“Let’s go.” I push the door open and step out of the car before any more truths can be admitted. It’s time to go home and find my girl.
10
Rukaiya
When we land back in Tynewood, I pray that we see Ares, Tarian, and Dahlia. But there’s no such luck because it’s not long before we reach a motel, sitting on the outskirts of town, without being spotted. Dad shoves the door open, and soon, I’m inside the musty-smelling bedroom with my father glaring at me.
“You’re here for one thing only, to meet with Abner’s contacts, show them your dancing skills, and then we’re leaving again,” he tells me. “If you try contacting your friends, they won’t be alive to see their next birthday.”
“When did you become such a monster?” I don’t know where my courage comes from, and I’m certainly not feeling it as my body shakes when he nears me.
He stands inches from me, glaring down at me with a sneer curling his lips. Dad grips my chin between his thumb and forefinger, pinching the flesh until I wince in pain. “You need to learn to respect your elders. Your mother was just the same, fucking snarky and disrespectful,” he bites out, forcing tears to fill my eyes. I pray with all I have that he drops dead.
“You killed her.”
“She was weak. She couldn’t handle the husband she claimed to love, so she didn’t deserve to live. Your mother was a fucking useless waste of space.” He chuckles before continuing, “The only good thing I got out of that marriage was you, a pretty little bargaining chip.”
“What do you mean?” I question as he releases me from his grip. “Dad, what have you done?”
A small, evil smile turns his mouth into an upward curve, and I realize he’s done something bad, something sinister. He doesn’t respond, merely shakes his head before he turns away from me and I’m left staring at his back.
He’s taken my phone again. I don’t have any way of contacting Dahlia; I need to make a plan. Perhaps once he’s asleep, I can get to her. I can walk; we’re not far from Tynewood. It might take me an hour or more to get there, but I have no other choice.
I’m alone in the room. Fergus is in the bathroom with the door shut, but when I look around, I take note that he hasn’t left anything around for me to use as either a weapon or a way of contacting my friends.
I wonder if they’re still my friends after I ran. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going or why. My chest aches when I think about what they must have concluded. After Etienne’s convincing words, though, I feel like perhaps they’ll forgive me. Maybe even save me from this shitshow my father has gotten me into.
The water sounds from the other side of the door. As I settle on the mattress, I wonder if I got out of this room, would I be able to get far enough to be safe from him. But I know my father, I’ve lived with him all my life. He rules with an iron fist, and he seems to know what I’m planning before I’ve even attempted it.
He did it with mom, and he’s done it with me numerous times when I was growing up. It was that darkness he exuded that instilled fear in both me and my mother. And we tried to never upset him in the event that he would lose his cool.
“Where’s Daddy?” Momma looks so scared like she’s going to cry, but I don’t understand why. The TV is loud, the cartoon Daddy put on the screen is screaming loudly at me. He told me I needed to be a good girl and watch it until he got back.
I don’t like making him angry, so I don’t move, instead of answering, I shrug my shoulders at mom, knowing it will annoy her. She hates when I do that, but sometimes, I just want to be good. I hate when Daddy shouts at me.
“Look at me, Ruki,” Momma calls to me, it’s her voice that makes me turn again, and I find a tear running down her cheek. It’s only then do I see the big suitcase behind her. “You need to get up and come with me.” She’s still broken from her accident. Her arm is in a white bandage, Daddy called it a sling. It’s a weird word to call something.
“But…” Even when I speak, my voice sounds soft, like I’m scared, and I hate being scared. She knows that Daddy will be angry if we don’t do as he says. “Daddy is coming home, and he wants me to sit here.”
Momma’s eyes shine with tears. She’s sad, and I don’t know why. She smiles then, a small one, but it’s a smile. Then she kneels on the floor in front of me. The cold tiles must hurt her knees because she winces. Her hands land on my thighs, she holds me still, looking directly at me, and suddenly, I feel nervous. It’s as if there’s something she wants to say, but she’s too afraid.