He didn’t budge. I repeated my words. He tried to reach for the gun but I kicked it further away. I’d make sure he’d pay for beating up English. Fury overrode everything and all I wanted him to do was stand so I could land another blow on him.
The cops arrived and English stood outside. Beck and his wife also came and I hadn’t been aware English had called them. If I’d had it my way, I would’ve beaten him unconscious. He’d tried to kill her. Who would do such a thing?
In the hospital, I learned their story. When I did, my admiration for English blossomed. She was amazing for raising her child on her own. But now she would have his family to face. Beck said Stuart’s name was not on the birth certificate, but we both knew they could require a DNA test and lay claim to the child with the results. This might end up a nightmare for both English and Easton.
The only saving grace was this incident and the fact there was a witness. Domestic abuse was not taken lightly anymore. I would do anything in my power to help them.
On Saturday, I went to visit her and brought more flowers. When she opened the door, I held back my gasp. Her cheek was solid purple and swollen along with her neck. There would be no way to cover that up.
“Hey, come in.”
A young child sat on the couch watching TV. “Who are you?” she asked.
“I’m Tristian. Who are you?”
“I’m Easton, but I’m not s’posed to talk to strangers. Stranger danger.”
“That’s a very good thing, but I’m a friend of your mom and your gran—”
“Easton, he works with Mommy and Boppy, so he’s not a stranger.”
Easton had blonde curly hair, exactly like her mom’s, with huge hazel eyes. “Are you a ’tographer?”
“I sure am. Want me to take your picture?”
Her head swung back and forth, curls flying. “Nope, cuz Boppy does it all the time.”
“Hey, Easton, you’re supposed to say ‘no, thank you.’ What happened to your manners?” English asked.
“Sorry, Mommy. No, thank you.”
“That’s better.”
“Mr. Trishan, do you like the purple grapes on Mommy’s face?”
“Uh, I’m not sure,” I said. “Do you?”
“No way! I think she should take them back.”
“Me too.”
“Hey, you want some milk and cookies? Banana made them and they’re real good.”
Banana? “Okay. Are you going to have some too?”
“Duh. I love milk and cookies. Come on.” She jumped up and held out her hand. We went into the kitchen where she pointed to a cookie jar on the counter. “There.”
I opened it and inside were chocolate chip cookies. “Yum, I love chocolate chip.”
“Is there a different kind?”
Good question.
“There.” She pointed to a cabinet. Inside were glasses.
“Let me guess. There.” I pointed to the refrigerator.
She giggled. “Yeah, silly.”
I found the milk and poured two glasses.
“We gotta sit at the counter to eat. Mommy’s rules.”
I put her on one chair while I took the other. She dunked a cookie and nibbled on it. “Mmm. It’s good.”
I mimicked her and agreed. “These are the best.”
“Told ya. Banana’s are the best.” Then she leaned closer to me. “But don’t tell Mommy.” She grinned with a bunch of chocolate embedded in her tiny teeth. It would’ve been an awesome picture.
“Don’t worry, I won’t. Your secret’s safe. But who’s Banana?”
“You know—she’s with Geepa.”
Guess that explanation would have to do. “Hey, what happened to your tooth?”
“This one?” She pointed to the one that was missing.
“Yeah.”
“It fell out and the tooth fairy took it away. But she left me a dollar.” Her eyes were saucers as she explained.
“No way.”
“Way. And look here.” She wiggled the tooth next to the missing one. “I think this one’s gonna fall out next.”
“You think you’ll get more money?”
“Yep.” She bit into her cookie.
“What will you do when all your teeth fall out?”
She grinned with her mouth full and I wanted to crack up. “You’re silly. I’ll get new ones. See?” Her pointer finger aimed at her two bottom teeth, which were her permanent ones.
“Ah, I see.”
We finished and went back to the living room, where English lay on the couch. “How were the cookies?”
“Excellent,” I said.
“Good,” Easton said. “Now me and Mr. Trishan are going to my room. I wanna show him my rainbows and oonicorns and then we’re gonna draw pictures.”
“Easton, did you ask him if he wanted to do that?”
She looked up at me with those huge eyes. “Wanna go up to my room and see the rainbows and oonicorns and draw pictures?”
“Yes, but I want to speak to your mommy first. Is that okay?”
“Uh-huh, but hurry.”
“Easton. Go on up and we’ll come up in a bit.”
She climbed the stairs and I chuckled. “She’s quite the talkative one.”
“That she is, and will pester you to death with questions if you’re not careful.”
“How are you? And I don’t mean physically,” I said.
“Ugh, I don’t know. Scared?”
“I get it. He did a number on you.”
“It’s not just that. His dad is connected. Works for the governor and I’m worried he’ll pull strings to get Stuart out.”
That fucker. If he got out, he’d have a surprise waiting. He might be connected, but so was I and for once I’d use those connections to my benefit. “Don’t worry. He’s facing some serious charges. In these situations, relationships only go so far. I’m pretty sure it’ll be difficult to get out of this.”
“I don’t know. My best friend is an attorney and she said it’ll depend on who the judge is in the case.” English plucked at the hem of her sleeve. This confident woman had had the rug pulled from under her.
“Did you ask him to leave?”
Pained eyes met mine. “Yes, twice. That’s when he attacked.”
“My family employs some high-powered attorneys. I’d like to offer them for you to use.”
“Your family?”
This was a subject I never explored with anyone, yet I was comfortable discussing it with her, oddly enough. “Yeah, my family owns Baines Corporation.”
“The Baines Corporation?”
“’Fraid so.”
“Wow.”
“Look, I’m not involved in the family business, but I do have the connections and would like to offer those services.”
“Tristian, are you sure about this?”
Not really. “Of course.”
“That’s very generous of you.”
“English, I am completely against violence, especially abuse such as that. It makes me ill to think of you being the target of it, so I’m gladly offering. Under one condition.”