Pops ignored him and took Tiana’s hands in his. “Are you okay, Tiny? I can skip PT today.”
“No!” Tiana stood. “Go, do your PT. I’ll come see you tomorrow. I love you.” She bent down and hugged, really hugged him. She leaned back and looked in his eyes. “Promise me you’re not going anywhere.”
“Can’t do that, gotta go to PT.”
She sighed.
“Ah, you’re stuck with me, kid.”
“Good.” She nodded her head.Good.
33
As she left Golden Years,she knew she needed to go and speak to Niko. She also thought it might be worth looking into getting some counseling. She’d wanted to for years, but she’d just never made it a priority. It might be time.
Her mind was filled with the things Pops told her, the things she’d heard Niko and Jessie saying, and the things she thought of herself as she went down the path around the back of Golden Years down toward the river. She was going to her studio to meditate for a while. When she rounded the corner of the building, she was suddenly confronted by Brock. He stood in front of her, blocking the path. She turned around to go back the way she came, but he moved and cut her off.
“Brock, I don’t have time for this.” She attempted once again to go around him, but he put his arm up on the wall and crowded in on her.
Behind her was a corner of the building. He literally had her cornered. She could scream, but the wall they were against was the laundry facility, and with all the dryers and washers going, she doubted anyone would hear her.
“Tiara, just listen, okay? This is stupid. I forgive you for everything.”
She could smell alcohol on Brock’s breath, and panic rose in her throat. She knew she needed to stay calm and take deep breaths. “Brock, move.”
“We can just forget the past two years happened, okay?” He reached out for her face, and she flinched as she stepped back, away from him, which landed her deeper in the corner, giving her nowhere to go.
Brock did not appreciate the fact that she’d flinched away from him. “Why are you acting like that? You know I’d never hurt you!”
She could see he was getting angrier. She needed help. She reached into her tote to try and find her phone discreetly. Unfortunately, he noticed.
“What are you doing?” He took a step closer to her.
“Brock, you need to leave.” She felt her phone in the bottom of the bag and pulled it out. Her hands were shaking.
“What are you doing?” He pulled her arm out of her bag.
She glanced as her arm came out and tried to dial nine one one, she got the nine when he snatched the phone from her.
“I just want to talk!” he yelled, holding her phone away from her.
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Why are you being like this? You’re my wife!”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are! Everything you have I own. Your studio, I bought. Pops in here.” He slammed his fist on the wall of the building. “That’s my money. I paid for that! I own you.”
She could argue with him, tell him she hadn’t spent a dime of his money on any of it, but just her knowing that was enough.
“Brock, you need to leave me alone.”
“Why? Because of that asshole?” He took another step closer, and she had no choice but to retreat. Her back was now literally against the wall. “Were youfuckinghim the entire time we were married?”
She wasn’t going to respond to that. Not that she could even if she wanted to. Her lips were numb, and so were her legs, her hands, and her feet.
“Answer me!” he screamed, and his spit flew in her face.
