by Rae Spencer
“You didn’t make arrangements for someone to care for her?” His mind reeled.
“Why would I do that?” she asked.
“Debbie, are you saying you made my fourteen-year-old daughter leave with nowhere to go and no one to help her or look after her?” Darren roared shaking her and snapping her head back.
Debbie kicked him in the leg. “Don’t act like you care. The only thing you ever cared about is yourself.”
Bob snapped. “How can you say that, Debbie? Darren has taken care of you, provided for you for twenty-five years. You never had to work a day in your life and you threw it all away on drugs and alcohol. Now, you drop a bombshell of a daughter you kept from him, you denied him… you disgust me.”
Debbie tried to kick Bob but her foot wouldn’t reach. “I disgust you? The feeling is mutual, Bob.”
“You have no idea where our daughter is? If she’s even okay or alive, do you?” Darren said.
Satisfaction gleamed in her eyes. “Nope, I don’t care, either. I never wanted her to begin with. Neither did you. Don’t deny it. I made sure I told her, too.”
“You told my daughter I never wanted her?” His daughter was somewhere. Alive. Dead. What happened to her in last six years? Did someone hurt her? Was she okay? Hungry? Why didn’t she come to him? He would have helped her. He would have done anything for her. My god! What did Debbie do?
“I told her she was a mistake and you didn’t want her. I never even told her who you were. My mom never knew about you or our marriage. I just dropped the brat off and left,” she said.
His eyes glowed with something close to hatred. “Debbie, I’m finished with you. I will never help you with anything again. You kept my child from me. You refused to care for our child and threw her out to god only knows what. For what purpose? How could you? What you were thinking? What you did, how you treated our daughter, is abhorrent and disgusting. I will never forgive you.”
“Like you would have cared for her,” she said.
His voice cracked like a whip making her flinch. “I would have. If I had been given a chance, the opportunity. You had no right to keep my daughter from me. I provided well for you for all these years and there was no reason to keep her from me. There was no reason for her to go without anything.”
“You would have insisted on having her around and raising her for appearances sake. She didn’t go without,” Debbie said.
His voice was low with barely restrained anger. “Didn’t she? She went without her father. You and your mother hadn’t talked in years then you just drop an infant on her door and leave without explanations. Without a care in the world, you left our daughter behind like a piece of trash. What about after your mom died? You went down for the funeral, to sell her house and you still didn’t tell me. You still didn’t provide or care for our daughter. Why Debbie? Did our daughter interfere with spending my money on your drugs and your boy toys?”
“I didn’t want her. I didn’t want to be a mother. If you hadn’t made me go to the stupid clinic and stay for a year, I would have been able to get rid of her beforehand. I knew the moment she was born no one would ever want her. She was an ugly redheaded brat. As she grew, she developed disgusting freckles. Arianna definitely was not a child anyone would be proud of or want, including you.” Debbie struggled against him.
Darren expression was full of disgust and he didn’t notice the various heads of the crew and the members of Distracted who quickly glanced over at Tom and the woman he held in his arms.
Darren’s temper raged. He shoved Debbie away from him, not caring she stumbled and almost fell. “Get out of my sight, Debbie. I never want to see or talk to you again. And, so help me, if I find out something happened to our daughter I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you pay for it, do you understand?”
Debbie realized she should never have mentioned the brat.
“Do you understand?” Darren roared.
Debbie turned in a huff, wondering what she was going to do now. Her eyes met Tom’s and the anger seething in them scorched her, but she didn’t care. She smirked, taking a step when she noticed who was in Tom’s arms and absolute hatred erupted on her face.
****
Tom couldn’t believe she actually had the audacity to walk toward him, toward Arianna. If she thought for one moment he would let her get away with hurting Arianna she was in for an ever-harsher awakening then the one Darren had shown her.
He wanted to strangle the woman. Arianna had flinched at each of her hurtful words. Arianna was a beautiful woman, sweet, kind, and loving. This woman didn’t even know her. She never spent time with her. How dare she judge her or criticize her? Most of all, how dare she hurt her?
