Page 66 of One Good Reason
Since Gema had met Law, she made it a point to ask about him. She liked him for some God-awful reason.
Plopping down on the foot of her bed, I clutched my robe close. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“There’s something about him that I like.”
“I know it.” Holding up my hand I stopped her. “But… He reminds mea lotof him.”
Gema knew the “him” I was referencing. It was the reason her eyes dropped. “Why is that?” she finally asked.
“He has money. A lot of it. And he’s very powerful. Nothing is out of reach for him, and I’ve been taught that men who access that type of power are dangerous. I don’t want to look at him like that, but I can’t help it.”
Closing the puzzle book, she sat it beside her on the bed. “Maybe it’s time for you to go back to therapy, Tali. Your past has been creeping back up for a while now. I keep quiet cause I hope you can work through it on your own, but I think you need help.”
“I was okay until… Shit. I don’t know when.”
“That money that Joe set up for you to receive was your restitution. We couldn’t lock the muthafucka up so Joe made sure he paid.”
“I know. But every time I get a deposit, I feel like it’s hush money.”
“In a way, it is. But we did what we thought was best at that time.”
“And I appreciate you guys for that. I was young and incapable of making those type of decisions for myself so I’m really grateful for you and Papa Joe. Still, sometimes I feel like my silence was bought.”
“And I feel like we secured your future. We tried to go after him, Tali. I tried with my hardest. You know how small Warner Robins is. And he’s their hometown hero. It was hard to prove espionage.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I wish it wouldn’t have gotten that far. I should’ve said something sooner.”
“You were a kid. He was an adult that had been in your life since the day you were born. You didn’t know any better.”
“You’re right.”
“I know it. Still, you can’t take any of that out on Lawton. Something tells me he’s not the type of use his money for evil.”
“That may be true, however, with my issues… it’s hard to separate the two.”
“Maybe you should sit down and explain all of this to him.”
“Oh no, Gema. I’ve already told him too much.”
“What you told him?”
“In a roundabout way, I told him what happened.”
“All of it?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Enough for him to understand why I come off the way I do.”
“Well, when you’re ready, you will tell him. He’s a good guy… take it easy on him.”
“He’s an arrogant asshole.”
“And you’re a damn brat.”
“That’s you and Papa Joe’s fault. Y’all had me thinking I was better than everybody.” I giggled.
“No. We wanted you to feel normal. Not like a victim.”
“You raised five kids of her your own. I’m sorry that you had to step up and raise someone else’s.”
