Chapter 17
Molly
Molly’s head leaned lazily against the chair in the corner of what was now Darren’s room. Sleep would not come for her this evening. The only thing that helped was knowing Carmen was only a few feet away.
After a subdued conversation with Bessie, Molly excused herself from the kitchen to take a shower, her plan to spend the night monitoring Darren. She hadn’t expected to find Carmen already in Darren’s room, reading when she entered. They sat silently, watching the young man sleep. This wasn’t the first time Molly had dealt with this type of situation. Sadly, she also knew it wouldn’t be the last. What made it different tonight though, was having Carmen with her.
Now and then, Carmen would rise from her seat to nudge Darren awake. They’d have a quick conversation before Carmen allowed him to go back to sleep. “I don’t think he has a concussion,” she whispered.
“At least that’s something,” Molly replied. Falling silent again, Molly let her eyes fall shut. As much as she loved what she did and couldn’t even contemplate doing anything else, sometimes the emotional toll was overwhelming.
For the most part, Molly was excellent at compartmentalizing her personal feelings with her professional ones. Yes, she had no problem sharing some of her past with the kids she helped, but no one knew the complete picture. That was reserved for Molly alone. It was natural though, to feel old wounds reopen when faced with situations like Darren’s. It was human. Unfortunately, adding tonight’s drama to Faith turning up, Molly was finding it near impossible to shut off her personal thoughts and feelings.
Looking over at Carmen, Molly wondered if she was finding it just as difficult. Carmen and Mateo had gone through the system, and from what little Molly knew about their past, she would bet they’d gone through their fair share of trauma. Was Carmen reliving it?
Molly was. Her mind catapulted back twenty years to the day Alan had thrown her out, with nothing but a few clothes in a bag. Unlike Darren, Molly had escaped physically unharmed, but not emotionally. Her brother had eviscerated her. Had he done that to Faith, too?
A wave of nausea rolled over every inch of Molly’s body. Why had she deluded herself that she could get Alan to see sense one day? All those years of writing letters hoping for some sort of reconciliation. Why had she done that? Because Molly longed for the family she had before her parents were killed, but that wasn’t possible. Alan wasn’t the brother she’d known. He was a stranger.
There would be no more letters, no more hoping. Molly couldn’t bear the thought of having Faith anywhere near that sort of toxicity. Molly couldn’t bear the thought of anyone having to live in such a hostile environment. The hardest part was going to be letting her past go. Knowing she wouldn’t get the closure she needed or deserved.
“You look like you are trying to solve world hunger over there.” Carmen’s soft voice was soothing to Molly’s frayed mind.
“No, nothing so grand,” Molly replied with a half-smile.
“Want to talk about it?”
“I was just making some decisions.”
“About your brother?”
Molly wasn’t surprised Carmen knew where her head had gone. She was a perceptive woman. “Yeah,” she sighed.
“I can’t say I understand what you’re going through, Mol.” Molly’s heart gave an extra hard thump at Carmen’s use of the nickname. “Mateo is my family, and no matter what we went through, we did it together. You, for a long time, were alone. It’s completely understandable that you wanted or still want your family to support you.”
“But at what cost?” Molly answered. The cost of her dignity and self-worth. Begging a man that had cast her out at seventeen, not caring whether she wound up on the streets or worse.
“Don’t do that. Don’t question yourself. It’s okay to reconsider or rethink priorities. At one point, Molly, you needed to hold on to the idea that your brother would come around and embrace you. Now, things have changed, you have changed.”
“I hate the feeling of giving up on him, but equally, I hate the person he’s become. I’m sure there is more to the story than Faith has told me. Seeing Darren, and the fear in his eyes, I couldn’t help but think of Faith in that position. Did she cower before him? Did he beat her and make her feel worthless? My stomach is sick at the thought. I should have been there for her, I—”
“You didn’t know, Mol. And even if you knew about Faith, that doesn’t mean you would have been able to do anything. Trust me, I wish I’d known about her. I would have marched into the Parsons household, decked Alan and walked out with Faith,” Carmen laughed. “She didn’t deserve to be treated that way. Hell, no one deserves that. At least you spent your time trying to help. Look at Darren. You didn’t even hesitate in bringing him here. And I’ll bet a million bucks you’ll ensure he is well taken care of, even after he has recovered.”
“How do you do that?” Molly asked, her head feeling a little light.
“Do what?”
“Make me feel better with just a few words. Make me feel…” Molly trailed off, unable to complete the sentence. Make me feel safe and at home.
Dipping her head in embarrassment, Molly hoped Carmen wouldn’t read into her rambling.
“I hope I can make you feel better,” Carmen said quietly. Raising her eyes from the ground, Molly looked directly at Carmen. A shy smile gracing her beautiful face.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime. Maybe we should try to get some sleep. It’s been a long day.”
