by L. S. Scott
“I’m leaving mom,” I answered flatly.
“The hell you are!”
I cut my eyes to the front door where Jaron stood waiting for me. Mom turned to look at him.
“You are only seventeen years old Natalie. You are not moving in with him!”
“I can’t stay here mom,” I tried to be patient and calm. I didn’t want to say, your boyfriend tried to force himself on me. I pushed my way past her, even though she tried to stand her ground. “I’m sorry,” I said under my breath.
She followed me to the door and grabbed my arm. Jaron tensed. Even my mom putting her hands on me agitated him.
“You get your ass back in this house.”
Jaron’s patience ran out. Before I could respond, he stepped in front of me.
“Let go of her,” he demanded.
“Get out of my house,” my mom ordered back.
“Gladly,” he hissed. “But she’s coming with me.”
“She is a minor! You take her, and I will call the cops,” mom threatened.
Jaron’s chest swelled and his shoulders broadened. It was like watching a cobra about to strike.
“You do, and it will be the last mistake you ever make.” His tone was deep and foreboding and even made my teeth chatter with fear.
“If you gave a damn about her, you wouldn’t have scum like him living under her roof. Now let, her, go.”
My mom’s hand fell from my arm and she dropped her head in shame. Jaron’s words had cut her to the core and it was as if years of bad decisions all came crashing down on her. I wanted to hug her goodbye and tell her I loved her, but I couldn’t. I fled to my truck. Jaron shot Bill a last warning glare before he turned his back and walking deliberately, slowly down the porch steps in triumph.
“I’m right behind ya babe,” he said nodding to me.
Pulling into the drive way that I had sadly left just a couple hours before, was filled with mixed emotions. It felt like home. It was where I wanted to be. But, now it was all so real, so permanent. There was no going back. This was my home. Our home. I sat with my hands glued to the wheel, unable to move from the truck seat. The old truck door creaked open.
“Hey, are you ok,” Jaron asked, brushing my hair back tenderly.
My chest began to heave with deep sobs. I dropped my head in my hands and they filled up with tears. Without another word, Jaron scooped me up and carried me into the house. Sitting in the dark living room, cradled in his arms on the couch, I cried myself sick. When my tears finally ran out he whispered in my ear.
“I got you baby, always.”
My eyes were burning and matted when I woke up on the comfy couch. The clock said nine o’clock and it took a few seconds to realize it was nine a.m. and I was late for school. Jaron was nowhere in sight. I staggered drowsily to the kitchen and popped open a Dr. Pepper then headed down the hall to the bedroom, where I found him.
“What are you doing,” I asked, shocked by what I was seeing.
Jaron stood and turned to face me. He was standing in the middle of a metal bed frame that was sitting where our bed used to be. The mattress and springs were leaned against the dresser and there was barely room to move around.
“I’m tightening this frame before I put the mattress back on.”
“I see that, but why? Where is our bed?”
He smiled, “Our bed is across the hall.”
Across the hall was the master bedroom. It had been his grandparent’s room and it had remained virtually untouched since his grandpa passed away. I looked at him puzzled.
“There’s not enough room in here for both of us, for all your things to fit in the closet. We need the master.”
“How long have you been up working on this?”
“Since about five I think. How are you feeling,” he asked, stepping out of the bedframe to kiss me good morning.
“My eyes hurt, but I’m okay. Why didn’t you wake me? You know it’s the first day of school.”
“Honestly, I lost track of time. I’m sorry. But looking at you right now, I don’t think you need to go today anyway. You look pretty tired,” he cupped my face and ran his thumbs across my cheek bones.
“I am pretty tired. Crying is so exhausting,” I pressed my forehead against his chest and closed my eyes. He kissed the top of my head.
“Do you want to see our new room?”
“Yes, I do.”
I had only looked in the room once and I felt guilty, like I was disturbing his grandparent’s memory somehow and I wasn’t sure how comfortable I would feel taking it over.
We crossed the hall and he opened the bedroom door, obviously very anxious for me to see. Our bed was centered on the longest wall. The dresser and chest from Jaron’s room were arranged on opposite walls. The tan suede chair sat in the corner and even the curtains from his room had been moved to cover the windows.
“You moved our entire room,” I said astonished.
“Yeah. I wanted you to be comfortable in here, like you were over there. This is our stuff.”
I walked around the room and opened the closet doors. All my clothes were hanging and my shoes arranged neatly.
“Jaron,” I gasped.
He slipped his arms around my waist from behind.
“Is it okay in here?”
“It’s perfect. You worked so hard. Thank you so much.” I squeezed his arms around me.
“This is your home now Natalie, this is our home. I don’t want you living out of a duffle bag.”
“I love you Jaron.”
“I love you too baby. We have our own bathroom too. No more streaking down the hall,” he smiled.
We turned, still glued together and I pushed the bathroom door open. It was small and basic, but perfect.
“Why don’t you take a hot bath, or shower, and I’ll cook us some breakfast. I’m starving,” he admitted.
