I Need You Now

SAM

It’s been a while since Sam last saw Alaric.

His muscular frame, dimples, and the way his eyes always seem to be in a dreamy haze have stayed with her, even though she’s kept her distance for the past few weeks.

Now, sitting next to him on his bed, the only light coming from a small candle, she feels more alive than she has in days.

She loves him, but if Alaric can’t be faithful to her, she’s not sure she can stay.

“What did you want to talk about?” she asks softly, her eyes on her five-year-old son, who’s sleeping against his father’s pillows.

“I just want to say I’m sorry,” Alaric says, his elbows resting on his knees as he looks at her.

Sam avoids his gaze, afraid that even a brief moment of eye contact might weaken her already shaky resolve.

“I messed up, but I promise you, I had a good reason.”

She scoffs and shakes her head, and Alaric sighs.

“What?”

“I don’t know. That’s what you said last time. You claim you have a reason, but what is it? Am I not worth knowing the truth?”

She finally looks at him, but the intensity in his eyes makes her look away quickly.

He’s just too good-looking.

“That’s why I wanted to talk to you, babe.”

“Don’t call me babe~.~”

“‘Baby,’ then?”

“Sam’s fine,” she mutters, feeling her cheeks heat up. God, this man affects her so much, and his deep, calm voice isn’t helping.

“Okay, Sam,” he says softly. “The only reason I’ve been seeing Bethany is because I’m using her to get information.”

Sam narrows her eyes and turns to look at him.

Alaric rubs his nose with his thumb and sighs.

“Yeah, there are some things I haven’t told you. Remember when I told you about a guy named Ron Moretto?”

Sam nods. “Yeah, the guy who killed your uncles and attacked your camp two years ago.”

“Right, good memory. Well, I’ve been…stealing drugs from his truck.” Alaric squints one eye, bracing for Sam’s disbelief.

Her eyes widen slightly. “You’ve been doing ~what~?”

“I know. His girlfriend is Bethany Finn, also known as Bee.

“She’s been giving me information about where the truck will be each week and other stuff about Ron Moretto. That’s why I’ve been spending time with her.”

Sam blinks rapidly, trying to process what he’s saying.

“That’s why I’ve been acting strange lately. I’m sorry.”

She closes her eyes and raises a hand. “Wait. So you’ve been—Oh my God, Alaric. That’s so dangerous. How could you—?”

“I know, I know.” Alaric turns to face her and reaches for her hand, and to his surprise, Sam doesn’t pull away. “It’s the only way I can take care of you and Anthony.

“I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid of how you’d react. I know how protective and caring you are, being a Cancer and all.”

Sam sighs and tilts her head. “That doesn’t matter, Alaric. You should have been honest with me. I would have understood, and we could have figured it out together.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“I know you want to provide for Tony, but I don’t want you stealing from that man’s truck anymore. It’s too dangerous, and I don’t want to lose you.”

Alaric scratches his head thoughtfully. “If I don’t do that, then how will I make—”

“Promise me, Ric.” She turns to face him, her eyes pleading. “Promise me you’ll stop. If you need help getting supplies or anything, I’ll help you.

“I’ll give you half my paycheck if I have to, just please stop doing that. If something happens to you, what will I tell Tony? And what will I do? I don’t want to lose you.”

Alaric is relieved to see that Sam still feels the same about him. Her expression says it all.

It fills him with joy, and if agreeing to her terms means she’ll stay with him, then he’ll do it.

“Okay, I’ll stop,” he says.

Sam smiles, her eyebrows furrowing. “Will you really?”

“Yeah, I’ll stop.” He nods. “If that’s what you want.”

She throws her arms around him, burying her face in his chest as she lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Ric. Thank you so much.”

Alaric smiles, rubbing her back and pressing his lips to her hair. The scent of her apple-scented conditioner fills his nostrils as he breathes in her familiar smell.

“Break it off with Bee, then,” she says, pulling away and looking at him expectantly.

“Huh?” He didn’t quite catch that. Or did he?

“Tell Bee you won’t be seeing her anymore.”

Alaric nods awkwardly, pulling out his phone as Sam scoots closer to see for herself.

