He entered, grabbed his jacket off a chair, reached into a pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Hmmph, that's where I left it." He found his switchblade in another pocket, stuffed it into the back pocket of his jeans. As he put on his jacket, he walked back to Julie. "Promise you'll go?"
"Promise." It was more of a squeak than a word.
She followed the insignia of the coiled snake on the back of Robert's jacket. Okay, so this is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done? I'm in the Shoresmen's clubhouse. My date…. She giggled and paused. Hmm, hadn't thought about that. My date. Sounds pretty…oh hell, where is he?
A crowd of people closed between the retreating Robert and Julie. She tried to peer over heads to follow his back, but lost sight of which jacket was his.
"Hey, chica."
Julie turned. A tall, unshaven, beer-breath man stood in front of her. His leer sent waves of revulsion through her.
"Ya wans so' company?" He grabbed her. "I give ya a good time."
She peeled his fingers off her arm. "Um, no, thank you. I'm with someone."
"I don't see nobody. What's a matter? We could have some fun."
"I said I'm with—"
He pulled her against his chest. The smell of smoke and body odour made her gag. He reached his right hand around and grabbed her bottom.
Putting both hands on his chest, Julie pushed. "Get your hand off me!"
"What ya gonna do about it?" He tightened his grip.
Paul stepped beside them, then drilled his fist into the side of the assaulter's head. He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him until they got to the council room. "Sit." He half-pushed her towards a worn couch.
Willingly, Julie sat, standing on trembling legs was difficult. She took several gulps of air to control her fear and tears. While trying to calm herself, she glanced around the room. There was nothing good about it. It was unpainted and grimy. Strewn about were empty beer bottles and cans. The furniture was old and dilapidated. Strips of paint had peeled off the walls. It smelled of dust, stale smoke and a mixture of body odour and cheap perfume.
Robert stood next to a tall, scowling Shoresmen. He put one beer on the table as he chugged another. "Assumin' command again, eh, Marco?" He dropped his empty bottle on the floor. It rolled away.
Marco opened his mouth to speak, but Robert grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. "This is my gang." Robert locked his gaze on the man.
Marco blinked first.
"Get the fuck outta here." Robert pushed him away, grabbed another beer and chugged it.
With an angry glare, Marco slunk to the back of the room and dropped into a chair.
Changing his attention to the members, Robert asked, "Well boys, what are we discussin'? Plans for a Halloween party?" He flipped his empty beer onto the table and held out his hand for another.
"Devil's Blood been makin' hits in our territory." A member smashed his fist onto the table.
"Pete." Robert turned his head to the man nearest him. "Go talk to Juan. Tell him to stay out or I'll deal with him personally. Between school and work, I ain't got time for this shit. Where'd they hit?"
The council took on the sounds of a vulgar business meeting with members preaching for revenge. Robert snapped out orders until a young boy walked into the room. "Anthony, come here."
The boy stood next to him. Robert put a finger under Anthony's chin and lifted it. "Where'd ya get the black eye?"
Anthony mumbled something, which Julie didn't hear, but the effect on Robert was startling. He charged out of the room like a bull on a rampage. Everyone piled out after him. Not wanting to be left behind again, Julie stayed close to Paul. She arrived in the main room in time to see Robert drive his fist into a man's face then spin around and kick him in the stomach knocking the man backwards across the room.
Robert stared down each member in the room. "I said no one hits a kid." When he was satisfied that all had understood his message, he searched for Julie.
Coming up from behind her, he tapped Julie's shoulder. "Hey there."
"Ah!" Julie spun around.
"Why so jumpy?"
Positive her heart was about to burst out of her chest, Julie rested a hand on her blouse. "Earlier, I got cut off from you when we were going to the meeting and…."
A black-haired, heavy eye-lined, scowling face dared her to continue speaking.
"And what?" Robert held her elbow.
"Nothing. Let's go."
"And what?" He tightened his grip
Waves of nausea filled Julie as chills slithered down her spine. The words burst out of her mouth. "He grabbed my ass."
Robert's dark eyes narrowed. "Who?"
