The Promise

by S. L. Jayne

  Lexi’s eyes softened and she shifted in her seat leaning towards Rylee.

  She shook her head. “He told me he wasn’t drinking anymore, he told me he quit when I gave him the ultimatum, me or the drink. I told him I was worried about you, that I needed to find out why you were distant and quiet but he said he’d talked to you and sorted it out, he told me that you were fine,” her eyes closed momentarily, when she opened them they were full of sadness. “Rylee, I had post natal depression after Connor, it wasn’t as severe as a lot of women get but it was still a lot to deal with. I have full respect for those women that have had it a helluva lot worse than me and came out fighting, I was weak and useless and I depended on Nate to take care of you and Connor. I shouldn’t have done that, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, Rylee,” her voice broke and her eyes glazed over with tears threatening to fall.

  “No, no, no, don’t you dare blame yourself, Mom, he did this, not you. Okay, so you needed his help, but he’s your husband it’s what he is supposed to do! Connor is his son he should have wanted to help you. Mom, please don’t say you’re useless, you’re not. Along with a load of other shit that I don’t even want to remember right now, Nate always told me I was useless and no good for anyone and he was wrong, he was so goddamn wrong. I realise that now. All these years he was grounding me and keeping me away from you, telling me you loved Connor more than me, it was all jealousy- he wanted you all to himself to make you need him, depend on him. He started this shit with Connor too and I’ll never forgive him, Mom. Ever.”

  Right now I couldn’t be more proud of Rylee, my heart is swelling with pride for my best friend, my sister. Hearing the words “he was so goddamn wrong” was music to my ears, I have been waiting for her to say those words for as long as I could remember.

  Lexi leaned further towards Rylee and grabbed her other hand. “Keep going, baby girl, I want to hear it all. Tell me it all, I need to know,” she nodded.

  Rylee froze and shook her head stiffly. She shifted in her seat, if you weren’t paying attention you’d miss it, but sitting so close to her I could feel the movement. Her fight or flight instinct had kicked in and she was ready to bolt for the door. Hell. No. I let go of her hand and put my arm around her shoulder.

  “I’m so proud of you, Ry, keep going. Matt is going to be so damn proud too.” I whispered. She needed the encouragement, she needed to know that it’s not just me she’s doing proud right now and I know mentioning Matt would pull some strength from within. I saw a ghost of a smile on her lips at the mention of his name. I knew it.

  Rylee’s lip trembled and Lexi’s eyes were full of question.

  “He started trying to brain wash Connor too, telling him that I moved away because I didn’t care about him and that you can’t wait until he moves out! What sort of man does that, Mom? He has weakened you too, you may not see it now but you will, I promise. He makes me sick to my stomach and I couldn’t care less about him. After what he said to me, if I ever see him again, it’ll be a day too soon!” The look of disgust on Rylee’s face mirrored Lexi’s, they both look like they have swallowed the most revolting thing in the world.

  Lexi didn’t talk, she’s in shock I can tell. She just nods telling Rylee to carry on.

  “He said if I hadn’t been born then my dad wouldn’t have left you and your life wouldn’t have been ruined by me,” Rylee dropped her head and I heard her choke out a sob, I pulled her in closer to me tightening the hold I had on her.

  “So damn proud, sweetie, don’t cry,” I whispered.

  Lexi moved from the couch to the floor by Rylee’s feet, she crouched down placing her hands on Rylee’s knees. She lifted Rylee’s chin to make her look at her.

  “You listen to me, LeeLee, and you listen good, okay?” Tears filled her eyes.

  Rylee’s breath caught at the same time mine did from hearing her call Rylee the name Connor called her when he was small. Rylee loved that he hadn’t been able to put the “Ry” on the beginning, she thought it was the cutest thing ever.

  “You did not ruin my life, you were and still are the best thing that ever happened to me, and don’t you ever think any differently. I wouldn’t change a single thing I did back then, everything I did, every decision I made was out of pure love. Your dad didn’t leave because of you or because I was pregnant with you, I promise you that from the bottom of my heart,” her voice broke, she closed her eyes and the tears fell.

