Stepbrother

by Stacy McWilliams

  “I’m okay, Coop. Honestly, my brain’s a little scrambled, but I’m fine. I promise.”

  I tentatively reached over and patted his knee, squeezing as he pulled over. He thumped the steering wheel and ripped off his seat belt. I sat back watching in shock as he hit the steering wheel again, then stormed out of the car.

  “Cooper,” I called out, trying to find out what was going on with him, but he ignored me completely and raced down the road. I let myself out of my seat belt and opened the door. As I stood up the ground rushed at me, but I managed to just about stay standing. He was a little way from me, and we were hidden behind a group of trees. I began to walk slowly towards him but stopped when I saw him punching the trunk of a tree.

  “Bailey, get back in the fucking car!” he shouted as I moved towards him.

  “No, stop that. What did that poor tree ever do to you?” I tried to joke, but it didn’t work, and his shoulders stiffened. He hit the tree harder as my feet dragged towards him.

  “Bailey, leave,” he hissed out as I reached him. I shook my head and placed my hand on his arm. At my touch, all of the fight left him, and he dropped to his knees.

  “Bailey,” he whispered and grabbed my hand, pulling me down so I was sitting beside him. “Can you, like, not tell our parents that I hit you with a ball on the head?” His face turned red with shame and he stared down at the ground. His shoulders shook and I got it; he was worried about his dad’s reaction to hearing that. He would probably beat the shit out of him.

  I pressed my lips to his forehead and mumbled, “Of course I won’t.” He vibrated against me and slipped his arms around my waist.

  “I did it on purpose though. I was so angry that David had his hand on your ass and I just lost it. I didn’t mean for it to hit you; I wanted to hit the wall beside you and give you a scare.” He paused as my body stiffened and I pulled away from him. I couldn’t believe he’d done that on purpose to me.

  “Bailey, wait, please.” His tone was small, and his eyes found mine, pleading with me.

  “No. Take me home, right now!” My fury echoed and made him lean back away from me.

  I stood up and stalked back to the car. I didn’t stop and didn’t look back, throwing myself into my seat and buckling in. It began to rain and after a few minutes, Coop followed me. I didn’t speak to him the rest of the way home even though he tried to get me to speak. He touched my hand as we went to get out of the car and I snatched my hand away, slamming the door closed behind me. My anger dissipated as we reached the door from the garage.

  Shawn was standing, watching us, and he looked furious. Cooper stood frozen by his car and I turned and looked at him as he swallowed before moving slowly towards us. I turned back around as Shawn spoke.

  “Bailey, the school called. Are you okay, honey?” He reached out to touch me and I recoiled hitting Coop as I stepped back.

  “I’m fine. It was an accident and I’m not hurt.”

  I stepped away from Coop and Shawn stared at me.

  “Fine, you are dismissed. Be back down here at six sharp for dinner. Cooper, follow me, we need to talk.” Shawn walked away and Coop brushed by me as he followed his dad. I walked beside them towards the stairs and brushed my hand against Coop’s arm when Shawn had turned up the stairs. Coop glanced down at me and there was real terror in his expression. He didn’t stop moving and walked into his father’s office with his back straight and shoulders squared.

  I began moving slowly up the stairs as I heard the first blow. My body shuddered as each blow hit and it rattled inside me. I kept going as more blows fell and rushed into my room. I didn’t think Coop deserved what his dad was doing to him, but I was still mad at him.

  I heard his dragging footsteps a short while later and I opened the door. His tearstained face was turned down towards the floor, but as my door opened his eyes shot to mine. He pressed his finger to his lips and pointed at the stairs. His meaning was clear, his dad was standing at the bottom of the stairs. I nodded at him and turned back into my room, walking into the bathroom and going for a shower.

  After my shower I walked out and went over to my jewelry box, picking out the leather necklace from Coop. I tied it on and put on a simple black shift dress with high black silver pumps. I styled my hair down so my curls hung loosely down my back. As I was putting my makeup on, there was a knock at my door and Coop entered in a dark suit. He had a green silk tie on and a brown shirt.

