Page 3 of Traces Of You
It wasn’t the first bruise he’d seen on her. He’d noticed others. Girls talked, and many said she always changed in the bathrooms for gym class, avoiding the locker rooms.
Just another piece of fodder for the gossip mills and all the more reason she was being targeted by the mean girls.
“No. I bumped into something at home last week. I don’t remember what.”
She didn’t lie well.
Her eyes were downcast, her knees were bouncing, her fingers plucking at anything they could grab.
He lowered his head closer to her so no one could hear or read his lips. “You can tell me, Reenie,” he said. “I mean it. You can tell me anything. I’ll protect you.”
She snorted. It probably sounded silly coming from a classmate. “I’m fine.”
No, she wasn’t.
In his twelve years, he’d seen his share of wounded creatures on the farm. Some broken on the outside, others carrying pain no one else could see.
She was anything but fine.
“You can call me at any time. I’ll come get you. My family will. We can help.”
“Thanks,” she said, standing. “You don’t get it.”
“Wait.” He reached for her arm, but dropped his hand when she turned. He wouldn’t be another person in her life to touch her without permission. “How about a friend? Can I be that?”
He caught the half grin on her lips before her head dropped again.
“Sure.”
He wanted to hold her hand. To let everyone watching know that the shit was going to end without words.
He tested the waters and put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a little tug.
She inched closer and snuggled in. He hadn’t expected that move and wondered when the last time was someone showed her any affection.
“I’ve got you, Reenie. You have my word.”
Her head lifted, her smile a little wider but a lot sadder, her eyes glassy. “No one can help me.”
His heart sank to the ground, but he wouldn’t let anyone know.
“I promise you, I’ll always be there.”
His overly large ego wouldn’t let her down.
1
WORK UP THE COURAGE
Twenty Years Later
“Why can’tthis be an April Fool’s joke on me?”
Maureen pulled into her driveway after work, saw her boyfriend’s cousin’s truck and would have backed out and left if she hadn’t seen the curtain move.
There was no way to leave now.
Not if she wanted to break the truce he’d called two months ago.