Tom wouldn’t stand for it. Arianna was his. His to protect. His to love.
Debbie shouted at Arianna, her hands balled into fists. She stalked toward them. “You, this is your fault.”
Arianna flinched. Her pulse pounded as her mom walked closer. She didn’t turn away. She didn’t hide. But she was grateful for the heat and strength from Tom. He stood firm behind her with his arms wrapped around her.
“You’re even uglier than I remember. Look at all those disgusting freckles marking your face. And that hair, that horrible hair… how pathetic you are! You should never have been born. You’re a waste.” Debbie glared at her daughter.
Tom kept one eye on the woman and another on Darren. He saw Darren’s shock and his relief as he realized his daughter was here in front of him. Darren’s face was beet red and his fingers flexed repeatedly as he blinked fiercely.
Tom worried the man might suffer a heart attack or a stroke. Darren was not a young man anymore and this pathetic woman had put him through hell for years.
Clay took a step closer to Tom and Arianna. Lily by his side. Scott and Kevin came up on his other side their wives with them. A group! In more than just music.
“You drained my mom of every penny she had. You took everything she had with your stupid needs, wants… you selfish bitch. She left me nothing when she died. Nothing, but her stupid house.” Debbie stopped two feet in front of Arianna.
Arianna didn’t say anything. What could she say? What was real? What was a lie? What does she believe? The only solid thing in her life right now was Tom, whose fingers squeezed hers as his arm tightened around her waist.
“You took everything from me and destroyed my life.” Debbie raised her hand and swung.
Her hand never made it, caught in midair by Tom. “Don’t ever think of striking her.”
Darren had moved and was now within arm’s reach of Debbie. Tom realized he would have stopped Debbie. His intervention was not necessary, but Tom was glad for Arianna’s sake he would have.
Debbie stared at Arianna. Rage stamped on her face. “She deserves it. She should have died. Then, I wouldn’t have to deal with her.”
Tom’s fingers squeezed her wrist. “Deal with her? When have you ever?”
“Who wants to deal with a selfish, greedy, needy, pathetically ugly brat?” Debbie twisted her wrist trying to break free of Tom’s hold.
“The only selfish, greedy, needy, pathetically ugly brat here is you. And that will be remedied.” Tom’s eyes shot sparks.
Debbie laughed. “What’re you going to do about it?”
His lips twisted in contempt. This was his band, his show, and his people. Did she think because she had been with Darren for years, because she was legally his wife, the courtesy Darren’s people gave her would extend to his?
Tom didn’t think so. Tom glanced over at Lenny, the head of security, and nodded toward him. “Have you thrown out.”
“Yeah right, you can’t do that.” Debbie threw her head back, laughing loudly.
“Actually, I can. Lenny,” His voice vibrated with anger.
Lenny grabbed Debbie from behind and Tom let go of her wrist. Lenny pulled both her arms behind her back and pushed her forward. “Let’s go.”
Debbie screamed, “You bastard. I
will get you for this, you ugly little brat, you hear me?”
Lenny pushed her forward.
Debbie struggled with Lenny but she wasn’t getting loose. “Darren, are you going to let them treat me like this?”
Darren never answered her. His eyes were on Arianna. Her coloring was so similar to his. Her features a subtle combination of both her parents, her beauty apparent.
Tom looked down at Arianna. She hadn’t moved or spoken. Her body trembled as her hands gripped his fiercely.
“Butterfly.” He cupped her chin turning her face toward him so he could see her eyes. The windows to her heart. Her eyes were full of confusion, fear, shame, embarrassment and her tears spilled free.
Tom turned her toward him so her face was against his shoulder protecting her from the eyes of all the on-lookers. He wrapped his arms tighter around her as they listened to her mom screaming at the security guard. Her threats. Her wishes.
Arianna flinched with each comment.
