Chapter 14 #2
And I would be damned if I would be that man.
Over my dead fucking body.
But you know what they say?
As long as there’s a sliver of chance, there’s still hope.
Lila
I wiped at the tear that trailed down my cheek.
“You don’t know fucking shit. What fucking hell have you been through? Huh?”
“Oh, your father walked out on you. Fuck you.”
Even hours later, his words cut through the very essence that was me.
I cried myself to sleep that night.
Thankfully, my phone had been on silent.
So, I was able to avoid his calls and texts.
I also avoided the texts from the girls.
***
The next day, I had just turned in a project when my office phone rang.
I answered it and said, “Lila Durant.”
“Yes, Ms. Durant. This is Principal Henning. There’s been a problem at the school. Cole Adams asked me to call you. It would be in his best interest for you to come down here.”
I remembered telling him I would be right there, and then I flew out of my office, out of the building, and out to my car.
The only thing I remembered about the drive was pulling in front of the school.
I had just opened my door, climbed out, when a body moved.
It was as if my body recognized it was him before my mind could tell that it was.
And I flinched as he crowded in front of me.
I knew he saw it.
Felt it.
He placed his hands on either side of me, caging me in. “Know I fucked up. But your opinions, your thoughts, hell, everything about you is something I treasure. So, I want you to be in there and be the woman I know you are, right down to your core. A mama beast.”
I sighed, then I said, “For Cole.”
He looked deep into my eyes, and nodded, then he whispered, “Gonna make it up to you. Fucking swear it.”
Then he moved away from me, and we walked side by side into the school.
The moment we entered the office, I looked at Cole first, and when I saw the blood on the corner of his mouth, I made my way over to him.
Before I could even talk to Cole, Mr. Henning snapped, “He’s suspended. Get him out of my school.”
I froze mid-step. And in a low tone, I warned, “You are going to hold the fuck on.”
Mr. Henning snapped back, “You will not speak to me like that.”
I sneered at the asshole.
Once an asshole, always an asshole.
“I will speak to you anyway I choose. You're nothing but a disgrace. You call yourself a leader of the youth? What a crock of shit. My boy is sitting there with a cut on his lip, and nothing has been done to help him.”
Ignoring his blustering ass, I knelt in front of Cole.
I reached up and fingered the cut to this lip, and softly, I asked, “What happened?”
“Hale,”
I growled.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Cole nodded.
I pulled out my phone and called Frank.
“Hey there, sweetheart. Everything okay?”
And by the time I finished telling Frank what happened to Cole, he growled, “Be right there.”
I snickered.
I winked at Cole.
Then I asked for a first aid kit.
I cleaned him up by the time Frank showed up.
See, when the little snot that was Hale came into the picture, he was the same little fucker that had targeted my boy at the game.
He had been transferred to Cole’s school.
And ever since, he had been nothing but trouble.
And I knew that for Cole to punch him, it had been bad.
Therefore, I spoke to Frank about it.
And he had promised me that he would take care of it.
And I knew he did when he walked up to Principal Henning and slapped a folder on his chest, “You’re going to let Cole come back to school tomorrow, and you're going to expel Hale.”
Principal Henning opened the folder. I knew what was in it.
And then I smiled as his face blanched.
Then he nodded, looked at Cole, “See you tomorrow morning.”
I felt two pairs of eyes on me, and I said, “Tell you later.”
That moment came as we walked out of the school.
“Hale’s been kicked out of every school in the state for sharing pictures of girls.” I said with a shrug. “His family is also facing lawsuits from those girls’ parents.”
Cole grinned, “Glad I broke his nose and probably his eye socket.”
I grinned.
Bronson asked, “What did he say?”
Cole winced, then said, “He said he was going to get pictures of Lila and Madalyn and do stuff to them. Told him to stop. He didn’t listen. So I made sure he would listen.”
Nothing but pride filled my chest at Cole.
Then I bit my lip and looked up at Bronson, “Would it be okay with you if I took Cole to Frozen Tree to celebrate him being a good guy?”
He winced, then he said, “Fucked up. Know that. Promised I’ll make it up to you.”
I didn’t say anything. Just stared up at him.
He winced again, then nodded, “Of course it’s okay. I’d like to come too.”
I looked at Cole, who said, “It’s up to you.”
Then I sighed and nodded.
***
Bronson
Seeing her standing up for my boy.
Fuck me.
Why the fuck had I done that to her?
It was something I would have to live with for the rest of my life. In shame.
But... I could get us past it.
I wasn’t afraid of fighting.
And I knew that the light that had often shown in her crystal baby blues would come back and shine its warmth on me.
After we had our frozen yogurt, we talked, but it wasn’t like before.
That was my fuck up.
And I would fix it.
Cole had just gotten in my truck after hugging Lila and thanking her for coming to the school.
I opened her door for her, and bent my head, and slowly, hoping she would let me do this, I pressed a kiss on her forehead, “I’m going to love you. I’m going to be your armor against this great big world. I love you.” I whispered.
I ran my fingers through her soft blonde hair, pleased as fuck when she didn’t slap my hand away.
I watched as she fought it.
The closing of her eyes, instead, she asked, “Why?”
“Cause you're my sunshine in a world where darkness refuses to stay away unless you're near.”
“Bronson,” she whispered.
“Don’t say it back. Don’t need you to. Just need you to know I’m going to fight. I’m going to grovel. And I’m going to get that fucking light back in your eyes that I extinguished.”
And with those words, I opened her door farther and gestured for her to get in.
“Be careful, yeah? I’ll be seeing you soon.” I said.
And then I watched as the woman who held the pieces of heart that didn’t belong to my kids drove away from me. I made promises and vows.
And come holy hell freaking water, I wasn’t going to break a single one.
Meanwhile....
Her’s Text Thread
Cole – Let him make this right. Please.
Madalyn – Please.
Cole – Do it for us.
Lila – I’ll think about it.
Lila
They broke my heart.
I knew they wanted me back with their dad.
But the words he had flung at me... they cut deeper than any words ever had.
Because he didn’t know.
No one did.
Bronson
The plan I came up with Harlee wasn’t going to work.
But maybe... maybe we could start anew.
There was something I hadn’t told a single soul.
Yes, I was going to tell her why I had blown up about the party.
But there was something no one else knew.
It was time to bare myself for the first time.
And hope and fucking pray that she sees to the deepest part of me and forgives me and gives me another chance.
Lila
The nights sucked. And it’s only been two of them.
Because I wanted to be in his bed.
In his arms.
But those words...