He opens Bee’s chat on WhatsApp and starts typing a message.

Sam frowns. “No sad face.”

Alaric looks up at her, and she raises an eyebrow.

“You’re not sad, so why are you sending her a sad-face emoji? Delete it, Ric.”

“Okay.” Alaric grins gently, erasing the emoji and showing the blank screen to a pleased Sam.

Alaric

Hey, we can’t see each other anymore. Sorry

“Satisfied?”

“Absolutely.” She wraps her arms around his neck, drawing him in for a kiss. He grins into the kiss, his strong arms holding her close, pressing her against him.

God, he missed her.

MIRANDA

It’s been a few days since Rainey last saw her mom. Is she upset about it? Not at all.

Her mom has been staying at a hotel near Jeff’s hospital to keep an eye on him, and Rainey has been relishing the freedom of having the house to herself and Riley.

Sure, her mom’s presence has never stopped her from doing what she wants.

But knowing she doesn’t have to worry about a potential clash between her and her mom gives her some peace of mind.

She and Riley are just getting home from school, laughing and chatting as they bound up the steps. They plan to grab some clothes and spend the weekend at Ansel’s.

As Rainey reaches for the doorknob to her house to insert the key, she notices that it isn’t locked.

With a raised eyebrow, she pushes the door open to find her mom sitting at the kitchen island, smoking a cigarette, with a hand pressed to her forehead.

She rolls her eyes and sighs, all previous joy now washed away as she saunters inside.

As Riley shuts the door behind them, Miranda looks up from the silver tray she’s been thoughtfully staring at.

Rainey decides it would be polite to say hello, especially since she hasn’t seen her in days.

“Good evening.”

Miranda shakes her head, taking a long drag of her cigarette before looking back at Rainey.

“You’re all smiles and having a blast while Jeff and his friend are in the hospital. You couldn’t be more heartless.”

Rainey stops in her tracks, narrowing her eyes at her mom. “What?”

She can’t help but notice the dark circles under her eyes and how pale her skin is. Clearly, she’s been stressing over Jeff.

Rain doesn’t want to be selfish, but deep down she wonders if her mom has ever worried that much about her.

“You think it’s a joke, don’t you?” She waves her cigarette around. “All you’ve done is wish ill on him and disrespect him.

“And now he’s in critical condition with a punctured intestine and all you can do is goof off and laugh with your little friend.

“I saw you two giggling at the gate. What’s so funny? Does it make you happy to see your mom’s life in shambles?”

Rainey can’t believe what she’s hearing. She presses a hand to her forehead. “How can you—?”

“And then you wonder why I always choose him over you. This is exactly why.” Miranda plays her most hurtful card, her bloodshot eyes piercing her daughter’s.

“And this is why I’ll ALWAYS choose him over you. He’ll always be my first choice.”

“Enough, Ms. Jones. With all due respect,” Riley starts, but Rainey raises a hand to her best friend, forcing a pained smile.

“No, let her speak, Ry. It’s what I’ve been waiting to hear all these years.”

“My biggest regret is not leaving your father before you were born. Honestly, you’ve brought me nothing but pain, and I’m sick of it.”

Rainey fights back tears. Her mother has crossed a line. She knows she doesn’t deserve this. How is she being blamed for Jeff’s hospitalization?

“Well, that makes two of us.” She swallows. “I’m sick of you too, Miranda, and I’m sick of your rapist boyfriend who abused me every fucking night. I’m sick of both of you.”

Miranda narrows her eyes, setting her cigarette on her silver tray and pointing a finger at her daughter.

Her voice breaks slightly, a quick wave of guilt washing over her face. “I already warned you. Don’t you dare—”

“Why? Does it hurt you when I bring it up? Does it hurt when I remind you of how you ignored my cries, as if I didn’t exist?

“You hurt me the most out of everyone! You! You knew what he was doing, and you never said or did anything!”

Miranda rises from her seat. “Don’t you raise your voice at me, young lady. I’m warning you.”

“Honestly, I hope he fucking dies! I really don’t give a fuck. I hope he never leaves that hospital. I hope he stays there forever. I hope the son of a bitch rots in a fucking—”

SLAP!

