by T L Gray
“Grace, I have very little to give you on that one. Sam has fronted all the expenses to date.”
“There are no other investors?” I was shocked. In just the little time I had been there, I could see that a place like Hartsford took a lot of money to keep operating. “Have you contacted local businesses? Organized fund-raisers?”
Liz smiled and stood. “That’s why you’re here, Grace. And with that, I am going to leave this place in your capable hands.”
“You’re leaving? Now?” I was starting to panic.
“You will never find your place while I’m here. Best we keep this transition short and sweet. I left you all my information, so if anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call.”
I wanted to hug her, hold on for dear life. Instead, I shook her hand and thanked her. Liz wished me luck before grabbing the box on her desk and heading out the door. I peeked through the blinds that shielded the office windows from the onlookers in the gym and saw that Liz didn’t even stop to say good-bye to anyone.
Taking a deep breath, I looked around at the small office that now belonged to me. I allowed myself two minutes to cry, pray, and settle down. Then I stood, opened the door, and began putting the files back into the cabinet, organizing them slightly differently than Liz had.
When I picked up Matt’s file, I hesitated. Liz had mentioned his past to me, but we didn’t have time to go over details. He was one of the easy ones, she said, and moved on to more demanding volunteers.
Unable to stop myself, I opened the folder, noticing first a picture of him that looked like it was only a few years old. I ran my thumb over his handsome face, and then scolded myself before reading the background report.
What I saw surprised me. He had been arrested at sixteen for breaking and entering, along with theft of personal property. After two years in a juvenile detention center, he moved to Asheville. The addresses listed showed he had lived in the Raintree Apartments for two years, then moved to the Northside Apartments for a few years before settling at his current residence on Spruce Street.
The sound of a throat clearing startled me, causing the file to slip from my fingers. I looked up and saw Matt in the doorway. Moving swiftly, he had the file in his hand before I even reacted. He glanced at the papers for a second before handing them back to me, his face hardening.
“Find anything interesting in there, Duchess?”
Taking the file with shaking hands, I tried to explain. “I-I wasn’t trying to pry. I just—” He raised an eyebrow at me. “Okay, yes, I was curious. I’m sorry.”
Matt sat on the couch casually, stretching out his long arms. “You trying to decide if I’m good enough for Marcus? Liz didn’t have any concerns.”
Again, Matt had chosen to assume the worst about me. “No, of course not. I just picked it up to take a peek. No ulterior motive, despite what you’re thinking.”
“What am I thinking?” Hard and calm, his expression gave me nothing.
“Heck if I know, but you’re always thinking something.”
Matt leaned forward and lowered his elbows to his knees to glare at me intently. “I’m thinking you’re in way over your head, Duchess. I’m thinking you don’t know the first thing about the horrors these kids live through every day.”
I wouldn’t cry. Not in front of him. Luckily, a knock rapped against the door, and one of the older boys entered with a stricken look on his face.
“Ms. Covington, I crashed into the bleachers and my back hurts so bad. Can you take a look?” He hobbled and gripped his side.
Determined to show Matt my qualifications, I gingerly checked him over, noting that his skin was without even a scratch.
“Looks like you’re just fine. Give it a little while. If it still hurts, we’ll check again.”
The boy beamed and turned to give me a big hug. “Thanks, Ms. Covington.” Then he left.
Looking smugly at Matt, I crossed my arms. His agitation startled me as he bolted off the chair to shut my door.
“What was that?” he demanded. “How many other boys have hugged you like that today?”
Shocked by his reaction, I stammered, “None. Why?”
“Why? Are you really that naive? Fourteen-year-old boys don’t come in here to get their boo-boos checked. They come in here to cop a feel and think dirty thoughts while they hug you. How do you expect to gain their trust if you let them disrespect you like that?”
Confusion muddied my thoughts. Since when is affection disrespectful? It was just a hug.
“A little bit of free advice, Duchess. Save the affection for boys who have yet to reach puberty.” With that, he stormed out of my office.
Chapter 7
* * *
MATT
I saw the little punk the minute I left Grace’s office and pointed at him. “You. Come here.” He was laughing and hand-slapping his buddies, no doubt getting a status boost for his performance. Slowly he made his way down the bleachers to stand in front of me.
“What?” he demanded, holding his chin rigid.
I grabbed his ID badge, making note that his name was Trey. “Go home. You’re done for the day.”
His arrogant smile faltered. “What? Why? I didn’t do anything.”
“Don’t give me that. You know exactly what you did. That crap isn’t going to fly around here. You got me? Now get your stuff and go home, and tell your little friends over there the same will happen to them if they pull that garbage with Ms. Covington.”
Trey shot me a hateful glance. “What’s your deal, man? You tryin’ to get with her or something?”
Glaring harder at the kid, I pointed to the door. “Out, before I make it permanent.”
Cursing under his breath, Trey grabbed his backpack and spoke to his friends. They quit smiling when they saw my enraged face. Soon he was out the door, hitting the frame in anger on his way.
I shouldn’t have gotten this upset over a punk kid. I shouldn’t have cared that she was being worked over, but for some reason I did. I hadn’t blinked at a woman in nine years and now one was consuming me.
