Page 107 of Redd

“Let me in, Vicki.”

“No, Redd! Bijou! Go get Bijou!” Her voice floated into the kitchen, pleading for me to come to her. “Bijou!”

Waddling down the hall, Redd was perched outside the bathroom, his face frantic. “She won't let me in, she's refusing to open up.”

“Vicki, are you alright?” Resting my palm on the door, I pressed an ear to the wood.

“Can you come in here? Only you, not Redd.”

Giving me a wild eye, Redd threw up his arms. “Seriously? Vicki, you can't scream like that and not tell me what's going on.”

“Go. Away. Redd.”

Opening my eyes wide, I flapped my fingers for him to move aside. “I'm coming in, just me, no crazy big brothers.”

Slipping inside, Vicki was sitting on the toilet, her face pale white. “What's going on?” I asked, resting my hands on my hips as I leaned against the door.

I let her talk, her words rambling on, quick and barely audible. But once she got going, it was clear, this was definitely not a situation her brother would be able to handle.

After staying in there with her for a few more minutes, I gave her a hug and went back out into the hall. Redd was bug eyed, his brows high, hands anxiously running up and down his thighs.

Laughing, I started to walk back towards the kitchen. “She's fine, Redd, you can relax.”

“Relax? What was wrong? What was that all about?”

“You don't need to worry about it, I took care of it. And trust me, you'll be glad I did.” Smirking, I winked at him and let out a small chuckle.

“Bijou, tell me what that was all about.” Gripping my arm, he stopped me, forcing me to look at him. “Tell me.”

“It's personal.”

“Personal?” Cocking his head, he frowned.

“Yes, it's personal.”

“She's fourteen years old, nothing's personal. What is it?”

Staring at him under hooded lids, my lips turned paper thin. “You really don't want to know.”

“Yes, I do. She's my sister, I have the right to know.”

“Alright.” Wiping my hands over my belly, I cupped the large bump. “She got her period. There, now you know.”

I watched the blood drain from his face, eyes rolling back into his head. “Oh lord.” Dragging his hands through his hair, he slumped his shoulders. “I can't go now, I should stay here. She might need something.”

“She's fine, Redd, it's not an illness or something.” Laughing, I brought two plates to the table and then grabbed mine. “Come eat before it gets cold.”

Raking open palms down his face, he shook his head. “I don't think I can eat, I feel. . .” Pausing, he lifted his arms and let them fall. “I don't know.”

“Nervous?” Stuffing a chunk of pancake into my mouth, I moaned as the syrup hit my tongue and my pregnancy senses climbed to an all-time high. “Oh, that's good.”

I was six months pregnant, and loving every second of it. After everything, I couldn't say the nightmares had just stopped. It didn't happen that way.

But time helped to ease my fears, therapy helped to guide my emotions and sort them out. I was starting to really feel like what we had gone through had made us stronger. It connected us, it bonded us.

And my father, I forgave him completely. He had gotten himself into a really bad situation, doing what he was forced to do. I didn't blame him for what happened to me, I could never put that burden on him.

My sister and mother couldn't believe it when I walked through the door. Lila cried for months every time she saw me and my mother hugged me like I was a small child again, afraid to let me go.

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