  Rylee sniffled, her voice was weak and I knew she was emotionally drained.

  “He told me to fuck off and find my dad when I was eight,” she sighed. Her head was down and her voice was almost a whisper.

  Shock took over Lexi’s expression, her eyes were wider than before and her jaw looks like it hit the floor.

  “Is that why you came to San Diego, Rylee? To find your dad?” She asked.

  That one question sparked the curiosity inside of me.

  Rylee lifted her head looking at Lexi baffled.

  “No, how would I know where to find him, Mom? You never told me anything about him, not even his name- the one time I asked you about him I made you cry,” Rylee said, lifting her head looking baffled.

  “It wasn’t you that made me cry, it was the subject- it still breaks my heart to think about it, I will tell you, but right now I’m too hurt and angry and I need to make a call, okay?” Her voice wobbled.

  She seems strong on the outside but her eyes are screaming with protectiveness for her children, hurt from the truths she has heard and anger for the man she married and believed she needed.

  “This isn’t the end, Rylee, this is just the beginning. I need to call Nate and then I need to get my baby boy back here, it’s just the three of us now. No matter what his excuse is, no man treats my babies like that and gets another chance,” Lexi said, as she grabbed her cell phone from her purse and left the room.

  With my arm still around Rylee’s shoulder I wait for her to talk, its comfortable silence we’re sitting in and I know she’s processing everything. Rylee’s body jolts as shouting erupts and Lexi’s voice echoes down the hall, we can’t make out exactly what she’s saying but the curse words are prominent and laced with anger. My phone beeps telling me I have a text message, picking it up I see it’s from Ryan.

  Ryan: Heading back, baby. Is everything okay?

  I type a quick reply.

  Me: Okay, hurry babe. It’s all ok with Ry and Lexi but I think Nate is about to go bat shit, Lexi is on the phone to him now.

  The shouting has calmed down some but we can still hear her raised voice.

  Ryan: Fuck, don’t say shit like that when I’m thirty minutes away. You’ll be the death of me, I’ll be there in ten.

  Me: I’m sorry. Don’t drive stupid, I want you here in one piece!

  “Ryan and Connor are on their way back.”

  Rylee nods at me, she’s staring at the switched off TV just for something to focus on.

  Five minutes passed and Lexi came down the hall into the living room, she looks like she has aged a few years in the past two hours. Knocking sounded on the front door startling us all and bringing Rylee out of her trance, we all looked at each other like we wondered who was going to answer it.

  “I’ll get it,” Lexi announced making her way to the door.

  Rylee and I simultaneously let out the breaths we had been holding in when we heard Matt’s voice and then saw him in the doorway a few seconds later. He rushed across the room reaching Rylee in two long strides, he knew something had happened and he stared at her as if his eyes boring into hers would either give him the answers he needed or give her the strength to tell him.

  I left them alone and went to make drinks with Lexi in the kitchen.

  “How are you feeling?” I ask.

  “Ask me again later, sweetie, right now I don’t even know,” she looked at me with pleading eyes, I know she doesn’t want to be pushed.

  I give her a tight smile and make the drinks.

  Hearing the door open and clos
e I know Ryan and Connor are back, Lexi rushes out of the kitchen to see Connor. Ryan comes into the kitchen looking for me, I collapse into him as he pulls me into a tight hug.

  “Don’t ever do that again, baby. You scared the shit out of me, I had visions of Nate getting here quicker than I could and I swear I died three times thinking of what could happen,” his voice was thick with fear, not fear for himself but fear of losing me.

  “He isn’t coming here, babe. You’re not losing me, ever. Don’t think that.”

  I tried to reassure him the best I could but I hadn’t even though of the possibility of Nate coming here until now. He wouldn’t. I let out a sigh of relief when I realised he doesn’t know where we live.

