by J. L. Perry
“Are you still close with your father?” I ask.
“No, not really. He has his new family now. I always felt like I was in the way once my sisters came along.”
I don’t know what to say about that, so I don’t say anything. But hearing about her situation only makes me feel for her more. No wonder she’s running away; she has nobody else to turn to.
This time when we reach the B&B, Ryan doesn’t ask me if I want him to come in, he just does. Although he’s no longer in uniform—opting instead for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt—it’s kind of embarrassing returning with a police officer. I hate to think what the nice lady I met earlier is going to think. She may not want me to stay here now.
“Mum, it’s me,” he calls out, walking past the front desk and down the hallway towards the back of the house.
Mum?
“I’m in the kitchen,” she calls back.
I can’t believe his mother owns this place. No wonder he was so persistent about me staying here. He stops halfway down the hallway and turns to look at me, gesturing with his hand for me to follow, but I stay frozen to the spot just inside the front door. This whole situation feels weird.
“Ryan, sweetie,” she says a few seconds later, as she enters from a back room.
The smile I see on her face as she approaches him with open arms has me smiling as well. That look of pure love makes me wonder if my own mother was still alive, would she have that same look if she saw me?
She steps back from their embrace, leaving her hands resting on his shoulders. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. What a lovely surprise. Have you eaten?”
Ryan turns his head, glancing at me. “I brought Morgan over. She needs a place to stay tonight.”
“Oh!” His mother’s gaze moves in my direction. “You were in here earlier?” Her smile widens briefly before she zeros in on my eye, then it quickly drops from her face. “Sweetie, your eye.” She lets go of Ryan, briskly moving towards me. “Are you okay?” I remain silent as she lightly places her hands on either side of my face. Deep wrinkles appear on her forehead as she studies my injury. “You poor baby.”
I’m taken aback when she wraps me in her arms, hugging me tight. Although it’s kind of awkward, at the same time, it’s nice. I can’t even remember the last time somebody held me like this. When she finally lets me go, she takes a step back.
“It looks nasty. Come, let me put some ice on it.”
Moving her hand down to my upper arm, she gently leads me down the hallway from where she just came. Ryan is smiling as he steps back, allowing us to pass. I’m grateful his mother didn’t ask what happened, but I have a sinking feeling the questions will come eventually.
She sits me down on one of the dining chairs as she busies herself in the kitchen, grabbing what she needs. I’m so engrossed in watching her, I don’t even notice that Ryan took the seat beside me until he places his hand on top of mine. Again, I’m surprisingly comfortable with him doing that.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “She means well. She mothers everyone, but I have a feeling she’s exactly what you need right now.”
“I can’t believe she’s your mother,” I whisper through gritted teeth. “Do you send all the town strays here?”
He chuckles at my reply, but it wasn’t meant to be funny. “Only the pretty ones,” he whispers back with a wink. The desperate part of me is nauseatingly overjoyed to hear he thinks I’m pretty, but the cynical part of me wants to kick him under the table. Smug bastard. I narrow my good eye at him before turning my attention back to his mother.
I thank her when she takes the seat on the other side of me and hands me the parcel of ice cubes wrapped in a dampened tea towel. “You really should have a doctor look at that.”
“It’s just a black eye,” I reply, shrugging it off like it isn’t a big deal. I’ve had a couple of them in the past few months, so I know it will heal itself in about a week. Besides, seeing a doctor is only going to lead to more questions, questions I’m not prepared to answer.
His mother opens her mouth to say something else, and I see Ryan shake his head out of the corner of my eye. I’m grateful for that. She clears her throat before standing. “Are you two hungry?”
Her gaze moves between Ryan and me, and I want to say no, but I don’t. The truth is, I’m starving. I had a coffee this morning, but nothing since.
“Food would be great, Mum, thanks,” Ryan says without even giving me a chance to answer.
“Is there anything you can’t eat, sweetheart, or don’t like?” she asks, focusing her attention back on me. I want to say, ‘ask your son since he seems to be thinking for me now,’ but again I refrain.
I loathe brussel sprouts, and I’m not a huge fan of shellfish, but otherwise, there isn’t much I don’t eat. I don’t voice that though, because I don’t want to sound ungrateful. “Anything is fine, Mrs. ….”
“Mitchell. Claire Mitchell, but just call me Claire.” She gives me a sweet smile, which has me smiling also.
“Claire,” I say, repeating her name. It’s pretty, and it suits her.
I can feel Ryan’s penetrating gaze burning into the side of my face, but I pretend to be oblivious to it as I watch Claire cook our food. As awkward as this situation is, I feel strangely comfortable being here with them both.
“Have you known my son long?” Claire asks, placing two folded towels and a nightgown on the bed beside me. Ryan left not long after we ate, promising to return in the morning to escort me to the mechanic’s.
“No. I only met him this afternoon.”
“That’s odd.”
“Really? Why?”
She shrugs her shoulders before speaking. “He’s never brought anyone back here before … well, not anyone he doesn’t know or trust. He’s very guarded like that, and very protective when it comes to me. He’s a great boy; I’m lucky to have him.”