  His eyes widened as he took me in, and he moved almost unconsciously towards me. He paused halfway into my room and backed up. “My dad wants to see you before we go out.” I turned away from him, and he saw the necklace sitting around my neck. His face lit up in a smile as he stared at me. I moved towards him and gave him a small hug. His body tensed and I dropped my arms stepping back from him.

  “Bailey, wait, it’s not…” He shook his head and whispered, “Never mind. Just hurry, okay?” I nodded without looking at him and heard the door close. I finished applying my makeup with shaking hands and my way downstairs to find Shawn. I knocked on his office door with shaking hands, but there was no answer.

  Voices floated up to me from downstairs, so I followed the sound of them and walked into the family room to see everyone gathered there. It was five minutes to six and all eyes turned on me as I walked in. Shawn’s mouth popped open, and he marched towards me with narrowed eyes.

  “Oh hell no. Go back upstairs and get changed now.” His voice was ice cold and furious which made me nervous.

  I took a step back from him and my mom moved towards him muttering, “She looks lovely, calm down, dear.” The dress was knee-length and square across the chest. Coop was looking at his knee, fidgeting with a bit of lint, and Zane was staring at his cell.

  Shawn relaxed as he stared at my mom murmuring, “Of course she does, my apologies, Bailey.” I smiled in response and my mom glared at me behind his back as they led the way to the cars.

  My mom and Shawn climbed into his new silver SUV and started to drive to the restaurant.

  “Your mom convinced him to let us go to a party after dinner with them. Stay with Coop or me at the party,” Zane spoke in a low voice in my ear. “Coop’s driving you.” He shoved me towards Cooper’s car and smiled at me, before climbing into his black Merc. I moved towards the car and Coop looked up smiling. “Bailey, you look gorgeous.”

  I smiled at him in response and my eyes lingered a moment on his. As soon as Zane’s car pulled out, Coop opened his door and took a deep breath.

  “You okay over there,” I asked him in a quiet voice, and he nodded, gritting his teeth as he sat down in the car. I climbed in and glanced over at him. His face was hard and emotionless.

  He drove to the restaurant and got out of the car like a robot. I’d jumped from the car as soon as we’d stopped and walked around it. I glanced back at Coop, but aside from the tightening of his eyes as he approached me, he displayed no outward sign that he was in pain. We moved towards the restaurant together and Abbi walked over to Coop. Her eyes narrowed at me as I stared in astonishment at her.

  David appeared by my side as we walked through the door, and he took my hand. I smiled up at him and wondered if anything could be more awkward. I had feelings for Coop, and he for me, but we couldn’t be together; his dad was a complete psycho and refused to even let us be friends. As we reached the table, Zane was sitting beside one of his friends. Her name was Clara and she was a pretty girl with long dark hair, dark green eyes, and an hourglass figure. I smiled over at her and gave her a small wave as David pulled out my chair. I was sitting beside Abbi, across from my mom with David on my other side. Shawn was opposite David and Zane was opposite Cooper.

  I didn’t know what to say or how to react to the situation, so I said nothing, staring down at my menu. I hadn’t spoken in ten minutes and hadn’t looked at anyone other than David since we arrived when my mom cleared her throat.

  “Cooper and Zane, I want to thank you for accepting me and Bailey into your home a
nd being so nice to us. We really feel at home and like part of the family. Bailey, Shawn has had the most wonderful idea, he wants to adopt you so you will really be part of the family and have the same name as us all. What do you think?” My ears rang, and my head throbbed.

  No! NO! NO. Absolutely not, my mind was screaming at me, but I didn’t know how to get it out diplomatically when Coop spoke. “That is such bullshit.” His voice carried and I looked at him in surprise, he didn’t usually speak out. “She’s got a dad and you only want to adopt her so you can control her more.”

  Shawn slammed his fist down on the table and glared at Cooper, and my mom spoke up in a deadly voice.

  “Shawn, what does he mean, control her?” Shawn shook his head and turned towards my mom with fire in his eyes.

  “Nothing, he means nothing.” My mom looked at me and I shrunk back, desperate to get away from the table and the fight that was coming.