“I’m not sure I can,” Molly sighed.
“Come here.” Carmen gestured for Molly to join her in the oversized armchair she’d been curled up in all evening. Pushing up from her seat, Molly wandered the few feet that separated them. It should feel weird squashing up next to a woman she hardly knew, but as her body settled snugly next to Carmen’s, the only thing she felt was the tug of sleep pulling her under.
◆◆◆
The crick in Molly’s neck reminded her she was no longer in her twenties. Gone were the days of crashing on a couch. No, Molly needed her king-size memory foam mattress now. God, what she wouldn’t give for a massage. The image of Carmen’s hands rubbing the sensitive area on her neck thundered like a freight train through her mind. A sudden heat rose from deep inside, touching every nerve in Molly’s body. Jesus, she was on fire.
“You’re red as a tomato, Mol,” Bessie commented, perching a tray with Darren’s breakfast at the end of the bed. Molly noted she was alone. Carmen was no longer snuggled up in the chair. Darren still slept soundly.
“What time is it?” she yawned, stretching her neck from side to side. In lieu of a massage, a few neck exercises would have to do.
“Nearly eight, love. I’m glad to see you got a few hours of sleep.”
“Mmm,” she mumbled, still in the fog of slumber.
“Carmen slept well too.” Molly couldn’t have missed the amusement in Bessie’s tone even if she tried.
“Good,” Molly replied, her eyes unable to meet Bessie’s.
“Mmm, she looked super comfy with your head on her boob.”
Molly’s eyes shot up. “What?”
“Yeah, I nipped in earlier just to check on you all, and there you were. Two peas in a snuggly pod.”
“It’s not like that,” Molly protested. “I couldn’t relax last night after everything and Carmen was just comforting me.”
“No need to get worked up, Mol,” Bessie grinned.
“I’m not getting worked up,” Molly hissed.
“Ah, told her you found her groping Carmen’s breast,” Enid called softly from the doorway.
“Yup,” Bessie replied, chuckling. Molly was most certainly the color of a tomato now.
“Oh my God, I was not groping anything.”
“Not what I heard,” Enid sang.
“You are the worst, both of you.” Ignoring their animated laughs, Molly peeled herself out of the chair and peeked over at Darren. His face was a mix of black, blue, and green. His lip and eye were swollen.
“He’ll be alright, Molly. A few days of rest and relaxation, he’ll feel good as new.”
“I hope so,” Molly sighed.
“Come on, let’s grab some breakfast.” Enid didn’t leave her much of an option. The little old lady was stronger than she looked. Molly nearly tripped over her own feet as Enid scooped her by the wrist and tugged her out of the room.
“Morning,” a chorus of voices rang out. Molly smiled warmly in return, her eyes instantly gravitating to Carmen, who had her back to the room. Was she cooking pancakes? Cooking pancakes in tight jeans and an even tighter t-shirt. Oh, that undercut was effective in turning Molly’s thoughts R-rated.
“Hey,” Molly cooed, instantly chastising herself as she stood next to Carmen, peering over at the frying pan currently cooking two fluffy pancakes.
“Hey. You look well-rested,” Carmen replied, her face a picture of calm. Clearly, she wasn’t having the same thoughts as Molly. Even though she’d been asleep, Molly could feel the contours of Carmen’s body. The swell of her breasts. Wowzer.
“So you’re saying I look less trash panda now?” Molly laughed.
“Definitely. Although I wouldn’t rule out the trash panda look just yet. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day,” Carmen laughed. Molly squinted, her brows furrowed.
“Is there something happening?” Molly racked her brain. Apart from making sure Darren was doing well and checking off a couple of things to do on the ranch, she couldn’t remember anything else scheduled. Nothing that would make her day long.
“Oh, there’s something happening. Prepare yourself, Molly Parsons.”
“Prepare myself for what?”
“For the greatest fashion show on earth,” Mateo announced with as much flair as he could muster. Which, in his pink silk robe and fluffy slippers, was quite a lot.
“Okay, I’m lost?” Molly laughed. The kids all looked giddy with excitement, and Carmen looked exasperated.
“The old queen wants to put on a fashion show in the front yard,” Carmen replied, flipping the two pancakes.
“Damn right the old queen does!” Mateo shouted. “It’s going to be spectacular.”
“Um…” Molly wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Don’t try to understand it. Just go along for the ride,” Carmen chuckled. “He’s got all the kids involved.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of the greatest fashion show on earth,” Molly deadpanned. That Mateo was doing something for all the kids was heartwarming. Over the past few days, he’d spent time with each of them, chatting about everything and nothing. Sometimes something as simple as giving the teens just a bit of time and focus was more precious than gold. They’d spent too long feeling isolated and unheard, misunderstood.
