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“You wanted answers, right? I was getting you your answers.”
“The only answer I got was that I’m here because Mama raped some man.”
“Shhh! Keep your voice down.”
“Don’t tell me to shut up. You heard her. She was mad because my dad took what she really wanted from her, so she drugged and raped him to get me. You heard her say it.”
I was trying to think of some other way I could frame it, but my mind wasn’t moving fast enough. He was right. That was what she had just explained. How do you make someone feel better once they learn that their existence is the result of rape?
“What are you two drinking?” Cage said standing in the doorway with a smile.
Nero looked at him with anger.
“What?”
Nero stared at him for a moment more then said, “Nothin’,” and pushed past him headed inside.
“What just happened?” Cage asked me confused.
I wasn’t sure how much to tell him. This had to do with him as much as it did Nero. But, was it my place to say anything? On the other hand, if he knew, maybe he could help Nero process it in a way I couldn’t.
“Your mother just shared something about how Nero was born,” I told him hesitantly.
“What?” He asked approaching me.
“I’m not sure if I should be the one to say.”
“What’s going on?” Quin said stepping outside and seeing the tension.
“Kendall said that Mama just told them something about how Nero was born.”
“She told you two something about their father?”
“Not exactly,” I said.
“Whatever it is, you have to tell us,” Quin insisted. “This has been something Cage has been wondering about his whole life. You need to tell us, Kendall. There’s no other choice you can make.”
I still didn’t know if I should, but I did. I told them what their mother had said to me and why.
“It was something I was hoping I could do for Nero. I thought knowing would help him. Now he’s just… I don’t know.”
“You didn’t know what she would say. Neither did I,” Quin said.
“But you had a feeling he wouldn’t like it?” I asked.
“I had a feeling.”
“What do I do now?” I asked looking between them.
“Nero’s been through a lot in his life. He’ll figure out how to deal with this. I just wish it wasn’t something that made him feel he wasn’t wanted. He has enough of those.”
“Yeah, he does,” I confirmed remembering the horror stories he had told me. “So, what do I do tonight?”
The two of them looked at each other. They didn’t have a clue. Neither did I. Did I give him his space? Did I climb into bed with him and offer him my body? I didn’t know.
Not wanting to decide, I stayed on the veranda. Grabbing drinks, Cage and Quin joined me. The fun time everyone had had beforehand was gone. But we continued to talk.
Quin told me about his experience as the mascot and I told them a little more about myself. Even if I hadn’t met Nero, I was pretty sure that I would have liked Quin and Cage. They were both great people. More than that, they were starting to feel like friends.
