Loyal wants to become an EMT and damned if I’m going to stand in her way. I’m going to be there right by her side, making sure she gets every fucking thing she dreams of.
“Right. Well, looks like we have an immediate plan,” Dex says, looking around the table. “Loyal, if I can ask a favor?” She nods, eager to help. “I know you have already informed our guests who we are, but I think it would be good to have a big dinner tonight so they can all come and get used to seeing us around. Can you please extend the invite?”
“Of course,” Loyal smiles gently.
“Ah, quick question, Prez; who the hell is going to be doing the cooking?” Flack asks, hand raised as if in class.
“Didn’t you know? TumTum is a trained chef.” Dex smirks.
All eyes turn to TumTum in shock. “What? No one ever asked what I did before I joined the DRMC. Well, no one until Prez asked.”
Saint leans forward, clapping TumTum on the shoulder, “I have experience working the kitchen of a diner. I’ll be your sous chef, just tell me what you need.”
“Wouldn’t you just be my assistant?”
“Nah, I’m fancier than that,” Saint winks.
TumTum rolls his eyes at my brother before turning to Dex. “We need to go shopping, give us some money and we’ll get gone.”
“Get your fresh produce from next door, they have a farmers market. It’ll help support the Keep Community.” I butt in. The community members may be on the other side of the fence and keep mostly to themselves, but they were still once people who my father fucked over, so I feel like we need to be supporting them in any way we can. If buying fruit and veg from there helps out, then that’s what we’ll do.
“Was already headed that way, brother,” Saint nods.
Dex tips his chin, handing over his card. “Stock the pantry, and get treats for the kids.” Turning he addresses the rest of us, “Anyone know any prospects?”
* * *
I follow Loyal out of Church once Dex calls it. I’m not sure if it was meant to end that early, but TumTum and Saint were chomping at the bit to get dinner sorted. Flack went with them to help “push the carts” and now I’m a little concerned at howmuch they’re all going to bring back. There is a reason why Saint never does the grocery shopping at our place.
“You did good in there,” I tell her, quietly so as not to startle her.
She smiles shyly down at her feet, and I have to ball my fists so as not to reach out and tip her head up. Loyal is fierce and strong when she is advocating for others, but when it comes to herself she doesn’t see her worth. The thought that her father and husband beat her down so far that she can’t see how incredible she is makes me want to kill them all over again. At least I know their deaths weren’t nice. My sister seems to have a flair for the dramatic and painful.
“Thank you, Vex. I mean, I won’t count my chickens before they hatch. You know that education for girls in Eden’s Keep stopped when we were-”
“Hey,” I stop her with a hand on her arm. “Don’t do that. Don’t minimize who you are or what you want to do. I see you, Loyal Blessing. You’re a lot more clever and brave than you give yourself credit for. Fuck what your father and Goodson said. Fuck what that inner voice inside your head says when it tells you you can’t do something. Listen to me, imagine my voice inside your head. You can do this. I believe in you.”
She rolls her plump lips between her teeth before she nods, her hair glinting in the sunshine. “I can do this,” she whispers, so quietly I can barely hear it.
“Again. Louder.”
“I can do this,” she says, stronger this time, eyes sparkling.
“I can’t hear youuuuu!” Tipping my head back I yell the words into the humid air.
“I can do this!” she yells breaking out into giggles at the end, a sound that has been years since I last heard it this carefree.
“Yes, you fucking can.” I grin at her as the little girl she dusted off earlier bursts into giggles, yelling at Loyal that she can do it, too.
“Thank you, Vex.” She gifts me with a smile before I let her go, watching as she interacts with our rescue families.
“She reminds me of Lovely, a little,” Chef says, coming to stand beside me, eyes on the people moving around the yard.
Everyone seems to be taking advantage of the less than sweltering weather. The little girl Greer and her mother Nell are on the swing set talking to an older man and I’m guessing his daughter.
“How so?” I ask Chef.
“Hmm, actually, let me rephrase that. She reminds me of the old Lovely. She’s seen and lived through some shit but she’s still here, still fighting.”