I can’t help but feel envious of their relationship.
“He probably felt guilty for defecting my car,” I say with humour in my voice, although I still don’t think this situation is funny.
She lets out a small laugh. “I know my son well enough to know he’d never be guilted into doing anything he didn’t want to. He can be very stubborn and driven at times, letting nothing or nobody stand in the way of him getting what he wants.”
“Don’t I know it,” I mumble under my breath. He was determined to have me stay in this town, for whatever reason.
There’s an awkward silence before she takes a seat beside me on the bed. “I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but if you ever need anybody to talk to—you know, about what happened—I’m a great listener.”
“Thank you,” I reply, meeting her gaze, “but I’d rather not relive it.”
“Fair enough. The offer is always there if you change your mind.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. And thank you for the ice pack … the food … and a loan of one of your nightgowns.” My eyes move down to the carpet at my feet. My feelings about her earlier today were spot on: she is the sweetest. Ryan is lucky to have a mother like her. It’s a shame I probably won’t see her again after tomorrow. I could use somebody like her in my life.
“You don’t need to thank me.” She stands before continuing. “You’ll find everything you need in the bathroom. Once you’re showered and changed, just place your dirty clothes in the hall outside the door. I’ll have them washed and dried for you by the morning.”
“Thank you so much,” I say, hoping the tone in my voice expresses my gratitude.
“I’m happy to be in a position to help. Many, many years ago, I was exactly where you are.”
I have no idea what she means by that statement, and I don’t query it any further. I’m tired and in desperate need of a shower and some sleep. The sooner tomorrow comes, the better.
“I just want you to know how grateful I am.”
There’s a sympathetic smile on her face as her eyes meet mine. “I think I have a pretty
good idea. Anyway, I’ll let you be. Just sing-out if there’s anything else you need. My room is down the hall.”
“I will, thanks.”
With that, she leaves, and I stand, making my way to the bathroom. I still don’t know how I’m going to afford all this, but thanks to Officer McGorgeous, I’m left with no choice.
For some strange reason I have butterflies in my stomach as I pull up to my mother’s house, which is crazy. It’s not like I’m taking Morgan on a date or anything, I’m just dropping her at the mechanics. I’ve known her for less than a day, and she’s already getting under my skin.
“Mum,” I call out after entering the house.
“I’m in the kitchen, honey,” she replies. “I’m making breakfast.”
I can smell the delicious aroma of bacon before I even enter, but my mind isn’t on food, it’s on a certain pretty blonde. My eyes scan the room upon entering, and disappointment floods me when I see she isn’t here. “Where’s Morgan?” I ask. I hope she hasn’t taken off again.
“She getting changed, so she’ll be down soon. I washed her clothes so she’d have something clean to wear.”
“Thanks for looking after her last night,” I say, closing the distance between us and placing a soft kiss on her cheek.
“I’m not one to pry, but what’s Morgan’s story?”
“I’m still trying to figure that one out.”
“Is it a police matter?” she asks, raising an eyebrow. “It’s unlike you to get personally involved in a case.”
“I know, but there’s something about her ….” My words drift off because I’m still trying to wrap my own head around all this.
“You like her, don’t you?” she asks, as a smile creeps onto her face.
I shrug, because I can’t really answer that one. “I just … I think she’s in the same situation we were, you know, with Keith.” The mere mention of my stepfather’s name has her bowing her head. I hate that he still has an effect on her after all these years.
“I had a feeling that was the case, but I was hoping I was wrong. Poor girl. I ran into her in the hallway last night when she was putting her dirty clothes out. She was dressed in the nightgown I lent her, which revealed the bruises on her neck, like somebody had tried to strangle her.”
“What? Shit! I noticed the one on her wrist, but not her neck.”
“The top she was wearing was covering it.”
“I need to get to the bottom of this. I’m hoping I can get her to stick around for a while. She’ll be safe here.”
“Oh, Ryan,” she says, placing her hand on my cheek. “I’m not sure that is a good idea.”
“Why? Where would we be now if it weren’t for the help we got from this town? Plus, it’s my job.”
“I know how much you love your job, but as a mother I’ll always worry. You have no idea how unstable this person is.”
“Who, Morgan?”
“No, the person who did this to her.”
“He can’t be much worse than Keith. Besides, I’m not a kid anymore. I feel we owe it to her, Mum. It’s a way of paying it forward. This town saved us in more ways than one.”
“What if she doesn’t want your help?”
“I at least need to try. I ….” The conversation ends abruptly when Morgan enters the room.
“Morning,” she says in a shy voice, and a smile immediately breaks out across my face. Fuck me if this girl doesn’t make my heart race with just one look.
“Morning.”
“Morning, sweetheart,” my mother quickly follows. “How did you sleep?”
“Better than I thought I would.” Despite her injuries, she really is breathtaking. There may even be a slight improvement in her eye, but it’s hard to tell from here.
“Sit, you two,” my mother says, gently nudging me in the side.
“What?” I mouth to Mum when Morgan turns and heads towards the table.
“Stop staring at her like that,” she whispers. “You’re going to make the poor girl feel self-conscious.”
