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Blood smeared my thighs but eight crescent shaped cuts were easy to make out. Jack paled as he lifted his eyes from my thighs to my face. “Olive…”
We’d just pulled into my apartment complex and when Andrew parked, he turned to look at my thighs but I shoved Caleb’s hands away and leaned over Jesse to open the door. With shaky movements and tears streaming down my face, I climbed over Jesse and stumbled out of the truck. I unbuckled him and pulled him to me, getting hit in the process and he flailed and screamed.
I struggled with him all the way to the front door and when I reached into my pocket to grab my keys, he fought his way out of my grip and ran back towards the truck. The guys sat there, watching. I wrapped my arms around Jesse again and pulled him back to the front door. I managed to get the door open and us inside before I broke down. I shut and locked the door and then sank to the floor with Jesse in my lap. He struggled for a few seconds and then clung to me as he sobbed.
I rocked him in my lap until he fell asleep and then I just sat there, holding him and crying. My heart, my pride, my dignity, all of it was broken. I couldn’t believe how things had turned so quickly.
I slept on the couch with Jesse that night and woke up to a single text on my phone.
Are you okay?
I deleted the contact and then deleted the other two. I took an ice-cold shower and got dressed in a haze. Jesse was quiet but he ate his breakfast next to me and leaned his head against me in the Uber on the way to his school. Before closing the door and running inside, he smiled at me. “It’s okay, Mommy. If you say you’re sorry, they’ll come back.”
53
***Olive***
IsatinJerry’soffice with her and Kitty as I explained what Taylor had done. I didn’t tell them about the guys because I just couldn’t. It hurt too much. Instead, I focused on Taylor and that anger grew larger and larger until I was pacing and ranting. It was a relief to feel something besides grief so I leaned all the way in.
“He’s been a bully the entire time I’ve known him and he’s pushed and pushed until I’ve broken before, but this time is different. I’m not breaking.” I shoved my hair out of my face and growled. “And to have his parents try to take my son. He doesn’t want Jesse! He called him Joey! He just wants to hurt me.”
Kitty stood up and grabbed her purse. Jerry looked concerned, but didn’t say anything. “Let’s go.”
I stopped pacing. “What? Go where?”
Jerry sighed and motioned at Kitty from the oversize hair to her low-cut jean top and leather bell bottoms. Her boots were sequined to stay true to her love. “Meet Captain Fights Everyone’s Battles. A completely useless superhero, but sometimes it’s funny.”
Kitty knocked a cup of pencils off Jerry’s desk and smirked. “Oops.”
“Dammit, Kitty.”
Kitty motioned for me to follow her. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to my first love on the way.”
I looked back at Jerry and held up my hands as I shrugged. “I guess I’m leaving?”
“Good luck. If you two get arrested, don’t call me.”
I caught up with Kitty and pointed back at Jerry. “She was joking, right? We’re not actually going to end up in jail, right? That would look really awful in a custody battle, is all.”
She pushed the front doors open and strode out like the superhero Jerry had accused her of being. “Relax. If the fuzz comes, blame it on me and I’ll pretend to be senile.”
I followed her to the end of the employee parking lot and around the side of the building. I’d never been to that side of the outer fence area and when I saw what was hidden away, I gasped. Multiple rows of cars were parked there and every single one of them was a classic car that I used to see in the nice car shows back home.
“Holy shit.” I trailed along behind Kitty, admiring each car we passed. “This is crazy. Whose cars are these?”
“The residents. We started a classic car club a few years ago and then Jerry got all pissy about some of us driving. Have a few little wrecks and that woman gets uppity. This is my baby.” She stopped in front of a pink Cadillac and ran her hand over the perfectly polished chrome that sat like classy earrings on a pretty woman. “This is Missy. Miss for short. I was watching a lot ofGunsmokeat the time and I thought the two of us being Miss Kitty was just too cute. She’s a 1950 Cadillac convertible. I had this color pink custom made from one of Dolly’s jumpsuits from way back.”
I was speechless. I’d never seen a car more beautiful or more perfect for Kitty.
“Come on. We’re riding in style, honey. Help me take this roof off.”
I was sweaty by the time we finished, but Kitty was still perfect. She slid behind the wheel and I sank into the pink leather bench seat. I looked around at all the pink and chrome accessories. “This is fucking amazing, Kitty.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “I know!”
She started the car and it roared to life. I reached up to tie my hair in a bun so the wind wouldn’t do so much damage but Kitty slapped my hand and pointed at the rearview mirror above me. I pulled it down and a silk scarf fell into my lap. My mouth hung open in shocked glee.
“Kitty! I want to be you when I grow up!” I watched how she tied her scarf and mimicked her the best I could. “You are so cool!”
