Intense 2

by Hebert, Cambria

  I'd grown numb again as he said all the words that I'd held inside, too scared to say out loud. I'd always felt like a burden. I always wondered if my mother had sent me away because she didn't want me. Maybe my father HAD been so awful that the very sight of me revolted her. Did Viola wish Brady had been her grandchild instead of me? It would've made more sense.

  I would've believed everything except one part.

  Brady wasn't just obsessed with me. It was more. He'd never told me, but I knew it as sure as I breathed. He cared about me and if Frank Stephens lied about that one thing, I knew all the others were lies.

  He couldn't hurt me.

  As he spewed more abuse, I glanced out the window and saw Deputy Doug's car parked outside. When the door opened, voices filled the hall.

  Idly, I crossed the room to grab a poker by the fireplace and held it tight. As I moved back, I placed myself where Frank Stephens would have his back to the hallway. As he continued to spew those hurtful words to me, I knew he wouldn't stop. He was drunk. He was angry. He was evil—he was just that kind of guy. I also knew that Brady would hear him and Brady would react how he always did.

  Looking back over the years, Brady always had a hot temper. He was an "all in" type of guy and that meant protecting the ones he loved. He protected them all the way. Brady had worked on his temper. He was a lot better than a few years ago, but he still fought over one factor. Me.

  I heard their footsteps grow closer.

  "Mr. Stephens, I feel it's my duty to forewarn you about certain events." When he stopped, I continued, "That son of yours doesn't take kindly to people saying hurtful words to me. I might not stop him from hurting you, but since the law is present right now, I figure Brady shouldn't chance another arrest. He's going to want to hurt you and I figure the only way to stop him is if you're already hurt. So…."

  I tightened my hold on the poker and looked beyond Frank Stephens' shoulder to see Brady turn into the room with Deputy Doug beside him. They stopped and Frank Stephens cursed out, "You think I'm afraid of your threats. You're nothing, but a little whore that was born a mistake and you'll die—"

  Brady jerked forward with his hands already in fists. That's when I swung the poker with all my weight behind it. The poker slammed into Frank Stevens' face and he fell to the ground. It was so quick and it was done just as quick. Silence filled the room as Frank Stephens lay there, shocked, until he started to get back up with more threats.

  Brady started forward, but I turned again and hit Frank Stephens over his back once, twice, and then again. He wouldn't shut up. I was surprised he didn't fight back, but the liquor might've helped me.

  Then I was jerked from behind and pulled backwards. As my arms were pulled behind, I looked up and met Brady's eyes. His were shocked when mine were calm. "I didn't want you to hurt him. I didn't want you to go to jail again."

  Deputy Doug spoke from behind me, "I need to arrest you, Rayna….I'm sorry."

  I started to cry, but I nodded. "Brady has to come with us. He can't stay here."

  "I'll make sure of it."

  As I was led outside and placed in the back seat of the squad car, I watched what was happening. Brady followed and lingered on the front steps of the house. Kid and Clarissa had shocked looks on their faces when they saw where I was. An ambulance arrived not long afterwards, and paramedics went inside. After that, I closed my eyes. I didn't care what else happened because Brady wasn't alone. The front door of the police car opened.

  Brady crawled inside. "What happened in there?"

  My voice was hoarse. "He was angry and saying a bunch of bad stuff to me. He wouldn't stop, Brady. I knew you were coming in. I didn't want you to hurt him because you'd get hurt worse."

  "He can't hurt me, Rayna."

  But, he could. And I knew it. Frank Stephens had kept quiet for so many years about Brady being his son, but he'd done it because he was scared of losing his business. He didn't have much to lose now. I might not be all-knowing and worldly about men like Clarissa, but I saw a quality in Frank Stephens that I knew very well. It was in Brady too. He felt his world crumbling and he was going to take as many down with him as possible. If Brady had physically attacked Frank Stephens, all bets were off. Everything would be told and I wasn't sure if I wanted Brady to learn about his parentage that way. It didn't matter now because I was the one who'd hurt Frank, not Brady. Brady would be okay. I was sure of it now.

