“Don’t touch me.”She was flaying her fists around and caught him in the nose.He’d been able to keep the kids away from her so that they’d not get hurt, but it was hard.They wanted to help their aunt, and she was violent.“Get away from me before I really hurt you.”
“Emmie, it’s me.Cullen.Emmie.”She stared at him for several moments before she seemed to understand that he wasn’t going to hurt her.“Oh, baby.Are you all right?I have you now.I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
She pulled him into her arms and held him.Sobbing that she was sorry, he held her tightly against his body.The kids gathered around her and hugged her, too.It was Marshall who seemed to be the most concerned that she’d had a bad dream.
“I’ve had them too, Aunt Emmie.They’re powerful real, aren’t they?”She told him she’d not had one in a while, but it was real like.“I’ve had a few too.It’s hard to wake up from them when all you can be is scared out of your mind with it.I dreamed that my daddy and mommy sold us off to theneighbor.He’s weird and gives me the creeps.When he comes around, it’s like I’m dirty or something.I don’t like him.”
“What’s his name?”After getting told, Cullen decided to find out what sort of person he was.It wouldn’t surprise him at all that the welfare department let a pedophile slip through their filing system.“I’ll take care that he doesn’t bother you again.You can count on that.”
“Don’t kill him.”He simply looked at Emmie when she whispered that to him.“All right, don’t get caught.I don’t want to visit you in prison.I love you too much.”
“And I love you too.Are you better now?”She told him that she thought so and started to get up.“I can get the kids back to bed.You rest.You’ve had quite a scare, and you might need to rest a bit more before you get up.”
He realized while he was putting the kids to bed that he’d not had a nightmare since he moved into this house.He didn’t know if it was Emmie or the house, but he was feeling pretty good about it.Cullen hadn’t even pulled out his gun from under his pillow in weeks.
Getting the kids back in bed was easy; they were a little afraid for their aunt, but he assured them that he was right there for her should she need him again.Beth surprised him by hugging him, and he hugged her back.When she rolled over in the bed to sleep, he stood there for several seconds, wondering at the hugs from a child and how good they felt.
Going back to check on Emmie, she was asleep again.Pulling the covers up and over her, he headed back to his own room, knowing that he’d not sleep.Getting dressed, he decided to go down to the basement and work out.He knew he was taking his frustrations out on the bag, but he couldn’t help it.It was that or another cold shower.Which weren’t working all that well either.
When he decided he had had enough, he took a long, hot shower to work out the kinks and got dressed again.He was just in time for breakfast when the cook, April, showed up, so he was having a big meal when the kids and Emmie came down from the upper floor.He helped with their breakfast and decided that he felt good for only getting a few hours’ sleep last night.
“I have to meet with your mom today.Something about donations for the school.”He explained how they provided bottled water to the school in the summer months so that the kids could have a bottle when they needed it.“That’s a wonderful idea.I wonder what she thinks I can do.I’ve never had the money to donate to anything before in my life.”
“I’m sure she has a plan for you.Mom will get you involved in a lot of her projects she has going on around town.”She said that she’d like that.“Good.Don’t let her push you into too much that you’re overwhelmed.I don’t think she’ll do that, but with her, it’s hard to tell.Mom loves doing charity work around town.”
The bus picked up the kids right on time.He’d forgotten to ask Marshall if they were still being made fun of and made a mental note to ask him when he got home.Beth would only go half a day through the week, but she enjoyed getting on the bus with her big brother.He was falling in love with the two of them and couldn’t wait to see if they’d be able to keep them all the time, depending on the trial that was coming up.He asked Emmie about the trial.
“It’s tomorrow.The stationhouse let me know yesterday.I have to go.They said that I have to say that I’d been sending clothing to the kids since they’d been in school.Lucky for me, I saved the receipts, even the post office ones.I guess it pays to be organized.”He asked what the deal was.“I guess it’s considered income for them, and they didn’t declare it.There was also the time that I lent Mary Beth a thousand dollars, which she never paid back, and that’s considered income as well.I wouldn’t think that the few dollars here and there would matter, but apparently, they’re going for it all, and they’re leaving no stone unturned.I never understood that old saying until now.”
