Page 25 of Emma's Element

“She died when I was very young. I don’t even remember her.”

His shoulders dropped with a sigh. “I guess that makes us both orphans,” he mused.

“You too?”

“As far as I know.” She tilted her head to one side, brows raised. “My dad was the typical dead-beat. Drank too much, and so on. He disappeared when I was in middle school.”

“So, it was just you and your mom?”

“I have a brother too. Younger by three years.”

“That’s nice. You still have family.”

“Not really; he went down the same path as our dad.” His voice was flat as he stared out into the darkness. “He texts me now and then asking for money.” And there it was again, she thought. Someone else that just wanted to use him. Her heart broke for him.

She squeezed his hand and turned to face him. “I’m sorry, Marcus. What about your mom? Were you close?”

“Yeah. Pretty close.” His expression turned wistful. “She was my hero. She put up with so much shit from my dad and tried to shield us from the worst of it, but his fists still managed to find us.”

“Son of a chump stain,” she gasped. “He beat you?”

“Me, mom, Charlie. Whoever he felt slighted by the most at that moment. Mom got the worst of it, though.” He looked far away, as if lost in his horrible memories. “I couldn’t wait until I was big enough to stand up to him. Nearly managed it once before he gave me one of the worst beatings yet.”

Emma drew in a quick breath, her heart turning over at the thought of a young Marcus being so severely hurt. “I’m so sorry. That’s awful.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t care, it got him off of mom. I couldn’t stand back and watch him hurt her anymore. I was more determined than ever to defy him. He left before that could happen. Best day of our lives.”

She smiled, seeing the grin that replaced his lost boy expression. “I bet your mom was relieved.”

“She was. But she had to work a lot to support us after that, which didn’t leave a lot of time for us or herself. I did what I could. Mowed neighbors’ lawns, shoveled snow. Whatever I could do to make a little extra for us.”

“You’ve got a good heart. Where did you grow up?” she wondered.

“Pennsylvania.”

“Shut the front door,” she exclaimed. “So did I.”

“Shut the front door.” They laughed. “I was outside Pittsburgh,” he said.

“I was in Erie.”

“No wonder you like the lakes,” he pondered.

“And the mountains. And the beaches. Anything having to do with nature.”

“Your element, right?”

“Exactly. My dad and I would travel everywhere we could. Climb whatever we could climb.”

“Your dad was a climber too?”

“Who do you think taught me?” She smiled, remembering her times with her dad fondly. “Some of the best times of my life were spent hanging off the side of a mountain with my dad. He never made me feel I was inferior just because I was a girl. He encouraged me to use my strengths and skills to the greatest of my abilities. He was my biggest cheerleader.”

“He sounds like a great man. Wish I could have met him.”

“Me too,” she said sadly. He covered her hand so that it was enveloped between both of his. Connecting in their grief for the parent who loved them.

She turned slightly to face him. “You know Marcus. I meant what I said back at Jolene’s. I am your friend. I just have one condition.”

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