Here With Me

“It was more than that.” H

is jaw is clenched. “You were back there.”

“Let go of my arm.” My brow lowers, and we both know I’m stronger than he is since the injury. Hell, I probably always was, thanks to fifty-pound bushels of peaches.

His grip on me relaxes, and I jerk my arm away, stalking to the peach shed. My boots thud on the wooden porch, and I jam the key in the doorknob, unlocking it. The electricity still isn’t on, but I have a small flashlight in my back pocket. I pull it out and shine it along the baseboards.

No signs of animal droppings or other critter activity. Taron’s boots thud on the floor behind me, shuffling to a stop inside the door.

“Place looks clean to me.” I turn off the flashlight, ready to go. “I’ll flip the main breaker and switch on the window unit. Tell Noel she can start stocking tonight.”

“What happens when it’s Noel?” His voice is flat. “What happens when it’s Dove?”

My head snaps around to face him. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Do you still keep a pistol in your bedroom?”

“I said, that’s not going to happen.” My jaw is clenched, and I step forward.

He doesn’t back down. “You’re not the first person to tell me that. Marley told me that just before we found him in his apartment.”

“I’m not Marley.” It’s not the same at all.

He was kidnapped, beaten, tortured… I don’t take drugs. I never have.

I’ve just started having these moments.

“You didn’t answer my question.” He follows me out onto the porch, around back to the breaker box. “How often is it happening?”

“Why do you care so much?” I stop at the metal box and flip the door open.

A large lever is inside, and I push it up. A whirring noise lets us know the electricity is on to the small store. Turning, I return to the porch, headed to the door with Taron on my heels.

“I’m trained to defend myself against a physical attack. Other people we both know and love are not.” I open the door, and he catches it, stopping me. His voice is lower, gentler now. “It’s my duty, to be sure you’re not a threat to yourself or to them.”

I look him square in the eyes. “I’m not a threat to anybody.”

His expression crumbles. “You don’t know what you might do.”

“You’re wrong.” I flip on the window unit and head for the door. “I would never hurt Dove. Or Noel. Or anyone.”

I’m out the door headed to the house with my stomach churning. This has only happened twice, and both times it was in a dark place and a man sneaked up behind me. Two common variables, both of which can be controlled.

Taron is wrong. I’m not weak.

I will figure this out, and I will control it.

It’s going to be okay.

19

Mindy

“And a-one and a-two and a-one, two, three, four…” Bouncy piano music blasts through the civic center speakers, and Madelyn Gamble stands in front of a group of twelve female octogenarians, clapping her hands and leading them through the opening dance.

“How’s it looking?” Mrs. Irene is at my side, holding my arm.

“Tense.” I watch as Ms. Turner and Ms. Wilson break the line doing their best to stay on opposite sides of the stage from each other, even though they’re the freedom and the reign parts of the production.