by H. Q. Frost
"You gotta get help, man," his voice wavered while fear made him tremble.
Plenty of fucked up situations daunted him, but nothing like stopping a friend from suicide. A friend he only saw as a catty, self-centered bitch was suffering enough to end her life and suddenly his view of her changed. There was more to Kaitlyn than any of them knew about.
Sniffling, she wiped her tears. "There is no help. My mom doesn't care. She doesn't give a shit about any of us. Friends? God, they're not really my friends. My brother." She paused to cry harder. "I fucking hate him. I wish he was the one who killed himself and not my sister."
"But you have Renee."
"Fuck Renee." She sobbed. "She's more fucked up than I am. You know Boney got her on heroin?" Her makeup-streaked face looked up at him. "She shoots that shit up whenever she goes over there now. She'll be dead within a month. I threatened to tell someone, but without going to the police, there's no-one in our lives to tell that'll do something."
"What about your brother? He'd fuckin' flip if he knew that."
She snorted out her disagreement. "Reese is a piece of shit, Dom."
"He looks out for both of you."
"Yeah, to you guys he says he does, he acts like he does. But when we're in the house and the doors are locked." She looked him in the eyes before dropping her head. "When he sneaks into my room when my mom's asleep. He's not looking out for me." Choking back her sobs she couldn't stop them from bouncing in her chest.
"What?" he whispered not sure if he understood what she was saying.
"Reese is a piece of shit."
"He hit you, Kaitlyn?" Balled fists were shoved under his legs.
"I fucking wish." She began wiping her cheeks but the sobs weren't stopping. Looking into his face again she said, "My brother rapes us, Dom."
"Fuck." The word breathed from his throat as the web of Kaitlyn's life got messier.
Reese was a cool guy, one of the more down to earth people in their circle. He was protective of his sisters, and Dom respected that because he felt the same for his family. Dom had just had a two-hour conversation with him when he bought his truck. Why were there no signs to his perverseness? How did he hide it so well? Why did Dom feel guilty for never realizing?
"Why haven't you told anyone?"
"That's why Geena did it. That's why she killed herself. She told my mom and my mom didn't believe anything she said because Reese is the man of the house. After my dad killed himself, my mom expected Reese to step up. He stepped up." She rolled her eyes and dropped her head again. "Oh god. I don't even want to be alive anymore."
"Go to the cops," he blurted, hoping she'd realize she had options.
"Everyone including my mom would be arrested in that house, Dom. Cops can't fucking help with shit."
"You can't kill yourself, Kaitlyn. You can't stay here with your fucking brother."
"Whatever. Once you leave here you're going to forget I even exist until someone tells you what happened. You don't have to act like you care, Dom. Now you're taking after me and my sister and being fake." With a quiet chuckle she wiped her nose.
"I'm not being fake." He pulled her into a hug. "No-one forgets you exist. You're the only one of those girls I can stand." When she chuckled again, he smiled. "My girlfriend," he said as an idea came to mind.
She pulled back and put her hands up. "Sorry, I won't touch you."
"No. Not that." His arms pulled her back into a hug, hoping it would comfort some of her pain. "Maybe you could talk to my girlfriend."
"Oh my god, no, Dom. Please don't tell people what I told you." When she tried to pull away, he wouldn't let go.
"I'm not telling anyone but you should talk to someone. My girlfriend wants to be a guidance counselor. I think she could help you. At least get you to see killing yourself isn't the answer. If you won't go to the cops about Reese, we'll take care of him."
"You can't," she cried and pulled back. "You can't tell anyone about this, please. And if Reese finds out I told you, he'll fucking lose it."
He wanted to deliver to Reese what he did his mom's boyfriend, because scum like that deserved worse. But without telling Boney what he'd discovered, he wouldn't have his back, and it'd start a war against him.
"I won't. Think about talking to my girlfriend. Or someone."
She lay back in the grass and stared up into the cloudy sky. "I will."
