Chapter Thirteen #2
“That was your decision, Rex. You set all events in motion when we were younger. I guess now you can pay the price for your choices,” she returns, finally pulling away from the horse but not letting go of her.
“I know my decisions are the reason we haven’t talked in eight years.
I’m the reason for a lot of things between the two of us.
However, I also know we need to talk about that situation so you finally know the truth.
You gonna give me that, Doll?” I question her as she looks at me with wide eyes and tears falling down her face.
“No, Rex. The time for talking was eight years ago. You chose to ignore everyone around you until you left for the military. At least that’s what I think happened.
I don’t know and don’t give a shit any longer.
Your life and mine aren’t intertwined like they once were.
We’re simply two strangers passing one another by.
Leave me alone, Rex. I don’t understand why you’re suddenly involved in my life when you didn’t want to be around me for so long.
Don’t change shit up now because you have a guilty conscience or something,” she says, her voice hard as she releases Storm and then grabs her walker.
I don’t follow her closely as she leaves me in the barn and makes her way over toward the building where the offices of the therapists are located.
Despite everything Taleah has been through, she’s got a spine of steel and isn’t afraid of calling me on my shit.
That’s something new between the two of us.
Before she would have either walked away or listened to me run my mouth and said nothing in response.
I like this new version of my Doll and hope it only comes out stronger as she talks to someone about everything that’s happened to her.
I want to see Taleah filled with fire and able to stand up against anyone who comes at her.
I’d love to get her in the ring with me because I have a feeling she’ll do really good with training in self-defense and boxing.
I can definitely help her learn boxing because I’ve been doing it for years now.
I’ve been fighting for the club since we got here and I’m undefeated so far.
Taleah might just be the one person who can end my winning streak.
While Taleah stays in the building so she can have her first therapy session, I take a look at the puppies in the stall just down from the horses.
There’s a black and brown one who hangs back and isn’t as rambunctious as the rest of them.
I’ve hung out here a few times and that one puppy always catches my eye.
I plan on talking to Roger about adopting that one and training him as a guard dog for Taleah.
She loves puppies and I don’t think she knows they’re here yet or she would have been in the stall with them.
“Whatcha doin’ out here?” Viper asks me as he approaches and I see it’s now raining outside.
“Taleah was just out here. She met Storm and they formed a bond of sorts. Put me in my place before leavin’ me alone out here. I wanted to check on the puppies before goin’ back inside,” I answer him as I unlatch the stall and make my way inside.
All the puppies jump on me and try to gain my attention.
I bypass them all and head for the black and brown puppy.
He sits back until I bend over and pick him up in my arms. Instead of trying to lick my face and all the other bullshit the rest of the puppies do, he lays in my arms and just relaxes.
I think he’ll make a really good guard dog with the right training.
I’ll have to talk to Roger and do some research to figure out who the best person for the job is.
“You seen Roger around here?” I ask Viper as he enters the stall behind me and latches the door so none of the puppies escape. It’s happened before and we’ve had to run all over chasing them to get them back inside.
“He’s at the house. With Ivy havin’ such a horrible night, he’s not leavin’ her alone.
Manic is there with her, but he’s still not goin’ too far in case they need him,” Viper answers me as he picks up two of the puppies and holds them close.
I have a feeling most of us will be adopting these little guys sooner rather than later.
After spending a little bit of time with the puppy I want, I put him down and make my way to the house.
I end up following behind Taleah as she makes her way back there.
She’s moving slower than normal and I can tell she’s really struggling.
I like that she’s trying to push herself a little bit, but then she pays the price because she’s exhausted and can hardly move for a day or two.
Her dad warned me about it when I talked to him.
Knowing she won’t allow me close to her, I can’t do anything to help so I simply remain behind her and hope she doesn’t fall or get hurt.
I’ll catch her if she falls, but there’s not much else I can do without her asking for help.
We’re both stubborn as hell and I know it takes a lot for Taleah to ask for anyone’s help.
I can see Taleah’s body shaking slightly and know without seeing her that she’s crying.
Taleah doesn’t typically let anyone see her cry and hasn’t for a very long time.
I believe the last time was eight years ago.
She cried at her brother’s funeral and lost herself in front of a lot of people.
Like me, she hates being vulnerable around others.
While I see it as a weakness, Taleah sees it as a reason she’ll get bullied.
It happened a lot when we were in school and so she built up walls to ensure she would only be vulnerable when she was alone.
I lost that side of her before we were ever together.
Even when we had sex for the first time, I didn’t get that side of her.
I thought she could trust me, but she never really did.
Maybe because I didn’t really trust her in a way.
While she goes to her room, I find Roger in the kitchen working on dinner for everyone.
Ivy is helping him and Manic is playing with Charlotte.
I walk up and lean against the counter so I can see the room Taleah disappeared in while talking to Roger about the puppy.
He has no problem with me adopting the little guy and giving him a name because no one has named him yet.
He tells me he has the name of a trainer he’s worked with in the past and will give me the information after dinner.
I end up sitting with Manic and playing with Charlotte when he gets a phone call so Ivy can focus on making dinner.
She loves to do that and it gives her a sense of purpose.
I don’t see Taleah for the rest of the night.
She never comes out to eat dinner with the rest of the people here.
Roger goes to her room and she tells him she’s not hungry and just wants to sleep.
I don’t think that’s all it is though. Taleah will open up once she’s more comfortable here.
I’m sure today has just been a lot with moving to a strange place and having her first therapy session. Something she hasn’t done before.