Overall, I had my ups and downs, but I was happy and going to college classes again. About a month into the semester at St. Loren Community College I was doing okay. I hadn’t missed any assignments. My test scores weren’t fantastic, but I was in a solid B range, which was good, considering I hadn’t seen the inside of a classroom in years. I hoped if I studied hard I would get better, and that was what I planned to do this evening.
Humming, I scrolled along the screen on my phone as I walked away from campus after my last class for the day. Afternoon sunshine gleamed on the screen, birds chirped nearby, and the spicy smell of marigolds tickled my nose as I meandered past the flower beds planted near the stone fence that ran beside the sidewalk. I stopped to look at the blooms for a few seconds, but then went back to scrolling. Daddy didn’t like to eat out any food we could make better at home, but there were some fantastic restaurants that delivered in our neighborhood, and I wanted to treat him tonight. I shouldn’t waste the nest egg that had been dumped in my lap from my mom’s final estate—it was weird to think she’d worked and earned all that money, and now I had it—but I also wanted to do something nice for Daddy. I considered the falafel dishes from a Moroccan restaurant and brought up that website.
It felt good to have the money to do things for myself, and I liked that I didn’t have to ask Daddy for every little thing. It made me feel... safer. Even though Daddy had never done anything to make me worry that he would hold back on something I needed, I’d bought books for my classes and had a new backpack, too. I glanced up as I reached the bus stop. Mrs. Rochteau, who taught my refresher algebra course, was also waiting, and I smiled at her.
“How are you, Phoenix?” she asked. The hairspray she’d used on the purple curls she had stacked on top of her head in a pinned-up mound had lost the battle with the humidity and the strands frizzed everywhere. She’d looped the jacket she wore while she taught over her arm, and an array of tattoos, which were visible due to the spaghetti straps on her dress, had me staring.
It took me a minute to get my brain to work to respond because, after so long alone, I still wasn’t quite used to so many people knowing me. “Fine, thank you, ma’am. And yourself?” I grinned at her. That was all she wanted, really.
“Oh, I’m doing fine, honey. My knee was acting up this morning, but it’s better now.” She never had much to say, but it was nice to be included in her peaceful world as she went back to reading a paperback novel with a little smile on her face. Two men kissed on the cover, and my cheeks heated. Well, that was interesting.
After ten more minutes hemming and hawing over dinner, a triumphant poke at the screen allowed me to place the order for our food. It would arrive at Daddy’s house later tonight. I knew him well enough now that I didn’t have to guess and worry if he’d like what I chose, and that was nice, too. I glanced up at the blue sky and basked in the warm sun on my face as I tucked my phone in my pocket. Hitching my backpack higher, I considered getting out one of my books, but I hated to be digging in my bag when the bus pulled up, so I decided to just wait.
Staring out at the street, I tapped my feet, and then the strangest thing happened. A car went by—a silver Lexus that looked familiar—and it got several yards down the road before the driver slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched.
“My word.” Mrs. Rochteau waved her book in the direction of the car as if it was a pesky fly. “What does he think he’s doing?”
The car reversed, and I slid closer to Mrs. Rochteau, then the window went down on the driver’s side, and I froze. Perry glared out at me with bright blue eyes that seemed cold compared to Daddy’s brown ones. A breeze blew around his dark hair, which was longer and thinner near the front than the last time I’d seen him. His face was puffier, too, as if maybe he wasn’t eating healthy food without someone around to cook for him. A car went past going the opposite direction and blocked him for a moment, but he was still there when it was gone. Ages had passed since I’d last had him glaring at me, and his presence threw me into a hellish spot in my mind, to that last memory of him. I’d sobbed and begged to be let back into the house, everything felt jumbled and surreal, and then Daddy had rescued me.
“Boy, get over here!” Perry barked.
My feet started to move, and I made it to the curb before I backpedaled and shook my head.
His face flushed red. “Now!”
My mind blanked.He’s going to hurt me if I don’t listen.Do what he says! Just do what he says!I scrambled mentally. My stomach ached, and memories of every beating I’d ever gotten from him screamed in my head that I should listen to his orders or this would end in pain.
“Daddy,” I whispered.
Perry was Perry—nothing to me.
Gian was my Daddy, and I didn’t have to listen to anyone else. Turning on my heel, I began to jog along the sidewalk, rather than waiting for the bus.
“Are you okay, Phoenix?” Mrs. Rochteau called after me. “Do you need help?”
I couldn’t speak; I just knew I had to get away.
Perry pulled the car next to the curb behind me, facing the wrong way. Someone honked and swerved their vehicle around his. “Stop! I said to get in the car! Now!”
I began to run. Cursing followed me, but I didn’t look back.
My heart hammered, and I thought about calling Daddy, but I didn’t want to stop long enough to take my phone out of my shorts. I glanced back and the car was on the right side of the road again. There were a couple of honking horns because Perry was holding up traffic to follow me, but he wouldn’t be able to do that for long... I hoped. He’d run across a cop sooner or later, and no one liked to be kept from going home at this hour. I ducked into a Brother’s Food Mart and turned to watch Perry drive past. I shuddered as he glared in my direction, and I had no doubt he would turn around the first chance he got. I tried to call Daddy, but he didn’t answer his phone, and I didn’t want to leave a message, so my choices were to find another bus stop, walk to the church, or walk home.
Sucking in a deep breath, I stared around, worried Perry might circle back. I didn’t want to wait here. No, I just wanted to get someplace safe. I bought a bottle of water because it was hot out, then strapped my backpack tight to my shoulders and set off at a fast pace for the church. About halfway there my heart settled some and I decided I was being silly. I didn’t spot Perry’s car, so he’d probably given up. After so long, why would he follow me around? Sure, he’d yelled at me, but why would he waste his time? I found another bus stop and decided to take my chances. Sipping my water, I nervously scanned the street. Time passed, and I could see the bus coming on my right, but then a silver car pulled up in front of me, and I gasped, sputtering water down my front.
Perry got out and stood with his door open, a heavy hand resting on the car roof. “Are you honestly fucking doing this? Get in the fucking car. I’ve had trouble training someone new, and I’m ready to discuss taking you back.” He tipped his chin toward me as if daring me to give him lip.
I gaped at him. “Are you serious?” My body ran hot, then cold, and fuzzy cotton had replaced whatever was usually inside my head.
He smiled. “Yes. I heard you were back at school. Did you really think you could hide from me?”
“You kicked me out, I wasn’t hiding. You didn’t want me.”
He narrowed his eyes, and my blood turned to ice in my veins. How did he know I was taking classes? Was he still doing the program where business students went to his workplace for internships? What had he done to someone else? I’d never talked to Jesse about Perry, and now I was regretting it more than ever. He walked around and opened the passenger-side door, gesturing toward the seat.
I shook my head and ran.
For a few minutes huffing and puffing echoed too close behind me, and I didn’t dare to look back, but he swore a blue streak, and then there was nothing, just my feet slapping in a steady rhythm on the sidewalk as I dodged people and their dogs and baby strollers. I veered down an alley between two shops and came out on another street, but I wasn’t thinking—I wanted Daddy.