  “Bailey, say something?” my mom pleaded with me.

  “What does Cooper mean?” She stared at me and I stood up.

  “I need to use the bathroom; I can’t do this. Shawn, thank you for your very kind offer, but I’m happy being a Walker.” I moved down the table and Coop grabbed my wrist.

  “Bailey, tell your mom or I will.”

  My eyes narrowed on his and I tried to pull my wrist away when he tugged on it again.

  “Please, Bailey?” I knew he would never forgive me if I didn’t speak up and my hand shook in his. My voice shook as I spoke.

  “Mom, can you come with me, please?” Coop squeezed my wrist gently and dropped my hand. My mom nodded and followed me to the bathroom on the other side of the restaurant. I walked by patrons having a great time and glanced around at the dark wooden walls, red-checkered tablecloths and wine bottles with candles in them.

  As soon as we were in the bathroom my mom turned on me.

  “Bailey, what the hell has been going on? Since when are you and Cooper so close?” Her eyes narrowed at me and I sucked in a breath.

  “Mom, Shawn’s hit me, on more than one occasion.” She shook her head and she looked nauseated as she stared at me.

  “I don’t believe it. You are just upset; you have been since we moved here. Shawn’s been nothing but nice to you.”

  My voice was smaller as I continued.

  “He hits the boys too.” She shook her head and glared at me. I didn’t see her hand coming towards me, but I felt the sharp sting as it hit my cheek.

  “How could you lie like that, for a boy? What did he promise you?” I held my cheek and glared at her.

  “He promised me nothing and I’m not lying. Look.” I lifted the bottom of my dress up my thighs where the bruising was.

  “Oh my god.” Her face paled as she stared at the marks on the tops of my thighs. “I feel sick.” I patted her arm. “What did you do?” Typical of my mom, something was wrong, so it was clearly my fault.

  “I asked him to stop hurting Cooper and he grabbed my arm and took me to his study where he hit me with his belt. Mom, I do not want that man to adopt me. I’m sorry. I know you love him, but I can’t…”

  My voice shook and my mom straightened her shoulders, and marched out of the bathroom, leaving me standing in the middle of the empty room. I followed after her a few seconds later and saw David standing waiting for me.

  “Hey, are you okay?” His voice was soft with concern and I nodded at him, wanting to get back to our table.

  “I need to make sure everything is okay.” I rushed towards the table, but no one was there.

  As I glanced around, I heard a commotion outside and flew towards the door. What I saw when I got outside stopped my heart. Coop was lying on the ground with his hands over his face while Shawn kicked him in the stomach. My mom watched frozen, but I couldn’t watch. I jumped in and caught the next kick with my leg.

  There was a loud cracking sound and I went down, hard on my sore leg. A scream escaped me and my body shuddered on the ground. Suddenly there were flashing lights surrounding us. Shawn spoke to the police officers telling them about the imaginary muggers who’d attacked us. The manager of the restaurant came out while he was talking and spoke to the police officers, telling them what had really happened.

  Shawn was arrested and taken away as an ambulance arrived. Coop was put into the back and as the EMTs worked over me, strapping my leg up, I just wanted to know if he was okay and I asked them constantly. We were taken to the ER separately, and I was in the cubicle next to him, but he wouldn’t talk to me.

  After my X-rays and my temporary cast was set, I tried to hobble next door, but Zane walked out with his face pinched.

  “He doesn’t want to see you, Bailey.” His eyes were kind, but his face was tense. He ushered me back into my cubicle and tears rolled down my face because Coop didn’t want to see me. After a few hours sitting by myself, waiting to be discharged, I hobbled over to the crutches that had been delivered to me an hour earlier.

  I left and bumped into the orderlies as they moved Coop. His face was a mess, and he stared dejectedly at the ceiling. My gasp of surprise drew his eyes to me, and they narrowed. The look he gave me chilled me to the bone. One of his eyes was swollen shut and his lip was split in two. He stared at me for a second and then looked back up at the ceiling.