Ignoring her, I take my seat at the table as well. I need to get this shit under control. I’m pretty sure I was just staring at her like a besotted fool.
“I’m flat out this morning,” Joe, the mechanic, says, scratching his head. “Hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze it in later this afternoon.”
“This afternoon?” Morgan replies, and the disappointment in her voice is evident. I don’t know why that stings, but it does. She really is in a hurry to get out of here.
“It’s the best I can do,” he replies. “I’m sorry I can’t get it done sooner for you.”
“All good, Joe,” I say, cutting in. “We appreciate you squeezing us in with such short notice. I know how busy you are.”
“I’m being selfish, I’m sorry,” Morgan whispers from beside me. My heart goes out to her when she bows her head. Her life is in disarray, and given her circumstances, she has every right to feel such desperation.
“Just give me a buzz when it’s ready,” I say to Joe. “You have my number.” Unlike Morgan, I’m not disappointed by this delay. It’ll give me some time to try and convince her to stick around for a while. She won’t be safe out there on her own.
“Can I get the cheapest tyres you have?” Her face flushes a pretty shade of pink as her eyes dart to me, before focusing back on Joe. “I don’t have a lot of money.”
“Don’t worry,” Joe replies. “I’ll look after you. Any friend of Ryan’s is a friend of mine.”
I see a smile tug on her lips before she speaks. “Thank you.” I feel so much for her and the situation she now finds herself in.
“Come,” I say. “We can go get a coffee or something.”
“Thanks anyway, but I’ll just stay here with my car.”
The tone of her voice tells me she’s still upset with me for defecting her car, but in time, I hope she’ll see I did it for her own good.
“Your car won’t be ready for hours. I have the morning off; maybe I can show you around town and introduce you to some of the locals.”
She blows out a frustrated breath and—call me weird—I find her sassiness cute.
“Do you happen to have a public phone box in town? I need to make a call and my iPhone is flat. I don’t have a charger with me.”
I immediately wonder who it is she needs to contact and pray it’s not that fucker, Wade. Maybe she just wants to let her family or a friend know she’s okay.
“I have an iPhone charger in my desk back at the station. We can head there first if you like.” I’m surprised how happy I feel at the prospect of spending more time with her.
“That would be great,” she replies, trying to suppress her smile. She has a beautiful smile; she shouldn’t hide it.
“It’s a beautiful spring day,” I state, shoving my hands into my pockets as we head down the main street. My eyes flicker to her neck for the umpteenth time since my mum told me about the bruises there. But like yesterday, she has the small collar on her top raised, and it’s buttoned all the way. I hope I’ll be able to make some progress with her today, getting her to trust me enough to open up about what she’s been through.
“It is. It’s such a lovely area,” she says, turning slightly to admire the view of the rolling green mountains in the distance. “Do you like living here? It is so quaint and quiet. There wouldn’t be a lot to keep someone your age amused.”
“I’m easily pleased,” I say with a shrug. “Some people would think living and working in a small rural town would be isolating, but to be honest, I feel like I’m living the dream. For me, life doesn’t get any better than this.”
The smile on her face shows she is pleased with my answer.
It only takes a few minutes to arrive at the police station, and I’m relieved to find it unattended. It saves me having to explain Morgan.
Things work differently out here in the country, and there’s usually only one of us on shift at a time. The senior sergeant, Frank McDonald, or “Macca,” a
s he’s more commonly known, is in charge. He was just a young constable when I first moved to the town, but over the years he’s become like a father to me. The compassion and kindness the local law enforcement showed my mother and me all those years ago was the main reason I decided to become a police officer.
After unlocking the front door of the old colonial sandstone building, I place my hand on the small of Morgan’s back, leading her inside. The place is tiny, and was originally built as a school back in the late part of the seventeenth century, but it’s enough for a small town with a population of just over three hundred people.
“You can use the landline to make your call.” I point to it as I speak. “You just need to dial zero to get a dial tone.”
“I don’t know the number, it’s in my phone.”
“Pass it here,” I say, opening the drawer and retrieving the charger. She’s hesitant at first, but eventually hands it to me. I feel anger when I see the screen is smashed, which is silly. She may have just dropped it. It’s an old version so she’s probably had it for years. Given her circumstances though, I instinctively suspect the worst. After plugging it into the wall socket, I place it down on the desk before pulling my own phone out of my pocket and punching in the password to unlock it. “You can search for the number you need on my phone if you like.”
“I just need to call my work and let them know I won’t be in today … or probably ever.” She sighs before continuing. “I really liked that job too.” I feel bad for her. I remember how hard it was for me when I was a kid.
There’s still a slight shake in her hands as she types the information into my phone, but it has calmed down considerably since yesterday. She has every reason to be a nervous wreck, and it sickens me. Any man who thinks it is okay to raise a hand to a woman is a weak, pathetic bastard in my eyes.
“Leaving your entire life behind and starting again isn’t easy.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” she says, looking up from the screen.
I shrug, because I’m not sure I’m ready to divulge that information. But when she gives me a confused look, the words just come flooding out.