Miranda’s hand connects with Rainey’s cheek, and her head tilts to the side as a large pink mark forms on her face.

Her body trembles as she touches the area in shock. She looks back at her unrepentant mother, her hand shaking from the surprise.

“Did you just slap me?”

“Don’t you dare speak about him like that. I will fucking disown you.”

She stares at her mother in disbelief. She can’t believe her mom just hit her to defend Jeff. Riley’s eyes fill with tears as she strides over and grabs Rainey’s elbow.

“Let’s just go to Ansel’s, Rain. Come—”

Rainey pulls her arm away and nods to her mother, who’s crossing her arms with a defiant expression.

“You know, all this time I’ve been protecting your sanity. But I won’t anymore. Where’s the cell phone you took away? I think there’s something you need to hear.”

Riley looks at her friend in confusion as Miranda places a hand on her hip.

“You won’t be getting it. Neither will you be getting back your laptop. You’re lucky I let your little friend stay here and that boy you like to come into my yard.”

Rainey makes up her mind to find her cell phone. She spins around, darts up the stairs, and barges into her mom’s room.

She yanks open her drawers, rummaging through the contents for her cell but it’s nowhere to be found. She figures it’s likely in her mom’s study and promptly heads there to look.

Finding that her mom’s office drawers are all locked with padlocks, she stomps downstairs to the kitchen in frustration.

“Did you really think I’d let you get to them that easily?” Miranda taunts. “I know your tricks by now.”

Riley watches, dumbfounded, as Rainey pulls a sledgehammer from the toolbox under the kitchen sink and strides across the living room, heading back upstairs with the tool in hand.

Miranda narrows her eyes and rushes after Rainey, with Riley hot on her heels. They enter Miranda’s study just in time to see Rainey smashing the padlocks off the desk drawers.

“Have you lost your mind?!” Miranda shrieks, as her furious daughter yanks open the top drawer and snatches her cell phone.

She taps the screen a few times while Miranda hurries over to her, trying to snatch the device. An audio clip starts playing, and she freezes instantly at the sound of two familiar voices.

~“Wow, check out this house. It’s freaking massive. Now this is what I call living the high life! I’m proud of you, man.”~

~“Well, life’s been good to me. I can’t complain.”~

The day Greg cornered Rainey in her kitchen after he and Jeff had badmouthed Miranda, she’d hit record on her cell phone the moment they stepped into the living room.

She wanted to have proof if the men tried to harm her in any way.

She’s been keeping the recording a secret from her mom for a while, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

But Rainey thinks it’s time for her mom to know that the man she betrayed her for is nothing but a con artist.

As Jeff’s deep voice chuckles in the recording, Miranda squints at her daughter. “What is this?”

“You’ll find out soon,” Rainey murmurs.

~“I’ve got money myself, and I gotta say, I’m freaking jealous. Miranda is a gift from the gods. Where is she anyway?”~

~“She’s at work. She’s a CEO. Where else would she be?”~

~“Yeah, you’re right. I haven’t heard from her since I left the country in 2017. Are you two okay?”~

~“Yeah… But she fucks like an old woman.”~

Riley’s eyes bulge as Miranda presses a trembling hand to her mouth, her body rigid with shock.

~“If she isn’t satisfying you, then hit up a club and find a younger girl to have fun with. My dad did that a lot when he was dating my mom, and he didn’t even miss his sex life with her after a while.”~

~“I do that quite often.”~

~“Do what?”~

~“Hook up with girls from the clubs. I don’t go for any bitch over twenty though. Miranda’s saggy tits have traumatized me enough.”~

As the two men laugh in the audio, a thick tear rolls down Miranda’s cheek, and she squeezes her eyes shut, overwhelmed by the shock. “Turn it off. Oh my God.”

~“Pray she dies soon. You’ll get all her assets and possessions. Make sure she puts your name on the will, Jeff. That’d be the best thing to ever happen to you. Imagine owning this fine house and—”~

“Oh my God, turn it off. Please, TURN IT OFF!” Miranda collapses to the floor, burying her face in her hands as she starts to sob loudly.

“Oh, God…” She presses a hand to her heart, tears streaming down her face as Rainey quickly taps the red icon to stop the recording.

