I shook my head at his choice of words, but I didn’t protest any further.
Because I liked the sound of it when he said,mywoman.
Her guard was downand it was a beautiful sight to see.
I knew the week hadn’t been too easy on her since the three-day suspension for Lennon still took place after he’d hit the kid at school. River knew there was a school policy and she, along with Lennon, had accepted it. But Bre wouldn’t attend without him.
The only good news by the end of the meeting she had with the principal was that the kid who had groped Bre—which was sexual harassment—was expelled when more witnesses came forward and it was all brought to light.
When we talked the night after the decisions were made, I wondered what actually happened to Bre. The kid had gotten what he deserved but something told me what he’d done was worse than what I’d been thinking. So, I asked, even though I wasn’t sure she would tell me.
To my surprise she told me everything in great detail. I don’t think I’d felt fury in my life like I did by the time she was done. The prick didn’t just touch her once like I was thinking when Lennon told me someone touched her without permission. Her brother was protecting her from everyone knowing the rest.
No, the kid had pushed her into a janitorial closet and made lewd comments about how he knew she wanted him. When he tried to kiss her, forcing himself on her, Bre managed to hit him with a bottle of cleaner off a shelf and get free. When she found her brother in the hall, the kid followed her and proceeded to do what Lennon had mentioned.
When I heard how she got out of the situation, I was so fucking proud of her.
But then the shithead—out of pure stupidity in my opinion, because he probably wanted to feel like he had the upper hand—touched her again and ran his mouth in front of everyone. However, it wasn’t everyone he should have been concerned with right then.
No, that was Lennon.
I was sure the kid would do anything for his sister, something he’d proven.
Because that’s when all hell had broken loose.
River asked Bre if she wanted to press charges, but theyoung girl just wanted it to go away and since the kid wouldn’t be attending the school any longer, we all hoped she would get through it okay. From the comments River had made, she was working on her past still and I knew she’d been hurt before.
I wanted nothing more than to find all the fuckers who’d hurt her, Lennon, and River so I could make them pay. But that wasn’t what they needed. It would be satisfying though. No, they needed exactly what I was witnessing right then.
Family, people they could trust and count on, along with an abundance of laughter. And there was no shortage of laughter as Bre ribbed her brother and mother over losing the game of Charades against her and me. That’s what they deserved.
“We slayed it!” she yelled, pointing across the table where the others sat. Then she turned to me and raised her hand for a high five, which I gladly gave her.
I glanced at River and her eyes shimmered with glee at seeing her daughter having such a good time.
“Rematch,” Lennon told her with a teasing growl.
“Fine, but I want ice cream before we beat you again.” She looked at me. “Come on, winners get theirs first and that’s us.”
Bre stood and stuck her tongue out at Lennon playfully. It was a whole different side of her. Of all of them. I rose from my chair and started to follow the girl into the kitchen. I looked back at River who had a happy smile on her face.
I was a lucky man to have been invited to join their family for game night.
Still watching River, she said to me, “What are you waiting for? Are you going to go get your ice cream or what?”
“Yeah, Warrior, I’m going.” I winked and watched her blush.
As I walked off, I heard Lennon say to her, “It’s kind of weird that he calls you that, but it fits.”
I slowed my steps, eavesdropping and wanting to hear River’s reply.
“Why do you think it fits?”
The woman was oblivious and didn’t realize how strong she was. I didn’t know much about her life but even I knew that the nickname was right for her.
“Because after everything you have been through, you still made room in your life for Bre and me. And because you’re one of the strongest people I know.”
Lennon was spot on. I found myself wondering not for the first time about her past and hoping one day she trusted me enough to tell me.
