“I got her, One-Eye. It’s okay. What do you say, Kimmy? Can I give you a quick exam?”
“I want my Daddy there.”
Pulse gives her a smile. “Of course. I don’t have a problem with that. Come on, Dad.” Pulse begins to walk away, disappearing down the hall with her in his arms.
Warden and Bane begin to clean up the mess on the floor, the white paper towels turning red from the bloody mixture.
I point to Boomer. “I’m going to bring her home, with or without you. After Kimmy is safe, I’m going to look for her.”
“I understand, One-Eye. I know it doesn’t mean shit, but I’m so sorry this happened.”
“Me too. This isn’t on you. If we didn’t fuck around at the shop, you and Pulse would have been here and none of his would have happened.” I stomp through the house until I get to the exam room and Kimmy is sitting down on the table.
I shut the door and wipe my cheeks, plastering on the best supportive smile I can. “How are you feeling, Squirt?”
“My head hurts,” she answers, sniffling as she tries to keep herself together.
“I bet it does.” My voice is unrecognizable as I speak to her as calmly as I can, trying not to lose my shit. I need to stay calm so she doesn’t get scared. I rub her back just as Pulse checks her arms and legs for any other bruises, then hits her knee with a funny-looking triangle instrument and her leg kicks up.
“That’s good. Does it hurt anywhere else, Kimmy?”
She shakes her head. “Just here. Real bad, Uncle Pulse.”
“I know. It’s a nasty knot. I have to touch your head now, okay? It’s going to hurt. Hold your Daddy’s hand.”
She doesn’t hesitate. She slips her fingers between mine and holds on tight. Her hand is so small, so fragile, and mine engulfs it. It’s amazing that this little person, this tiny human, puts all her faith in me. Kimmy hisses as Pulse presses against the area on her forehead. She closes her eyes, pinching them tight while her knuckles turn white from squeezing my hand so hard.
“It doesn’t hurt. I can take it,” she whispers.
“I know. You’re being so good, though. So brave. Alright, look at the light, okay?” He shines a light in her eyes next. “Follow my finger. Good. Now, Kimmy. I need to ask you something really important. I know it’s a scary question, but I need all honesty, okay?”
“Okay, Uncle Pulse. What is it?”
Pulse sits down on the stool in front of her. “Did your Uncle touch you? Did he hurt you in any other way?”
My heartbeat turns into a stampede of wild horses, pounding hard against my chest. “What are you saying? Do you think…? No…” I choke out. I tear up from anger and pain. Oh god, I think I’m going to be sick.
“No, Uncle Pulse. He didn’t. What do you mean, touch me? He grabbed my arm.” She lifts her arm in the air and I see a handprint on her delicate forearm.
That goddamn monster.
I rub a hand over my mouth to try and stay calm. She needs me to not lose my shit right now.
“That’s good to know, but no. I mean, touch you in a way that made you feel unsafe with your body? I’m going to show you a picture. I think it might be easier.” He googles the female body on his tablet and clicks a picture, then points. “Did he touch you here,” he points to the breasts. “Or here?” He moves his finger down to her privates.
“Nope. He didn’t touch me like that. He just was mean, said bad things, and hit me. I fell down and I might have hit my head on the coffee table? I can’t remember.”
I blow out a breath of relief when I hear her answer.
“That’s good, Kimmy.” I can tell Pulse is relieved too. “That’s great news. As for your head, I’m going to have to give you some medicine for the pain and I recommend a lot of ice on that knot. No sleeping for twelve hours. I think you have a concussion. Nothing too severe, but I need to keep my eye on you, okay?” He bops her nose with his finger and then hands her a lollipop. “For being the best patient I’ve had today.”
Kimmy grins and snags the lollipop, ripping the wrapper off and eating the candy in no time.
Kids are so resilient. It blows my mind how quickly they can bounce from bad, to worse, to being completely fine, sometimes all in one day.
“She’s going to be fine. She just needs some rest. I’ll keep a close eye on her, okay? Make sure she doesn’t throw up or get dizzy.”
“Thanks, Pulse. I really owe you.” I give Kimmy my back and lower my voice. “Can you watch her for a few days?”
“Few days? Why?”
“I need to go find Alicia. I can’t do that if I have Kimmy with me.”
Pulse nods as it dawns on him. “Yeah, man. Of course. We are family. It’s no problem.”
“Thank you.” I slap his bicep as I walk by him and squat down to become eye level with Kimmy.
She pops the sucker out of her mouth, and it’s tinted her lips green.
“Hey, Squirt. I have to leave. I’m going to bring Mama home, but it might take a few days, okay? Uncle Pulse and Uncle Boomer will take care of you. But I promise I’ll come home soon with your mom, okay?”
“Promise? And promise you’ll come home too?” she asks, kicking her legs back and forth.
“Squirt, nothing in this world could keep me away from you and your Mom. I love you both too much.”
“I love you too.” She gives me a hug. “Make sure Vince gets what he deserves for hurting Mommy.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, sweetheart. Vince won’t bother us ever again.” I kiss her on the forehead and stand.
As I pass Pulse, I say one last thing to him. “You keep her safe, and if anything happens to me, which it won’t, but if it does, I have a safe under my bed. The combination is 034727. Everything in there is for Alicia and Kimmy. Their entire lives will be set. Okay?”
“Okay, but I don’t like where this is going, One-Eye. You should take someone with you.”
I should, but I don’t know if I will. I feel like this is something I need to do on my own. “I’ll think about it.”
“How do you know where to look?” he asks as I walk away.
“I don’t.” I pass Boomer and everyone else on my way out and head to my room, needing to grab some cash and more weapons. I have to make sure I’m prepared.
When I’m ready, I throw the bag over my shoulder and take one last look at the ocean before I go to my bike.
It’s who I see when I get to it that has me stopping in my tracks.
It’s everyone.
“What are you doing, One-Eye?” Prez asks.
“I’m bringing my girl home and there’s nothing any of you can do about it to stop me. So don’t waste your breath.”
“You don’t even know where to go. You have no idea where she is.”
“No, but I have connections in the police department, I know people, I’ll find her.” I lift my leg and mount my bike and I notice it’s still warm from when I didn’t turn it off. Someone did. Whoever it was, I’ll have to thank them.
“Okay,” he gives in a little too easily. “I get it, but if you need anything, you let us know and we are there.”