  "You really did him one. I'm surprised he didn't swing back at you. Viola is going to be so proud."

  I laughed and then whimpered as pain shot down my arms.

  "What's wrong?"

  "My arms hurt." I tried to lift them, but they were too weak.

  Brady nodded. "You really walloped him. I'm sure you pulled a muscle doing that. You're nothing but a hundred plus? A pint-size girl took down Frank Stephens. Even Kid's impressed. I think Clarissa has a newfound lesbian crush on you."

  I laughed weakly as I felt tears slide down my cheeks. "I'm a mess, Brady."

  He slipped two fingers through the bars and caught my hand. "I'll clean you up."

  "Promise?"

  "Promise."

  My heart skipped a beat when I looked in his eyes.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  "Why did you assault Frank Stephens?" Deputy Doug interrogated me with one leg propped by his phone and his chair tipped backwards.

  Deputy Doug should've handcuffed me. As I rubbed where they could've been, I was thankful he hadn't. "Because I didn't want Brady to get into any more trouble."

  He slammed a hand on his desk. "You can't say that, Rayna. Any second now, Frank Stephens' hotshot lawyer is going to sweep through those doors. I can't help you after that. It'll go over my head. I've already been lenient bringing you in here and not cuffing you. I might get my rear-end handed to me for the likes of you."

  "Did you get a hold of my grandmother?"

  "Already told you. She ain't answering the phone. It don't matter none. Judge Bailor's coming in to discuss the situation. You're eighteen. Brady can post your bail if you need it." As he eyed me, he added, "Besides, we both know you ain't in any trouble with your grandmomma. She's going to have a parade when she hears what you've done."

  "Grandpa did tell me to make memories today."

  Deputy Doug smothered a chuckle as he peeked through the blinds. "No lawyer's showed up yet. I'm in a pickle of what to do with you."

  "I thought you were going to arrest me."

  He scoffed, "I should throw you in jail, but I can't arrest Viola Janke's granddaughter. When it comes down to it, I'm more scared of her than Frank Stephens. We all know a poker can take him down, but your grandmomma…I don't think a buckshot would graze her."

  "Then why am I here?"

  "Because I want Judge Bailor to sweat bullets with me. He's more scared of Viola than me. I don't want just my head on the chopping block."

  "When is he getting here?"

  Deputy Dog sat down and sighed, "Hells if I know. He went golfing. It might take him hours to sober up."

  "Can I talk to Brady? Can't he come back here if you're not arresting me?"

  Deputy Doug scratched his head and nodded jerkily. "Sure. What's it to me to keep you two apart?" He moved around the desk and opened his office door. "Brady. Get your bee-hinder back here."

  A moment later, Brady sauntered through the door and flashed a grin. "Couldn't bear to be apart from me, Dougie?"

  He got a snort in response. "Just don't get all hanky panky on the desk. Viola or not, I will arrest you both."

  "Deputy Dog, you know how I feel about challenges," Brady taunted. When he sat the chair next to me, his thigh brushed against mine. "I'd say put the handcuffs on her, but you did say no hanky panky. I wouldn't want to be tempted."

  "You're funny, Brady. You're a funny guy." Deputy Doug rolled his eyes before he gave us a stern glare as he exited the office.

  When the door was closed, Brady turned to assess me. All laughter faded. He sighed inst
ead and took my hand in his. "It'll be fine, Rayray. Trust me. How many times have I been where you're sitting?"

  "I'm not you." I entwined our fingers and held on tight.

  "No, you're prettier."

  "I mean it." I wasn't smooth or sophisticated. I wasn't what Brady could be at his choosing. He got people to listen to him, strangers even. They followed him, did what he said to do. I didn't have those qualities. I was plain, boring, and sheltered. "I've never done something like this, Brady. I don't know what to do. I don't know what's going to happen to me. I don't know if this'll hurt my future. I don't know what to feel right now except that I'm scared and a little…content."

  His eyebrows shot up. "You're content? To be a criminal?"

