Whispers of a Broken Halo by Abbi Glines

“GET YER SORRY ASS IN THIS TRAILER! Stop being a whore like that sister of yers!”

I watched Bryn jump just before I swung my gaze to the woman standing at the door. She looked nothing like the two girls who lived here with her.

“Yes, ma’a-a-a-m.” Bryn struggled in her response and hurried toward the stairs without another glance in my direction.

When she reached the top step, the woman aggressively grabbed her thin arm.

“Don’t you back-talk me, you lazy little shit!”

“I-I-I-I’m s-s-s-s—”

“Oh, shut the fuck up. I ain’t got all damn day to listen to you stutter like a moron,” the woman told her, then slung her into the trailer and let the door slam behind them.

Anger settled in my gut, and my hands fisted at my sides. I wanted to storm up to the door and threaten the woman, but I was barely fourteen. She could call the cops on me. Claim whatever the fuck she wanted. I was a kid.

My mom was rarely right about things in life, but she was right about there being no God. Because if there were a God, then things like this wouldn’t happen. A mom was supposed to love her kids and protect them. Not abuse them.

I had to find a way to help Bryn. Somehow.





Chapter Twenty-Three

Bryn

present day

I didn’t trust life since it had never been on my side. Watching Rio make bread pizzas with Cullen and seeing the smile on Cullen’s face had terrified me. For the most part, I fought the fear and anxiety this was causing me. Protecting Cullen from life wasn’t something I could do. No one was safe from fate. I wanted him to have moments like this.

I just didn’t want him to expect them. They were sparse. Rio was here now, but why he was here, I still wasn’t sure. He had made a phone call while we were at the grocery store, and from the small bit I’d caught at the end, it had been clear he was apologizing for canceling plans. If he’d had plans, then why stay here?

Rio leaned forward and looked at me from across Cullen’s body. We were all on the sofa with Cullen in the middle, watching the movie. Rio nodded his head toward Cullen, and I looked down to see he was asleep and slumped over on Rio’s arm. I had been so lost in my head and worried that I wasn’t sure how long he had been like that.

I stood up. “I’ll go get his bed ready,” I told Rio.

I had expected this and dressed him in his pajamas before the movie started. He hadn’t brushed his teeth, but I wasn’t waking him up to do that. We would floss extra tomorrow.

Rio could leave now, and this wouldn’t happen again. Cullen and I could go on with our lives and find a way to settle into Tory not coming home for a while. Getting back to work was something I had to do. Draining my savings was a bad idea.

After I turned down the covers and made sure the night-light was on, I went back to the living room to get Cullen. Rio stood up as I entered and then scooped Cullen up into his arms. I was going to do that, but I didn’t say anything. Cullen was asleep, so this didn’t matter.

I led the way to Cullen’s room and watched as Rio laid him in bed. I waited for Rio to move, so I could tuck him in, but Rio pulled the covers up and did the job himself. The entire scene was as touching as it was disastrous. That was the kind of thing Cullen never needed to depend on. A man would not be in his life. Getting attached to this one was something I couldn’t let him do.

When he finally stepped back, I moved to the spot beside Cullen, then bent to press a kiss to his head. Even though he was asleep, it was something I had wished for as a child. To have a mother who loved me and made me feel safe. I knew Tory loved her son, but she had never given him that comfort. Our mother had loved us. So much so that she’d killed her longtime boyfriend for abusing us, but a simple kiss, hug, or comfort wasn’t something she had given us.

Rio left the room, and I followed him, closing Cullen’s door as I went. I assumed Rio was leaving now, and I went behind him to say good-bye and lock the door. He was standing there, just outside the entry area. Not at the door, but it was clear he was ready to leave.

“You gonna finish the movie?” he asked.

I glanced at the television, then back at him. “No. Spider-Man isn’t my thing.”

Rio smiled just enough for his dimple to appear. “Yeah, me neither.”

I waited a moment for him to say good-bye or whatever. The silence was only seconds but felt like an eternity. Possibly because I was hoping deep down, he would want to stay.

“I had fun tonight. He’s a good kid. Thanks for letting me crash your evening,” he said, then moved slightly, as if to head to the door.

“Cullen enjoyed it,” I replied, unable to admit I had too.

This was done, and he had no interest in anything more. How weak was I to allow myself to even want more with Rio March even if it had been a fleeting thought?

“Well, I’ll see you around. If, uh, I hear anything about the shit with your sister that I think you should know, I will be in touch,” he told me. Then, with one last nod, he turned and walked the few steps to my door. “Lock up,” he added but didn’t look back.

“Always do,” I assured him.

Then, the door opened and closed. He was gone. I wanted to be glad this evening was over, but I knew it would now haunt my thoughts for a while. Rio was not easy to forget, and he had just made it more difficult for me by showing me a side of him I had thought was gone.