When It Rains... He Pours

by Leah Holt

  “Well yes and no. We might need to ask you some questions about your brother, maybe even call you in during trial, if you're willing to take the stand against him. There's no pressure, I know it's not always easy for family to go against family. But do you think you'd be willing to do that?”

  “You bet your fucking ass I will. He deserves to spend the next twenty years behind bars, shit, longer if you can.” Looking down at the floor, I crooked my jaw. “After everything he did to Glory and myself, he can rot in there, I don't give a fuck.”

  I'm sure some might think my reaction was harsh, cold even, I mean he was my brother. We were blood, we should have had a bond that was stronger than steel.

  But there was one problem with that, my brother never cared about me. Not even when we were kids. Jacob was my brother by name and paper only.

  Was he family? No.

  Family looked out for each other, they felt for one another, they wanted the best for one another. Jacob didn't give shit about anyone else but himself.

  This was black and white in my eyes, the fucker tried to kill me, he lit a building on fire with Glory and me inside.

  What type of brother does that? How was I suppose to look past that?

  Changing out of the jumpsuit, I left it crumpled in the corner of the stall. Attempting to turn my phone on, the battery was dead. Jamming it into my pocket, I checked my wallet to make sure everything was there and stuffed it into the other pocket.

  Walking out into the lobby, the detective gave me a kind smile. “No hard feelings?” he asked, holding out his hand to me.

  “You were doing what you thought was right, you were really fucking wrong, but it was done in good faith, so yeah. . .” Grabbing his hand I shook it with a firm grip. “No hard feelings.”

  “Good, let me walk you out.” Holding out his arm, he started for the front entrance.

  “So how did you finally find out I had nothing to do with all this?”

  “I guess you could say you got lucky.” Pushing the door open, he looked outside. “And you had a guardian angel.”

  Following his gaze, I stopped short.

  Glory was standing at the bottom of the steps, her hands nervously fiddling in front of her waist. Her lips curved high as her eyes connected with mine.

  That smile. . .

  I couldn't live without that smile, I wasn't sure how I made it this long. I should have died the second they closed the steel door, locking me inside.

  Grinning, I walked down the steps. Her smile infected my heart, making my chest pound and my skin buzz.

  Reaching out I grabbed her hand, and swung her arm side to side. “You did this?”

  “Mm hm.” Biting her bottom lip as she nodded her head, her lashes fanned her lids.

  “Thank you,” I said, walking my fingers up her arm and pulling her into my chest. “I don't know how you pulled this off. . .” Lowering my face, I traced my lips across her forehead, feeling her velvet smooth skin. “But thank you.”

  Tipping her face up, her mouth turned paper thin as tears filled her eyes. “You don't need to thank me, it was the right thing to do.”

  Glory had found a way to make things right, she took charge and didn't let Jacob intimidate her. I was so fucking proud of this girl. Proud of what she did for me. Proud that she had the balls to stand up to someone like my brother.

  I was proud that she was mine.

  Kissing her gently, her tongue teased the edge of my lips, tickling over the surface. Lifting my fingertips to her face, I brushed my knuckles across the apple of her cheek.

  Moving my mouth across her skin, I placed my lips at her ear and whispered. “I love you, Glory Daniels.”

  Smiling, she chewed on her cheeks as her skin turned the prettiest shade of pink. “You mean that?”

  “I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. I love you, I've loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you.” Holding her jaw in my palm, I pressed my forehead against hers. “I've been waiting for you to come into my life, because before you, I didn't know what it meant to really love. I know now and I'm going to love you forever.”

  Her eyes bounced between mine as she pushed up onto the tips of her toes. “I love you too.”

  Before Glory, I was man set in his ways. I woke up ever single day not understanding what it truly meant to be alive.

  But now, now I had the one thing I didn't know I was missing.

  I couldn't see it until I had her and she was gone.

  I would never let her go again.

  Epilogue

  Glory

  Two and a half years later

  The bell over the door jingled, causing me to stop mid stroke and hold still.

  “Hello?” I heard the delicate voice of an older woman echo off the old brick walls.

  Placing down my brush, I grabbed a hand towel and wiped my fingers. “Hello, how can I help you?” Stepping out from the back room, I gave her a friendly smile.

  “Well, I've actually passed by here a dozen times, and every time this painting right here,” she said, pointing her finger at the back wall. “It always catches my attention. I was wondering how much it costs?”

  “Oh, I'm sorry, that one isn't for sale. Unfortunately, it's part of my private collection. I probably shouldn't have it up there like that, but I love it too much to let it just sit unseen and collect dust. But everything on this wall. . .” Waving my hand around the wall to my right, I took a long step to the side. “It's all for sale.”

  “Hm, alright.” Her tone sounded disappointed as she took a few steps closer to look at the paintings hanging in place.

  “I also do private orders, I'd be more than happy to paint you something similar to this one. It just won't be exactly the same, I can't do that.”

