20 The Boots
Beau/Dash
Beau
Most of the evening turned into a fashion show extravaganza as the girls flaunted their new clothes, strutting across the living room’s make-shift runway in their best impressions of high-fashion models. They wiggled their hips and walked by kicking their legs out in front of them with their hands on their hips. They were hilarious and adorable and ours. The two youngest boys got in on the action until their teasing became too much. Now they sat at my feet, playing on my and Dash’s cell phones. Duke and Dixie played peacemakers and were strategically placed between the two boys to keep them from roughhousing.
“I like that outfit the best on you,” Dash said about Ava’s dark jeans and vintage Cage the Elephant tee. She commandeered Dash’s music system, and a Cage the Elephant song played quietly all around the house. With a pair of black military-style boots, her ensemble came together nicely.
“It’s my favorite too,” she said, excitedly.
Each girl struck a pose in front of Amelia, spinning this way and that for her approval.”
“It looks good, Ava. But I liked it when the three of you wore the same sundresses. I made lots of them. Do it for me again?”
“Augh, Abuela, no. Sundresses are the worst,” Ava said and twisted, strutting all the way back to the stairs.
Mia sashayed out the elevator, channeling Ava, but her step-out kick could have put an eye out.
“I’m wearing skinny jeans.” She did a twirl, luckily staying on her feet in the end. I was impressed. She also wore a seafoam green T-shirt with sea turtles on the front. She stopped in front of me, one hip cocked to one side, her head tilted to the other, and her fist landed on the wrong hip. “I bought most of my clothes from Save the Oceans.” She pivoted to Amelia for the final say. “Abuela, my shoes are made from recycled ocean plastic.” The show paused when her gaze lifted to the ceiling in thought. “It’s maybe from Save the Manatees.” Her stare lowered back to Amelia. “It’s something like that.”
She shrugged and grinned happily.
“It’s very nice,” Amelia said. “But know what I’d like?”
“For us to dress the same again.”
Dash chuckled at the way Mia rolled her eyes. Her good nature returned instantly, and she kissed Amelia’s cheek before darting up the stairs. Livie came next. She wore a bright yellow, sunflower inspired dress. Her sandals and pretty hair clasp matched. She walked straight to Amelia.
Since the big schooling discussion and learning she had no real friends, which was difficult for us to absorb as parents, we’d all given her more attention and love. “Little girl, you look lovely. Put together effortlessly. I want your sisters to wear your clothes.”
Livie beamed even as Ava came halfway down the steps, sticking a finger in her mouth and giving a gagging sound.
“Ava,” my mom said, trotting down the steps, taking Ava’s hand as they came to the bottom stair. “Livie concludes tonight’s fashion show. Please give a round of applause to Livie, Mia, and Ava. Without them, there’d be no show.”
Mia hopped down the stairs to land next to her sisters, already giving bows. We all clapped at their performances. Dash was the first to his feet. “Hunter, Fisher, tell your sisters they look nice.”
That was one thing my kids did well. They parroted the compliment we required them to say, never looking up from the devices in their hands.
“Need help hanging everything up?” Dash asked just as the front door swung open. West, our little cowboy in training due to Scott’s influence, was starting pre-K this year and couldn’t be less interested in going to school. His new school clothes lay in sealed packages on his bed, namely, five pairs of blue jeans, five western shirts, underwear, and socks. My mom ordered them from Amazon.
A few months back, Scott bought West a cowboy hat to match his. My boy wore it now, along with a matching gray hoodie, starched blue jeans, and matching boots. Both wore aviator sunglasses with mirrored lenses. We were still in the long summer season, but no one needed sunglasses at this hour of the evening.
“Watch this.” Scott put West on his feet in the living room, where his thumbs went instantly to his front pockets. Dash was on his A-game, already filming as Scott turned Spotify on with his phone. A twangy Brooks & Dunn country song began playing. Both man and boy began boot scooting, shuffling their feet in a dance, around the living room floor. West held the rhythm and movements like a pro until everyone began to cheer for him. He lacked no confidence as he raised his fists high with pride, the other children got involved, mimicking West’s dancing style.
