“It was kind of a last minute thing. My last therapy session ended and I guess I just wanted to see Rae. I hope that’s okay?”
She smiled. “You’re welcome here any—”
“Aren’t you even gonna help me with these fucking food bags?”
A man’s tinny voice resounded through the house as Rae’s mother ripped her hand away from mine. I stole a glance at Rae, watching as her face fell. She shot me a look that I think was supposed to apologize. But it happened so quickly I almost didn’t catch it.
“D.J., it’s only two bags. Get over it.”
Ah. The infamous D.J. The exact man I didn’t want to meet.
Just great.
I watched a spindly man walk through the door, carrying two food bags with him. There was an insignia of a restaurant emblazoned on them, but I didn’t catch it. The first thing I caught was the angry look in D.J.’s eye. The argument seated on the tip of his tongue. The second thing I caught was how hard he stared me down before flickering his gaze over to Rae.
“This your friend?” he asked.
Rae nodded. “This is Clint.”
He huffed. “Should be more space between you two.”
Her mother balked. “Excuse me?”
Rae snickered. “You’re not my father. You certainly don’t get to dictate what’s too close. Especially when you’re in a house that isn’t yours.”
“Seems like your mother needs to teach you manners.”
I cleared my throat. “Or, you need to simply learn your place.”
D.J. dropped the bags. “What did you say to me?”
I stayed seated on the couch, keeping my cool. “I said, maybe you need to learn your place.”
D.J. lunged at me, but Rae’s mother stopped him from going any further. I, on the other hand, didn’t even flinch. I was used to men like him. He reminded me a lot of my father. I heard both Rae and her mother murmuring, though I didn’t take the time to figure out what they were saying.
Especially after Rae took my hand and pulled me up from the couch.
“You need to cool down.”
“I’m gonna go get a beer.”
“Yeah, you do that.”
“Come on, Clint. Let’s go upstairs.”
“That boy shouldn't be taking her up anywhere.”
“This is my house. You can it and get in there.”
“I really hate that man.”
“Rae, give me a second.”
Voices swirled around me as Rae tugged me toward the stairs. She led me up them, her hand vibrating as it held mine tightly. I saw how tense her shoulders were, how angry she’d become. I took one last peek around the corner, glancing into the kitchen. Long enough to see that D.J. dickhead crack open a can of beer. He and Rae’s mother were already arguing again. Lowly. And to themselves. Part of me wanted to stay behind to make sure he treated that woman with respect. But the other part of me gave in to Rae’s tugging and pulling.
“Come on. We can hang out up here and not be disturbed.”
I followed her all the way down the hallway.