Darius approached as I stood, arms crossed, taking deliberate breaths to calm down.
“You’re going to need to cut them a little slack, at least for the first couple of days. Most of these kids have never seen someone like her in person. One little girl even asked me if she was a movie star.” He glanced toward Grace’s door, which was now shut. “She’ll learn her way.”
“You just make sure she’s never alone here. Word is going to get around real quick, and I have a feeling we’re going to have an influx of teenage boys.” Still trying to steady my breath, I nodded in the direction of her office. “You may also want to suggest she wear more appropriate attire while she’s here.”
I immediately thought back to Grace’s form-fitting skirt and high heels that showed off her long, lean legs. I sighed. It wasn’t the outfit as much as it was the sharp contrast between her and Liz. That soft femininity combined with her vulnerability that she wore like an overcoat.
Darius laughed. “No way I’m touching that. If Liz didn’t say anything, then I’m certainly not going to. Besides, maybe her fancy suits will finally get investors to pitch in.”
I looked back at Darius, ready to change the subject. “Has Marcus been around today?”
“He’s been hiding out in the TV room. Thinks we didn’t notice him slip in. Liz said to let him be until you two had a chance to meet.”
Nodding, I headed over to the busy room to meet my new little brother. I spotted Marcus immediately. He sat, lounging on the far side of the room on one of the couches. He was a good-looking-enough kid, with smooth brown skin and short, coarse hair. His eyes, though, told his story. They had an edge in them, that animal wariness. I’d seen the look often enough in the mirror to recognize it. No doubt this kid would be a challenge.
Tapping a boy next to him to move, I sat down. Marcus glanced at me just for a second before his jaw went rigid.
“Where’s
your ID?” I asked casually, watching for his reaction.
“Listen, Jack, you don’t work here. I don’t have to answer to you.” I had to hand it to him. Fear showed clear as day in his eyes, but his voice was full of attitude.
“My name isn’t Jack. It’s Matt. I’m your new big brother, although I was told you wouldn’t be back until Wednesday.”
Marcus narrowed his eyes at me and moved as far away as the couch would allow. “I don’t need or want a big brother, especially some dude who looks like you.”
“Well, that’s not what I hear. Seems you’re having difficulty staying out of trouble.”
“Ms. Bailey didn’t listen to my side of the story. He started it. I didn’t have a choice. You know how it is, man, attack or be attacked.”
“You always have a choice, Marcus. In this case, you chose to do something you knew would get you suspended. Now, as much as I’d like to get to know you, you’re going to have to leave and come back on Wednesday when your suspension is over.”
Marcus lurched up from the couch, his thin frame vibrating with rage. “Fine, whatever. I’ll go. Some big brother you turned out to be!” He stormed out the door under the watchful eyes of everyone around him.
I shut off the TV before addressing the room. “Every one of you knew he was in here without an ID. If you want this place to stay safe, you’ll have to do your part. Next time this happens, I’m sending all of you home. Understand?”
Muffled “yes, sirs” filled the air, so I switched the TV on again. I hated to send Marcus home when it was obvious he needed to be at the center, but if I broke the rules for one of them, they would all try the same. Discipline and consistency were what made Hartsford so effective.
I glanced one more time at Grace’s office before walking out the front doors. These kids were going to eat her alive.
Will stood up, hoisting his backpack, when he saw me walk into the gym. His shift was from three until I showed up, which was usually by six.
“Hey, Matt. You’re booked solid again tonight.”
I let out a heavy sigh. That wasn’t going to work. “Listen, are you interested in picking up some more hours this summer?”
Will’s face lit up. “You bet. I’m saving for a car.”
“Good. Plan on staying until nine from now on. I’m going to be spending more time at the Hartsford Center, so no more evening bookings. I’ll free up some time in the mornings. In fact, I want you to call and cancel the rest of my appointments for the week. Give them each ten dollars off their next session because of the inconvenience.”
Will seemed stunned as he set down his backpack. “Okay.”
I understood his confusion. Never once in the time he’d worked there had I canceled an appointment. I assured myself it had everything to do with Marcus and not the dark-haired beauty who now ran the place.
I started setting up for my appointments that night while Will made the phone calls. After his last call, I approached the desk again. “One more thing before you take off. I want you to look up a Devon Banks and see if he’s still been coming here. If he has, let me know what time.”
A few minutes later, Will handed me a slip of paper with some notes scribbled on it. “He comes around lunchtime, usually to use Apocalypse.”
Apocalypse was a private room with one punching bag and a stereo system. Knowing the type of rage that existed in his patients, Bruce had created the room to offer a place where they could lose control and get out their aggression without hurting anyone.
I thanked Will and set a reminder in my phone to swing by at lunchtime tomorrow, although I doubted I would forget that detail. The rest of the evening flashed by in a haze of sweat and testosterone until my phone beeped, indicating it was eight thirty.
Turning to Cody, my eager trainee, I halted our grappling. “Listen, I’ve got to take care of something tonight. Just go ahead and do three miles on the treadmill and I’ll add thirty minutes to our next session, okay?”
