Page 64 of Forgot to Tell You Something

Owen

“I’ll wait for you in the car,” I mutter, pulling the keys from my pocket and storming out the front door.

It’s not the friendliest gesture, but it’s the best I can manage.

To think the day started on such a promising note.

Tally and I spent the last couple of hours at the women’s shelter, sans Beth, who was at the hospital, functioning as a victim advocate.

Marla, the newest resident, is skittish as a beaten dog. The bruises covering her slight frame prove that my assessment is on target. Her son, Brad, is in better shape physically, although I can’t fathom what the boy has witnessed in his young life.

But they’re no match for Tally. My tiny vixen exudes a quiet power. She knows firsthand what it’s like to live in fear, and although she won’t disclose the details, I see the terror living in her eyes. The son-of-a-bitch better pray I never meet him. He won’t make it three steps. I’ll make damn sure he pays for what he did to Tally.

“Do you like card tricks?” Tally asks Brad, winking at me over his head.

“I love them! Can you show me a card trick?”

“No, but I can,” I interject, settling down next to the boy. At first, he shirks away, his natural fear of men coming into play.

But Tally is smart. She knows that Brad—and Marla—need to learn that not all men are evil. Not all men hurt. Not all men hit.

Hopefully, my darling girl can figure that out right along with them.

I flip through the cards, showing Brad the trick I’ve performed countless times. His eyes widen, and he chuckles, a genuine belly laugh that is the most incredible sound I’ve heard in ages.

I spend the next fifteen minutes showing Brad the sleight of hand behind the trick, before gifting him the deck of cards. It’s the best five dollars I’ve ever spent.

I find Tally in one of the bedrooms, her arms wrapped around Marla as the woman weeps. It’s impossible to know if they are tears of anger, frustration, sadness, or denial. Likely all of those emotions.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll wait in the kitchen.”

Tally shoots me a grateful smile before returning to her unofficial counseling session.

“May I help you?”

I turn to see Beth standing in the kitchen doorway, a guarded expression on her face. I suppose men aren’t a welcome sight in this house. Can’t say that I blame them. “Sorry to startle you. We met the other day. I’m here with Tally.”

Her eyes widen in recognition. “Hello, Dr. Stevens. I apologize, I didn’t recognize you from behind.”

“No worries, sorry I crept up on you.”

“It’s fine. We’re happy to have you here. Where is Lu?”

I smile at my girl’s nickname. Everyone in the world calls her Lu. “In the back with Marla. How did she get the nickname Lu?”

Beth contemplates the question for a moment before shrugging. “I’m not sure. You don’t call her Lu, do you?”

“I call her Tally, but it seems only her father and I do that.”

She snaps her fingers as if a lightbulb of realization sparked in her brain. “Forgive me for being forward, but didn’t you and Tally date? I didn’t realize you were still friends. That’s nice.”

“Figures you two would hole up in here,” Tally interjects, joining us in the kitchen. “Beth, you remember Dr. Stevens.”

“I do. We were just touching on your dating history.”

Tally’s eyes widen, her gaze swinging between us. “Why were you discussing that?”

“Well, it’s nice when two people remain close after a break-up,” Beth states, pulling groceries from the bags.

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