Redemption, p.3
Redemption, page 3
Glad I was here. If they’re going to feel up Strawberry, then they would’ve definitely done more to the other girls.
Sighing, I walked over to the men. “Go home.”
Kevin knew me well enough to give us all space. He backed up two feet. The other guys didn’t get the memo.
Inside, I’d given them a free pass. Unfortunately, people usually took kindness for weakness. While they might’ve caught the threat of violence in my eyes, once I let them go, they’d taken it for granted.
The tall one frowned. “Hey, man. We paid our money. We get to—”
“Go home.” Edge laced my voice. “You’re lucky I don’t break the hand that touched Strawberry.”
“Look, Ching Chong,” Beard guy snorted. “We paid our money and it’s a free country.”
I leaned my head to the side. “Ching Chong?”
Chuckling, the tall guy stepped up. “We don’t want any problems. We’re just two guys having a little fun.”
“Yeah, Ching Chong.” The bearded guy clearly had too many drinks. “We’re trying. You’re over here acting like you’re the last samurai or something.”
Studying them, I planned my next moves, anticipating no difficulty. They were drunk. I was sober. They had no real fighting experience. I’d grown up on the streets, battling idiots since I was nine. While I wished the tall guy was on my right to put him down first, I could possibly slam the little one into him.
Kevin stepped back some more.
I nodded at both of them. “Okay.”
Mr. Tall quirked his brows. “What do you mean?”
I grabbed him by the arms and slung him on the ground.
Shocked, he fell into the snow. “What the fuck?!”
Mr. Beard stumbled towards me with his fists up. Like an idiot, he reached one fist back, did some sort of spinning motion, and tried to hit me.
I caught the fist and shoved him forward. He lost his balance, wagging his arms. But that didn’t stop him, he regained some form of coordination and charged for me.
I kicked his feet out from under him. Mr. Beard landed on his ass.
Somewhere in between that, Mr. Tall rose.
I faced him. He swung. I stepped right. The incoming fist zipped by several inches from my face. I slapped him for his stupidity. He swaggered to the side.
“Ah!” He came for me again. All out of control. Fists spinning around. Movements fast with no logic. All I did was give him space and let him tire himself out.
This is boring.
I punched him in the jaw.
He grunted.
With a quick blow, I smashed his elbow.
Mr. Tall fell back to the snow, holding his broken arm to him and screaming.
I glanced behind me.
Although Mr. Beard stood, he remained far off with his mouth open.
I raised my eyebrows. “Ching Chong?”
“Uh. . .” Beard’s bottom lip quivered.
“What does Ching Chong mean?”
“Uh. . .that was no disrespect. . .I just. . we’re both drunk.”
I headed his way.
“Hey, we’re leaving!” He edged back, slipped on an icy puddle, and landed on his ass.
“You should’ve left when I told you too.” I kicked him hard in the head. His eyes rolled up as he toppled sideways and lay still with his legs folded under him.
I reached down to hit him again.
Stunned, Kevin jumped in front of me. “I think we’re good now, Yo-yo.”
“Call them a cab.” I placed my hands in my pockets and studied the idiots.
Both men stayed on the ground. One groaning. The other unconscious. Both dark humps on the moonlit ice. Steam rose off them in clouds.
I went too far.
I let out a long breath. “In fact, call them an ambulance.”
Nervous, Kevin lowered and checked Mr. Beard’s pulse. “He’s alive.”
“Good. It’s too cold to dump bodies this evening.”
Kevin rose. “Thanks as always.”
“Get to your apartment.” I checked the sky. “The storm is coming.”
“Thanks, Dad, but I will after the club closes.”
I checked my watch. “That’s three hours.”
“Got to make that money.”
“Fine. Call me, if you need me.”
“Give Salt and Pepa my love.”
“Okay.” I left.
The walk across Titty Palace’s parking lot was short, but it was straight into the bitter wind. For the first few steps, the blowing ice stabbed at my face like tiny needles. After that, my face went numb.
If Harold had any sense, he would’ve closed the club down and made sure everyone headed home safely. Many of the women had kids to check on. Most of the men had families. No one needed to be in a strip club at the approach of a snowstorm.
Idiots.
I started my truck and got on the road. The shaved snow on the street was part bright white powder and part ice crystals. It shone and glittered in the moonlight, promising a dangerous ride ahead. I cursed myself for not dragging Kevin along with me.
Idiots. No one should be out tonight. Not even me.
Chapter 2
Right is Right
Ebony
Driving for two hours, we’d just left Oregon and entered Washington.
Flakes swirled around wildly in the fierce wind—microscopic nubs of snow borne on a chilly breeze. They fell and shriveled to sharp fragments, hurling themselves against the windshield and creating frozen designs. The wipers couldn’t shift them all. The blades scraped over a few.
I set the heater on defrost and waited until the blown air melted oval holes of clarity. Still, I could hardly see in front of the car. For the whole drive, I’d been staring into featureless horizontal snow for the most of it.
