie."

"I know Ma."

Donnie came into the room she was resting in. He stood in the doorway. He looked so alone there. She wanted him to come in and hold her.

He stepped forward as she sat up, letting the blanket slide off her shoulder.

"You're awake."

"I wanted to see you."

He came over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. She leaned back and let him stroke her hair.

"He won't bother you again."

"You didn't-"

"Shhhhh… no honey, I kept my promise. He's going to have a limp for the rest of his life though."

“He still could come back.”

“No. We made sure all the guys got a good look at him. He is persona non grata here.”

He grinned.

“Besides, we told him if we saw him again we’d take something more valuable.”

She held her arms out and he lay down beside her. They stayed like that as the sun came up.