“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Butler,” Brian said.
“Oh no. Call me Martha, I insist,” she brushed her fingers through his hair where the sticker had been. Laura grabbed her arm and glared.
“Mother! Please give him at least enough room to breathe,” Laura said.
“Oh! Oh yes, I’m so sorry, dear. I just…” Martha blinked a few times and stepped back. “So what are you going to do about this afternoon, sweetheart?” She stepped back into the hallway to put her purse down on the top of the little shoe rack near the door before returning to Owen’s room and tidying away the morning’s demolition projects. Owen started erecting a new building even as his grandmother worked.
“I don’t know really. I have no idea how this is all going to go. Frankly I think I may throw up.” Laura knelt by her son and started helping him to put toys away instead of pulling more out. Brian watched the scene, shifting uncomfortably and feeling like an intruder, but not really knowing what to do.
“Did you call your friend? You can’t go see that…” she pursed her lips and glanced at Owen. “…that man all by yourself.”
“No, yesterday was too much. I totally forgot to call anyone about it, but Brian said he’d come with me.” She sat back on her heels and smiled up at him. Martha did the same and the resemblance was striking. Brian could see exactly what Laura would look like in a few years.
“I am so glad. Words can’t express how grateful I am that you’re here right now. Just knowing that Laura isn’t alone makes me feel so much better.” Martha beamed at him. She made Brian feel shy, like being called out in front of the class by a teacher for something.
“It’s nothing, ma’am. Um, Martha. Least I can do for a place to sleep,” he said. “I’ll, um, go shower or something.” He turned and almost ran to get his things and disappear into the bathroom.
*****
Laura shifted in her chair again. They had made sure they got there early so that she could have time to get comfortable and feel more in control, but she wasn’t so sure that it was working. In fact, waiting was starting to make her once again feel like she was going to throw up. She recrossed her legs for maybe the tenth time in as many minutes and played with the handle of her giant cappuccino cup. Brian had gotten back into line at the trendy little coffee shop to get some pastries and a refill, so she was alone for the moment, and free to think about all the things that could go wrong. Kevin could bring friends too. He could try to charm Brian to his side. He could threaten her. He could threaten her with lawsuits or something. He could threaten her with lawsuits while his lawyer sits next to him and talks about paternity tests and custody battles and…
“Hey, Babe. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Laura jumped and almost squeaked when Kevin slid into the chair opposite her. His voice sounded like polished silk, pitched low to appeal especially to female ears. It scraped across her mind like barbed wire now that she was aware of his tricks. She looked him over, and realized that he probably thought he looked slick, well-dressed and attractive. His jeans were scuffed in an attempt to be artful and edgy but really made him look unwashed, and she was willing to bet good money that the too-small button up shirt was meant to accent his vaguely defined muscles rather than looking like he hadn’t been shopping since high school.
“Not nearly long enough. You made it extremely clear last time we spoke that you wanted nothing to do with me. What do you want now, Kevin?” She gripped her mug so hard she was a little surprised it didn’t shatter. Where was Brian?
“Can’t a man have a change of heart?” He smiled at her and leaned across the table to stroke his thumb over her wrist— a gesture that had charmed and seduced her five years ago. She had grown up quite a lot since then. Being a single mother and sole breadwinner has that effect. “I know I have a lot to make up for. I’ve been trying to show you that, with the poems and the flowers I sent you. I know you like that girlie, romantic stuff.”
“No, Kevin,” Laura moved her hands to her lap and met his eyes squarely. “You gave up any chance you may have had when you walked away. What on earth makes you think that hunting me down like you have now would change my mind? It’s creepy, and if you don’t leave me alone, I’ll file stalking charges against you and get a restraining order.” She was getting angry now. Kevin leaned over the table, crowding her slightly until she shifted further back in her own chair.
“Come on, Baby. I was just mad at those stupid old jackasses on the Council. They’re so old-fashioned that they wouldn’t know a modern warrior if one beat them fair and square. But now I’ve realized that getting tossed out of the Temple was the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m a new man, Babe. Back and better than I ever was.” He smiled and leaned back, spreading his arms as if demonstrating the obvious improvement. Laura tried to suppress her shudder, but wasn’t entirely sure it worked, not that Kevin was likely to notice, he was so full of his own ego. “So where’s my kid? I can’t wait to meet him.” He looked around as if expecting Owen to appear from thin air just for his pleasure, and actually rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
“Your kid? As far as I’m aware you don’t have a kid. I do, however, have a son and you’re not meeting him. Not today and not ever. If I have any say in it, you’ll never even lay eyes on him, let alone speak to him. In fact, if the world was perfect, you’d never even be in the same state as my son. Gods willing, I’ll never see you again after today, either.” Laura stood, her chair scraping loudly. People were staring now and she didn’t even care. “You’re the one who left, Kevin. You abandoned us long before he was even born. You’re the one who tried to blame me for your own bullshit behavior. I won’t allow my son to be exposed to your evil nature. Your name appears nowhere on any of Owen’s documentation, so you have exactly zero legal standing. Never contact me again, or I’m going to call the cops.” Laura whirled on her heel and started to storm out. She got as far as the door before a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her around. Kevin was there, inches from her face, still smiling broadly.
“You think you know what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice soft and low so she was the only one to hear. “I gave you a chance to do this nice, and it was obviously a waste of my time. I won’t let you fuck up my life again, you hear me, you fucking bitch? You bring me that kid or I’ll make sure he can’t even recognize you before I take him.”
*****
Brian watched the man stroll through the door and glance around the cafe. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans a button shirt neither of which fit him well, making him seem like he was wearing a poorly planned costume, and his hair was heavy with greasy styling products. Overall the man looked like he was a high school jock run to seed. A low-rent thug trying— and failing— to look middle-class respectable. When Brian saw the guy take his seat across from Laura, he immediately stepped out of the line. He hung back though, watching the exchange and trying not to eavesdrop too much. It was a private conversation, after all, and Laura had every right to expect it to stay that way. He did notice, however, when Kevin tried to touch her and she recoiled immediately.
Something about the smirk on Kevin’s oily face made Brian’s skin crawl. These self-important creeps were never any good for the people around them, and he was glad that Laura was standing her ground. He saw the anger flash through Kevin’s eyes when she stood, and silently cheered her on when she started to storm off, and prepared to follow her out the door.
Then Kevin grabbed her. Brian didn’t even know he was moving until he was inches away from the man.
“You bring me that kid or I’ll make sure he can’t even recognize you before I take him.”
“Take your hand off her,” Brian said quietly. His temper was flowing clean and hot through his whole body and he was almost light headed with it. His vision sharpened and he felt a wild energy surging through his muscles. It had always been like this— once he was well and truly pissed off, gods help whoever was the object of his ire. He’d beat the h
ell out of them long before he was really aware of the fight starting. It had been a problem in the past. This rage was one reason that his mother had given him the charm that was currently burning the skin on his chest, but it was taking too much of his concentration to avoid violence to pay attention to the discomfort.
“Mind your own business, buddy,” Kevin said, barely taking his attention off Laura. She was leaning back from him as far as she could, unable to break free of his grip. Brian knew that nearly the whole cafe was watching them now, and he tried to leash his temper using all of the tricks and techniques he’d learned since his childhood. Last thing any of them needed was for him to get arrested for assault. Or murder. He raised his voice so that the people around them could hear what he was saying, in case it came to making statements to the police again.
“I am Laura’s buddy. Not yours. And she clearly wants nothing more to do with you, so take your hand off her and let us leave peacefully.” The moment stretched as Kevin’s full attention slowly transferred from Laura’s face to Brian’s. It seemed like everyone in the shop was holding their breath to see what Kevin did.
“I told you to mind your own business. This is a family matter between me and her.” Kevin kept the smile plastered to his face, but it no longer reached his eyes. Laura squirmed suddenly and broke free to scurry behind Brian’s left shoulder.
“Go away, Kevin,” she said, loud and clear enough for everyone int he whole cafe to hear her. “You have your answer. You stay away from me, and you stay away from my family, or I won’t rest till you’re spending the rest of your life in jail!”
Atta girl! Brian thought. Don’t let his bullshit get to you, and make it clear to all the witnesses.
“You’ll regret this,” Kevin hissed, his fake smile finally falling away. His eyes narrowed for a moment, glaring at Laura, then his fist was flying towards Brian’s face. Instinct moved Brian’s arm to stop the blow.
“I suggest you leave now,” Brian said, his hand wrapped firmly around Kevin’s wrist and holding it a good six inches away from making contact. He didn’t feel any guilt over knowing that the wrist under his fingers would be bruised and probably swollen after this encounter. Kevin clearly needed physical evidence of how badly outclassed he was in this fight. Maybe the minor injury would keep him from starting another one? The men’s eyes met for a long moment, both full of rage, before Kevin’s gaze dropped and he yanked his arm out of Brian’s grip. He stormed out of the cafe and slammed the door behind him.
The silence after the bang of the door was broken after a few seconds by someone in the back clapping. Soon the whole place was full of applause and shouts of “You tell him, girl!” and “That guy’s a damn hero!” and “Lemmee buy you two a coffee!” One of the waiters came up and tapped Brian’s shoulder.
“Hey. You want me to call the cops about that guy?” he said. Laura shook her head.
“I just want to go home.” She shivered and glanced at the door Kevin had just slammed. The waiter nodded.
“Y’all can go on out the back door if you want. In case that asshole’s still hanging around.” Brian looked at Laura who just nodded and followed the waiter out through the small kitchen. They walked out through the back, down the alley behind the shops, and out into a street several blocks over. They were maybe halfway back to Laura’s apartment when she finally spoke again.
“Thank you,” she said. Brian glanced over at her. She looked pale and shaken, but unafraid.
“Anytime. What a creep,” he said. She just nodded. And walked a bit further.
“I didn’t know any better back then. And he wasn’t so quick to show his creepy side.”
“Hey, we’ve all got at least one ex that we’re ashamed of, right?” He smiled at her and got a small grin in return. “Might be worth calling a lawyer and seeing if you can do anything though. Like a restraining order or something, he seemed pretty determined. Any idea why he’d show up like that now? I know it’s none of my business. It just feels a bit shady to me, for what that’s worth.”
She shook her head. “I have no idea. But you’re right,” she looked up at him. “And I think your opinion is worth a lot. Thanks.” They turned a corner and she stopped, putting a hand on his elbow to stop him as well.
“I’m scared, Brian. Kevin was never quite that…” she groped for a word. “That crazy, I guess. I don’t know how to explain it. And there was power swirling around, too. I work at the Temple library so I know how it feels well enough to notice it. I’m really scared.” She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes but refusing to spill over. He tried not to react too strongly to her statement, instead concentrating on her frightened shiver. He could almost feel her fear as a physical thing in front of him. His arm moved almost on its own as it wrapped around her shoulders.
“It’s okay. As long as I’m here, I’ll do my best to keep you and Owen both safe.” Brian had no idea where that promise had come from, but he knew that it bought him at least a few more days of pretending to be normal, and he wasn’t above a little greed. She leaned into his hug and rested her head against his chest and he felt her trying to control her breathing. “Hey, it’s going to be fine, okay?”
She nodded into his shoulder. Brian wondered how big of a jerk it made him that he was pleased she was comforted by him instead of scared of him after that display of violence. He wasn’t used to anyone being glad that he lost his temper, even in such a small way as he had in the cafe.
“I know. I just… I just need this for a minute,” she said. Laura turned towards him fully and put her hands up against his chest, holding onto little handfuls of his shirt. After a minute, she shook her head as if clearing her head, and stepped back again. She was trembling slightly, but didn’t say anything else. Brian didn’t know what else to do but hold on while she needed it.
“Sorry about that. It’s so hard to be strong all the time for Owen. Sometimes I just need to lean on someone.” She flickered a smile at him. “Usually it’s Mom and Dad. Thanks for putting up with me.”
“Nothing to put up with at all.” Brian felt heat creep over his ears. “Everyone could use a hug once in a while, right? I’m happy to oblige.” They started walking again.
“So! Do you have any sort of plan for what you’re doing next?” Laura asked. He was more than glad to change the subject.
“No, not particularly,” he answered. “I was just hopping on my bike and going wherever I felt like. Riverton seemed to be a nice place to stop for a while. I was in New York last, and it was fun, but man it was busy, you know? Riverton has a slower sort of vibe to it, but there’s still lots to do.”
“Would you maybe consider staying? Just for a while?” She said it quietly, still looking ahead of them, towards her building, but she spoke clearly.
Brian started to answer then closed his mouth and just breathed. Should he risk it? He didn’t want to risk them getting hurt, and he didn’t want to face his own pain when it all fell apart like it inevitably would. Staying here actually with people who were getting to know him seemed like begging for disappointment, but it was so freaking appealing. He liked Owen, and Laura was so damn tough, working and raising her son, and standing up to her jackass ex in the cafe. It was the thought of Kevin coming back around that really gave him pause. After a few steps he answered.
“Yeah. I can stay as long as you need me.”
Chapter 4
Brian lay on the sofa, staring at the dark ceiling, listening again to the faint sounds of traffic outside. Laura had been so shaken by the experience that they’d had to stop in at another cafe just to get some mental space from the encounter. She’d then spent the evening being as silly and fun as she could with Owen in an attempt to reassure herself that her ex was long gone, and Brian could understand that. Now, she slept somewhat restlessly, and he could hear her rustling around as she tossed and turned.
His hearing and vision had always been unusually sharp, especially in the dark, and now he knew why, he supposed. It was
beneficial tonight, at least, as he kept checking in on Laura. He wanted to make sure that she was comfortable in her own home, at least. Brian had watched his own mother struggle to do everything for him— earn the paycheck that paid the bills, make sure that he had enough to eat, clothes to wear, shoes on his feet, enough affection to know that he was loved and enough discipline to learn that society was a communal effort and he wasn’t important enough to run through it recklessly.
He remembered waking up one night when he was twelve or thirteen, and getting up to go to the bathroom. He was sure that his mother hadn’t meant for him to know that she cried in her bedroom at night, but he could hear her clearly as if she was standing next to him, his inhumanly acute ears picking up every shaky breath and muffled sob. She was talking, too— saying the words out loud while she was writing in her journal as he later found out— pouring her troubles out into the quiet, listening night. There was something sacred and private about it, so Brian hadn’t dared to interrupt her, but after that he spent many nights awake and sitting on the floor down the hallway, listening to her words, grieving when she cried and puffing up with pride when they were cheerful.
Since then he’d been sensitive to the hard work that all parents do, and single parents especially. Anyone raising a child on their own deserved somewhere to recharge after a long day, whether they’d had a hard day or a good one, and home was almost always the best place for that, but first you had to feel safe. Brian figured that’s what he was here for right now. To help Laura feel safe, even if he wasn’t sure that he was the best choice for the job.
Personal Demons: A Riverton Demons Novel Page 3