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“I’m with you. But he starts anything, I’m going to bust him in the mouth like he does his wife.”
“Let’s try to do this in a calm and rational way. The kids have seen enough violence.”
John waved her on, pulled out his phone, and called as he followed her back to the kitchen.
Lyric caught Mindy’s fearful look and reassured her with a smile. “I’ll be right back with the kids. No matter what, stay in here. He sees you, he’ll know something’s up.”
Mindy nodded, backing into the wall and sinking to the floor, wrapping her arms around her legs.
John stood next to her, keeping a distance so she didn’t get spooked by his presence.
Melody walked in just before Lyric walked out the back door. “I collected two hundred and forty-seven dollars.”
Lyric smiled. “I’ve got thirty-two to add.” Shehanded the money over to Melody, then whispered, “I’m going for the kids. Back in a minute.”
“Be careful.”
Everyone knew about Mindy’s situation. The cops wouldn’t be surprised to get a call about her.
Lyric took a deep breath and walked out the back door ready to face off with a guy who thought he could get away with hitting his wife and kids. Well, not tonight. She walked right up to the truck and opened the back door. The two little ones, five and seven, stared at her wide-eyed and nervous.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
She smelled the booze and felt the hostility coming off Tim. She ignored him and focused on the kids. “Hey, you two, your mom is waiting inside for your order to be ready. I thought you might want to come in for some hot chocolate.” She didn’t wait for an answer and pulled the five-year-old little girl out of the truck. She wasn’t even buckled in.
The boy slipped out the other side like a lion was after him.
By the time Lyric turned with the little girl to set her on her feet, her brother was already there to grab his sister’s hand and pull her toward the bar.
Lyric met Tim’s icy glare. “Can I get you some coffee while you wait?”
Tim opened the truck door.
She backed away, glancing over her shoulder for just a second to whisper “Run” to the kids.
They took off.
She squared off with Tim.
“Where is my wife?”
She kept calm. “Getting the food.”
“What’s taking her so damn long?”
She shrugged. “We’re packing it up so you have enough for a few days.”
He took a menacing step closer. “You think you’re better than me because we came here for food. I don’t need your judgment when I’m trying to feed my kids.”
Lyric was so happy to hear the kitchen door slam. The kids were safely inside.
“You’ve got great kids.” She tried to keep things positive, because she was the one facing off with a predator.
Tim glanced at the closed door, then her. “What did you say to her? Get her out here. Now!”
“She’ll be out in a minute.”
A look came over Tim that didn’t bode well for her. “You can’t keep me from her or my kids.”