  The one she wanted was just for me. It was a woman balancing on the edge of a cliff, her face angled up at the sun, arms spread out as if she was about to jump. Everything around her screamed beauty.

  A bright sun created yellow and red swirls across a purple sky. There were mountains in the distance and the glistening waves of an ocean just beyond those mountains.

  But you could see the pain in her stance, in the way her head was angled and her body was rigid. For all the serenity around her, the woman felt sorrow and anguish.

  It was up to you, the viewer, whether you wanted to think she was about to jump or not.

  In my head she wasn't jumping at all. I saw her as a woman accepting life. She was giving herself permission to love again, to laugh and smile and enjoy the things that mattered.

  This woman was opening her arms to let it all in. She was embracing whatever gifts were sent her way. And she was willing to stand on the verge of certain death to accept those gifts.

  Because that was life.

  You can't live until you've lost. You can't appreciate until you have nothing.

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely, but let me ask you a question. What do you see in that picture?”

  “What do you mean?” Angling her head, she glanced between the painting and me. Folding her arms across her chest, she stepped in and tipped her head back, taking on a full view of the image.

  “Do you see her staying right where she is or do you see her jumping?”

  “Does it matter what I see?”

  Walking up beside her, I cupped my hips. “It does.”

  “To be honest, I don't see either.” Swirling her finger in the air around the shape of the woman, she said. “I see her flying. She doesn't stay at the edge and she doesn't jump off and fall, she flies.”

  Squinting my eyes, I smiled. “That's perfect. I know what to paint you now.”

  “Seriously? Just from that?”

  The bell jingled again, causing us both to twist our heads over our shoulders. Instantly a smile split across my face.

  “And what are you two doing here?” I asked, squatting down and holding out my arms.

  Liam let go of our son's hand, allowing him to waddle awkwardly in
my direction, his steps still new and uneven.

  “We were in the neighborhood and wanted to stop in and say hello.”

  Grabbing little Holden, I swept him off his feet and spun him high in the air. His giggle came out loud and high pitched as he threw his arms out like he was flying.

  “I'm so glad you did.” Rubbing the tip of my nose against my little guy's, I kissed his cheek and set him back down.

  “If you're busy, we can come back after.”

  Waving him off, I smiled. “It's fine, just give me a few minutes to finish up here, then I'm all yours.”

  Liam leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. “Whoa, whoa, don't touch that.” Jolting forward, he ran at Holden, trying to catch him before he broke something.

  “You have a beautiful family,” the woman said, giving me a soft smile. “I miss my kids being that little.”

  Looking over at my son, my heart began to warm and my skin bristled with love. Liam was chasing him around the gallery and Holden was laughing hysterically.

  “I'm sure I'll miss it too one day. For now I just enjoy each moment as it happens.”

  The woman's eyes twinkled as she watched my child innocently enjoy a game of chase. “That's the best way to live.”

  After having her fill out the contact form and give a deposit, I walked her out and shut the door behind her when she left.

  Liam was sitting on the floor in the back room, the changing pad rolled out, and Holden on his back getting a new diaper.

  “Well, that's it, I'm all done for today.”

  Glancing back at me, his smirk held secrecy. “No, there's one more thing you need to do.”

  “Oh yeah and what's that?” Crouching down, I passed him the wipes as he searched the bag.

  “You need to go by the old lot.”

  “The old lot?” Scrunching my brows, I tried to figure out why he was still asking me to do that. He knew my answer. He always knew my answer.

  I hadn't been by there in over two years. It was too much, it brought back too many horrible memories. I avoided that area like the plague. There was more than one way to get to my new gallery, and I took every way except the one that brought me right past my old building.

  Liam had done what he set out to do. He turned the old mill into luxury apartments, utilizing the ground level for small businesses, giving me a new home for my art. It was amazing.

  It took about a year to finish all of it. The grand opening of the building was in the local paper and on the news. He was right from the start, I haven't had a slow day since. People flooded the gallery in the beginning, now I had a steady stream of new and old customers.

  Everything had come to together in the end.

  “It's been long enough. I think you need to face your fear, Glory. I'll come with you—we'll come with you. You won't be alone, and I think it will really close that chapter for you. Once you get over your fear, you'll feel a lot better.”

  Will I? I don't see how.

  For me, avoiding it all together was the best route. The memories could stay dormant, the pain could stay chained inside, and I could focus on what really mattered; my son and family.

  “Well, what do you say?” Standing up, Liam wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled my head against his stomach. “Will you do it for me?”

  Pursing my lips tightly, I furrowed my brows. “Does it mean that much to you? You've been asking me for a long time to do this, and I always tell you the same thing.”

  “You always say no. I guess I keep hoping one of these times you'll say yes.”

  “Why? Why can't you just let it be?”

  “Because this is our home, all of it. Do you want to explain to our son when he gets older why that street is off limits? Do you want him to see you not facing your fear when you tell him he needs to be strong?”

