Authors: Cassandra Cole
CHAPTER TWO
“Hey mom?” She called as she slammed the door, “Mom!”
“What?” Her mother poked her head round the kitchen door, wearing an annoyed expression, “Why are you hollering like that?”
“That guy next door?” Tessa asked, “It turns out he's Calvin Hughes.” Her mother turned round again, pouring them both a cup of coffee from the machine which dripped quietly in the corner,
“Calvin Hughes,” She repeated, surprised, “Victor's son?”
“The very same,” Tessa told her, “Said he came back to clear the house out, I think he's going to sell it after he's done.” Her mother tutted and Tessa looked at her, “Can you remember why he moved away?”
“Oh, well,” Her mother began, “I seem to recall he moved to be with an aunt, one of his mother's sisters, when Victor wasn't able to look after him right.” Of all the things Tessa might have been, stupid was not one of them and she knew her mother wasn't telling her the whole truth,
“He told me his dad used to beat him when he was drunk and CPS came and took him away.” Tessa had been watching her mother's face as she said these words and saw her reaction when it came.
You did know!
“Did you know Victor beat Cal when he was a kid?” She asked in a neutral voice.
“No, Tessa!” Her mother cried in surprise, “I knew Victor tried to keep him in line and failed and I knew Victor liked to drink.”
“And you never connected the two?” Tessa demanded with an arched eyebrow. She watched as her mother wrung her hands, making a pitiful, pleading face.
“It was a different time back then. We stayed out of each other’s business in those days.” Her mother was almost whining now and Tessa tasted bile at the back of her throat.
No wonder he was such a horrible kid. He was being systematically abused!
She shook her head and stared at her mother, her nurturing, caring mother – who, Tessa believed, had been an influence in her choice of career – her mother who had known the kid next door was being beaten by his alcoholic father. And did nothing.
“I can't believe you,” Tessa whispered, “Did dad know?” Her mother paled and Tessa's stomach dropped, “Dad too?” Tears came to her eyes. Her dad, her hero, he'd known and done nothing either.
“I was scared!” Her mother shouted, “Scared of what he might do to me if he found out. You remember what Victor was like, he was a huge man. I was scared what he might do to me or your father if we said anything.” Tessa felt something then. An emotion she'd never associated with her mother before; contempt.
“You were scared?” She said hotly, “You? What about the little boy who had to live through it?” Tessa ran her hands through her hair and tried to cam herself down, “Look mom, I've seen this too many times while I was training. Babies with broken legs, bruises and burn marks. One kid came in at six weeks with fingerprint bruises around his face where his dad picked him up by the head and shook him. Six weeks!” Tessa swallowed the lump she felt growing in her throat, the images of that howling infant burned into her brain. “Sorry, mom,” Tessa sniffed, “It's just...”
“I know, honey,” Her mother said rising to hug her daughter, “And I feel bad every day for not doing anything about Cal.
That smell! The same filthy stench I remember. It's weird how your nose remembers a smell: blood, cordite, fear. Jesus! This place is just the same as I remember the day they dragged me out of here – old bastard never said a word, just watched me get put in the back of that car and drive off.
Although Cal couldn't see it, his face was twisted in an expression which was a mixture of rage, hate and fear. His fists were clenched, ready for the fight he wouldn't ever have. The man he wanted to fight had died three months ago.
Tessa.
Cal's expression softened without his knowing it.
“A nurse, huh?” Cal had vivid memories of the little girl she had been ten years ago. Hair in braids, dungarees and a flowered blouse her mother had made pulling tight over breasts which were just starting to grow. She'd been a gangly youth, tall and rangy with braces and Kmart sneakers.
She ain't that little girl no more. She sure did grow into that body of hers.
Cal walked through to the kitchen and out the greasy sliding glass door into the back yard. He couldn't see more than three feet through the vegetation.
Jesus, Victor, too drunk to even mow your lawn?
The knock at the door was unexpected but he realized almost as soon as it came who it probably was. The nurse. It was just a shadow the other side of the door until he opened it and there she was, looking nervous but as sexy and curvy as she had been this morning. Tessa had a nervous smile on her face.
Them braces did a good job then.
“Hi,” Cal offered a smile and questioning look.
“Hi,” She said quietly then seemed stuck.
“Is there something I can do for you?” Cal asked, wondering why he wanted her to come in, okay, not really wondering. She had been holding her hands behind her back; Cal appreciated the sight, and now brought them forward revealing a huge Thermos and brown paper bag.
“Peace offering,” She told him, “Coffee and donuts?” Cal nodded.
“Well anyone bringing donuts is welcome in my house,” Cal felt a jolt of something strange at the thought this was his house now, “But I warn you, you might want to hold that little hand of yours.”
Now what made me say that? I must sound like a complete freak!
Tessa just smiled and followed him into the gloomy house. Cal decided to leave the door open to air out the stale atmosphere. He wandered around the place, opening windows and the back door to get a flow of air through it. He turned back to his guest who was looking around with an unreadable expression on her face. He watched as she took in the filthy, worn furniture, threadbare carpet covering the floors, thick coating of dust on every surface – including the spider webs which looked like gray feather-boas – and the fading wallpaper. She stood, unknowingly, in a patch of sunlight which caught in her hair, turning it to what looked like liquid gold. Cal couldn't tear his eyes off her.
