“T-today would’ve been my daughter’s second birthday.”
He whistled. “Those are always the hardest to get through. The significant days, huh?”
She nodded. He understands. “Where are you right now?”
“I-I don’t know. I pulled over, so I didn’t wreck.”
“Take a deep breath, girl. You’re okay. You don’t have to go through this shit alone this year.” His voice was comforting. She differed to his dominance, grateful to have a guiding voice.
She gulped down air, taking back more control.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Look around and tell me what you see,” he instructed.
“I’m near Downton off of Vine Street,” she said, taking in the rundown buildings yet to be renovated. They’d cleaned up the once urban area, but there were spots that had yet to get the makeover treatment.
“Not a good place to be this late at night.”
“I don’t want to go home,” she whispered. Her face was on fire as she forced the words out, ashamed of the truth. Her shoulders slumped and she fixed her gaze on the steering wheel.
“I can understand that. How about you come to me?”
His words gave her pause. “Me come to you?” Hope flooded her.
“Yeah, why not?”
“I don’t want to impose—”
“Bullshit, babe. You didn’t call me to talk over the phone.”
“I don’t know why I called you,” she said honestly.
“Because you need someone, and for some reason you trust me. Which is why I’m going to give you my address. You’re going to come over, and we’ll get through this night together. You’re already ahead of the game. You reached out. Trying to do this alone leads to more pain and bad decisions. I don’t want to see you go down that road. Trust me, I did it enough for the both of us.”
“Where did it take you?” she asked, speaking without thinking.
He sighed. “Down a bottle and behind a cell with assault charges.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh.”
He snickered. “Oh, she says. You ready to listen to me now?”
His candidness cracked open her shell.
“Yes.”
“Good girl. You got a pen and paper?”
She dug in her purse, pulling out a pen and tiny notebook. “Uh huh.”
“Okay, take down my address.” She jotted down his information. “You’re about thirty minutes away. I’ll be out front waiting for you, all right?”
“Yes. Snake?”
“Yeah?”