  "No, not that. I'm scared about that, but I'm content about…I don't know, maybe like I was standing up for myself."

  "Because you were being hurt by him?"

  I wiped a tear away. I was sick of crying.

  "What was he saying that was hurting you?"

  Could I tell him? He already knew the rumors about my mother, but he didn't know the truth so I shook my head. "I can't explain it. He just said a bunch of stuff about my mom. And he said stuff about how she never wanted me, that I'm a burden to Viola and Neil."

  Brady hissed and flexed his knuckles. "It's a good thing you laid him out. You're right, if you hadn't, I would've. No one should say that stuff to anyone, even if it's true. No one should hear that."

  I heard an inflection in his voice. Had someone spoken those same words to him? I was about to ask when he suddenly exclaimed, "Wait a minute. Why was your mom at Frank Stephens' house? How does your mom even know him?"

  Um.

  I had not foreseen this.

  "She was there because of my grandmother. You know Frank Stephens hates her." My soul was going to hell.

  Disgust flared across Brady's face for a second. It was gone just as quickly, but he stared at me. Then he stared some more at me. No word was spoken from him.

  I heard the clock ticking behind us. It was loud, too loud. And I couldn't take the silence anymore, especially from him. "Say something."

  "You just lied to me. Why did you lie to me?"

  "I…" I had nothing. I wasn't quick on my feet.

  "Don't lie to me again, Rayna. Why was your mother there?"

  I couldn't look away from his eyes. They were so clear and demanding. It was almost as if this moment was a make-or-break moment. I didn't know what to say so I opened my mouth and uttered, faltering, "I…I…I don't know. He wouldn't tell me."

  Brady's eyes snapped shut for a second and then he cursed underneath his breath. At the same time, he shoved his chair back and stood up.

  "Where are you going?"

  "I'm going to find out some answers once and for all."

  "Wait! Where are you going?" My heart was beating so loudly, I almost didn't hear his response.

  As the door closed behind him, I heard him say, "I'm going to see my father."

  It took a moment before I realized what he'd just said. Panic slammed inside of me and then I shot to the door. The doorknob was locked so I tried to unlock it from my side. When it wouldn't budge, I pounded on the door. "Hey! Hey! Hey!"

  Brady knew.

  Brady knew who his father was. And he was going to find out why my mother was there. This was not good. This was not good at all. And Brady was not stupid, not at all.

  "Hey, hey, HEY!" I pounded on the door until the same irritated clerk came back, even more irritated. She called through the door, "What you want?"

  "I have an emergency. I need a phone." And boy, was it an emergency.

  She crossed her arms and pointed behind me. "You have a phone in there."

  "No, I need…" I gulped for breath and felt everything starting to sway around me. Everything was just too much…and he knew. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. Brady knew…what did this mean? "I need to get out. I can't…he knows…"

  She shook her head. "I can't hear you. I'll get Doug. Sit. Sit. Sit."

  I stumbled to my chair and bent forward to cradle my head in my hands. Deep breath, one, two, three. Exhale, one, two, three. I kept up my breaths and hoped my heartbeat would slow a little.

  Brady knew.

  He already knew.

  Holy crap.

  Then Deputy Doug came back and I shot up from my chair. "Please. I need to go. I have to go. Brady—I have to go."

  "We still need to wait for Judge Bailor."

  "Please, Doug! Please! I have to go. Brady—" I couldn't tell him what Brady knew. I couldn't tell him because I didn't even know what it meant.

  Deputy Doug narrowed his eyes and sat slowly. His hands curled into his desk's edge as he sat forward. "What do you mean? What about Brady?"

  "Nothing. Never mind. I just really need to go."

  "Rayna, tell me what's going on," he commanded.

  "I can't—" But wait, could I tell him? I remembered my grandmother saying, ‘Deputy Doug was working as the dispatcher that night...figured to keep it quiet...Doug had found a family to place him with...’ My mouth fell open as I gasped, "You know!"

  He frowned. "Wha—huh?"