"Kaitlyn." He sighed lying next to her. "What the fuck am I supposed to do? I'm freaked if I leave you're going to kill yourself."
"I—"
"And don't tell me you won't. You wouldn't tell me if you were. And if I leave you here, your fucking brother…" He couldn't go on. He was already fighting the urge to beat down the door and find Reese.
"I don't know what to do either, but if I did, I might have done it. If I had money, I'd just leave." She rolled to face him. "I really don't know what to do anymore."
"Talk to my girlfriend. She's really smart and might be able to help you. Talk to you so you won't be so afraid to stand up to your brother. That shit's fucked up."
"You think I don't know that?" she groaned and he put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down.
"If you'd let me, I'd beat the shit out of him, but I have to tell Boney or there'd be beef."
"Oh god." She whimpered. "I don't want anyone to know. If I promise I'll think about talking to your girlfriend will you not tell anyone?"
"I'm not telling anyone," he assured and closed his eyes to try and clear his tired head.
When he woke up, they were still laying in the grass that was now covered in dew and the sun was up.
"Fuck!" he blurted, bolting to a sitting position and grabbing his dead cellphone from his pocket. "Aw shit," he grumbled then shook Kaitlyn. "Wake up. I don't know what time it is."
"I fell asleep," she mumbled a few times. "Shit, I have to go. We have to go. What time is it?"
"I don't know. My phone's dead. If you can hurry, I'll give you a ride but I have to swing by my house."
"You don't mind?"
"Just hurry. Go wash your face or something," he said, noticing the black makeup rings around her eyes.
While she ran into her house, he ran out to his truck. The outdated radio didn't have a clock and the dash clock died years before.
"Fuck," he groaned covering his eyes.
When she got into the truck, not looking much better than the night before, she said, "It's only seven."
"Fuck. Okay." He looked down at his clothes contemplating if he needed to change. "I gotta bring my brother the phone." The truck engine roared as he pulled away from her house.
Running inside, Jeff was asleep on the couch with the TV blaring.
"Jeff." He shook him awake. "To your room, man. You have to let the phone charge a little bit. Come on." He pulled groggy Jeff up and walked him into his bedroom like he did nightly.
Running for his room, he stripped clothes on his way, leaving them where they fell in a trail down the hall. He wasn't sure what he'd do with Kaitlyn, but he hoped she'd agree to talk to Nyla. And he hoped Nyla would be the help she needed. It seemed to be working for him.
Dom nervously showed up at Nyla's house for dinner on Wednesday like they'd originally planned, before he met her father due to the fight he'd caused.
"Mr. Wood." Dom nodded when Maleek opened the door.
"I hope you like ribs. Nyla went all out for this dinner."
"She didn't have to do that." Managing a smile, he followed Maleek toward the kitchen, hoping dinner would be fast because he needed to talk to her, but he also had to get to work.
A grin filled her face when he walked into the room, and he couldn't help but smile back.
"Hi."
"Hi." He accepted her hug but when she leaned in for a kiss, he turned his head because her dad was in the room.
"Few more minutes, Dad," she said hoping he'd leave them alone until dinner was ready.
Mumbling to himself, Maleek walked into the living room an
d Nyla turned into Dom's arms, pressing her lips to his.
"I missed you," she whispered.
His lips found hers for another soft kiss that offered some relief to his frayed nerves. Not only did he have to face her father after what happened, he left Kaitlyn at his house under Jeff's watch and was desperate for Nyla's help to save his friend. But he couldn't ask for that until he told her everything that had happened. Everything, down to the misleading pictures taken of him.
"I have to talk to you about something. I wanted to come over yesterday after work but I didn't know what time you were at the theater till."
"I was off at midnight. You should have come by."
"Early morning." Releasing her from his arms he sat at the table, immediately removing his baseball hat.
"What do you need to talk about?"
Wringing his hat in his hands, he quietly replied, "Not now. In private."
She spun around to look at him. "What's wrong, Dom?"
"Did you talk to your dad about camping?"
