“Yeah, they’re tough little things. Although I do sometimes wonder how their early trauma is going to impact the rest of their lives.” I say, sitting next to Nell and pushing off the deck the swing.
Nell looks thoughtful before turning her dark gaze on mine. “Did you know that I was in a religious cult before the one you saved me from?”
My head snaps in her direction. “What?!”
“Yeah. My parents raised me in a strict religion. Father, thats what we called our prophet, he ended up committing suicide before sexual abuse charges could be brought to trial. He took with him at least half of the adult believers, including my parents. I was 7.”
“Holy crap, Nell, I’m so sorry!”
“It’s OK. I have faith that they are somewhere happy and thriving.”
My brow furrows as her words sink in. “You still have faith, after all you’ve been through?”
She huffs a small chuckle. “Not in the way you think. I have faith that there is something more than what we are. Whether that is something divine or not I can’t say. What Icansay is that after two cults where I was a second class citizen, I no longer believe in the words of the men who preach God, but I do believe in the people that populate God’s green earth. You heard our pleas and you and your people helped me and my daughter. If I hadn’t had faith in myself to make the step, or in you to get us out, I’d still be in there behind those walls and my baby would still be being used by evil men.” Her fists tighten in her lap, so tight her knuckles are white and her hands shake with the effort. “I relived my childhood trauma by making it my adult life. I learned from that lesson so I can show my daughter how to heal from her trauma and not let it ruin her life. You’ll do the same for the twins because you’re already on the way to being healed from your trauma.”
I tilt my head at her. “You think so?”
She grins, a twinkle in her eye. “I know so. Do you know how different you look today? Relaxed, a blush to your cheeks, a little bow legged maybe…”
“Nell!” I gasp, my hands flying to my cheeks to cover their burning.
“It looks good on you, Loyal.” Nell laughs. “You look brand new.”
I let my hands drop from my face to grip Nell’s hands. “And sooner rather than later you will too, Nell. Trust me.”
“Always.” Nell smiles.
“OK, I have something to ask you.” Nell’s eyes narrow in confusion. “Jason is off looking into work outside of the compound.” Nell nods in answer. “What wouldyouwant to do for work? If you could do anything your heart desired, what would you do?”
Nell closes her eyes, holding her face up to the sun. She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I always wanted to work in a bakery. I love pastries and cakes and making people smile, so I figured a bakery has all those things and more.”
“Work in a bakery orowna bakery, Nell?”
Nell’s cheeks color as her gaze darts to somewhere in the long grasses. “Own it.” She clears her throat then answers again, this time stronger, “I’d own it. It’d be mine and Greer’s and no one would be able to take it away from us.”
I grin at Nell, a plan already forming in my mind. “Well, I guess if you want to own your own bakery one day you should probably practice baking. And you know, there is a huge industrial kitchen in the clubhouse,” I say in a sing-song voice.
“Oh no!” Nell rushes out, waving her hands in the air. “ I couldn’t! Not in the MC kitchen! No, I’d just get in the way-”
“Everyone would love your baking Nell, they won’t mind. The MC men are nice, they care about us, they’d be happy to have you in there,” River says in a rush before realizing that he’s outedhimself as listening in to our conversation. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I promise to be good I’m sor-”
“River, you’re right, the MC are good men. They’d be begging Nell to let them taste her goods.” The panic in River’s eyes starts to subside, as he looks at the scuffed toe of his sneaker. “You know Nell’s baking better than anyone, so I guess if you say it’s good-” his blonde head bobs up and down as his wide eyes stayed glued to my face, “-then it must be good.”
“But what about Greer? I can’t bake the day away when she needs me,” Nell says, worrying her lip.
“I’ll take care of her.” River says quickly, before cringing again. Clearly he’s never been able to share his thoughts before, but he’ll soon find out the way we run things here is completely different from where he’s come from. “Me and Izzy. She’s almost old enough to babysit. She could help me.”
“There! It’s settled! River and Izzy will keep an eye on Greer, and if I’m available I’ll help them. You, Miss Nell, are going to practice your baking.”
She gives me a bored look, but I can see the corners of her lips tilting up. “Easy as that, huh?”
“Yup. Easy as pie.”
I may not have known Nell, Greer, River, Jason or Izzy for very long, but I already consider them my people. That means that come hell or high water I will be making sure that their fresh start at the Keep Chapter has them not only dreaming about the lives they never thought they could have, but also living them. I mean, it worked for me.
Chapter 15
Vex
