“Oh, no, it couldn’t be about you,” Maddox says with a derisive sneer. “You’re so sweet and innocent, you’ve never caused a problem in your whole fucking life.”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” I growl back at him. “If it’s about me, fine. I’m flattered, actually. But even if you’re pissed at each other about me, don’t make it my problem when it’s clearly your problem. Just let me go home so the two of you can work it out on your own.”
I take one step before Lennox grabs my arm again. “Stay.”
His one simple word makes the bravado drain from me, and suddenly, the whole horrible day feels like too much. I just want to be home, to crawl in my bed and curl up and cry. I bite my lip to keep it from trembling and stare at Maddox’s feet like my life depends on it.
“Mom said you could stay as long as you want,” Lennox says. “If your dad’s hurting you, you’ll be safer here. One of us will even give you our bed, and we’ll sleep on the couch until we clear out the little office space across the hall for you.”
I shake my head, my eyes welling with his kindness. “I’d never make you do any of that.”
“That’s the thing,” he says, stepping in front of me and ducking down to look into my eyes, lifting my chin gently with two fingers. “You’re not making us do anything. We want you here.Iwant you here. Stay for me?”
He gives me the sweetest smile, and I can’t help but return it through my tears. I nod, wiping them away. “I’ll stay tonight,” I say. “But I’m sleeping on the couch. I’ll be gone in the morning.”
“The perfect woman,” Maddox says, his voice cutting. He turns away and unloads his pockets, pulling up the back of his shirt and removing a gun from his waistband. I swallow hard and turn my gaze back to Lennox.
“I can’t live with another guy who hates me,” I whisper. “Lee is the devil I know.”
I didn’t mean for Maddox to hear me, but he snorts at my words, turns, and walks out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. I feel even more guilty now, and awkward that I’ve caused tension. I open my mouth to say I can leave again, but Lennox takes my hand and leads me out of the room and back to the kitchen.
We all sit around the little round Formica table with gold flecks in the white surface, filling the four chairs. I wonder if their dad used to sit here. All Maddox told me was that he’s still in Faulkner. He didn’t say when he left, just that he and Lennox had to take care of things afterwards.
Valeria scoops cornhusk wrapped packages from a pan on the stove, laying them onto plates and bringing them over. I can already see what looks like cornbread batter leaking out the edge of mine, but I smile at her with gratitude. She’s letting me stay. I don’t expect her to cook for me.
Lennox slowly opens his wrapper and grins at me, nudging it up so I can see the combination of paste and little chunks of meat floating inside.
“These are great, Mom,” Maddox says, wolfing down the mush like he doesn’t notice.
“Gracias, gracias,” Valeria says. “I think I’m getting better at them, don’t you?”
“Definitely,” Maddox says, opening his second tamale.
I take a bite. It doesn’t taste bad, if you can get past the looks and consistency. It’s sort of like grits. When I look up, Valeria is watching me. “What do you think?” she asks.
“Not bad,” I say, nodding and forcing myself to take another bite. I catch Maddox frowning at me and hurry to correct myself. “Good, actually. Really good.”
Valeria smiles, her mouth open as if to speak, but she falls silent at the sound of sirens in the distance. Her gaze falls on Maddox, who’s eating like he can’t hear them growing closer. The rest of us sit in silence, no one eating, no one moving.
I remember the gun he pulled out of the back of his jeans, the matte black of it making it look almost like a toy. I remember the look in his eyes when he saw the bruises on me. I remember him standing there in the rain outside my house as Lennox pulled me away, into the safety of their house. Maybe Lee’s not the person he was worried about leaving me with.
When the sirens are so loud it sounds like they’re right outside the house, Valeria reaches over and covers Maddox’s hand with hers, giving him a sad smile.
“What did you do?” I whisper, trying to pretend the flashing lights outside are just lightning, even though I know better.
Maddox shrugs and pushes his plate away. “I took care of him. He won’t hurt you again.”
“He’s a cop,” I say, my voice breathy with fear.
“Fuck the police,” he says, echoing the songs on the radio. “I’m done eating. I’m going to go put on a movie.” He stands, then leans down and kisses the top of Valeria’s head, finding her hand and giving it a quick squeeze. “That was fucking great, Mom. Your best yet.”
He walks out without a glance toward me and Lennox, who sit frozen at the table.
“Are they coming here?” I ask, peeking at the window.
“I’m going to clean up,” Valeria says, pushing back from the table. “You kids done?”
“Yeah, Mom,” Lennox says, though he’s barely touched his food. “I’ll help you clean up.”