  “Coop,” I called softly, and his shoulders stiffened, followed by a hiss of breath. The tears that rolled down my cheeks and off my chin ran unchecked. Zane shrugged at me and followed him, leaving me alone. My breath left me in a huff, and I turned back to the cubicle, destroyed by the look on Coop’s and his obvious pain.

  After another half an hour Zane returned and told me that the doctors had been waiting for him to discharge me.

  “We can go now, Bailey,” he said as soon as he arrived. “Coop’s in for a few days, so we can head out now.” I nodded at him, drying my eyes on my sleeve, and he passed over my crutches.

  As we passed through the doors out into the ER, Abbi stormed over to me and slapped me across the face.

  “This is all your fault. Why didn’t you just tell your mom what was going on?”

  My back stiffened and I spat at her, “What do you mean this is my fault? Why would you say that?”

  She glared at me and said viciously, “I’m not the only one saying it. Coop blames you too, he texted me and said if you’d just been honest with your mom instead of being a scared little bitch, then he wouldn’t be here right now.”

  It would have hurt less if she’d stabbed me. Tears stung my eyes again, but it at least explained why he wouldn’t speak to me and why he didn’t want to see me. I opened my mouth to speak when Zane spoke again.

  “Abbi, that’s out of line. Cooper is just angry and hurt, but his anger is misdirected, and Bailey isn’t to blame.”

  Zane stepped around me as I moved away from her, but I didn’t even manage two steps.

  “I’ll never forgive you for putting him in here,” she muttered with her hand on my arm. She squeezed so hard I squirmed, but I was too numb to do anything more. Zane walked over and removed her hand from me.

  “Leave, Abbi.” He stood between Abbi and me and walked us outside.

  The dam broke as we reached his black Merc and I burst into tears again as I tried to climb in when Zane pulled me into his arms. “Shh, Bailey, it’s okay. He’s just hurt and angry at everything that happened. He’ll get over it though. He needs someone he can take his anger out on and you’re an easier target than our father.”

  As we arrived home the house was in darkness and I climbed awkwardly into bed, wincing and trying for hours to get comfortable. It was a long night and I’d only just gotten to sleep when my mom came into my room to wake me up.

  She dragged me back up to the hospital to visit Cooper, even though I protested that my leg was sore and that I didn’t want to move. She made me go and it was dreadful. He was colder than ever and refused to look at me and I sat as far away from him as possible. Abbi arrived and her glare burned into me as
much as his coldness did. I wanted to leave, and I started to watch the clock to see if the hour was up yet. Each minute felt like an eternity and the atmosphere in the room could have been cut with a knife.

  My mom had gone to speak to Cooper’s doctors and after twenty minutes she hadn’t returned. It felt like elastic bands were tightening on my chest and the longer we sat there the tighter they felt. I could barely breathe, and Zane watched me from the corner of his eye as he sat beside Coop’s bed, doing his best to shield me from view.

  As my mom walked back in, Abbi moved towards me, “accidentally” pouring water on me. Cooper laughed loudly as I squirmed in my soaking wet pants. I wanted to punch her, but my mom’s return stopped me from smacking her on the face.

  “Okay, kids, here’s what happening. Cooper, you are being discharged home tomorrow, but you’ll need to rest and there’ll be no school for you, or Bailey, for a week. Cate’s coming to look after you both.” Her tone was firm and her eyes dark.

  “As for your dad, he failed a mandatory drug test today at the police station and was taken before a judge over at the courthouse. Luckily, it was Marcus Fresham, who is a good friend of your dad’s. He’s been charged with aggravated assault and sentenced to community service and mandatory rehabilitation. He will attend Narcotics Anonymous when he is released and will be drug tested every week for two years Is that okay with all of you?”

  Cooper glanced in my direction and nodded, as did Zane, and I just shrugged. My mom watched us and turned to me.

  “I spoke to Shawn this morning, and he’s horrified at himself. I have warned him if he ever lifts his hands to any of you again, then I’ll leave him and take you all with me.”

  As the silence descended, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I grabbed my crutches and stood up.

  “Mom, I need to get some air.” She glared at me and made me want to sit back down, but I couldn’t, I moved towards the door when Cooper’s voice reached me.