Julie glanced at the angry stares of the others in the room. She pulled his arm. "It doesn't matter. Let's go."
"Who?" This time it was more of a demand than a question.
Julie stepped back trembling. Robert had morphed into a full-fledged angry gang member. He stepped into her personal space. His nostrils flared, his mouth set in a firm line and his eyes glared at her.
Paul stepped closer. "It's cool man. I dealt with it."
"Who?" Robert's head snapped to face towards Paul.
"He didn't know who she was, man."
Robert grabbed his best friend by the shirt. "Don't make me ask again."
"Tyrone."
A yelp was heard as a Shoresmen jumped out of his chair and stumbled through the crowd.
Robert bulled his way through, grabbed Tyrone by his waistband and spun him into a headlock. "So do I go with my gut instinct that says Marco got ya to go after Julie in order to distract me from the meeting? Or do I side with Paul?"
Tyrone's speech was hampered by the pressure of Robert's arm on his throat.
"What'd ya say?" He tightened his grip. Tyrone squirmed and struggled but couldn't break free.
Everyone heard a door slam. Several heads turned in the direction of the sound.
"Seems like your scum-bag, chicken-shit friend just ran out of here." He released Tyrone, who dropped to the floor with a dull thud. "That's Julie." He pointed. The Shoresmen turned, glanced at her and looked back at their leader. "She's under Shoresmen protection. My protection. Next dumb ass who tries something this stupid…." He pulled his knife out of his back pocket, flipped it, caught it and put it in his jacket pocket then stepped over Tyrone and crossed the room. Julie followed him to her car.
Robert held her shoulders. "Look at me." He waited until their gazes met. "I am only gonna to say this once. Do not ever defy me in front of the guys."
Julie couldn't stop the tears from dribbling down her cheeks.
"Babe, if you defy me, then I have no control. And if they see I can't control my woman then they'll think I'm weak, and then I can't protect you. Got that?" His grip tightened.
She gulped and sniffed. "Yes."
He released her, rubbed his face and sighed. "I'm sorry I had to be a bastard. But if they think I can't control my woman, I'm in big trouble And so are you."
Julie pulled a tissue from her purse, wiped her tears and blew her nose. "Your woman?"
"Yea." He brushed a finger across her cheek.
"I like the sound of that."
"So do I." He glanced at his watch. "Time to get ya home. Westland girls shouldn't be out this late."
Julie started the engine and drove out to the freeway. Once she'd merged into traffic, she glanced over to speak. "Hey, you okay?"
He was leaning against the back of the seat, arms wrapped around his stomach, eyes closed, shoulders hunched up and a mask of pain on his face. He shook his head.
"Your ribs?"
He nodded.
"Didn't look like you were hurting when you put Tyrone in a headlock."
"Never show you're in pain. Never show your weaknesses. They'll eat ya alive."
"I like what you did to Anthony's dad." She checked the lane and signalled a change. "Well, no, not the beating him up part. But the why you did it part."
"That was discipline. If I'd ignored what he did to Anthony, then again I'd start losin' control. As long as they're scared of me, I'm safe. They all know I'm hurt. So now they're figurin' if I can still beat up someone when I'm hurt, how dangerous am I when I'm healthy." He stared out the side window for a moment. "'Sides, I know what it's like to be beaten. Ya don't understand, so ya blame yourself."
"You're a complex man, Mr. Holiday. There are sides of you I didn't expect."
He snorted.
"And I think I'm falling in love with you."
He didn't respond.
Julie kept her gaze on the road. "It may take a while, but I'll teach you to love me."
Robert chuckled at the challenge.
Chapter Nine
Sunday at the Anderson household was a quiet day – get out of bed, read the paper or watch cartoons and eat breakfast. Robert enjoyed lazing around. His Sundays consisted of getting up about six, to arrive at the ranch by seven, work lasted until five, but often he was still there past eight.
He liked being with a family. He was developing an understanding of Julie by watching her relate to her younger siblings and to her parents. All Robert ever knew about relating to his older brother was attempting to duck out of the way of one of Mike's fists. As for his mother, he had very vague memories of her, which he'd long since given up trying to recall.