“I’m sorry, Butterfly.” His breath flowed through her hair.
“For what?” Her mouth moved against his shoulder wetting his shirt.
He caressed her back. “For what she said. How she treated you. For keeping you from your father. She’s wrong, Arianna. Your mom has a drug problem. Please, believe me when I say she’s wrong, not you.”
She scrubbed at her tears. “I don’t understand why she hates me so much.”
He pulled her tighter against him. “It’s the drugs. Her mind is fried. Your dad has tried many times to clean her up, but it never lasted. I don’t know why she did what she did, but it was never because of anything you did. Do you understand?”
Arianna laid her hand on his chest, rubbing her face against his shoulder. “I’m so confused.”
Tom glanced over at Darren, who hadn’t moved or spoken. “I know. I don’t think anyone will know why Debbie did the things she did. Perhaps we should go to the bus. Your dad obviously wants to talk to you and this is not the place. There are too many eyes and ears around.”
“Whatever you think is best. I’m not sure I’m ready to talk to him,” she said.
He rubbed his chin over her head. “I understand. You can go lay down if you want and I can tell him what I know. Him and the others.”
“The others?” Her hand moved to cover her face.
“His band mates, my band mates, all will want to know,” he said.
“I think I would like to lie down for a few moments to gather my thoughts and try to understand.” She glanced up at Tom, her lips trembling and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth.
He kissed her softly then glanced at the others. “I think it would be best if any further conversation took place in private. We should go to the bus.”
“I agree.” Clay’s voice broke the ensuing silence and he nodded over at Tom.
Clay and the guys went with them. Their wives, too, so they weren’t outnumbered and overwhelmed.
“I agree, as well.” Bob rested his hand on Darren’s shoulder.
Darren glanced at Tom. His mouth moved and his Adam’s apple bobbed, but no words came.
Tom looked over at Lenny as he came back. “She doesn’t get back in.”
“Will be handled,” Lenny said.
“Let’s go.” Tom turned Arianna in his arms. Together, they walked toward his bus with a group of almost fifteen following.
Chapter 15
They climbed on the bus. Arianna was silent, her fingers still clasped in Tom’s. She glanced over her shoulder, offering him a tremulous smile before loosening his fingers and walking into the bedroom. She lay down on the bed, burying her face in the pillows. Her fingers curled into the comforter and her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs.
Tom stopped in the hallway blocking the view into the bedroom. He saw her shoulders shake and blinked repeatedly.
He turned in the hallway looking at everyone gathered. Darren stood between the couches, staring into the bedroom where Arianna lay. From his position, Darren could tell she was crying.
“Please make yourselves comfortable.” Tom smiled at Darren then he nodded toward Clay. Tom turned and walked into the bedroom softly, but firmly closing the door behind him.
He sat on the bed next to Arianna his hand stroking her back as he brushed hair away from her face. Her sobs were silent yet violent, racking her body.
He couldn’t take them. His heart raced. He lay down next to her, wrapping her tightly in his arms.
She buried her face against his neck. Her body half on him with her leg between his. Her tears ran down her face, soaking his neck and her fingers clutched him, biting into his skin.
He didn’t care. He only cared about the pain she suffered. He wanted to erase it. Ease her soul and mind. His hands ran along her back. He didn’t speak, only offered his strength, his heat, and his love until her sobs eased and sleep claimed her.
He brushed his lips over her head then gently rolled her on her back. He leaned up on his elbow and wiped her tears away.
He stood and maneuvered her on the bed until she was under the covers. He kissed her lips before turning toward the door and her father who waited anxiously on the other side.
****
Tom walked down the hallway and found everyone talking quietly, spread out amongst the two couches. Darren sat at the end, staring past him at the closed door.
“She’s sleeping.” He stopped at the refrigerator grabbing a beer. He popped the top and took a long drink, before looking around at everyone gathered again. They all had a drink. Clay and others had seen to it.
