A kid darts out in front of me, catching a football and trampling flowers as he goes to avoid falling into the street. “Sorry, Dad. Sorry!”
My gut clenches. Apologizing to my dad only got me a worse beating.
His dad jogs to the edge of the yard and takes the football. “Not your fault. Threw it too hard.”
The boy looks up at him and you can see that he’s relieved. “But Mom will be mad.”
“Not if we make things right. Go get the garden supplies and we’ll see what we can come up with.”
“She’s gonna love what we come up with,” the boy shouts, taking off.
The dad looks at me and shrugs. “Kids, gotta love ’em.”
I nod, but inside I’m overwhelmed at the memories their interaction evoked.
My dad shoving me against the wall for wanting to sit with him while he watched the game. My dad smacking me for trying to get him to stop hitting my mom. My dad yelling at me for being a no-good piece of half-Mexican shit for singing with my mom while I helped her do laundry…before he turned on her, hitting her over and over with a wire hanger for encouraging me to do women’s work.
My mother screams, her face pale and her eyes huge as she looks down. The blood. All the blood pouring from my father’s head. He was heavy, so heavy.
Sweat pours off me, down my back and face. The trees seem ominous, dark, and their branches reach for me, oddly shaped like claws.
“Fuck,” I breathe, wiping at my sweaty forehead. “Fuck.”
Jake whimpers a little, jumping up to lay his paws against me, and I rub his head. He licks my hand. I take a deep breath, then another one and another, until the sounds of violence and the smell of blood fade away.
Finally, Jake tugs on his leash and I start walking again.
“Sorry, buddy.” Then I realize why the dad and son affected me so quickly and so deeply. Their house is built on the lot where mine used to stand. Usually, I don’t walk on this side of the street, but the shade was calling me.
Next time, I sure as hell won’t listen.
The dog park comes into view, as does a familiar face.
Evangeline.
She’s playing with other dogs in the fenced-in area, with a huge grin on her face. I’ve never seen her like this before, so open and carefree. This has to be her before her asshole ex put his hands on her.
Jake tugs harder. “Spot your honey, huh? So did I.”
We enter the dog park through a side entrance that’s not easily seen from Evangeline’s vantage point. I don’t want to ruin her good time, but I don’t want to ruin Jake’s, either. Plus, I want to be near her again, even if it’s from a distance.
Right after I remove Jake’s leash, he takes off for the cocker spaniel that’s currently being petted by Evangeline. As soon as Jake joins in, she kneels and rubs his head, too. Of course that greedy attention seeker revels in her touch. Never in my life did I think I’d ever be jealous of a dog.
But I am.
As I step around the hedge of bushes, our gazes collide. Her smile falters a little. I fully expect her to run away, but she stands her ground, ready to do battle. If I thought it would help, I would shout it out to the world to hear that I don’t want to hurt her, but I doubt Evangeline would want that kind of attention.
Hell, based on the way things ended the last time we were together, she doesn’t want any kind of attention at all from me. If I were a smarter man, I’d cut my losses and move on, but, like I said, I would have to be a smarter man.
A light breeze stirs the loose pieces of hair around her face as I draw closer. There is so much wariness in her eyes, but with that, I find determination, which means she’s ready to put me in my place for good or—who am I kidding? Of course she’s going to put me in my place for good, but I’m not going to give her additional reasons to do it.
“Hey there. Sorry about Jake interrupting playtime,” I say, keeping my voice friendly. “He was pumped to finally get out here.”
Jake and his lady friend jump around us.
I glance around for the cocker spaniel’s owners. Two men sitting at a park bench at the edge of the park wave and I tip up my chin in acknowledgment.
“That’s John and Carl,” Evangeline says. “John’s recovering from pancreatic cancer, so he can’t play with Brandi like she wants and needs. Carl is his home nurse.”
“Congrats to John on coming back from that. One of the guys down at the station battled with it—not pretty at all. I’ll be sure to speak to him before I leave.” I turn my attention back to the dogs, instead of to Evangeline, like I want, and get down on their level. “Brandi, huh? Jake sure knows how to pick them.”
Brandi licks the side of my face while Jake shoves her out of the way to do the same. Apparently, there are some things Jake won’t allow.
I can’t help but grin.
“He picked her?” Evangeline asks.