by Mj Fields
Brody grabbed her and hugged her, ���Okay Em, I get it.���
���You better,��� she began to shake, ���I need you to talk to me, I can���t do this without you.���
���You don���t have to, I���m sorry,��� he kissed the top of her head and rested his chin on top of it.
���I want you to tell me when you���re angry. I want you to be able to vent to me, but don���t you walk away from me anymore,��� Emma whispered.
���I promise I won���t, I promise,��� he held her and swayed back and forth slightly, and she eventually calmed down.
���Alright, it���s a beautiful day, and we should be out there with them. Tonight we need to talk,��� Emma pulled away.
���About?��� Brody wiped her tears and smiled gently at her.
���The third drawer Brody,��� she looked up and shook her head.
He smiled shyly and looked down at her, ���You sure?���
���I am,��� Emma said closing her eyes.
* * *
Emma was doing dishes when she heard someone come up behind her, ���Is Lexi asleep already?���
���It���s Maddox, sorry,��� Maddox stood next to her.
���Oh, I thought it was your Dad,��� Emma smiled.
Emma looked at him, and he appeared to be trying hard to figure something out.
���Do you think it would be alright if I go outside for a bit?��� He asked looking up at the ceiling avoiding eye contact.
���It���s dark out there; let me finish up and������ Emma began to offer.
���No, it was silly,��� Maddox started to turn away.
���Oh, no you don���t. You and your father are going to drive me crazy. Just spill it,��� Emma said grabbing his hand, smiling.
He looked at her and let out a held breath and looked uncomfortable. Maddox took a deep breath and looked at Emma. His brows creased and he exhaled again and closed his eyes. His body stiffened and he opened his eyes, ���No.���
���Oh, I���m sorry,��� Emma said and let go of his hand, ���Maddox, you know I was joking right?���
���Yes I do,��� Maddox said. He stood against the counter and scratched his head looking down at the floor.
Maddox was uncomfortable. He concentrated on breathing steady as he tried to figure out how to ask for help. It was not something he was used to doing. He learned to take care of himself and learned quickly that asking for help made him look weak. Looking weak caused unwanted attention and pain ��� so much pain.
Emma was unsure of what to do for him, so she just stood and waited for him to talk, and eventually he did.
���It bothered me today that London at eight can ride a bicycle, and I can’t. That���s all,��� he finally looked up.
Emma smiled sadly, ���It upset Brody that you never had the opportunity to learn. We ordered a bike today, and it should be here soon.���
���Yours is fine, it���s just���I was rather embarrassed,��� Maddox looked quickly up and then back to the ground.
���Maddox, when London learned to ride her bike, I had to hold the seat and run behind her for hours until she could balance. There were lots of scratches and bumps. She was taught and it took time, no one gets it right away. Is that why you wanted to go outside?��� Emma asked smiling slightly.
���Yes, but������ Maddox began.
���But nothing, let’s go, just you and I,��� Emma turned on the outside lights and they walked outside.
���Let���s do this,��� she grinned.
���I���m a little uncomfortable with this,��� Maddox admitted.
���Well, tough,��� Emma laughed, ���I was uncomfortable being taught by my eight year old how to play piano, and I admittedly suck at it, but I did it. You want this, let���s go.���
���I do,��� Maddox tried not to smile, ���Alright then.���
* * *
Brody walked downstairs and looked in the kitchen for Emma. He looked in the living room, family room, and bathroom. His heart raced as he ran up the stairs. London was asleep in Lexington���s room where she had agreed to stay. She had told him she wanted to stay in there in case Lexi got scared. Brody knew it was because she was still frightened from the night he was arrested. He opened Maddox���s door and peeked in. His bedside light was on, but he wasn���t there.
Brody raced down the stairs and into the office, ���Clive, where are Emma and Maddox?���
���Emma was in the kitchen������ Clive began and saw Brody���s face.
Clive jumped up and turned on the surveillance monitors.
Brody ran out the door and began yelling for them.
���Brody, they���re here, it���s fine,��� Clive ran into the kitchen.
���Where?��� He snapped.
Clive pointed out the window. Brody saw Emma and Maddox laughing as she let go of the bicycle seat. Emma was clapping and cheering as he took off down the driveway.
Brody walked out the door as Emma began running towards him yelling, ���Brakes, Maddox brakes! SHIT!���
Brody and Emma ran to the tree that Maddox had run into. They got to him at the same time, ���Are you okay?���
Maddox opened his eyes and nodded his head quickly up and down.
���Thank God,��� Brody said hugging him.
Maddox sat up, ���I can���t breathe.���
���Damn it, where are you hurt?��� Brody said looking him over.