Her mother is rocking back and forth, shaking her head over and over, as if she’s in denial.

Her wailing can probably be heard from a mile away as her body shakes from the heartbreak.

Riley watches Miranda in shock as Rainey’s eyes well up with fresh tears.

Her gaze is fixed on her crying mother, who’s sitting on the floor, clawing at her chest as if it’ll ease the pain.

This is too much for Miranda. She gave this man everything. She betrayed her daughter for this man. She did everything she could to please him. She sold her soul to him.

A tear slips from Rainey’s eye, and she brushes it away.

This is why she stayed silent. Jeff had manipulated her with the cruel threat that if she told anyone about the abuse her mom would cry, and because seeing her mom in tears was so painful, she complied.

But does it all make sense in the end? Her mom’s still crying anyway.

She didn’t want to hurt her, despite everything she put her through, but Rainey knows that facing a painful truth is far better than living a lie.

She squats down in front of her mother, her tears now freely flowing down her face. Miranda looks up, shaking her head, her face wet with tears.

“Rainey…I’m so sorry,” she sobs, her lips trembling. “I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry…”

Rainey swallows, and the sorrow in her mom’s eyes makes her voice waver. “I forgive you,” she whispers. “But I will never forget what you did to me.

“I won’t ever be able to forget it. It’ll haunt me every night. But I’ll just have to learn to live with the painful memories.

“Look at that, Miranda. Look at the man you chose over me. That’s the man you betrayed me for. That’s the man you sold me out for.”

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Rainey.”

“Sometimes we hurt those who would never hurt us and worship those who would gladly slit our throats. You’re pathetic.”

Miranda cries harder at this, hanging her head in agony as Rainey stands up, using a hand to wipe her eyes.

“I’m not coming back tonight,” she declares, leaving the room and her sobbing mother behind.

She needs some space, and her mother’s heartbroken face isn’t helping her own fractured heart heal.

Riley gives Miranda a sympathetic look before trailing after her best friend.

***

“Someone’s at the door. Get it, jerk!” Aiden grumbles at Arden, who’s engrossed in his phone while munching on a Snickers bar.

“You get it. I’m busy.”

“We’re busy too. You’re not doing anything worthwhile.”

Arden shoots a look at Aiden and Alex, who are engrossed in a PS4 game, their fingers hammering the controllers as if they’re trying to smash them.

“And playing ~Mortal Combat~ is worthwhile?”

The knock sounds again, and Alex rolls his eyes. “It’s more worthwhile than ogling butts and boobs on Instagram.”

Ansel sighs loudly, removes his glasses, and slams his math textbook down. “If I answer the door, will you all shut up so I can do my math homework in peace?”

“Yes. Thanks, Ansel. At least someone here is mature.” Aiden shoots a glare at Arden, who smirks and continues to chew his chocolate.

“Says the guy who was still using a baby bottle at six.”

Ignoring his brothers’ teasing, Ansel rises from the couch and heads for the door.

He opens it with a soft sigh, his face shifting to confusion when he sees Rainey standing there, tears pooling in her eyes.

“Rain…” His gaze softens as she looks at him with a sorrowful expression. “Are you okay?”

Riley stands behind her, wiping her eyes and her lips trembling. “Her mom.”

Ansel’s eyes narrow. “What about her mom?”

He quickly spots the pink bruise on Rainey’s cheek, and he inhales sharply, looking skyward before stepping forward to pull her into his arms.

Rainey closes her eyes and wraps her arms around him, feeling a wave of her worries wash away.

“Did she hit you?” Ansel pulls back to look at her, his eyes studying the large handprint on her face. His eyes fill with sadness as his thumb gently traces the bruise.

He feels a surge of emotion and swallows hard. “Why—why did she do this? Why did she hurt you?”

“I’m okay,” Rain whispers, resting her head against his chest. His steady heartbeat soothes her frantic thoughts, and she tries to smile. “I’m here with you now, so I’m okay.”

A single tear escapes her eye, soaking into the fabric of his T-shirt. Ansel is furious about the bruise on her face, but he tries to keep his anger in check.

He kisses her forehead, holding her close. He doesn’t know what happened. All he knows is that she needs him right now.