The song changed and Scott handed West a toothpick. They put them in their mouths at the same time. They’d added props to their show. West’s thumb hitched back into his pocket, and he continued to dance, scooting without missing a beat.
West was an absolute cutie. Tall for his age, he stood out in a crowd, exuding my fearless vibe. West was naturally gifted with safety, meaning every time he hurled his body from the boat into the ocean, he popped up again. Thank goodness for a well-equipped life jacket. None of the children went without one.
“Well done,” I clapped. The rest were cheering for themselves and West, offering a congratulatory high five to each other. The little guy’s grin landed on Dash who was still recording, and he tilted his hat. I couldn’t help laughing as I hoisted him up in my arms, giving him a tight hug. “You gonna be a dancer?”
West tilted his hat back on his head and swiped off his sunglasses. “I’m gonna be a cowboy and have a horse, and it’s gonna be black as night. And me and my horse are gonna do cowboy things. Then I’m gonna get a cowgirl to ride on the back with me.” The declaration was swift and sure. I glanced at Dash to make sure he’d caught that moment too.
“Those are mighty big goals, little man,” Dash said. “Where are you gonna keep that horse?”
That question took a second to answer. “In the backyard.”
What a great life goal. I hugged him tighter before Dash came and took him out of my arms. School started soon and these unexpected joyful nights would lose their frequency. They were all growing up too fast.
Dash
I tried to lay down a foundation where Beau and I would sleep well tonight.
We drank a glass of wine, talked together outside, and swam in our secret alcove of the swimming pool. When we came to bed, I made sweet, gentle love to him. I came on his ass to alleviate the need of a thorough cleaning then held my love in silence while I tried to sleep. From there, I tossed and turned, before finally giving up altogether. I quietly made my way to the living room and read the files I’d brought home by lamplight. The scattered pages went in different stacks in an attempt to utilize the organizational system my brain operated best with.
They’d gathered quite a bit of information already, and I agreed there were more than these women to add to the mix. Predators didn’t stop preying, especially when they got away with it. The gaps were sometimes years apart, then bam, three times in a single year. It stood to reason that there was so much we didn’t know.
The thought of the creepy sport between father and sons made me want to vomit. When had their sick games started? Who else knew?
I couldn’t help wondering what life would have been like if Beau and I had stayed with that family. What if he hadn’t rescued me? The emotional roller coaster of the whole saga was going to be a tough ride.
Given the extensive number of cases filed against my father with the Texas Workforce Commission, it became evident how deep my father’s pockets and influence ran. I also had significant doubt in my ability to financially survive a multi-year battle against Richmond Holdings.
I questioned if it was even possible to find an impartial judge, free from my father’s potential influence or interference.
Any investigation needed to be comprehensive and meticulous. There was a high probability that the incidents in question were not solely confined to the Dallas home office. I needed Lon—my old mentor from my Chicago days— to be involved. He was extensively connected. If we could file a case in Illinois where Lon resided, or even in Washington DC, where he also maintained a presence, that may solve the personal vendetta issue.
Would Lon agree to partner with me?
“Why’re you out here?” Beau asked huskily, standing nearby. He startled me so hard that the notebook I’d been making notes in tumbled from my lap.
“Shit, Beau, you scared me.” My hand flew to my heart. The number two pencil I held poked me in the chest. It hurt. Of course I couldn’t say that to Beau. He was sliced, hooked, or bitten every day. But I suffered in pain in my own way too.
“What’s goin’ on?” he asked again, staring pointedly at the piles of paper on the sofa beside me. “You were distracted all night. What’s happenin’?”
I stacked the documents I’d laid on the sofa and moved those piles with care to the coffee table in front of me. When I had the seat cleared off, I patted the sofa beside me for Beau to take a seat in a way that he angled his face toward me.
“When I was called back to the office this afternoon,” I said and waited for him to nod that he was with me. “I had a significant case dropped in my lap.”
“Who’re you plannin’ to pass it off to?” he asked. Although I always kept the sanctity of attorney/client privilege, Beau understood the inner workings of my firm. These days, I was a big-picture owner. I didn’t keep many cases for myself.
“I’ll handle this one,” I said on a deep sigh.
“What am I missin’?” Beau asked. “Is it pro bono?”
