I nod.
“You know it will break her, and that stress isn’t good for her condition.”
“It will break her. It won’t kill her.”
“It’s terrible to be in this position.”
“Same,” her husband puts in.
She looks from him to me as I continue, “I don’t want to put it on you. It’s not about it being all your decision. We’ve all agreed. But your case is the one that matters. What he did to you?—”
The sound of Christian grinding his teeth stops my sentence. He makes no excuse but doesn’t say anything more.
“I have little to add to anything legal. He’s an ass, and I hate him, but that’s not illegal.” I gesture to her temple where the shaved patch has long since grown out and covered the scar she’ll always have from that day on the ridge. “But that moment. It’s criminal. And the only reason he isn’t paying the price is your?—”
“Cowardice?” She rubs her temple. “Are you going to victim-shame and say it’s my fault?”
“I was going to say kindness. And you know me better than that. Your love for Mom is the only reason you haven’t made a move. Am I right?”
She exhales a sharp breath. “Sorry, Li. You didn’t deserve that.”
“I didn’t, but nor did you deserve anything that happened to you. The question is how do we support you. What do you need?”
The fact that Christian stayed silent during this conversation is nothing short of jaw dropping.
She closes her eyes and when she opens them, I see the resolve I’ve always known in her. The woman will find a way,but more times than not, make a way. “I need you and Ci to go see Mom with me.”
“Sure. When?”
“Tomorrow. This needs to be over and done with.”
Christian’s exhale could lift the flatware off the table, such is his relief.
“I’ll get with Cian. We’ll go after coffee.”
I head upstairs after dinner. Not because I don’t want to be social, but because everything in my brother-in-law is tense. He needs his wife by his side. He needs his daughter in his arms. He needs to wake from this nightmare.
I could go home, but there’s nothing there for me right now aside from my computer, and that can wait until after seeing Mom tomorrow.
Poe is feeding like a champ. Her little belly is soft and full, and her verbal frustrations have waned a bit.
My sister has a Belgian Malinois. Cian has a mutt. I kind of assumed at some point later in life, when the travel slowed or when the need to get gone in a moment’s notice had dissipated, I’d have a dog. Maybe a German Shepherd or something along those lines. Something smart, fearsome, that looks intimidating and sounds even worse.
I’m carrying a kitten in a hoodie and nursing it with a syringe smaller than the size of a baby bottle. If I didn’t know better, I’d say my balls were gone. But I know better, because I felt them respond to Lorien’s hitched breaths and soft voice.
Tonight, though, can’t come soon enough, and not because I won’t still be in my sister’s guest room, giving her peace of mind, but because I have plans for Lorien.
Tonightis four hours later when I’m back in Ayla’s guest room.
Me: Are you around?
It takes a minute before she responds.
Wifey: I’m here.
Me: Has it been a good trip?
Wifey: Good, great, terrible, weird. You name it, I’ve experienced it.