His face fell but then brightened a little. “Summer tryouts are next week for the varsity wrestling team. Do you think I’m ready?”
I looked at him. Cody had a warrior’s heart, but his body had yet to catch up. He’d lost some weight since we started working together, but he still had a good forty pounds to go. A string of bullying had brought him to me four months ago. Overweight, defeated, and spiraling into self-loathing, Cody begged me to take a chance on him. Since then I’d tried to do more than just physically shape him. Using Bruce’s techniques, I pushed and pushed until Cody experienced enough victories to make his confidence soar.
Careful of my words, I slapped his back. “Well, I think you could be, but I bet if you wait until fall, you will do more than just make the team. I think you’ll wow them.”
Cody was thoughtful and then smiled. “Okay, I’ll wait.”
“Good call. All right, I’ll be back soon.”
With that I grabbed my keys and headed straight to the Hartsford Center. Parking off in the shadows, I waited until the four employees came out the doors and then locked them. Grace stood talking to Darius for a few minutes before getting into her car. As she drove out of the parking lot, I casually followed, being sure to keep my distance.
She stopped at a drugstore and then headed to her apartment. I watched as she parked her car and then leaned in to grab her bags. Shaking my head, I noticed she never once looked around to check her safety before opening the door to her apartment. I heard the alarm click on her car and then watched as she shut her door. I swung through the parking lot to make sure no one was casing out her place. There was a gaggle of drunks bumping to music from their car, but they seemed too absorbed in the party to notice Grace. After watching them for a few minutes, I finally felt comfortable enough to head back to the gym.
That night the nightmares came again.
The smell of burnt grease and cigarettes turned my stomach as I clocked out for the night. I hated this job.
Busing tables at the nastiest dive in town wasn’t exactly how I’d pictured my life, but they paid me under the table, so I took the work.
Sadness hit. I missed my mom. Had it really only been six months ago that she died?
Refusing to spiral down that hole again, I thought of Maggie. She was my future now. We would make a life for ourselves. One better than what we both grew up with. That jerk would never hurt her again.
Smiling, I pushed harder on the gas, my sad excuse for a car puttering along. I couldn’t wait to see her. Couldn’t wait to officially make her mine. Eighteen would come soon enough and we’d be married and get out of here for good.
Turning the lock, I pushed the apartment door open. Maggie scrambled half-naked off the couch.
She wasn’t alone.
The dude she had with her raised his hands. “I don’t want any trouble.”
Driven by a rage I didn’t know existed, I had the guy pinned and wailing as I beat him senseless. After throwing him out of the apartment, I slammed the door and turned to Maggie. She screamed at me, asked what I expected when I left her alone all day.
“Someone has to pay the bills!” I yelled back, still too enraged to see straight. “Unless this is your new day job, Maggie. Is that it? Are you selling yourself now?”
She hollered at me again and barreled forward, crazily slapping my face and chest. I tried grabbing her wrists to stop the attack, but she continued to curse and beat me until my anger snapped.
As if in slow motion, I whipped my hand across her face and watched as she crumpled to the ground in tears. Horror and regret instantly engulfed me. I looked down and saw my father’s hand at the end of my arm. Terrified, I reached out to Maggie’s crumpled body only to see Grace’s teary blue eyes staring up at me.
I heard myself scream “NO!” as I bolted out of bed. My breathing was strained and my chest ached as I gasped for air. This couldn’t be happening. I wouldn’t go back there . . . not now, not ever. I had to get Grace out of my head. I couldn’t care, couldn’t feel.
It was too dangerous.
My peaceful, calm life was disappearing before my very eyes and all I could do was desperately fall on my knees and pray that the Lord would save me from myself.
Chapter 8
* * *
GRACE
I hadn’t seen Matt in three days. I should have been glad, since the last time we spoke he pretty much said I wasn’t cut out to do this job. Even so, I still found myself watching for him and wondering why he’d disappeared.
Marcus returned yesterday and I got my chance to officially speak to him. He hardly said a word or made eye contact, but Darius told me that was pretty normal behavior from him. I had been spoiled with how all the other kids seemed to treat me with awe and even reverence. Marcus looked as if he hated me from the get-go. Liz was right. He and Matt were the perfect match.
I rolled my neck as I sat, trying desperately to work out the pain that had been there all morning. My poor excuse for a bed deflated on me in the middle of the night and I woke up achy all over. Oh well, I guess the couch would be my bed for a while. The secondhand piece wasn’t much, but the board I put under the cushions really helped the sagging.
Rubbing my aching neck, I realized that today was the first time I’d missed home. I longed for a comfortable bed and hot, luxurious bath. Not the nasty, chipping, rusted-out shower stall I used every day. Remorse stopped my pity party. It hadn’t even been a week, and there I was thinking of what I left behind. Shameful.
The sound of someone approaching yanked me from my thoughts. I winced in pain after turning my head too quickly to see who was there.
“Rough day?” Matt was leaning against the doorframe again, and I had to swallow the large lump that suddenly formed in my throat. Did he have to always look so good?
“More like rough night. My air mattress decided to spring a leak.” I could hear the strain in my voice and prayed Matt didn’t notice how nervous he made me.