My back ached, probably because I had my shoulders hunched up and my body leaning into the steering wheel as if that could make us go faster.
Light flickered on the side.
I looked in the driver’s side mirror.
Headlights illuminated the fog like two glowing eyes.
Is that Wyatt?
I slowed down and let the driver pass. The car’s headlights grew brighter. For a second, the person remained slightly behind us.
No. No.
Cold terror rushed up my spine.
And then the car left our lane and passed.
My body relaxed.
Calm down. Wyatt is probably in the emergency room or something.
Another car fast approached us from behind. Again, I tensed in dread and then released the tension as the car sped away.
It’s not Wyatt. We’re far away. Stop thinking he’s close.
I checked the SUV’s speedometer. It read fifty-five miles an hour. I slowed, knowing it was too fast for all the ice on the road.
Another vehicle rapidly approached.
Again, my head and body shifted into terror as I wondered if it was Wyatt. Seconds later, the other car’s high beams practically blinded me, but then the person rushed by.
Come on. Calm down.
Besides a few cars, we were pretty much the only morons on the road. This wasn’t safe. I should’ve pull over, but I had to get away. We had to get away. As far as possible.
I glanced behind me.
The kids sat in their seats. No one had fallen asleep, although I’d told them several times to get rest. Headphones plugged Kia’s and Poppy’s ears as they watched shows on their phones. Meanwhile, Jalen had his phone off and monitored me the whole time, never moving his gaze away.
He’s on edge as much as me. Damn it. Why did Wyatt have to come tonight?
I caught the tears before they ran down my face. The last thing Jalen needed to see was more hysteria. I had to keep a strong front.
Still, my head ached. And a weariness came over me.
We have to find somewhere to rest.
I had no idea where we were going.
It seemed like Wyatt would be able to find me with no trouble.
How the hell did he find us this time?
I thought back to what Wyatt had said.
“We don’t know anyone here.”
He’d slipped the gun down my forehead and traced the curve of my nose. “I know. I’ve been watching you for a few days. You keep to yourself. You better.”
“How long have you been watching?”
“Two days.”
I hadn’t used my credit cards in years. Last week, I found the rental place on Craigslist, and used a fake name since they didn’t require a lease or identification. All they wanted was cash. There shouldn’t have been a problem. I didn’t even call my friends, sure that one of them was telling Wyatt where we were going.
Thank God I made my money from books under a secret pen name. The money went to an online money exchange system. I could do withdrawals and deposits from anywhere.
Wyatt had no idea about my writing. No one did. The last year we were together, I’d kept it a secret, knowing he would make me stop. Under the anonymity, I was free to write anything I wanted. Therefore, I kept it from my family and friends. Only the kids knew, although they had no idea what my pen name was and couldn’t name a title.
But they knew those small royalty checks kept us clothed, sheltered, and fed.
How the hell did he find us? I didn’t call Charlene or Wendi this time. The only time I picked up my phone was to. . .
My body went still.
Three days ago, I called Mom. Damn it. That can’t be the one.
Mom had asked for the address to send presents.
No.
It couldn’t have been my mother who told him where I was. She knew about the abuse. She’d dealt with it herself from my father. Surely, she wouldn’t have been the one to give him the information.
Fuck. Was it Mom? All this time? She’s the only one who’s known every address, every location.
Sadness took me over.
Not Mom.
If she was the one that had been helping him the whole time, then I would have to cut off all communication with her. It hurt me to even think about it, but the more I considered it, the more I knew.
“Ebony, you two just need counseling,” Mom had urged. “All this running isn’t healthy for the kids.”
“All the abuse isn’t healthy either.”
“I’m sure he’s not hitting you all the time. There has to be moments, when things are—”
“Mom, it doesn’t matter how many times he’s hitting me—”
“Ebony, listen to me. I’ve been on this Earth longer than you. The kids need their father, and this world is cold and lonely as a single mother. You need your husband.”
“Mom—”
“You both should go back to church. If you just—”
“Mom, I have to go.”
“Okay, baby. Just let me know where you are, when you get there. I worry so much.”
“I will, Mom.”
“Send me the address. I love you, Ebony.”
“I love you too.”
The next day, I’d texted her our new address.
She did it. Who else could it have been?
I felt more alone, then I’d ever experienced in my life. The truth had been right there in my face—in all those phone conversations. While I knew she didn’t agree with us running around, never did I think my own mother would help Wyatt find me.
I tried to ease the pain with logical thoughts.
Mom never saw him hit me. She always thought I was over exaggerating. She never knew. . .how much. . .never mind. It doesn’t matter. She shouldn’t have helped him. She should’ve trusted me.
Still, it was hard to forgive her.
I checked the rear view mirror.
Kia had looked up from her phone and was now watching me with Jalen.
What the hell am I going to tell them? Not only must we run from your father, but we can’t call Grandma anymore either.
I turned back to the road, sick with this state of affairs and disgusted with myself. My kids didn’t ask to be born in such a shitty situation. Hadn’t I tried to make it better? Wasn’t I doing the best I could? If both of those things were true, then why did we keep getting knocked down in life?