With the idea that he could get Kaitlyn and Nyla together to talk over the weekend, he hoped she wasn't bailing on their camping trip.
"I figured it'd be better if we did it together while we eat." She pushed herself into his arms, sitting on his leg. "I'm nervous about what you want to talk about. You sound so serious." An edgy chuckle came from her to lighten the mood.
"It's about my friend." Looking into her eyes he wished she could see the apology for the pictures he would have to show her.
Before he could go on, Maleek entered the kitchen, waving his hands and grumbling, "Break it up," seeing Nyla draped across Dom.
Popping to her feet, she walked back over to the stove, ready to get dinner out of the way so Dom could tell her what had him looking so troubled.
"Sit down, Dad. Let's eat. Dom's gotta get to work."
Fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence made dinner almost unbearable for Dom and Nyla.
Clearing her throat, she said, "This weekend Dom and a few of his friends are going camping. After work on Saturday, I think I'm gonna go with him."
"You do?" Maleek sneered with annoyance.
"I'm going camping Saturday," she reiterated, taking on a sterner tone.
"If it's okay with you, Sir," Dom spoke up.
"Remember when you used to respect me like that." Maleek's fork pointed toward Dom.
"You can't stop me from hanging out with my friends," she protested.
"You're going to be alone with your boyfriend, Nyla. I'm old, not stupid."
"We haven't even slept together!" she exclaimed.
Dom's fork hit his plate with a clank after her unexpected announcement.
"I've been having sex for a few years, Dad! I'm an adult."
"Shit." Dom huffed, immediately hoping Maleek didn't hear him cuss.
"Shut your mouth, Nyla. You're digging a hole," Maleek warned.
"Nyla." Dom put his hand on her arm.
"This is ludicrous! We're responsible adults! We can be alone together!"
"Not in my house!" Maleek countered.
"No, Sir," Dom uttered.
"I'm not having sex with my boyfriend in your house! That's not even the plan for the weekend, but if it happens, it's a part of human nature! I've been partaking in it since I was eighteen!"
"You think your boyfriend wants to know about your previous romps?" Maleek yelled at her while gesturing to Dom whose head was dropped and eyes on his plate. "You think me, as your father, wants to hear about his little girl being promiscuous?"
"I'm not a little girl." She got to her feet. "I can have sex with whoever I want!"
Dom got to his feet. "I should go. I'm not sleeping with your daughter, Sir." He grabbed his hat from the chair next to him.
"But if he wants to, I will," Nyla spat.
"You never know when to give up, girl. You've scared off your damn boyfriend," Maleek yelled as Dom was headed out the front door.
"Stop treating me like a little girl," she said in desperation before running after Dom. "Dom!" she cried as he got into his truck.
"I have to go." There was time before his shift, but Maleek was right, she didn't know when to give up.
"Wait a minute. Talk to me."
"I can't. Your dad is never going to like me if every time I'm around, you act like that. Fuck, Nyla!" he screamed at her as she got into the truck. "You don't do that shit! You don't tell your dad we're going to sleep together! Fuck!" Frustration shot through him while he thought about everything else she said.
"He treats me like a kid!"
"You're his kid!" he stressed.
"I just want to be treated like an adult."
"You don't act like a damn adult! You act like a spoiled brat!"
"I am not!"
"You act like it. You have to be so stubborn and put your dad in his place! It's called respect for your parent. You need to figure it out."
"Dom!"
"Please get out. I have to go to work."
"You didn't even finish eating."
"I'm not going back in there!" he shouted like she was insane. "Your dad probably wants to cut my dick off! I just want to leave. I'll call you tomorrow."
"Don't leave like this. Please. I'm sorry."
"Apologize to your dad, Nyla, not me!"
"I'll talk to him! Now will you please talk to me?"
He looked over at her and she reached forward trying to smooth his furrowed brows.
"I'm sorry. I lose my cool with him because he thinks he can control me sometimes."
"You're so worried about being a damn adult you don't realize part of that is respect for your dad and his house."