  I was lost in my thoughts. "All I heard that night was that Brady is Frank's son. Grandmother told me that she brought him to you. You helped her. You got Brady with the Forresters so he'd move next door to us. You've helped all along."

  "Oh. Rayna. Oh…"

  "You've known all along," I whispered out and wondered how much else I hadn't heard that night. "But every time you arrest Brady, you…" He always tried to help him. "You told me that you thought of him as your own son."

  Deputy Doug's voice was soft. "I'm old, Rayna. I knew back then that I'd never have kids. Got something wrong with me, medically speaking. I might act dumb sometimes, but I ain't stupid. I know people call me Deputy Dog. They say it to my face half the time, but it didn't start out as a good nickname. People called me that because they thought they could, I was less than them. I wasn't. I needed to help however I could. I've always helped your grandmother, and I've always looked after Brady like he was my own. I love that kid, more than he knows. If your grandmamma brought me another one of him, I'd do the same thing again."

  My eyes closed and I took a deep breath. There was so much going on, so much that had always been going on. I didn't know what was real anymore, but the one thing I did know was real was Brady. Renewed strength flowed through me from some unknown place and I opened my eyes. They were clear and strong. "Brady knows that Frank Stephens is his father. And he's gone to confront him about it."

  I braced myself for the shock to flash over the Deputy's face, but I was the one surprised. A calm acceptance was there instead and he stood to scratch his jaw. He spoke as he went to the door, "Always knew this day would come. Frank Stephens has some inspiring qualities in him, but the one that makes him dangerous is his lack of caring. He don't care about no one. When he fathered a child like Brady, who has all those same qualities plus a few he don't, I'd known this day would be one for the books."

  His hand went to the door handle and I could tell that was all he was going to say. I shot to my feet. "That's IT? That's all you're going to say? Aren't you going to go after him or something? Do you know what Brady might do?"

  "That boy turned into a man quite a while ago. I don't think he's going to go off the deep end finding out who his daddy is. The only thing that'll push him over is you—"

  "Brady thinks Frank Stephens and my mother had an affair." I didn't realize I had thought it until I blurted it out, but it made sense.

  He snapped his mouth shut, stunned. Comprehension and horror all flashed across his face. Then he stated, "Then you best be getting over there, Miss Rayna."

  He swung the door open a second later and stood back.

  As I started to go past him, I held his gaze for another second. Everything felt surreal now. No words were shared between us, but I knew what we both thought. Only I could stop something from happening
. It rested on my shoulders. With that realization, I was again taken aback. Any other day I would've hid, but this time there was no fear. There was only a feeling of purpose. And strength. I felt strong.

  I was starting to like this feeling.

  "You're not going to put me in jail?" I questioned.

  "Nah. You don't deserve jail for hitting the likes of Frank Stephens. You deserve a medal."

  I looked down when I felt tears in my eyes and tried to blink them away. Then Deputy Doug roughly squeezed my arm in reassurance and they fell free. These tears were different. I couldn't explain them, but they were different.

  I wasn't hiding anymore.

  "Go on, Miss Rayna."

  As I made my way out of the station, I felt foolish and oddly brave. I knew people in the waiting lounge were probably watching me, wondering what kind of a freak I was, but I didn't care. I just didn't care anymore. I felt the sunshine hit my face in a new light when I pushed through the door and embraced it. I wanted to see the sun and the sky in my newly acquired confidence.

  "Rayna!" Clarissa screamed at me.

  I jumped back and the glass door hit me forwards. As I stumbled forward, I tried to brace myself so I wouldn't fall onto the sidewalk. My hand flattened on the pavement and a sharp pain flared in my wrist, but I caught my balance.

  Clarissa watched from her car. "Hurry, hurry. We have to go. Now!"

  "What? Why? What's happened?"

  "Get in the car!" she ordered.

  I complied. "What's happened?"

  We shot down the street. "I was at the hospital with Kid when Brady showed up. It is not good, so not good, Rayna. Kid shoved me out the door, but they were all yelling and then something crashed into the wall. I tried to get inside, but the door wouldn't budge. Someone hit someone and I took off to get you. You gotta stop 'em."