My eyes watered. I reached up and wiped away a tear, brushing against the bruise on my cheeks. I’d noticed earlier that I had a black eye. Also, my nose and bottom lip was swollen.
Kia whispered from the back, “Mom.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes, baby.”
“I can drive a little and give you a break.”
A weak chuckle came. “Kia, you don’t know how to drive. baby.”
“I know how to back out of the driveway.”
“There’s more to it than that, baby.” I gave her a sad smile. “Get some rest. Everything will be fine.”
Everything will be fine? No, it won’t. I shot him. I stabbed him. When he sees me again, he’ll make me pay for it. He may kill me.
How many times had I been saying that everything would be okay, when I knew it was all a lie? But what else could I tell them? What more should I say? Did they deserve the raw truth? The utter hopeless reality?
Should I have told them that the world was a rugged and jagged place? And that day-to-day we—as humans—all walked around the hard edges, trying not to get cut and bruised. Should I have told them that, most of the time we did get injured? And that no one really cared about our shattered hearts. No one could comprehend our pain.
Mom’s helping him. My friends don’t want any drama their way, so they barely answer my calls. His family doesn’t believe me. . .We’re all alone, kids. Nothing will be okay.
Jalen disrupted my thoughts. “Do you think Daddy is following us?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I keep looking back. His car isn’t there.”
“And besides,” Kia spoke up. “We flattened his tires.”
“That’s right.” I nodded.
We’d punctured the back two with the sharp kitchen knives I kept under my driver’s seat. Hopefully, that would buy us some days, along with him having to go to the hospital to deal with those injuries. Maybe we would have a good week for a head start.
I should’ve killed him, but what would that do? While I can run from him, I can’t run from the police. Who would take care of my kids, if I went to jail? Mom has shown that she’s not to be trusted.
I hoped in the future days to come that not killing Wyatt wouldn’t be my greatest regret. At some point, he would have to give up and let us live our lives.
But will he? Why can’t he just let us go?
I continued to focus on the road.
This storm had been threatening to hit since I was an hour outside of Portland. I had no idea where I was heading, but it had followed us. Staying in Seattle would be too easy of a guess for Wyatt. It would be his first one, in fact. He knew I preferred city life to the countryside.
Wyatt and I had lived in Los Angeles. Then I’d ran three years ago, going north every few months. Each time he found me, I crept further north. He’d found us all throughout California and Oregon.
I’d hoped to go further East today, but the storm was ending those plans.
Where should we go now, God? Can you hear me? Are you leading me or is it the devil?
Minutes later, the snow and wind shifted to more intense. My windshield wipers couldn’t keep the window clear anymore. I was now the only car on the highway. The snow grew heavy. Soon, I would have to find a place for us to stay. I swerved a little as my tires slipped on ice.
Shit! This won’t work. I have to get off the road.
The next exit sign announced a town called Tenino. I’d never heard of the place.
God, help me. Take me somewhere. Please. . .
An ache filled my heart.
The exit appeared.
I slowed the car, took the exit, and kept my eyes on the road.
There has to be a hotel around here that will take cash. Fuck. First I need cash.
Downtown was a ghost town. No one was stupid enough to be out, but us. There was nothing and nobody on the roads here except snow. Snow on the ground. Snow in the night air. Snow every-fucking-where. The world grew slow, silent, and white with snow.
Thank God the SUV was warm, safe, and solid.
A gas station appeared on the right.
I took my time turning us in.
A closer look and the place appeared more like a two-level house with some pumps in front of it.
Damn. This must be a really tiny town.
I stopped in front of the pumps. A sign at the top announced that I had to go inside to pay.
I blew out a long breath. “Okay, guys. I’m going in the store. Anybody have to go to the bathroom?”
Everyone nodded. I doubted they even had to pee. But, after an episode with Wyatt, they never liked to leave my side.
“Alight. Let’s go.” I got out of the car.
They followed from the back.
We all braved the cold wind and snow. Flakes pelted our face.
Once we made it inside, I realized that the gas store had definitely been a house long ago. There’d been some renovations, but we were clearly standing in what used to be a living room. There were still shelves for chips, water, and other snacks, but no refrigerated areas or other shelves to hold more.
A sign in the back pointed to a male and female bathroom.
“Okay. You all go to the bathroom.” I gestured that way. “When you get back, pick some snacks.”
Kia took charge. “Jalen wait for me after you get out of the bathroom. Don’t just run off.”
Jalen rolled his eyes but kept her pace.
Poppy held onto her sister’s hand.
I turned to the cashier’s desk and noticed the woman sitting there for the first time.
She must’ve been watching us since we’d entered. A small black and white tv sat on her side. I didn’t even know they still made those.
But that wasn’t the most surprising thing. The woman behind the desk was burned. She had scar tissue all the way down one side of her face. Scaly like a snake or lizard.
I swallowed in horror and stepped closer. “I. . .I want to pay for some gas.”
The woman took in my face. “What happened to you?”