Her mouth popped open but she didn't counter as his words sunk in.
"Just go in and finish your dinner, Nyla," he calmly said, but there was no masking the disappointment caused by her outburst.
"Not until you talk to me. What'd you want to talk about? You said it was something to do with your friend."
He considered telling her he didn't have the time, but he needed her opinion and help sooner rather than later. Not expecting her to understand without getting offended, he pulled her closer to him.
"My friend Kaitlyn."
Her lip curled indicating she remembered the bitchy girls.
"She needs... help. But something happened Sunday night."
About to get comfortable leaning against him, she went stiff hearing his words.
"Jeff was having a party when I got home and I was tired so I went right to my room. When I got in there, Kaitlyn was there. Naked."
"You had sex with her?" she interrupted in a small voice.
"No," he insisted and pulled her closer. "No." Kissing her temple, he wrapped his arm around her. "She wanted to because we have before."
"Oh god, Dom. How many of them were you sleeping with?" Disgust laced her disappointed tone.
"Nyla, you just told your dad you've been having sex for the last three years. Don't act like this is any different."
When she fell silent, he pulled her a little closer.
"I told her to get her clothes on, we weren't going to have sex, and she got upset when I told her it was because I had a girlfriend. She took my phone trying to figure out who it was and we started to fight for it—"
"Fight for it?" she asked looking over her shoulder at him while leaning against his side.
"I kept trying to grab it and she kept trying to keep it away. The point is, Renee came in and took a picture but it looks like a lot more is going on because Kaitlyn was naked and I was shirtless. I had pulled my shirt off before knowing she was in my room, Nyla," he quickly clarified.
Her eyes closed as they filled with tears as she quietly asked, "Do you have the picture?"
He expected her to want to see it so he didn't protest and pulled his phone from his jeans, bringing the text up and handing it to her.
"See in her hand." He pointed to the cellphone. "I just didn't want her to find out it was you because
I didn't want them to harass you."
"God, Dom." She sniffled.
He tried to ease her back toward him but she refused, and the tears rolling down her face made it harder to tell her everything that happened that night because he just wanted to reassure her that she had nothing to worry about.
Not leaving out any details of the insane way Kaitlyn acted, he finished by telling her, "And she's been staying at my house since Monday."
"Where? On the couch or something?"
"Yeah. I'm not sleeping with her, Nyla, she just needs help. I was hoping you could talk to her. You want to be a guidance counselor. You were in school for it. Can't you just talk to her and tell her killing herself isn't the way to deal with this? She needs to turn her brother over to the cops. I'd just kill the guy, but I don't want to be that person anymore."
"You're not going to kill anyone." With her stringent tone she angrily wiped away her tears that hadn't stopped since she saw the picture. "I'll talk to her. I'm not certified or anything, Dom, but I can talk to her. She has to go to the police because you're not killing anyone."
His callused fingers softly rubbed her stiff jaw. "I'm not going to hurt anyone," he promised. "I would have left that night, but I knew something wasn't right, and I can't let anyone kill themselves. No matter how much of a bitch she is."
She chuckled and wiped her fingers under her eyes before whispering, "You're a good book."
"I need you to help me write this book because I'm trying, but sometimes I'm not sure I won't just burn these pages."
"You won't. And I will help you." She grabbed his hand. "Maybe I should try and talk to her tomorrow?"
"She hasn't even agreed yet. I'm hoping by this weekend she'll have it figured out and talk to you."
"I'll try and talk to her this weekend, but I don't want it to ruin our weekend together." She leaned closer.
"I won't let it." He leaned the rest of the way to kiss her. "I'm sorry I made you cry."
"I'm going to apologize to my dad. And I'll work on what you said about that." When she smiled he quickly pressed his lips to hers, feeling a genuine happiness. Her smile had ways of making him feel things he'd never experienced in his life. "Will I see you before Saturday?"
"I'm not sure. I'm on seven until midnight for the rest of the week, but only work until noon Saturday."