Mrs. Anderson broke into Robert's and everyone's reverie by announcing they had an hour to prepare for company. She handed out jobs. Ashley was to take Jangles for her walk. Jason had to clean his room, while Mr. Anderson raked the front lawn. Sheila and Julie were to help in the kitchen. Robert found himself with nothing to do.
Jason trudged to the kitchen, grabbed a garbage bag and grumbling to himself dragged it to the awaiting mess. Robert decided to follow. He knocked on the doorframe. "I didn't get a job and yours sounded like the worst. Want some help?"
Jason shrugged. "Just because company's coming, I've got to clean this. It's so stupid." He kicked a pile of dirty clothes.
Robert looked at the posters of basketball and hockey heroes, cars and team pennants as he stepped over clothes, books, toys and games. "Why don't ya just shut the door?"
"Tried that once. Got grounded." Jason picked up a shirt and wondered whether it was clean or dirty.
Robert piled books back onto the shelf.
"Was your room always a mess?" Jason gave up trying to sort the laundry and started tossing everything into the clothes hamper.
"I never had my own room. Bunked with my brother or cousins. At Hawthorne, we had barracks."
"You lived at Hawthorne?" A pair of dirty shorts hung from Jason's fingertip.
"Yea, I did some pretty stupid things as a kid and had to pay." Robert motioned to the hamper. Jason continued with his basketball shot.
"What'd you do?"
"I went for a joy ride in a cop car. Sounds great, but it was stupid. Paid for it with my freedom."
"What's it like? Inside." Jason sat on the hamper lid, trying to close it.
Robert described life incarcerated in a juvenile detention centre. He explained his loss of freedom and his dispirited realisation of being trapped. They cleaned as he talked, and soon Jason's room was neat and tidy.
"Would you like to shoot some baskets?" Jason asked.
"Only if we take it easy. I've got to go to work tomorrow."
Jason grabbed the basketball and headed for the door.
***
Mrs. Anderson watched from the window for a few moments. She relaxed when she saw that Robert was being careful. "I think Jason likes having an older brother."
Julie laughed. "I'd rather not think of him as that. Isn't it against the law to date your brother?" She took the last two glasses out of the dishwasher.
"So things have graduated to dating?"
"I think so, Mom. It went pretty good last night." Hiding her smile, she placed the glasses on a shelf and closed the cupboard door. I just won't mention all the not-so good things that happened. "Guess what he did? After class, I said my legs hurt, so he gave them a rub down like a horse's. He said it was easy because I only have two legs and they aren't as big as a horse's."
Jason popped his head inside and shouted, "Aunt Karen and Uncle Tim are here."
Julie's aunt and uncle arrived with their three children. Robert stood back as everyone hugged and greeted each other. A second car pulled into the driveway, and an older couple exited.
"Grandma. Grandpa." Sheila and Ashley raced over to greet their grandparents.
Robert slipped away to his room. Even with the door shut, he could hear the chatter and laughing. He marvelled at the joy and love he'd witnessed and despaired at the sadness and loneliness he felt.
A part of him wanted to go downstairs and pretend to be part of the family, while another part needed to hide. Ashamed he'd never experienced such an event, he lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling, wondering if he'd ever belong to one.
After a soft rap on his door, Julie popped her head into his room. "Why are you hiding up here? Come on down and join us."
He shook his head.
"Why not?" She sat on the bed.
"I don't want to. I'm not real good with families."
Julie was quiet for a moment. "Mom said you might be scared about joining us."
Robert didn't answer. He wasn't about to admit it.
"Well, for the most part, it's pretty easy. Mom cooks up a great meal. The whole family comes over and they eat too much. But they do one thing and it's really dumb."
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Grandma and Grandpa have always requested that instead of anniversary gifts, we're supposed to say why we're happy, or why we love them or something like that. Sometimes I think getting them a gift would be easier." She waited. Robert was silent.
"They know nothing about your past. The kids could care less unless you happened to be Santa Claus. My grandparents are great, and they'll love you just 'cause you're a friend of mine." She smiled. "Besides, I want to show you off. I haven't had many boyfriends and none as good looking as you."
