grow up strong, fall in love, get married and be happy. So many people spin their wheels out there trying to get rich, or control the world, but they’re never happy.” Her face fell as she thought back on some distant memory. “Your daddy, well, he’s never satisfied. When everything goes bad he turns to drinking and drugs and that’s why he gets like he does.”
My face twisted at the mention of my father. Mom just kept rocking back and forth to the beat of the song. “You know what I think? I think you’re sweet on Paige. Maybe she could be your wife someday. You’d be lucky to have her. I bet that girl is going to grow up to be a beauty. But, Buddy, no matter who you end up marrying, you treat that girl like a queen. Every girl deserves to be loved and cherished. Don’t become like your daddy. Don’t fill up with so much hate that it poisons you. Nothing good comes from it and everyone around you would end up getting hurt. I don’t want that for you, baby.”
When Mom had stopped talking she turned me around to look me in the eye. “You be a simple man, Buddy. You get married, you love your girl, you make babies if you want, but you better make sure to look out for them.”
I squirmed at what she was saying. “Mommy, I’m not marrying no one, and especially not Paige. She’s annoying.”
Mom laughed a deep belly laugh at those words. “You might say that now, Buddy, but mark my words; one day that girl is going to turn your head like no one else. I can already see it between you two. Don’t know what to call it, but you are two halves of one whole and I think God, or fate, or whatever you want to call it has plans for you. Keep looking out for her Buddy and stop pushing that girl around.” Mommy shot me a pointed look. “Don’t think we don’t see you doing it. Paige’s momma is about to whoop you good for it. But, I talked to her. She knows you care about that girl, so she hasn’t done nothing…yet.”
I twisted out of my mom’s hold and folded my arms across my chest. “I’m not trying to hurt her mom, I’m just teaching her not to cry, not to sit around and take it.”
My mom’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “That’s a bad way to teach her, don’t you think? Why do you think you need to teach her that, anyway?”
“Because nobody taught you that, and look what happened. Daddy hurt you over and over again and you never did nothing about it.”
Mommy cried and folded in on herself at my words. I felt bad and reached out to take her hand. Choking back sobs, she looked at me and finally said, “I know I haven’t been able to do much to make things better, but things are going to change, Buddy. Don’t you worry. Someday…things are going to change.”
~
~~Paige~~
I stood in the full length mirror putting my hair up into a bun. Today was the first day of training with Daemon and I was excited to show him that I could kick his ass with my eyes closed if I wanted to. Laughing to myself, I adjusted my shorts on my hips and pulled my tank top into place. I could hear Daemon in the living room listening to the radio.
Is that Lynyrd Skynyrd he’s playing?
After I was finished dressing, I walked into the bathroom to wash my face and came back out to find Daemon’s large form leaning against the doorway of the room. His hair was still wet from the shower he’d taken earlier and I had to brace myself to keep from running to him to lick away every leftover drop of water that slowly slid down his skin. His chest glistened from the moisture that still adorned his body and my eyelids suddenly felt heavy and hooded as I took in the lines of his abdomen which dipped down to the top band of the cotton shorts that hung off his narrow hips. Holy crap, the man was a masterpiece if I’ve ever seen one.
“You look ready to go.” The corner of his mouth twisted up into a grin and I melted a little where I stood
My face twisted at the mention of my father. Mom just kept rocking back and forth to the beat of the song. “You know what I think? I think you’re sweet on Paige. Maybe she could be your wife someday. You’d be lucky to have her. I bet that girl is going to grow up to be a beauty. But, Buddy, no matter who you end up marrying, you treat that girl like a queen. Every girl deserves to be loved and cherished. Don’t become like your daddy. Don’t fill up with so much hate that it poisons you. Nothing good comes from it and everyone around you would end up getting hurt. I don’t want that for you, baby.”
When Mom had stopped talking she turned me around to look me in the eye. “You be a simple man, Buddy. You get married, you love your girl, you make babies if you want, but you better make sure to look out for them.”
I squirmed at what she was saying. “Mommy, I’m not marrying no one, and especially not Paige. She’s annoying.”
Mom laughed a deep belly laugh at those words. “You might say that now, Buddy, but mark my words; one day that girl is going to turn your head like no one else. I can already see it between you two. Don’t know what to call it, but you are two halves of one whole and I think God, or fate, or whatever you want to call it has plans for you. Keep looking out for her Buddy and stop pushing that girl around.” Mommy shot me a pointed look. “Don’t think we don’t see you doing it. Paige’s momma is about to whoop you good for it. But, I talked to her. She knows you care about that girl, so she hasn’t done nothing…yet.”
I twisted out of my mom’s hold and folded my arms across my chest. “I’m not trying to hurt her mom, I’m just teaching her not to cry, not to sit around and take it.”
My mom’s eyebrows furrowed in concern. “That’s a bad way to teach her, don’t you think? Why do you think you need to teach her that, anyway?”
“Because nobody taught you that, and look what happened. Daddy hurt you over and over again and you never did nothing about it.”
Mommy cried and folded in on herself at my words. I felt bad and reached out to take her hand. Choking back sobs, she looked at me and finally said, “I know I haven’t been able to do much to make things better, but things are going to change, Buddy. Don’t you worry. Someday…things are going to change.”
~
~~Paige~~
I stood in the full length mirror putting my hair up into a bun. Today was the first day of training with Daemon and I was excited to show him that I could kick his ass with my eyes closed if I wanted to. Laughing to myself, I adjusted my shorts on my hips and pulled my tank top into place. I could hear Daemon in the living room listening to the radio.
Is that Lynyrd Skynyrd he’s playing?
After I was finished dressing, I walked into the bathroom to wash my face and came back out to find Daemon’s large form leaning against the doorway of the room. His hair was still wet from the shower he’d taken earlier and I had to brace myself to keep from running to him to lick away every leftover drop of water that slowly slid down his skin. His chest glistened from the moisture that still adorned his body and my eyelids suddenly felt heavy and hooded as I took in the lines of his abdomen which dipped down to the top band of the cotton shorts that hung off his narrow hips. Holy crap, the man was a masterpiece if I’ve ever seen one.
“You look ready to go.” The corner of his mouth twisted up into a grin and I melted a little where I stood
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