���No, you���re squishing me,��� Maddox smiled and looked at Emma.
���You did it,��� she said smiling.
Maddox looked back, ���I went pretty far.���
���You did,��� she smiled broadly, ���Are you sure you���re okay?���
���I���m pretty good. Wow, I went pretty far. I think I did alright! Well, except the hitting the tree part,��� Maddox laughed and stood up, ���I want to do it again.���
���Maddox���maybe tomorrow,��� Brody began.
���Good God Brody, leave him alone! Let���s go Maddox,��� Emma laughed and held the bike, ���Ready?���
Maddox laughed and nodded his head.
���Go,��� she said as she ran behind him and let go.
Maddox laughed and looked back at Emma and Brody. He started to fall and put his feet down, catching himself. He cheered and put his hands up in the air triumphantly as Emma and Brody clapped and cheered.
���Go help your boy,��� Emma smiled at Brody.
���You���re sure?��� Brody asked, ���I mean������
���You���ll do fine. Just let go when he seems steady enough, go!��� Emma laughed.
After a few times up and down the driveway, Maddox was doing it alone.
Emma went inside ahead of them and grabbed them each a drink and made them a tomato and cheese sandwich. It was eleven at night, but she knew they would be hungry after all of that exertion.
Brody and Maddox walked in, laughing and talking, ���I made you both sandwiches,��� Emma sat them on the breakfast bar.
���Good job, wench,��� Brody said and smacked her bottom.
Emma gasped.
He looked down and tried not to smile.
���Brody,��� Emma scolded him.
���What, Love?��� Brody looked up from his sandwich at Emma and smiled.
Emma looked shocked.
���Would yo
u like some of this Em?���
���No, Brody but you…Brody you can���t ������ Emma looked at Maddox and he was biting his cheeks again, ���You know that it���s not okay to call a woman a wench, right Maddox? Or to hit her on the butt.���
���Yes,��� he choked out.
���Em come on, Maddox, it was a joke. She���s my wife and she���s never been up������ Brody looked at Emma, and she scowled. He rolled his eyes, ���Oh fine, Maddox that was wrong. I shouldn���t have.���
���I understand,��� Maddox smiled and took a bite of his sandwich.
Emma walked into the hall and heard them both start to laugh. She shook her head and walked up the stairs.
* * *
Brody walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed and whispered, ���You asleep, Em?���
���I was, I think I was. I…Is everything okay? Is Maddox okay?��� She asked sitting up.
���He is. Thank you for tonight by the way. You���re amazing with him,��� Brody kissed her nose, ���He���s still awake, probably has that triumphant teenage boy air about him.���
���I can���t believe you have a fifteen year old son,��� Emma smiled, ���Unbelievable.���
���Em, if I���d never met you I���d never have found out,��� Brody flopped back on the bed.
Emma smiled ran her fingers through his hair, ���Tired?���
���Exhausted, why what did you have in mind?��� Brody winked.
���Well we were supposed to talk about������ Emma stopped when she saw his eyes getting heavy. ���You are tired.���
Brody sat up, ���Sorry, seriously unlike me. I haven���t been able to sleep since���well since I���ve come home, and I���m a mess, I need a shower.���
There was a knock on the door.
���Come in,��� Brody said and stood up.
���Hi, I was wondering…I wanted to thank you Emma,��� Maddox smiled, ���I mean Mom.���
Brody patted him on the back, ���I am going to shower, and I���ll be quick.���
���Sit down,��� Emma patted the bed.
Brody took off his socks and threw them in the laundry basket and laughed, ���These are foul.���
He took off his shirt, and Maddox saw his back; the scars from being whipped, and from the stab wounds, before Brody shut the bathroom door behind him.
���Maddox, are you alright?��� Emma whispered.
���Who did that to him?��� He gasped.
���Oh Maddox, it���s a particularly long story������ Emma stopped when she saw tears in his eyes.
They sat silently for a long time.
���Did she do that to him?��� Maddox voice was so soft she almost didn���t hear him.
Brody came out of the bathroom and smiled, ���You sleeping in here?���
���Did she do that to you?��� Maddox said louder.
Brody looked confused.
���Your back, he saw your back,��� Emma looked at him sadly.
���No, I don���t think so. I really don���t remember, long story. But I���m fine,��� Brody smiled and threw on a shirt, ���See? All gone.���
Maddox gulped, trying to calm himself down. Emma touched his hand softly, ���Maddox ��� we���re all going to be fine.���
���Do you actually believe that?��� He snapped.
���Hey Maddox,��� Brody sat next to him, ���She does or she wouldn���t have said it, alright?���
Maddox looked nervous.
