“Do you have that with my brother and Trey?”
I smile. “I do, they take very good care of me. A man can take care of you on so many levels. Physically, mentally, sexually and emotionally.”
She smiles. “I do hope that one day I have that, but right now I just want to be better mentally. I’m scared of men. I think I always will be like that, but one day I know in my heart that someone will come along and put those fears to rest.”
I hug her tightly. “You are so correct, you have your whole life ahead of you. You can do whatever you want to in life; you can be anything. The world is yours now.” She hugs me back, “I love you, Lani.”
“I love you too, sweet girl. I’m so excited to see how you’re going to take on the world.” I push her hair out of her face.
“Let’s go get your labs done. I think Trey is bringing Michaela for her checkup now.” We wanted to get all of the others almost finished so we can all concentrate on her.
I check on Vinny in the waiting room, and Trey walks in with Michaela, who is holding a stuffed animal under her arm. “Did you get a new toy, sweetheart?” I ask her, and she nods, smiling.
I lean up and kiss Trey. “You guys have fun?”
“We had the best time, didn’t we, angel?” He kisses the top of her head and Vinny makes his way to us and kisses me too.
“How are they?” Vinny asks. I can see the worry in his eyes.
“Etta did really well. Lynn, on the other hand, is struggling a bit more,” I tell him honestly. “Braelyn is with her. I stayed with Etta.”
Vinny looks heartbroken. He runs his hand over his beard. Trey puts his hand on his back and rubs it comfortingly.
Lynn comes out of her room a few minutes later. She looks like she’s been crying. She slips in another room to get labs.
Braelyn makes her way over to us. “She’s having a hard time with this. She’s been in survivor mode for so long and now she’s starting to feel the things she’s never allowed herself to feel. She has severe CPTSD. She doesn’t have any major damage, but I’m worried about the scarring in her heart and not her body,” Braelyn says sadly.
“Time is what will help them the most. You’re giving her the best chance at fighting this. They are survivors, they will overcome.” Braelyn leaves us and goes to check on the girls, and the doctor comes out and motions that she’s ready for Michaela.
I go to tell Lynn. “The doctor is ready for Michaela,” I tell her, and she jumps up, gently lifting her from Trey’s arms.
“Do you want me with you?” I ask her. She nods, her eyes pleading with me.
I follow her inside and smile to the guys as the door is shut. Lynn sets Michaela on the table. The doctor smiles at us and starts asking questions. “Are you okay with immunizations?”
Lynn nods. “That’s fine.”
The doctor sets her clipboard down onto the counter. “I have to ask, Lynn, do you think she was sexually abused?”
Lynn shakes her head. “Nope, after he got done with me, I would crawl in bed with her. She was never out of my sight ever. I would have killed him if he ever dared to touch my baby.” Her eyes fill with tears at the thought.
“You did so amazingly. You protected her. I’m so proud of you,” I whisper to her. She smiles at me, tears falling down her face before she wipes them away.
The doctor examines Michaela. “I would like to do blood work on her also to make sure nothing is wrong under the surface, but she looks completely healthy besides a slight ear infection. With some antibiotics, it will clear up soon.” She writes the prescription and hands it to Lynn. “I’ll see you guys in a few weeks.”
When we arrive home, the girls are completely exhausted. Trey orders a bunch of different kinds of Mexican food family-style so they can try different things since they’ve never had it before.
I sit down on the couch with a groan, feeling drained.
I hear a buzzing sound throughout the living room. I look at the security screen to see a man at the front gate.
Trey and Vinny walk over to the screen. Vinny’s face changes to one of pure shock. I walk over to him, concerned, and he unlocks the gate and the guy drives inside.
He throws the truck into park and runs up to the front door like he has this big emergency.
When I finally get a good look at his face, I notice right away how much he looks like Vinny and the girls.
Is this their brother Danny?
Vinny opens the door and Danny stops in his tracks when he sees Vinny. “Brother, it’s been so long,” Danny says.
My first impression of Danny is that he’s a big-ass guy. I get military vibes from him—straight-backed and clean-cut.
Vinny splits the distance and hugs him tightly. Danny closes his eyes. I take Trey’s hand at the sight of this reunion. I know that Vinny wondered about Danny all the time.
“Fuck, baby, they’re all back together.” I lean my head on Trey’s shoulder and enjoy this beautiful moment.
Vinny and Danny part. “I just got out of the special forces. I went back home to see Lynn and Etta, but the house was completely abandoned. I found a neighbor and she told me that you got the girls. Then I asked around town and found you here,” Danny explains.
“Brother, I need to speak to you in private.” Vinny pulls him down the porch and sits on the steps.
I close the door and allow them privacy. The girls are in the kitchen eating dinner at the island, where we were about to join them before their brother arrived.
Trey looks out the door, keeping an eye on Vinny, making sure he is okay. He’s always in protector mode.
Fifteen minutes later Vinny and Danny walk inside of the house. I stand up and take Vinny’s hand.
Danny walks into the kitchen where the girls are sitting, “Etta? Lynn?” They turn around in unison, then they take off running, hugging Danny.
“I missed you girls.” Danny holds the both of them. The girls are crying and I can see Danny is trying to hold back his tears.
“We missed you too!” Lynn wipes her eyes. “We’re all together again,” Etta finishes, and my heart is so happy for them.
“Danny, this is my girlfriend Lani and this is my man Trey,” Vinny introduces us, and I wince inwardly, hoping for a good reaction.
Danny shakes Trey’s hand before he hugs me. “Thank you for taking care of my brother. It’s nice to see him happy.”
Okay he is truly a nice guy, I can see that, but I can also see a deadly side of him. He has a darkness in him that is deeper than even Vinny’s.
We all get some food and take it into the living room so we can all sit together. Michaela wakes up crying and Lynn gets her and carries her into the living room with the rest of us.
Danny looks confused when he sees Michaela. “Vinny, why didn’t you tell me you had a baby?” He smiles at her, touching her hand.
Lynn clears her throat. “She’s mine.”
Danny sets his plate down, confused. “What the fuck do you mean she’s yours, Lynn? Vinny, you never told me.”
“I told you about me, how I brought the girls home with us, but it’s not my place to tell their story.” Vinny tells him bluntly, and I have to agree. They may not want him to know.