She turned and caught his gaze which must have been either lusty or goofy because she blushed a deep shade of red and looked away. Cal felt lightness in his chest he hadn't felt since leaving base to come here.
“I will try and find something to drink that coffee out of,” He said moving into the kitchen again, “But most everything here's covered in filth.”
Why do I feel ashamed? It ain't my crap all over the place, this is Victor's mess and he's gone and left it for someone else to take care of. Again.
That stopped Cal. The thought that he had been his father's mess to be taken care of by someone else. He glanced about the place, really noticing the neglect the old man had treated the place with and realized it was the same. His father, his dad, hadn't cared about him at all. Hadn't fought to keep him, hadn't tried to change. Cal shook his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts.
It don’t matter, I got a new family now. A band of brothers and every one of them's got my back.
“I've got cups with me if you can't find...” Tessa trailed off as she noticed his bunched muscles and his white knuckles from gripping the sink so hard “Are you okay?” She asked tentatively. With a deep breath and massive effort, Cal let go of the sink and relaxed a little. He turned with a fake smile,
“I'm good, thanks.” Pointing back into what had been the family room, he added, “You wanna' have a seat?” She turned and his eyes fell to her butt, firmly outlined in the denim jeans she wore.
Sweet Lord, you're fine, girl.
Cal followed Tessa into the small room, dusted off a stained, scratched plastic coffee table and turned the cushions on the antique sofa. She filled the cups which came with the Thermos and laid out milk, sugar and a few donuts. Cal sat, the sofa's springs complaining, and took the small cup from Tessa. Their fingers touched, just the tiniest brushing of skin on skin, which Cal thought nothing of, but Tessa's breath caught in her throat for a second and it looked as if she jumped.
Is she scared of me or got the hots for me? Man how I’d like to put my hands on my neighbor’s fine curves.
Cal sipped the burning coffee, liking the rich, dark blend and watched as she sat, folding her leg up beneath her as she did. He looked at her as she bit into one of the sugary treats and had to ask,
“How is it you ain't bothered by the smell?” Tessa looked over and started to chew faster in the way most people do when they're asked a question with a mouthful of food. Swallowing, she answered,
“Well, I've emptied more bedpans than I can remember, so that might be it,” She looked a little nervously at him, “But really, Cal, I can't smell anything.” Cal felt his eyebrows go up.
“Maybe it's just me, then,” He said, “There's a sour smell, like old sweat and stale beer.”
“It's a little musty, but it has been sitting empty for a while,” She told him, “Other than that, nothing.”
Weird. Can that smell just be in my imagination?
They sat in silence for a few moments, both wondering what to say, it was Tessa who broke it.
“Have you got any plans for this place?” Cal shrugged.
“Not really. Just gonna' throw out all the junk, strip it bare and see how much I can get for it and get the hell outa here.”
“Have you got somewhere to stay while you do all that?” Cal looked at her oddly,
“Right here at the old homestead,” He told her, patting the back of the sofa which made puffs of dust float into the air to be carried off by the breeze.
“You're not serious!” Tessa cried, “There's no water or power to the place, mom told me they shut it all off not long after your dad passed.” Cal chuckled,
“I slept in worse places than this. My crew was sent into a rainforest in monsoon season. The only way to get any sleep was to hang over a rope fixed between two trees with a plastic sheet over you to keep the rain off. Even then all you can hear is the hiss of the water falling all around you but there ain't no way to lie on the ground without getting washed away.”
“What were you doing in a rainforest?” Tessa asked with wide eyes.
Sexy eyes, man could get lost looking into them.
“I have been all over the place. Signed up to be a Navy SEAL as soon as I turned seventeen.”
“Holy crap! Really?” He laughed,
“Yes Ma'am.” Cal replied. Tessa thought for a moment.
“Well you can't stay here,” She told him, “At least not until there's power and water. Come stay with me and mom, at least you can get a shower there.”
“I doubt your momma would approve of you bringing strange men home to stay.” He joked.
“She'll be fine. And I won't take no for an answer.”
“I'll be fine here.” Cal insisted. Tessa reached across and touched his massive arm,
“Don't be silly, we've got plenty of room, phone and internet so you can arrange for the power and water companies to come out and reconnect the supply,” She smiled, “I might even throw in a home cooked meal or two.” Cal smirked.
“You gonna' bribe a man with food?”
“Whatever it takes.” Tessa shot back.
“You've hit on my only weakness there,” Cal said, pointing a finger at her, “You're sworn to secrecy though.” Tessa traced a massive X shape across her chest.
Tessa had waited outside as he secured the old house and grabbed his bag, wondering what had made her invite him up to her mother's house. It was true he needed somewhere to stay but if he was a SEAL, he could surely take care of himself.
Perhaps it's my inner nurse taking over. And perhaps you just want that huge pile of manliness as close to you as possible.
The darker part of her psyche was probably right, Tessa thought, it usually was.
Cal joined her and they walked the short distance to her house,
“Mom!” She called, “I brought Cal home.” Her mother appeared from the kitchen, as usual dressed in her apron and baking something. Her eyes went wide when she saw Calvin,
“Gosh, you grew big down south!” She exclaimed, not understanding why her daughter and Calvin were laughing until she thought about what she'd said.
Tessa's mother turned a bright pink and she pressed a hand to her mouth, “I didn't mean...oh you know what I meant. Come on through and have a seat. I was just baking some of Tessa's favorite cookies.”