He sat next to Clay across from Darren. Darren’s eyes were still on the closed door. The door hiding his daughter from him.
Bob patted his friends shoulder. “Tom, is Arianna okay?”
“She will be,” Tom said.
Darren pulled his eyes away from the door. He rubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath looking at Tom. “How much do you know about her?”
“Some.” Tom didn’t relish having to be the one to tell him his daughter spent two years living on the streets. It would rip the man apart, like it had him.
“Arianna’s grandmother took really good care of her.” Tom looked down at his beer.
“What about after her grandmother died?” Darren asked. The time he needed to know about. The time after her mother, his wife, threw her out. What happened to her during that time? What did she do? Where did she live?
”She had some rough times,” Tom said.
“How rough?” Bob asked.
Tom ran his fingers along the bridge of his nose trying to ease the jackhammer on high lodged in his head. Tom looked over at Bob and saw Darren’s face was white. He sighed. “Very rough.”
Darren’s hands gripped his knees. “Tom, I need to know what happened to my daughter. How she came to be with you?”
Tom rubbed his neck. “I know. It’s difficult. I don’t know all the details. Arianna is hesitant to talk about what happened.”
Clay squeezed Tom’s shoulder. “Tom, maybe it would be best to start with how you and Arianna met and go from there.”
Tom glanced over at Clay and nodded taking a deep breath.
“Arianna was at one of our shows about a month ago.” Tom glanced at Darren afraid he would jump to conclusions.
“A month ago.” Darren snapped.
“She was on the rail with her friend, Caroline. She caught my attention and I wanted to meet her,” Tom said.
“You mean sleep with her?” Darren stared angrily at Tom.
Tom’s eyes snapped to Darren’s, his narrowing. If he only knew. Tom had known this was going to be difficult. He couldn’t be angry with Darren, not really. Arianna was his daughter and a month didn’t seem like a long time at all. “No, I mean meet her. She was gone after the show. I asked around and found out where her friend worked.”
Darren nodded his eyes narrowing.
“We had three weeks off between legs of the tour. I went to see if
I could find her friend to see if I could find out who she was,” Tom said.
Darren stared at Tom, his face easing slightly.
“I went to the bar where her friend worked, but I didn’t need to talk to her friend. Arianna was there having a soda and visiting.” Tom shrugged.
“What happened next?” Bob asked.
“She left and went to the diner where she worked. I followed. She was my waitress and we spent the night talking.” Tom flexed his fingers against his beer bottle.
“How did she end up on tour with you?” Darren watched Tom’s face carefully.
Tom hesitated glancing at Darren. “Arianna had some trouble with a group of guys. They assaulted her as she left in the morning. I intervened.”
“Assaulted her?” Clay whipped his head around to stare at Tom.
Tom nodded. “They had her pinned her against the side of the diner.”
“You stopped them?” Bob’s eyes were on Darren seeing his friends concern.
Tom was watching Darren too. “Yes. The night cook, John, acted like her protector. He’d tried repeatedly to make them leave her alone, but they kept coming back for her.”
“John, her protector?” Darren said.
Tom nodded. “I’ll get there. After the guys took off John mentioned they were getting worse with coming after Arianna and he was afraid they would harm her, so I offered her a job.”
“A job,” Scott choked.
Tom laughed. “Arianna had the same reaction. She didn’t believe me, either. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I couldn’t leave her to fend for herself with only the old man to help her. I was grasping at straws.”
“Straws,” Kevin said, looking down at him.
“Arianna assumed, I didn’t know why at the time, my interest was only so she could whore for me. She turned me down flat.” Tom took a long drink of his beer.
“If she turned you down, why is she here?” Bob asked.
Tom glanced at Bob. “Her reluctance forced me to admit the truth. I told her I wanted her to be my girlfriend. I wasn’t interested in a whore. I wanted more and promised her no pressure. Nothing would happen that she didn’t want to happen. I only wanted a chance to get to know her.”