  We walk into the living room and see Lexi and Connor aren’t there, sensing that I’m wondering where everyone is Matt jerks his head towards the door gesturing that Connor and Lexi are in the other room and mouths to me that they are talking. Rylee is curled up in Matt’s lap with his arms securely wrapped around her while she plays with her pendant.

  We all look towards the table when we hear Rylee’s cell ringing. That can only be one person, the one person she never wants to talk to again. Biting her lip she looks up at me with fear in her eyes, she’s thinking the same as me. She looks down at her at her phone then turns back to face us all.

  “It’s him.”

  Chapter Twenty Four

  We all focus on the phone like it is going to detonate any second. Matt is on his feet standing over Rylee and in this moment I can see why Ryan calls him bear, he looks more protective than ever and ready to pounce on anyone that dare take a step towards him.

  “Answer it, Ry,” I said, giving her an encouraging smile.

  She looks up at Matt and then back at me. This is the one part she wasn’t ready for Matt to know about, in fear of him running for the hills, but he’s here and I don’t think he’s going anywhere anytime soon.

  “Last hurdle, sweetie, we’re all here and we’re not going anywhere. So proud, remember that,” I nodded.

  “Speakerphone?” She asked, unsure if we all wanted to hear it.

  We all nodded at her and she pressed the button.

  “Hello?”

  We could hear the fear in her voice.

  Nate’s voice came through the phone loud and clear. “You’re a lying little bitch, Rylee, you are making this shit up so your mom feels sorry for you. I didn’t say those things to you, you made them all up. It’s all in your head.”

  Hearing his deep voice again after all this time made me feel sick, sick over what the jackass did to my best friend and sick because I know that whatever I’m feeling Rylee is feeling it a million times worse.

  None of us talk we just listen.

  “You always did try and take your mom away from me, making up your silly little stories about how I treated you differently. I’m not letting that happen, your mom will believe me, Rylee, trust me. I’m coming to pick your mom and Connor up and we are leaving.”

  Something snapped in Rylee. Rage took over the fear, she picked up the phone and shouted into the speaker.

  “You are the liar, Nate! You are a twisted bastard that has said shit to me since I was six years old. Making me believe my mom was happier without me and that I turned her happiness into hell because it’s my fault that my real dad isn’t around, that I made him leave! You said all of that when I was only eight years old! I know now that it was because you couldn’t handle the fact that you had to share her love. Do you think that’s normal? Do you think it makes you more of a man because you ruled everything I did and made me second guess and doubt every word any man has ever said to me?! No, it makes you a pathetic excuse for a man. No child should be made to feel like they don’t belong in their family and that’s what you did! You even tried spilling your poison onto your own sons mind! You need serious fucking help, Nate!”

  The venom in her tone and the anger rising made her breathing faster and the phone shake in her hands.

  “And if you think I’m going to let my mom believe your bull shit then you really should know that I’m not the timid little girl that used to let you bribe me with candy so I didn’t tell my mom about you drinking! You can’t and you won’t rule me ever again. You come near my mom or my brother again and I’ll make sure you end up six feet under. I hate you with every ounce of my being. Go fuck yourself and never contact us again.”

  Nate’s laughter booms down the phone.

  “Rylee, is that the best you have got? You’re just as pathetic as I thought you always were, you’re just like your mom, she likes to think she can stand up to me too, but I can weaken you both, I own you all- Even Connor. It’s all about power, Rylee, and I have it all. I’m coming to get them now and you’ll never see them again.”

  She doesn’t hang up she throws the phone at the wall in anger, it shatters and falls to the floor.

  I take a step towards her, but Matt gets to her before I do and wraps his arms around her.

  “It’s okay, Rylee, deep breaths for me. I’ve got you, babe, we’ll fix this. I promise,” Matt’s voice is deep and meaningful. I see her body slightly relax, at his words or that she’s wrapped in his strong hold- where I am almost positive she feels most protected.

  Connor and Lexi are standing in the doorway staring at Rylee, Connor’s expression is that of a crushed young boy and Lexi looks broken. I start to wonder how long they have been standing there and if they heard everything.

