I don’t know what happened to Lennon, but it’s not good. The second she sobbed my name I was up out of my chair and heading for the door.
My GPS barks out directions to the address Lennon gave me. It’s about a mile from her house. I make turn after turn, getting closer, and it makes me wonder why she came this way, of all ways. She obviously wasn’t going in a straight line.
I make one more turn, and up ahead I spot her, sitting on the sidewalk with her knees pulled into her chest. She looks up, and my headlights shine on her face. She blinks away the light, climbing to her feet. She’s wearing her pajama shorts, the ones with the penguins on them, and a white tank top.
“Why is Lennon here?” Brady asks, peering through the windshield.
“I don’t know.” I throw my truck into park and hop out.
I haven’t made it two feet before Lennon is in my arms. “What’s going on?” I pull back to look at her. Her eyes are red-rimmed and her nose runs.
“I…” She exhales, a hard and heavy sound. Her eyes wander down the street, searching. For what? Or who?
“Lennon, what happened?” Brady walks around the front of the truck. His speech is slower than usual, but he’s walking normally. His face is a different story.
Red, squinty eyes and slower reactions.
Lennon looks back at me, her mouth hanging open. “Is he high?”
I nod.
“Noooo,” sings Brady. His hands go inside the pockets of his shorts and he tips his head slowly from side to side.
Lennon steps out of my arms and doubles over, her long hair brushing the sidewalk. She’s laughing, but judging by the strangled sound I think she might also be crying. After a moment she straightens, and in the light of the street lamp I see her tears. Her face doesn’t look joyful; it looks broken and disbelieving.
“What’s funny?” I ask. I’m so fucking confused.
She swipes at her face and pushes a short breath through her nose. “Two things I never thought would happen, just happened in the same night.”
I look back at Brady. “He called me earlier this week and asked me to get him high, and I—”
Brady snorts. “I did not.” He looks at Lennon with all the seriousness he can manage and points to me. “He’s lying.”
I roll my eyes and continue. “He never did it with any of his preppy private school asshat friends, because he didn’t trust that they would keep their mouths shut about it. He was afraid they would take pictures of him.” Saying this makes me realize I definitely can’t record him, even if the footage is only for him to see. He trusted me with this.
“Nice friends.” Lennon’s tone is acerbic.
“He told me he didn’t want to go to college being a marijuana virgin. It’s been a couple hours since his last hit. He should be coming down soon.” I lift my hands in the air and shrug. “So, here we are. Now, it’s your turn. What else happened tonight that you thought would never happen?”
Lennon’s face falls. Horror creeps into her eyes. “Ted... he…he…” She shakes her head back-and-forth quickly, as if she’s trying to shake the memory from her head.
“What did he do?”Please do not say what I think you’re about to say.
Lennon grimaces. “He came to my room. It was late.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “I...I yelled. He said my mom took a sleeping pill and I could yell all I wanted.” Her eyes fill with tears.
Anger fills me. No, not anger.Rage.Pulsing, white-hot rage. Ted the family man. Ted the pastor.
I want to take her in my arms again, brush away her tears and these memories, but I’m afraid she won’t want my touch right now. Not while she’s remembering him.
My hands fist at my sides, my fingernails biting into my palms. “And then?” I cringe, waiting for her to finish. As much as I want to know everything, a part of me wants to know nothing. How can this have happened to my Lennon?Please god, tell me she got away.
“He told me not to worry. That he would be gentle.” Her voice breaks and her cheeks flame. “He asked if he should ask you or Brady how I like it.”
Fuck.
My lower lip quakes as the rage rolls through me. This situation is better suited for Brady, the voice of reason. I fly off the handle, and Brady stays calm and deals with the problem. These are our roles. But right now, I have to be the calm one. I have to think of Lennon first.
I place my hand on her arm, preparing to steer her to my truck. “Let’s get you to a hospital. They have rape kits.” I choke on that word.Rape.
