“Well, fuck, this changes everything.” And then he’s gone again.
“Can I please call a lawyer?” I ask Mato, who’s standing in the doorway.
“He doesn’t need a fucking lawyer. Give me fifteen minutes and this will all be handled,” Fisher shouts from his office, slamming the door.
“A lot of slamming doors today, huh?”
Mato shrugs. “Fisher’s in today, so yeah. Tends to be quieter on his off days.”
I can only imagine. I love my best friend, but he’s got a temper. Mato forgets that I had a sidekick during a lot of those fights he mentioned, and it was none other than Sheriff Greene himself.
But I trust Fisher to get me out of this shitty situation. Then I remember my dad saying he was cutting me off. Probably already has my stuff from my apartment on the street by now. Fisher can’t get me out of that situation.
Doesn’t matter. Chevelle is worth it. No one will ever touch a hair on her head as long as I’m around.
6
“YOU WANT CAM TO LIVE WITH ME?”
Chevelle
News travels fast.
I’m getting out of the shower and deciding how I’m going to cover my black eye when Marla uses the key I gave her to enter the house with my dad.
“Chevelle!” my dad booms from downstairs.
I knew this would be a problem. I hid in the dim light of the wedding reception last night, and luckily, one of the makeup girls helped me cover the bruise enough for no one else to see it. I told her I took an elbow to the face by accident.
But I know that sound in my dad’s voice. It’s the same one he used when I broke curfew, or sneaked out, or he found boys in the basement. The “what the hell is going on” tone.
“I’m just out of the shower. Hold on.”
I hurry up and dress in shorts and a T-shirt. I purposely didn’t take any appointments for the boat today for fear that I’d be hungover. Turns out that’s a good thing, because looking out the window, I see it’s cloudy. Everyone would be looking at me as though I was crazy for wearing sunglasses.
I stare in the mirror one last time. There’s no hiding this.
I walk down the stairs and into the kitchen, refilling my coffee mug. “Hey, guys,” I say nonchalantly. “Want a coffee?”
“No.” My dad’s big footsteps pound on the floor until he’s right in front of me. His fingers take me by the chin and tilt my face up. Not in the gentle way Cam did last night. “I’m gonna kill the bastard.” Then he sweeps me into a big hug and nearly crushes me. “Are you okay?”
He pulls away. Tears prick my eyes when I see the concern in his. I nod, sucking back my tears.
“I’m gonna wring that little punk’s neck,” my dad says.
“Now Hank, relax. Cam has done enough.” Marla places her hand on my dad’s arm.
“Cam?” I knew he was mad last night. I called him, but he never answered or came back to the reception. I assumed he never found Derek, that the boat was gone before he could get there, and maybe he needed to blow off some steam.
“He beat up Derek, so now he’s with your brother, facing assault charges. What kind of pissant presses charges from a fight after he hit a woman?” Dad shakes his head.
I can read his facial expression. Another great pick, Chevelle. When are you ever going to learn your lesson?
“He beat up Derek?”
Okay, I’m not completely surprised. I saw the red veiling Cam’s features when he saw my eye. I just hoped the boat would be gone before Cam found Derek so I could calm him down today. Derek isn’t worth any of this. I don’t want Cam to get into trouble because I chose the wrong guy to date.
“Of course he did,” Marla says, as if I was asking if Midge stole the salt and pepper shakers last night. The answer is obviously yes.
“Why do you say it like that?” I ask her.
Marla looks at my dad, and he rolls his eyes and says, “Don’t act dumb, Chevelle. The boy protects you like he’s your brother.”
“Well…” Marla says.
“Where is he now?” I ask, interrupting their cryptic exchange.
“He’s at the sheriff’s office.”
My doorbell rings before I can tell them I’m heading down there, and my dad opens the door.
Fisher stands on the other side. He shoots me a concerned expression and his gaze traces all over my face, taking me in. “How you doing, sis?”
“I’m okay, just shaken up and embarrassed.”
“Hey.” He pulls me into a hug. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Not at all.”
I nod into his chest and suck back tears. Fisher frowns when he pulls away.
“What’s going on?” my dad asks.
“I need Chevelle to come down to the station.”
“Why?” Marla asks.
“Because you’re going to press charges against Derek for assault.”
I step back. If I press charges, the entire town will know what happened. I remember the teachers watching me and whispering to each other when I finally went back to school after my mom died. The same thing will happen if people hear about what Derek did to me.
“I think we’re all getting ahead of ourselves. Can’t we just solve this within the family?” my dad asks.
I’m sure he doesn’t want our family name thrown around town again either. It was just as hard for him when Mom died. And then again when Fisher was young and caused all that trouble. Add on when Lucy left Adam. It’s like my family can’t help but be the center of gossip in town.
“No, we can’t, Dad, because Derek has pressed charges on Cam. So now Cam goes to jail unless I have Chevelle press charges on Derek. I’m hoping to lean on Derek when I tell him Chevelle is pressing charges, so he’ll drop the ones on Cam. We can drive him out of town and hopefully never see the bastard again.” Fisher crosses his arms. He’s mad, I can see it in his dark pupils.
“I thought Derek would already be long gone.” I worry my lip.
“No such luck.” Fisher stands and stares at me, hands on his belt, waiting for me to answer.
“Fine. I’ll do it. For Cam.”
“We’re coming with.” Marla puts her hand on my shoulder and escorts me out to Fisher’s truck. “Hank, follow us.”
My dad does what Marla says because he loves her and he’s allowing her to be the mother I don’t have. Marla’s been a great mother figure, but there really isn’t anyone like your own mom. Or maybe that’s just me and I should’ve gone through therapy longer.
We arrive at the sheriff’s station and Marla doesn’t leave my side as Fisher takes me to his office. Cam is sitting in another room with a soda and candy bar, talking to Mato. Our eyes lock for a moment and he stands, walking toward the door before Mato can stop him.
“I’m fine with the charges, Chevelle,” Cam says. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. No one has to know what happened.”
I look at Fisher and back at Cam, then back at Fisher. “Can I talk to him please?”
Fisher sighs and nods.