  “Liam—”

  Slipping his hand up my face, he cupped my cheek. “Be strong, Glory, you know you can be.”

  My eyes darted between his as his thumb ran over the curve of my jaw. Holden cooed, baring his tiny little teeth as he smiled.

  “Mama, Mama,” he said, stretching his arms out as I looked over at him.

  Taking his small hand, I held it tight. Liam was right, I knew he was. I couldn't avoid that place forever. I was holding on to all the emotions and feelings by doing that.

  I had to let go.

  For my husband, for my son, and for myself.

  “Alright.”

  “Alright?” Liam asked, unsure he heard me right.

  “Yeah, alright. I'll do it. You're right, I need to face this. I haven't done that yet, I buried it.” Rubbing my son's fingers, he grabbed his foot with his free hand. “I should free it.”

  The three of us walked hand in hand towards my old building. I wasn't sure exactly what had happened to it since the fire. I let Liam handle that part. I couldn't do it.

  I told him I didn't want to know about anything, to just do whatever the city wanted and be done with it. I was hoping this day would never really come at all.

  It's here.

  I could see the street sign on the corner, so I started to slow down. Liam was still walking, but as he took a step, our son's hand jerked in his. Looking back over his shoulder, Liam stopped.

  “What? What is it?”

  “I don't know if I can do this.”

  “You can do this, Glory, and once you do, you'll feel better. I promise you, you won't regret this. You need this, you don't know how much you need this.”

  “But what if I lose it? Do you really want Holden to see me like that?”

  Taking a long stride in, Liam picked our son up and set him on his hip. “What did we talk about when we found out you were pregnant?”

  “We said we'd never hide anything from him, that we'd always show every side of ourselves. The happiness, the anger, the sadness, we weren't going to protect him from any of it. He needs to know it's okay to feel, regardless of what those emotions are.”

  “Exactly. So let's show him how strong and brave you are by facing this together as a family.” Liam stretched his hand out, braiding his fingers into mine.

  Taking in a deep breath, I nodded, allowing him to lead me forward. Scraping my heels against the cement, I shut my eyes and let him guide me.

  Liam released my hand, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Open your eyes, Glory.”

  “I can't,” I said, pinching my lids tighter.

  “Yes you can.” His voice was soft as it found its way into my ears.

  “Peek a boo, Mama, peek a boo.” Holden touched the thin skin of my lids, attempting to push them open. His poking became more hard, causing my eyeballs to hurt and water.

  “Okay, alright,” I said, blocking his jabs. Blinking my eyes open, I kept them on Liam and our son.

  “Look,” Liam said, flicking his head in the direction of my old gallery. “Just look.”

  “Mama, see.” Holden held out his hand, his eyes wide and excited.

  Taking in a long breath through my nose, I turned my head.

  Oh my god.

  What?

  The charred remnants that I remembered seeing last time I was there was gone. There was nothing but green grass and flowers. A giant playground was set off in the back, benches speckled the outskirts, and a gazebo was smack dab in the center.

  “How?” I asked out loud, not really directing the question to Liam. Jolting forward, I crossed the street without looking, hearing the faint honk of a car as I cut in front of it.

  Tears filled my eyes as I stood at the edge of a small park. There was a plaque secured on a fence post, and as I read the name the bubbles of water on my eyes came splashing down.

  Holden Park.

  “Did you do this?” I asked as Liam came up beside me.

  Placing our son down, I watched as Holden ran through the grass and started to climb on the jungle gym.

  Liam tucked his hands into his back pockets, keeping his eyes on our baby. “I did.”

  “I c
an't believe this.”

  “It took me long enough to get you here.” Looking at me from the corner of his eyes, he smirked.

  Wiping my cheeks, I let out a delicate laugh. “You named this place after our son. . .” Pausing, I sniffled, rubbing my nose.

  “I named it after your father.” His hand pressed into the small of my back, pulling me into his hip. “Read the rest of the plaque.”

  Dropping my eyes to the sign, I read the small print at the bottom.

  Holden Park. Dedicated to Holden Daniels, husband and father. A man who gave more than he could ever know to this community.

  Tears fell effortlessly down my face, dropping one after another onto the ground.

  “You did this for me?” Looking up at Liam, he gave me a smile.

  “I'd do anything for you.” Brushing the tears away, he scooped my face in his palms and kissed me. “I love you, Glory.”

  “Mama, Dada, look!” Holden yelled to us.

  Twisting to look at him, Holden was standing at the top of the slide. Sitting down slowly, he pushed off and went down.

  “Yay!” I called to him, nuzzling my head into Liam's chest.

  Clutching me firmly against his ribs, Liam rested his head on mine, and we both watched our little boy as he played.

  This was the life my father would have wanted me to have. All of this right here.

  There was no devastation at the old lot, there was no wasteland of burned wood and wasted space.

  Liam had done something incredible, he gave it new life, he resurrected something that had been so tainted and made it beautiful again.

  And together we had found eternal happiness.

  Thanks for reading!!

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