“Me either now that you mention it.”They enjoyed the quiet time, at least he thought that she was.He knew that once the kids came home from school, it would be mayhem.Not because they were loud or anything, but getting them situated and settled down after the bus ride home was something that took time.“I have to go into town soon.I’m meeting my brother for some work at the hardware store.He wants me to fill in for grandda while he’s taking a trip with grandma.I don’t know wherethey’re headed, but they’re going to be gone for a few days.We’ll have to do that when we get things squared away with the kids.Have you given any more thought to taking them in if they both end up in jail?”
“I’d like to, but it’s mostly up to you.They’re not related to you, so you’d have to decide if you want to take on two kids.”He said that it would be a family thing rather than just one of them deciding.“I agree, but there is more of a load on you than me.I’d have taken them a long time ago if not for the fact that my sister would have had a fit.Did I tell you how she wants me to pay off all the money that she owes and take the kids in compensation?”
“Yes, I heard.That’s going to cost her a lot of time in jail.Selling your children, no matter how you word it, is against the law.”He thought about having the kids around all the time and thought that it would be fun.It might be something to get used to, but he figured that they’d be all right.“I’ll finish up today so that I can be there with you tomorrow.Mom said she’d watch the kids for us.I think she’s enjoying having them around, too.Amy’s baby is still too young to do things with, so she’s having fun with them.I’m sure that by the end of the day, they’ll be calling her grandma and dad grandda.She has a way about her that makes people love her from the very start.”
“Well, I love her.She’s the best role model that I’ve ever had.”He asked about her parents.“They’re both alive, but I’ve not seen them in years.I don’t even know where they’re living anymore.I guess I could find out, but after all this time, I don’t feel the need to have them in my life anymore.”
“That’s really sad.I don’t know what I’d do if my parents weren’t around all the time.I love them so much that to think about them makes my heart swell.”She kissed him on the lips.“We have time to go up and make love if you want.The house is empty now, and we could have some fun.”
“I’d love that.”She asked him about his brother.“I don’t want you to miss out on spending time with him.I know that he needs you to work for him.”
“Fuck!”They both laughed, and he said that he had to get going.“Make plans for tonight.And I’ll rock your world.I want you in the most cardinal way.It’s been too long, and I’m sick of taking my frustrations out on the bag.Taking cold showers isn’t all that fun either.”
After he left her there at home, he decided that he was going to make it the most romantic night he could.The first thing he did when he got to work for Waylon was to order her a dozen roses in different colors.Having them sent to the house as soon as possible was wonderful for him.And he thought that on the way home, he’d make sure that he picked up some snack food for the bedroom.He never would have thought that he could be a romantic, but he found that he was enjoying the new him.And all because of Emmie.
At eleven, he got a call from Emmie.He didn’t understand her at first as she was crying, but he finally understood that she’d gotten her flowers.They were tears of happiness, not sadness.He was in the middle of waiting on a customer and had to call her back, but she understood.
“I just wanted to tell you that no one has ever given me flowers before, and I just love them.They’re perfect.”When she hung up, he did as well and waited on his customer.He felt good, and he was sure that it showed on his face.The man that he was waiting on seemed to understand, too, that something good had happened, and he was happy for him.Cullen was in a great mood for the rest of the day.Not because he made Emmie cry, but that he’d made her happy.He couldn’t wait until tonight when he could make love to her and show her just how much he really did love her.
Finally, after having several more customers come up to the register, he reached out to her.When she answered him, she was still crying, but he knew now they weren’t tears with her being upset.He told her first thing that he loved her and that he would for the rest of their days together.As soon as she calmed down a bit, he asked her if she was all right.
“I’m better than all right.I’ve never been happier.”He grinned, and the man in front of him laughed.“I’ve never had flowers before, and these are so beautiful.I love all the colors.”
“I just wanted to tell you how much I love you.”She said that she loved him as well.“I’m kind of busy here, so I can’t stay with you long.I can’t wait for tonight so that we can finally make love.Hopefully, nothing interferes with our plans.”
“Don’t say that.You might jinx it.I don’t want to get all worked up and not be able to show you some of my moves.”He burst out laughing and was glad that he was on his next customer before he laughed like an idiot.“I’ll let you go.You think of me all day, and I’ll do the same for you.I love you, Cullen Dixon.”
“And I love you, Emmie Dixon.You take care today that nothing happens to you.I’d hate to see you in the hospital or something worse.”She said she’d take good care of the kids, too, so that they were ready for bed on time.“Good.I’ll see you tonight.”
