Soft Steel

CHAPTER FOUR

Violet

I stared at the man I had called 'Dad' for nine years as he lay still on the hospital bed, his chest moving up and down softly. Tears filled my eyes. Nine years ago, cop Joe saved me and somehow, got me a family - a good one. Now, Dad lay asleep on the hospital bed after a heart attack that almost took his life. I heard shuffling sounds to my right and I turned to look at Celine Garnett, the woman I have called Mama for nine years.

"Don't call me Mom. Joe here tells us you had one and from what he said, she was a good one. I reckon you wouldn't want to give that title to any other person. You can call me Mama, honey. But take your time. No rush. When you are ready, you call me Mama, but until then, Celine is fine." That was what she had told me nine years ago when I first came to her house. She understood me. She was Celine for a few weeks but after, she became Mama and has been that since.

"He is going to be okay, Mama." I whispered. Tears filled her eyes but she gave a firm nod. Mama, always a believer. I moved across the room to her and enfolded her slender frame in a hug.

"I have to go, Mama. I have the afternoon shift." I said as I released her. She lifted a hand and stroked my cheek, a small smile on her face.

"Alright, sweetheart. I will see you later." I nodded and squeezed her bicep, placing a kiss on Dad's cheek before leaving.

**********

I lied to Mama. My shift was an evening shift. I just needed to be alone. It was all my fault. If I had just controlled my temper and shut my big mouth, all these wouldn't have happened. Dad wouldn't be in the hospital, he wouldn't have the cops on his ass because of a false embezzlement charge. We wouldn't be on the verge of losing our house. Things wouldn't be so messed up. But I opened my mouth, got Harold Hunt angry, and brought repercussions on my family. The family who took me in and showed me love. Damn! The tears that welled up in my eyes spilled silently down my chin.

"Crying again?" I didn't have to look up to know who that voice belonged to. Marcus Grant who I saw less than two weeks ago. Marcus Grant who saved me from Harold Hunt. Marcus Grant whose muscular chest I cried on. Marcus Grant who took me home afterwards.

"I am having one of the worst days of my life, Marcus and that is no joke." I whispered as he took a seat beside me. St. Nicholas Park wasn't so crowded in the afternoons as it was in the evenings, that was why I chose here. But apparently, others had the same idea.

"Care to share?" He asked. I could hear concern in his voice. I shook my head in the negative but my mouth had a will of its own.

"Less than two weeks ago, I went on a date with Harold Hunt who wasn't just a jerk, he was also an asshole." My eyes flickered to him and I saw a muscle tick in his jaw.

"You know this because you saved me from him." He nodded his head.

"Why did you go out with him?" There was no judgment, just curiosity.

"Because he told me not quite subtly that since he is the son of my father's boss, he could make my Dad lose his job in a heartbeat. And I did not want Dad to lose his job." I could feel the fury radiating from his body now.

"And I am assuming he carried out his threat since you walked out on him." I nodded and swallowed down the sob that stuck in my throat.

"He did worse than that, Marcus." I whispered and another tear ran down my cheek. Marcus slid closer, his thigh touching mine, and raised my chin with a finger. I stared into his green eyes. "Tell me, darling." And I did.

"Three days ago, Jason, my younger brother - the one who loves shoes," I added and looked at him. He nodded. "Jason called me to tell me that cops had come to the house. And charged my Dad with an embezzlement charge I know he knows nothing about." Marcus stiffened.

"Dad doesn't know about what went down with Harold and I." I whispered and more tears slid down my cheek. Wiping them off, I continued.

"Dad has worked there for more than 10 years and has been faithful. He gives his best to all he does because that is who he is." Marcus nodded. "So, to see cops in his house there to arrest him for an embezzlement charge in front of his wife of twenty years and three children who are under twenty was a huge shock, he had a heart attack." Marcus cursed.

"Now, he is in the hospital and the doctor said he needs a cardiac valve repair surgery and we do not have that much money. Mr. Hunt has also given us two weeks to evacuate our house since it was company bought and three days have gone out of the fourteen days given. I have no idea what we would do. Mr. Hunt has graciously agreed to hold off the cops until Dad is out of the hospital but I just don't..." And I broke into sobs. Marcus drew me into his broad chest and held me there, not caring I was soaking his shirt with tears. He just held me there, stroking my hair which I had let down, and giving me comfort.

"Norman gave your Dad time to heal? He came to the hospital?" He asked when my sobs had stopped. I shook my head that was still on his chest.

"I went to him." He made a sound I couldn't decipher, and gently pulled my head out of his chest.

"Anyone ever told you that you are strong and have steel up your spine?" I shook my head in the negative. His eyes ran across me and he gave a one-sided smile.

"Steel yet soft. Soft steel, darling." Okay, that made no sense to me but it was a compliment so I felt warmness in my chest. I gave him a watery smile.

"I have a meeting in thirty minutes, darling. Could you meet me tomorrow at the place you work in? Say noon?" I nodded my head in agreement. He tapped my cheek with two fingers softly before getting up and leaving.