Page 15 of Falling Too Late

I was quiet for a moment. “What does Kevin do?”

She stared down for a minute before her eyes glazed over. It was like she was lost in thought, remembering something.

“I’ll protect you, Wren. Whatever it is, I won’t let it happen to you ever again.” I didn’t know where these words came from. I didn’t know what had been happening to her, but I could see the fear written all over her face.I saw the evidence on her body. Things started to click into place. How she was always so jumpy, why she didn’t want them to see her with anyone.

“What about your mom? Won’t she send me back there?” The anger was gone, and her voice was small again, defeated.?

“I’ll worry about her,” I said dismissively. My mom wouldn’t let her go back there either.

I think Wren fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She curled herself up in a little ball and was out. I shut the doorquietly, went into the bathroom, and threw up everything in my stomach. I retched until it was only bile coming up. My mind reeled with what I was going to tell Ma.

I had an Aunt Ginny once. My mom’s sister. She stayed with us for a few months after her husband had beat the crap out of her. It was only a year after Dad had died. I remember watching the bruises on her face heal from a dark color to a yellow-green. Ma tried to get her to stay with us, but Aunt Ginny went back to her husband because of marital promises.

We were at her funeral a few months later, and Uncle Todd was in jail.

It was five in the morning when I heard Ma’s key slide into the lock. I sat up straight, having dozed off on the couch sometime in the early morning.

My mom’s eyes were on me as soon as she walked through the door. “Alexander James Harper, what in the world?—”

“Ma’am, I need to talk to you about something.”

She stood there, her coat half off, almost frozen. Whenever I had to talk to her about something important, I always started off by calling herma’am. It was almost like our warning words. She would call meson, and I would call herma’am.

Ma and I had been at odds lately. I had slacked off with my chores, my grades were terrible, and I had been causing her more heartache than what she deserved.

But I would do anything she asked me to do if it meant she would help Wren.

“Alright,” she said, caution in her voice. “Get me a glass of water and let's sit at the counter.”

I got her a glass but stood next to my usual place. I tried not to fidget, but I was nervous. I didn’t know how she would react. Ma was looking older these days. Working nights was getting to her. I wish it wasn’t this way. I missed her. I missed spending time withher in the daylight. Her dark brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Her work shirt was rumpled, and I could see holes in her jacket. She needed a new one, but she never spent money on herself.

I told her everything. I told her about the neighbor who was always loud, yelling all the time. I told her about the crying that I’d always thought I heard but hadn’t been sure. I told her about meeting Wren down at the playground. About the people who chased after her. How she had no shoes, how her mom wouldn’t let her shower. I told her everything I knew, even about the bruise and the way Wren looked like she hadn’t eaten in months. Ma didn’t touch her glass of water, and she even looked a little green.

Since Dad had died, we went through tough times, having to decide what bill was the most important to pay that month and having something else be turned off. Ma knew struggle. Ma sympathized with struggle. But even at the worst times, she never laid a hand on me.?

Abuse was something Ma wouldn’t tolerate.?

She sat there for a minute. “You slept out on the couch so she could have the bed?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”I took a deep breath. “Ma, I haven’t asked you for a single thing, and I know I have been a royal pain in your ass lately, but please, help Wren. I’ll get my grades up, I’ll do my chores, I’ll read twice as many books, I’ll do anything.” I was desperate, and I think she understood.

“Honey, you know I’ll do what I can.” She nodded to the hall. “Alright then. Go wash up; I’ll start breakfast and then I want you to wake her.”

I did what I was told, washing up and then waking Wren.??

“Hey.” I patted her shoulder gently. The light from the hall giving just enough to see her face. She startled awake before remembering where she was. “My mom is home and wants us up for breakfast. I don’t have an extra toothbrush, but you can use mine.”

Wren nodded and was waiting for me in the hallway, her hands wringing the shirt I’d lent her.

“It’s going to be okay.”??

Wren followed me out into the kitchen. Ma was at the stove, her back turned to us, but her sixth sense tuned in. “Take a seat, the both of you.”

I pointed to the chair and took a seat for myself.??

Ma turned around and spoke while loading up both of our plates with pancakes. “My name is Gloria. You can call me that or Ma. I have rules in this house, and they will be obeyed for as long as you stay here. . .”

CHAPTER 8

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