“Yeah, he’s a good one, I suppose,” Carmen muttered low enough so Mateo wouldn’t hear her. “Come on, let’s feed the horde.”
How did Carmen and Mateo fit in so easily? Molly stood watching for a second. Carmen arranged the pancakes on the table. Mateo psyching up the kids about the upcoming fashion show. Bessie caught Molly’s eye from the other end of the kitchen and gave her a wink.
With the worries and memories of last night’s drama soothed and stored a little further back in her mind, Molly sat down and enjoyed a rather loud and excitable breakfast.
Mateo apparently had raided everyone’s closets, including Molly’s, to prepare for the show. Courtney, Lisa and Faith were models. Liam mumbled something about music management and Micah boasted about being Mateo’s beauty apprentice.
“As fun as this is,” Bessie interrupted, “We need to crack on with the chores if we want to enjoy the show later on.”
“Indeed,” Molly agreed, shuffling from the table, depositing her dishes in the sink. “You guys can get this place cleaned, please.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Micah answered, corralling the others to move from the table. They must be excited. I’ve never seen them so enthusiastic about cleaning up.
“I can help you with the ranch chores, if you like?” Carmen said to Molly quietly. The closeness of Carmen’s body reminded Molly of last night. Stop it.
“Um, sure, if you want. That would be great.”
Suppressing the little shiver that coursed through her panties, Molly willed herself to calm the hell down. What was happening? She’d shared several conversations and a bit of cuddling. Surely that wasn’t enough to elicit such reactions. The second shiver in her lower regions begged to differ. You just need to get laid. It’s nothing more than pent-up frustration.
◆◆◆
The excitement was palpable in the front yard. Molly laughed out loud in amazement when she saw the fashion show setup. Where the hell had Mateo found a red carpet? There were several chairs lined up on either side of the runway—an enormous set of curtains hanging off a makeshift frame and a desk to the side that had a Bluetooth speaker on it.
“This is very…” Molly waved her hands about trying to come up with the best descriptors for what lay in front of her.
“Over the top?” Carmen laughed.
“No, it’s brilliant. I can’t believe Mateo pulled it off.”
“Give that man enough time. He can turn anything into a runway.”
“But I bet he’s never made one in front of a ranch next to a field of sunflowers before, huh?”
Carmen laughed. “Nope, it’s a first.”
Sitting down, they sat silently until Enid and Bessie strolled up arm-in-arm. “Those two are dangerous together,” Molly muttered out the side of her mouth so only Carmen could hear.
“You’re telling me,” she replied, laughing.
“Hello, you two. Isn’t this a lovely sight?” Enid clapped enthusiastically. Molly rolled her eyes.
“If you’re referring to the fashion show set up, then yes, it is a lovely sight.”
Before Enid could make another comment, Liam pressed play on his phone. Music blared through the speaker. “Welcome to the annual Sunflower Ranch fashion show,” he mumbled with all the enthusiasm an adolescent boy could muster. Molly chuckled, as did Carmen.
Bursting through the curtain, Mateo took center stage. “Here we go,” Carmen mumbled.
“Ladies and Carmen,” he shouted. “Welcome to the first annual Sunflower Ranch fashion show. In just a few short moments, our three gorgeous models will strut down this fine ass catwalk to show you the latest trends in teenage fashion.”
“Por Dios,” Carmen mumbled again. Molly laughed silently. Mateo was throwing everything into his performance.
“Do we walk now?” a garbled voice called from behind the curtain, momentarily knocking Mateo off his stride.
“When the music changes,” he hissed good naturedly. “Liam,” he nodded. Liam rolled his eyes but pressed his phone to change to the next song.
Molly sat back and watched as Faith, Lisa and Courtney all took turns walking down the red carpet runway. None of the clothes were designer or, for that matter, anything out of the ordinary, but those girls strutted as if they were attending Paris Fashion Week.
At the end of the show, Mateo walked out with the girls on his arms. Molly rocketed to her feet, wolf whistling and clapping. Enid whistled twice as loud and Bessie whooped in excitement. Turning her face slightly, Molly caught the exchange between Carmen and Faith. A subtle wink and quiet round of applause saw Faith burst with pride. They’re really close.
The celebrations came to a stuttering halt as the sound of a car driving far too fast up the lane caught everyone’s attention. It was Faith’s gasp that drew Molly’s gaze from the approaching vehicle. Turning, Molly saw her niece’s face drain of all color.
Stepping forward, Molly covered her brow with her hands, trying to keep the sun from her eyes. The moment the car door flew open, she knew who she would see. “Alan,” she gasped.