Emma looked at Brody, ���Its fine Brody, he���s upset.���
���I get that. I pulled the same shit this morning, Maddox,��� Brody smiled, ���I was extremely upset that���well I was upset. Em reminded me that we need to be strong. So let’s just do that for each other. We���re family.���
Maddox looked at Emma, ���I didn���t mean������ and his lip began to quiver.
���I know,��� Emma smiled, ���It is completely understandable that you may get upset.���
���But unacceptable that I would treat you like that, I apologize,��� Maddox stood up, ���Good night.���
���Hey wait a minute. I thought you were staying in here,��� Emma smiled, ���I was going to go stay with London and Lexi for a while. Stay with your Dad.���
���Watch some TV?��� Brody asked as he moved over.
���Just a little, it���s late and you���re both tired. Love you both, good night,��� Emma shut the door behind her.
CHAPTER THREE
Brody walked out of the bathroom, and Maddox looked up at him with wide eyes. Brody smiled, ���What���s up?���
���The news. I saw some of the news, they showed our photos and some video clips,��� Maddox looked scared.
���What kind of video Maddox?��� Brody swallowed hard.
���Of you, and ������ Maddox stopped and looked nervous.
Brody���s phone rang, and he answered, ���Lila.���
���Brody we have a problem������ Lila took a deep breath.
���Yes, I heard. My son was watching fuc���television and���what video Lila?��� Brody sneered.
���The Zorro one, Brody this is NOT good. But at least it was a PG version,��� Lila tried to calm him down.
���How the fuck is any of that PG, Lila?!��� He yelled. He looked over at Maddox who looked back at the television. Brody watched.
���British rocker Brody Hines was missing for almost a year, his whereabouts were unknown. We received dated sex videos today. Now folks, I have to tell you this isn���t something you want your children to see,��� Bob Burbanks laughed.
The video rolled. ���Maddox, please don���t watch this,��� Brody said.
���I already saw it,��� Maddox said looking down.
���Lila!��� Brody snapped, ���What the fuck are you going to do about this?!���
Emma walked in the bedroom, ���What���s going on?���
���Lila, Em just walked in. I have to go,��� Brody closed his eyes.
���Hold on Brody, we need to set up an interview. Tomorrow at your place to tell your side of the story. This will all work out,��� Lila said reassuringly.
���No, Lila,��� Brody snapped.
���There���s no other way. Talk to Emma and text me back ASAP,��� Lila hung up.
���Em, videos have been released,��� Brody took her hand, ���Maddox, it���s not what you think okay?���
Maddox looked at Emma, confused, ���Are you involved in���did you know about������
���Oh Maddox,��� Emma tried to hug him. He moved quickly up the bed, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face in his knees.
���Maddox,��� Brody sat on the bed, ���Emma knew nothing of this.���
���Then you,��� Maddox snapped, ���Did you hurt children or women or������ Emma sat next to Maddox and looked at Brody, who appeared terrified and confused.
���No, Maddox, of course not, never,��� Brody looked at Emma. She continued, ���Remember I told you it was a long story and we shouldn���t talk about it?��� Maddox nodded his head yes, ���Okay, well…we wanted to protect you from the ugliness in the world Maddox������
��
���I lived it Emma, I know what that is!��� Maddox yelled, ���I heard the cries at night from those children. I know what he was doing to them, so don���t try to protect me from that shit! And don���t tell me he wasn���t involved!���
���Maddox, you saw the scars. He was drugged, he didn���t do any of this willingly,��� Emma hugged him, and he cried.
���I felt safe here,��� he whimpered.
���Maddox, we will keep you safe. Please son, believe me when I tell you I would never hurt anyone intentionally, especially not my family,��� Brody sat and looked down.
���Okay, the whole story Maddox?��� Emma asked.
Maddox looked up and wiped his face, ���Please!��� he cried almost pleadingly.
Brody looked at Emma and sighed. Emma smiled sadly at him. Brody started the story off at when he and Henry went to find Elizabeth and did his best to give an age appropriate explanation. He told him about being drugged and not remembering Emma except for the dreams and that when he saw her his memories began flooding back.
���The marks on your back?��� Maddox asked.
���I was drugged, abused, beaten, and stabbed,��� Brody smiled, ���But I���m fine now.���
���You have to tell them Dad. The news is making you look like������ Maddox stopped.
���A freak?��� Brody laughed.
���Well I was going to say perv, but freak works,��� Maddox visibly relaxed.
���We need to be careful though Maddox. We���re doing what we can to figure it all out, okay?��� Emma smiled, ���May I hug you now?���
