Debt Collector's Due

I bow my head and close my eyes.

“We can’t change things, but we can grow something out of the pile of shit we were handed.”

He’s a temptation I’ve always been unable to resist. He trails his fingers up my arm and back down before he wraps me in his strong arms. For a moment I’m no longer adrift in an ocean of pain. I cling to the feeling. It’s been so long since I had a strong man at my side who has my best interest at heart instead of his own agenda.

“Alfie.”

He kisses my crown, and I yield.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Mom?”

I turn and find a wide-eyed Kier at the end of the hallway. “W-what’s going on?”

I sigh. “Kier. Alfie and I have something to tell you.”

“Are you like, dating? Cause that would be cool. I like Alfie.”

“We are mate. But there’s more. Things about our friendship we need to tell you.”

Kier wrinkles his nose.

“Nothing gross, wise guy,” I say with a shake of my head. We’d talked about the basics of the birds and the bees and hormones. I wasn’t itching to become a grandmother early, and he was inching closer to puberty. It was better to be over-prepared than be caught unaware and have him operating on false information.

“Okay?” Kier frowns.

I pause, unsure where to start. “Back when we were both in Boston.” I take a deep breath.

“Wh-what happened?”

“I survived and came home to heal. I needed a lot of care and

“Something happened to me when I was back in Boston. I was hurt badly and left for dead. It took me a long time to heal. I was in the hospital for months, and afterward, I had rehabilitation. It took me nearly a year to find some sort of normalcy, and even longer to get back on my feet financially. So you understand how your mother and I lost touch.”

“Yeah,” Kier says in a hushed voice tinged with awe. “So, how come we’re here now?”

“Because your Papa sent you and your Ma here to keep you safe,” Alfie says softly.

“What’s going on, mom?” Kier asked.

“Some very bad men are after us. Because of who we are and what we have. It’s why we’ve always had security and been careful about who we’re around. Dad’s always been a powerful man, and like most men at the top of their game, someone eventually tries to take it by any means necessary.”

“Mom.” His lower lip trembles and my chest aches. “Is Papa.” His voice cracks. “Is he okay?”

“I don’t know.” I walk over and smooth my hands over his shaking shoulders. I squeeze and pull him in for a hug. “I-If he is, it won’t be for long.” I force the words out, ignoring the bitter taste they leave behind.

“No.” He shakes his head. My top grows wet with his tears as I rock him back and forth. “I am so sorry, baby. If I could spare you this, I would. I know how much you love him.” I peer at Alfie over his shoulder. I smooth my hand over his hair. I want to wrap him in a cocoon and spare him this pain, but life isn’t that way, and trying to cushion him would only make the reality worse when it crashed through the shell I’d encased him in. To me, that would be a far crueler thing to do. Life’s a tough bitch who will beat you down, steal your lunch money, and spit in your face if you don’t lea

rn to handle her properly.

I keep my own grief at bay as I comfort him. He pulls back and sniffs as he wipes at his eyes.

“Why him?”