He laughed.
"My mother thinks you're gorgeous. My mother!"
"Your mom's sexy."
Julie gave him a soft punch on the arm. "Oh, and what am I – chicken feed?" A knock on the door interrupted them.
"Come on in, Mrs. Anderson."
"So, are you coming down?" She stood next to the bed.
He sat up and leaned on the headboard. "No. Like I told Julie, I'm not so good with the family bit."
"Which part? I watched you and Jason. You'd make a great big brother."
"Yea, but I'd make a lousy son. It's not much fun being around the man who sent me to prison." He picked at the bed's comforter. "I've spent a lot of time fantasizing what I'd do to the bast…. Now it turns out the man who helped me is the same man who put me away. I'm having trouble dealing with this."
"I told you he wasn't an ogre," said Julie.
"From my side, he is." He glanced between Julie and her mother. "He saw a tough punk and sentenced me on that."
"I know my husband," said Mrs. Anderson. "I don't know Judge Anderson. But I can imagine he'd be tough. Bill is a kind and loving, if a little over-protective, father and husband. If given the chance, maybe his attitude will change."
"Why should he? Here's this ex-con, gang member from Shore making a move on his daughter. He probably figures I just want to fuc…sleep with her."
"I don't think fathers ever trust the boys their daughters date. Give him a chance. One of you two has to make the first move. Wouldn't it be better if it was you?"
Robert didn't reply.
Mrs. Anderson rested her hands on her hips. "Okay, enough of the nice mother routine. You, downstairs now or jail will seem like a picnic."
Robert's face brightened as he doubled over in laughter. "Gawd, if the gang ever heard ya." He rubbed his face. "You've got to be the only person – on the planet – that has the guts to talk to me like that."
Julie's mother slapped at his foot. "Downstairs in two minutes. And don't make me come back up here." She walked out of the room.
"She's so cool."
"Idea," said Julie. "You sit close to me, and I'll protect you from my scary relatives." She gave him a peck on the end of his nose, hopped off the bed and helped him stand. Robert's grip tightened on Julie's hand as they entered the living room. "Everyone, this is Robert. Robert, this is everyone."
"What did the other fellow look like?" asked her grandfather.
"What other fellow?"
"From the fading bruise on your cheek and the cut on your lip, what did the other fellow you fought with look like?"
Robert touched his cheek. "Actually, I lost this one." He paused then jerked his thumb towards Julie. "But I got the girl."
With a half-smile on his face, Julie's grandpa said, "Good choice."
Robert didn't participate in any of the conversations. They were the family kind that started with "remember when" and then lead to a story that involved someone doing something embarrassing. Julie blushed, hid her face and denied that it had ever happened.
Mrs. Anderson repeatedly went to the kitchen to check on the meal. When she announced that it was ready, a flurry of activity erupted as people rushed to the table. Robert savoured the smell all afternoon, and his stomach had rumbled and grumbled for hours.
A white linen tablecloth covered the table. Silverware, napkins, the best dishes, and a flower centrepiece decorated the top. There was so much food on the table, Robert thought they must have been feeding the whole neighbourhood. Fresh-made bread, warm and delicious smelling, was next to numerous bowls of vegetables and mashed potatoes. Mr. Anderson stood at the head of the table and carved the roast. Everyone praised Mrs. Anderson for such a wonderful job. Soon plates were full, and the family was busy eating as much as their stomachs would allow.
To Robert, every mouthful was a pleasurable sensation. He'd never tasted food this good before. When the meal was over, everyone sat around the table with that over-stuffed, sleepy feeling one gets when they've enjoyed too much good food.
Julie's grandmother tapped her spoon against her wine glass. The crystal rang. "As you know, this is our fifty-fourth wedding anniversary. Fifty-four wonderful years, full of good and not-so-good times. But what keeps a marriage together is love, and that turns a marriage into a family. Now I know you children think this tradition is foolish, but it's to make you aware of your happiness. And a happy family is more important than an expensive gift. Ashley."
Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy) Page 11