“I should be the one cooking you breakfast after all your hard work.”
“That’s ok babe. I think you’re more exhausted than me. Clean up, we’ll eat, and then maybe we will take a nap in our new room.”
“Okay, you talked me into it.”
The shower felt wonderful and refreshing. I washed the matting out of my eyes and let the hot water massage my stiff neck. Standing under the shower I thought about all that Jaron had done for me. I had never felt more loved in my life. He was so loving and kind. It was hard to believe that he warranted his bad reputation. But I had witnessed the other side of him. I had seen his eyes full of rage, seen him beat a man. The potential for danger was there, just below the surface.
I wrapped my hair in a towel and slipped into some comfy shorts and a tee, looking forward to breakfast and a nap. The smell of biscuits and bacon filled the kitchen.
“Yum, you made me chocolate gravy!”
“It’s your favorite, right?”
“Yes it is.”
“I found the recipe in some of Grans old recipe books. I hope it tastes ok. The biscuits are canned though. I’m not much of a baker.”
“They’re perfect, thank you. Sit; let me fix you a plate.”
Hesitantly, he sat down on the stool at the bar and watched me. I opened two biscuits and buttered them generously before spooning the hot, sweet chocolate gravy over them, then repeated the process for myself.
“Oh, my Gawd, this is delicious. I haven’t had chocolate gravy in forever.”
“So it’s good?” he asked, unsure.
“Yeah, don’t you like it?”
“Yeah, I like it. I just didn’t know if my gravy is as good as what you’re used to.”
“It’s even better,” I said reassuringly. “But now, you’ll have to make it for me all the time,” I teased.
“I can do that,” he said winking.
Our bellies stuffed, and Jaron wore out from an early morning of furniture moving, we curled up in our bed and within minutes we were both asleep.
Chapter Six
I was sitting at the dining table with my
pile of books, second day of school and I was already behind. Two of my teachers had assigned homework on Monday and again on Tuesday, so I had four assignments to complete. The back screen door slammed as Jaron came in.
“Hey babe. How was the first day of school,” he asked, kissing the top of my head as he passed, peeling his shirt off to toss in the washer.
“Technically, it was the second day of school and I am already behind.”
“You already have homework? Damn! I hardly ever had homework.” He leaned over the bar talking to me while he snacked on a bowl of grapes.
“You never had it, or you never did it?”
“Yeah, maybe that was it.”
“Well, I have a lot of it because I’m in weighted courses.”
“Why?” he asked.
“It’ll help me get into college and if my grades are good enough, scholarships,” I said absentmindedly as I refocused on the assignments scribbled on notebook paper in front of me.
“College?” Jaron’s tone changed causing me to look up from my work. He stood looking confused, even agitated, which confused me.
“Yes. College. Why do you sound so surprised?” He shrugged and turned away shaking his head. “Jaron?” I called after him as he left the room.
“I’m taking a shower. Get back to work,” he answered from the bedroom.
I rolled my eyes and tried to focus on the crap load of work in front of me. I always had perfect grades, not because I was super smart, but because I took great notes. Without them I felt lost, especially in science and math. Now, with Jaron’s negative reaction to college distracting me, it felt impossible. Its three years away Natalie, plenty of time to discuss it later. I told myself. Plenty of time.
Two problems in to my college algebra, there was a knock at the front door. I could hear the shower still running so I tossed my pencil to the side huffily and got up to answer it.
“Jacob! What are you doing here?” I missed my brother terribly and wanted to be happy to see him, but I knew he hadn’t come to bring a house warming gift.
“Oh I think you know exactly what I’m doing here.” His voice was stern and parental, and more than slightly pissed.
“Jake, let me explain.”
“Get your things Natalie.”
“I had to leave Jake, you don’t understand.”
“I do understand. But if you’re not living with mom, you’re coming back to Texas with me.”
“No. She ain’t,” Jaron said flatly out of nowhere.
He approached the door and stood right behind me. Jake snarled back at him. I felt like raw meat on the ground between hungry wolves.
“Yall, please don’t?”
“Stay out of this Jaron. You have no say in what she does. She’s my sister.”
“And you left her,” Jaron growled, pushing closer to the open door. “You knew what she was going to go through, that’s why you put that door on her room. You knew and you left her to fend for herself anyway!”
“You’re right. I should’ve been here to protect her from predators like you!”
“JACOB!” I scolded. Jaron stepped around me and the two stood toe to toe, Jaron glaring down at Jake. “Stop it! Both of you! Please,” I begged tears welling in my eyes. I pushed my way between them. “Jaron, please back off.” He looked down at the tears rolling down my cheek and reflexively wiped them away before retreating into the house. He posted up in the entry, just a few feet away. “That’s not fair Jake. He’s not a predator.”
“You’re under age. I could have him arrested for kidnapping and statutory rape.” I cringed at the mention of the word rape.
“Stop It Jacob! He loves me, we love each other. Look around. I have a nice home here. I don’t have to lock myself in my room.”