“It’ll be substantial and costly. I’ll have to collaborate with a larger firm that has access to more resources, assuming everything works out.” I felt the weight of the case pressing me down. It was incredibly difficult for me to wrap my head around my father being a sexual predator… An asshole, sure. Demanding and in control, always. A god complex where he thought he could crush anyone who got in his way, you bet. Maybe it wasn’t such a hard leap to violating the rights of a person to their own body. It was overwhelming. Beau gently cupped my neck, offering comfort.
“Lon would partner with you, right?”
“He’s the person I’d reach out to.” A deep sigh escaped, knowing Lon’s presence in our lives could reignite some uncertainties in Beau. He had insecurity there that I wasn’t sure we fully resolved. “What I can say to you is that it’ll demand a lot of time from me. The pre-suit phase will be challenging. I’ll be away from home quite a bit, which I don’t appreciate, but that’s not the worst of it. The emotional toll will be toughest. It’ll be difficult to compartmentalize the facts of this case.”
“Then don’t take it. No harm done. We need you here with us. Those were the agreements we made before havin’ our children.”
I gave him a closer look, trying to read his sincerity. I cherished my family, but they were safe. Beau and I built a life to keep them secure. If I left for days at a time, Beau would be here with them. I’d return home as often as possible, but the idea that any member of my family would continue to assault women, most likely growing even bolder because they persistently escaped punishment…
“So you’ve decided to do it without my input,” Beau said flatly, allowing his hand to drop away. “This life we’re livin’ is because of you, and you can’t give us fifteen years to allow them all to grow up before you disappear again? Tough cases consume you. You’ll be trapped in that life until a judgement is reached. You’ll win the case, and others will be waitin’ in the wings for your help. I’ll lose you again, and you promised me it wouldn’t happen.”
“Beau, I won’t ever emotionally leave my family…”
My guy rose, drawing the throw he wore closer around him like a shield as he started for the bedroom. I closed my eyes, knowing in my heart that if he understood the details, he’d insist I take the case.
With quick, efficient movements, I cleared the table, securing the paperwork then followed Beau. I kept the overhead lights off, relying on the moonlight filtering through the windows to guide me to his side of the bed, taking a seat on the edge. He didn’t scoot over, only allowing me minimal space. I clasped my hands, tucking them between my thighs.
“I firmly believe in attorney-client privilege, but I’ve also broken your trust in me. I do get consumed and have a hard time navigating my way out of my head. As much as I’ve wanted to share details of my different cases with my best friend, I never have. But I garnered permission to talk this case through with you. And you’re right, I’ve made promises to you that I intend to keep.”
Silence between us ensued, broken only by the heavy puff of breath.
“The reason for my delay this evening was due to two women who potentially have a case against my father and two brothers for sexual assault.”
I waited, staring out at the swimming pool’s rippling water.
Beau didn’t say a word, but he scooted his legs to the middle of the bed to give me more room.
“The information they shared included seventeen possible victims.”
“And you believe it to be true?” Beau said into the silence.
“I’d have to begin the investigation to see the truth for myself. My preliminary thoughts are Stone, Brianne, and I will handle the investigation. I’ll know more as I speak to the different women myself.”
“How bad is it?” Beau whispered.
“As bad as it gets.”
A dramatic pause hung in the air for what felt like an eternity. “Here are my rules: You video call me and the kids every day. You stay present in their day-to-day lives. Livie needs us right now. If you stay gone for more than three days, I need a reason. When you’re home, you’re mentally here with us. We might have to hire another Belle full-time to help Amelia, I guess. They’re a lot to handle. I always feel like I’m slippin’ when you’re not around.”
“So you think I should take it?” I asked, glancing over as Beau began moving fully into the center of the bed.
“’Course. We make love two times a week, even if it has to be by video,” Beau said, saying what was important to both of us. “And if it turns out to be true, go kick your old man’s ass. I hate that motherfucker anyway.”
The edge of the duvet lifted.
“Come on, go to sleep. Better decisions will come to you on a rested mind.”
My love wasn’t wrong, and I crawled in next to him. My mind eased.
“Sleep, Dash,” Beau murmured against my ear. It was all it took.