Brett & Selma

 

I went to Selma's and gently knocked on the door, Lady standing next to me.

We'd gotten Raine in bed (she didn't want anything to eat and didn't want to be around anyone). Erica and I were getting things situated when I heard the knock on the door. I held Zoey against my hip as I went to answer it. "Oh, hi Brett," I said, smiling at him. "Did you... do you want to come in?"

"If it's alright with you, I just came by to see if you were getting settled."

"Yeah, you can come in. We're getting everything just... you'll have to be quiet if you come in, my daughter..." I stopped for a minute. "She didn't want to be around anyone, so she's in bed," I said quietly.

I nodded, understanding. I stepped inside and shut the door gently, smiling when Zoey grinned at me "Hey, munchkin. Like your new house?" I asked her, she wrapped her little fingers around my index finger "At least this one likes me."

I smiled when Zoey reached out for him. "She really does seem to like you. You don't have to hold her if you don't want."

"Like I would ever turn her down." I winked and took her in my arms "You're too pretty, you know that?" I teased the baby "Beautiful, just like your momma."

I blushed a little. "Thank you," I said softly. "So how long have you been out here?"



"Knock knock," I said as I knocked on the doorframe. "Is Erica around? I wanted to make sure you guys were doing okay."



"Yes, she's just in the other room. You can go on in, just... try to keep it down, my daughter is asleep."



"Absolutely, you have my word," I said and went in there.

"Around sixteen to seventeen years, we left when Lea was a baby."

"Wow... I remember. There was a raid and... a lot of people got killed. I was lucky, my husband... he got them to leave. Quin was almost 3, and I'd just had Raine."

"I had tried to get my mom and step father to leave with me but they wouldn't hear of it at the time. Now, they've sent Lea out here to live with me."

I nodded. "I'm glad. That's no place for kids to live. For anyone to live really. I... I'm so glad we're away from there," I said quietly.

"Me too, Selma." I told her and Zoey reached up pulling at my nose "You've been avoiding me for the most part, why is that?" I asked her "I'm not like those men, I know you're cautious though."

I sighed. "I have reason to be Brett. I know you're not like that, but... I just... I'm afraid to get close to anyone anymore." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed again. "I had to lay there, getting raped, listening to my daughter getting... raped in the next room... and my son get beat all to hell... my best friend getting raped and her sons getting beaten all to hell too... listening to Zoey scream and not being able to get to her.... I couldn't do anything... about any of it. Now I have to force myself to get up in the morning, and I can barely get my daughter to get out of bed, let alone eat. My son is so angry about all of it I'm afraid he's going to snap and try to go back there, Erica's boys the same. I just... I don't know how we're going to get through this. But we have to. We have to."

I gently laid Zoey down in the little baby bed I had made for her while we were traveling. I turned back to Selma and she was starting to cry a little, I reached up with my hands and wiped them away "I know you've been through a very difficult time, you have every reason not to fully trust me just yet." I said.

I closed my eyes and involuntarily leaned into his hand. "It's... it's not that Brett," I whispered. "It's not that I don't trust you. How could I not, after everything you've done for me and my family. It's just... they took my husband away from me, and what they did to my kids... I don't... I don't want to get hurt again."

"I know, and I won't hurt you, ever. I'll show you, and you'll see one of these days. After you've adjusted to life here, and your kids start healing."

I nodded. "Okay. Thank you... for being so understanding."

"You're welcome." I told her "You should come get something to eat, but I know you don't want to leave Raine. I'll go get you something and bring it back here?"

I couldn't help but smile a little, utterly confused as to why he was being so nice to me. "You don't have to do that."

Selma

"I know, but I want to."

"Why?" I asked then laughed a little. "I'm sorry, that sounded rude. That would be nice, thank you."

Her laugh was and sounded beautiful "Just happy to make you laugh, whatever it takes." I said "And because I like you, Selma. I really, really like you."