“You are seventeen years old. You need to be concentrating on school, planning for college. Not shacking up and playing house with,” I cut him off before he could insult Jaron again.
“I am in school. I was working on college algebra when you knocked.”
“The school called me yesterday when you didn’t show up,” he said accusingly.
“I was recovering from being verbally and physically attacked by mom’s drunk, sweaty boyfriend. If Jaron wouldn’t have rushed over there,” a chill ran up my spine. “School is still important to me. Honestly Jake, this is the home we never had, where we eat dinner at the table together every night.”
“He’s got you cooking and cleaning for him?” Disgust filled his expression.
“He cooks for me Jake, breakfast and dinner.” Jake huffed, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. “I love you Jake and I am very happy to see you, but I am not going with you. I’m begging you to please let this go. You could cause all kinds of trouble for us, but in the end, we’re still going to be together.”
“Why are you so damned hard headed?” he asked through gritted teeth, squeezing his forehead between his fingers and thumb.
“You’re welcome to stay and have dinner with us,” I said ignoring his frustration.
I heard Jaron suck in a deep breath and let it out slowly behind me, but he kept his opinion to his self. Jake looked past me, sizing him up one last time.
“No thanks, Mom’s off work tonight; I’m going to take her to dinner. Natalie, this don’t feel right, leaving you here. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do.” I said, trying to sound confident in my decision. He wrapped me in a huge bear hug.
“I am sorry about what happened to you yesterday. I love you sis.”
“I love you too. Don’t worry about me, I’m good, really.” I gave him a reassuring smile before he reluctantly retreated to his truck.
I waved a final good bye from the porch then turned my attention to Jaron, leaning on the door frame.
“Thank you,” I said sincerely, running my hand under the back of his shirt to find damp, bare skin.
“For what? Not killing your brother?” he joked with a little smirk and a lot of disdain.
“Yes, and for letting me handle it.” My fingers played lightly on his back.
“You have homework to do,” he reminded with one raised brow, “so you better stop that,” he referred to my fingers that had moved to the front, scratching lightly down his chest and stomach.
“I think you deserve a reward for good behavior.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m not joking,” I whispered seductively.
He followed me into the house and closed the door. Slowly, I removed my clothes, down to my bra and panties while he watched intently, his arms crossed over his chest, his thumb tracing back and forth across his bottom lip, the familiar storm brewing behind his thick lashes. I held my arms out to the side.
“Claim your prize.”
An hour later, we lay tangled in sheets and each other, with my head on his chest listening to his heart rate slowly return to normal.
“What you said to Jake, about us being together, that means a lot to me. Thank you,” he kissed the top of my head.
“I love you Jaron. I know what you’re risking to be with me. That means a lot to me.”
“You know he’s not the only one who feels that way. People are gonna say some pretty nasty things about us.”
“Tell me about it,” I mumbled, reliving the day’s events and the scene from the bleachers in my head.
“What? Did something happen already?”
I knew it was pointless to lie. He would know and just be mad at me too, so I spilled it, the whole ugly story. How the jackass short stop and a couple of his buddies from the baseball team cornered me behind the bleachers while I was heading to meet Tiffany for lunch, the perverted comments and suggestions. How Jaron was raising me up right, teaching me all the things I needed to know and how Richard and Brian showed up and rescued me.
“See, football players aren’t always jerks, sometimes it’s baseball players,” I joked, trying to make light of it all, but Jaron wasn’t laughing.
He sat u
p on the side of the bed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. I curled my body around him and rubbed his back in an effort to soothe him.
“Don’t be upset. I’m fine. It won’t be long until there’s someone else to talk about and we’re old news.”
He starred at the floor, every muscle in his jaw flexed tight. After a moment of silence he looked down at me, “Do you get it now Natalie?”
“Get what?” Apparently not, because I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
“Guys Natalie. Old guys, young guys, all guys. I know that this body is probably new to you, and you don’t ask for the attention, but you’re crazy sexy and it’s not just the way you look. There’s just something about you. It drives me crazy and I guarantee you, it does others too, especially now.”
“What do mean, especially now.”
“Now that you have experience.”
“Experience?” I was starting to feel a little defensive.
“Don’t get mad, it’s not an insult. It’s just, you’re different now. Guys can tell.”
“Can we change the subject please?”
“If you will admit that I’m right, that everywhere you go men notice you and want you and that’s why you need to be careful. Use your head. Like last night. You should have never went into that trailer knowing Bill was there alone.”
“Ok Jaron, I get it!” I said exasperated, rolling over to stare at the ceiling.
“Do you? Do you really understand how close you were to,” he paused and closed his eyes.
“Yes I do! So drop it!”
I jumped up and bolted to the bathroom, tears threatening to fall. I was sitting naked on the toilet when the door slowly creaked open.
“Do you mind? I’m trying to pee!”
“Calm down. I just don’t ever want you to go through what Janna went through, and I don’t want to spend my life in prison for killing someone.”
“Look away,” I demanded.