  Rylee sees them and steps out of Matt’s hold.

  “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold back I had to tell him I hated him. I know I shouldn’t have told him I’ll make sure he ends up six feet under but he was threatening to come and take you both from me. I don’t want to lose you both,” Rylee’s words rushed out and we could all hear the panic behind them.

  Connor shook his head. “He deserved it, we heard it all. You won’t lose us, LeeLee, I always knew you cared about me, but right now I wish you had told me what had happened, I would have put him on his ass the minute you told me. I fucking hate him for what he did to you, and hearing him say that shit about all of us? I hope he does come here, I’ll rip his fucking tongue out and shove it down his throat,” he seethed with anger.

  Matt crossed the room to Connor, gripped his hand on his shoulder and said something to him too quietly for us to hear. Whatever it was seemed to have took the edge off of Connors anger and his chest rose a fell into a steady rhythm. Maybe it was a breathing exercise he had told him.

  The tension in the room started to dissipate and Lexi was on the couch with Rylee, they were deep in conversation as were Connor and Matt. Ryan and I slipped out of the room and into my bedroom.

  I threw myself back onto my bed and covered my face with my arm, all the emotions out there and tension in the air running through each and every one of us had gotten to me, but staying strong for them was all that mattered. I needed five minutes to collect my thoughts, being an outsider looking in on the conversation I couldn’t help picking up on the fact that there is a huge possibility that Rylee’s dad is here in San Diego. Lexi must have already known his whereabouts for her to say that.

  “What are you thinking about, beautiful?” Ryan said as he crawled up the bed and hovered over me.

  “I’m thinking, I need to do something but I need to do it without Rylee knowing I’m doing it.”

  He narrowed his eyes at me, trying to work out what I was up to. I don’t even know where to start with the crazy thoughts I have had in my head since hearing Lexi’s question, but I do know I need to know how close by Rylee’s dad could really be. The last thing she needs right now is a bombshell like that dropped on her.

  “Okay. Call me crazy, call me stupid, you can call me whatever you want but I need to find out if Rylee’s dad is really in this area. I have a feeling he is and I don’t want her to have to deal with more drama. I’ll do this on my own if I have to but I would rather you be with me, are you with me?” I say with a grin.

  Ry
an rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “My crazy beautiful girl, crazy but definitely not stupid. You have something you need to do, I’m with you in a heartbeat, even if I do think it’s a long shot. Just promise me one thing- promise me you won’t meet up with any guys. I don’t give a flying fuck if they know everything about Lexi, hell he could even tell you what color panties she wore when he got into them, you don’t meet them. Deal?” His face is as serious as his tone was.

  “I’m a big girl but I promise I won’t meet any other guys. Thank you for being with me,” I pull on his neck bringing him down to kiss his lips.

  The kiss turned deep, his body went limp against mine.

  “No other guys. Just me, always,” he smiled halfway through the kiss, causing our teeth the clash together and make us both laugh.

  ***

  I wake up to the sound of voices, lots of different voices talking at various volumes. I notice Ryan isn’t next to me and panic sets in, the threat of Nate coming here caused us all to be on edge last night. I’m almost positive he doesn’t know where we live but there is always that slight chance he found out. We stayed up until almost two waiting to see if we would hear from him again, we didn’t. Matt offered Rylee, Lexi and Connor his apartment and said he would sleep on our couch, that way he was here if Nate did come and there was no way he would find them at Matt’s place, but Rylee said she didn’t want to leave me here even if I did have Matt and Ryan- in the end Lexi said that Connor and her will stay at Matt’s and Rylee stays here with us.

  My bedroom door swings open, seeing the worried look on Ryan’s face I shoot up into the sitting position and stare at him waiting for him to tell me what the hell is going on.

  “Baby, get up, Rylee needs you. The police are here.”

  Clambering out of bed, I don’t wait for an explanation I throw on my shorts and Ryan’s t-shirt and rush down the hall to the living room.