Alan screamed, “You dirty little whore, get in the car now!” Molly was frozen. In her peripheral vision, she saw Carmen place herself in front of Faith, Mateo mirroring her movements. Both Ruizes completely shielding Faith.
“You have thirty seconds to crawl back into the hole you came from before I put your face through that windshield,” Carmen growled, her finger jabbing towards Alan.
“This has nothing to do with you. I’m here for my daughter. Faith get in the car now. I won’t tell you again!” Alan screamed, his face puce.
The second Molly saw Carmen move, she unfroze. Stepping out in front of everyone, she came eye to eye with her brother, who until then hadn’t noticed Molly. His eyes grew wide as recognition settled over him.
“Alan, leave now,” Molly said calmly.
“Molly,” he whispered. For just a second, Molly glimpsed the brother she’d known and loved.
“Faith is staying here,” Molly continued.
Snapping out of his shock, Alan took a step forward. Molly held her ground. “I should have known,” he sneered. “Is this what you were planning all along, hmm? Waiting for my daughter to come of age so you could corrupt her with your unnatural choices.”
Molly regarded her brother. His hair was neatly combed. He wore slacks and a button-up shirt. All in all, he looked very respectable. A few lines graced his face, but time had been kind to his features. Unlike his character.
“I hoped, for so long, I would get to see you again,” Molly began, her voice strong. “I wrote those letters praying that God would guide you back to me. But you are still lost, brother.”
“Don’t you dare speak of God to me, you filthy dyke!” Spittle flew from Alan’s mouth.
“Mom and Dad would be so ashamed.” She shook her head solemnly. “If they saw the man you have become, they would be so very sad.”
Alan took another step forward. “I am taking my daughter home. She can still be saved,” he growled, fists clenched. Molly wondered if he would actually strike her with everyone watching.
“Are you going to hit me, Alan?” Molly asked. “Isn’t this a little too public for you? Don’t you like to hide the abuse you dole out on your wife and child?” It was Molly’s turn to take a step forward. “All this righteous bullshit is nothing more than a frightened and angry little boy who never dealt with his grief. You are nothing like the brother I knew, nothing like the son raised by our parents. I can’t blame you fully, though. Your precious pastor picked well. Who better than an emotionally distraught child to teach and pass on his hate?” The car door opened and Maureen Parsons stepped out.
“Get back in the car,” Alan howled. Maureen flinched but remained where she was.
“You took what you were given by God and ruined it. Hurt the people that you were supposed to love the most. I know it’s too late now, Alan. I will never get the family back I craved for so long. But, I’ve made a new one. Faith has made a new one. A family that treats her with love and kindness. You,” Molly pointed to Alan, her finger millimeters from his chest, “have thrown away your chance of happiness. You can throw all the insults you want, but you are not getting your hands on Faith.”
“Faith?” Maureen’s voice was soft, her eyes pleading at her daughter. Molly turned to see Faith push gently through the Ruiz body barrier.
“I’m not coming with you, Mom. I spent so long fearing you both,” she said, shaking her head. “I will never go back to that. I’m sure you will cast me out, just like you did Aunt Molly,” Faith said, now talking to Alan. “But that’s okay. I forgive you.”
“You forgive me?” he laughed mirthlessly.
“Yes, I forgive you. I will not live my life angry like you, Dad.”
“Faith,” Maureen sobbed.
“Mom, you need to leave him. You’ve taken enough beatings, enough abuse.” Pride swelled up in Molly as she watched her wonderful niece stand tall and sure. “I believe what Aunt Molly says. Grandma and Grandpa would be devastated if they saw how we lived. How he treated us. I want more for my life. I want that for you too, Mom. But that’s your choice. Dad, I hope you get the help you need. I truly do, but… if you come for me again, I will press charges. I am eighteen, a legal adult. I have enough people around me to support and love me. All of whom won’t let any harm come to me.”
“I’m still deciding if you should go through the windshield,” Carmen scowled. Molly looked at Carmen, who was rigid, the anger pulsing off her entire body. Mateo placed his hand on her shoulder, calming her a fraction.
“Like I said, I have good people around me now. Get back in your car and go home.” Faith walked up and stood shoulder to shoulder with Molly.
“You heard her, Alan.”
“You are dead to me,” Alan hissed.
“You’re not dead to me, Dad, or you, Mom. But I know for now it’s goodbye.” Faith turned on her heel, walked to Carmen, linked their arms, forcing Carmen to move. Molly stood guard, waiting for Alan to leave. She could see him battling with his anger. How sad it was to see her one and only brother so lost.
“Go,” she whispered. Their eyes locked. Alan opened his mouth but snapped it shut before turning and climbing back into the car. Maureen turned her eyes from a retreating Faith to Molly. “You have a choice,” Molly spoke. “Make the right one.”