Rhett by Margaret McHeyzer

 

 

 

What time do you finish work? I have a surprise for you.I message Dani.

It’s been three days since I told her about my issue, and it seems, we both had some baggage we were holding on to. Sitting on the sofa, I flick through the stations on the TV, waiting for Dani to reply.

Mom comes home from work, and plonks herself on the other end of the sofa. “Hey,” I say as she lays her head back and sighs. “You alright?”

“Yeah, why?” She angles her head to look at me. There are dark circles under her eyes, and she yawns loudly.

“You seem like something’s wrong.”

“I’m tired.” I stand, and head over to the fridge to grab Mom a beer. I open it, then walk back to hand it to Mom. “Oh, thank you.” She takes it from me, and takes a long drink before lowering it. “So, I have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Dani’s parents.” I instantly become uncomfortable. My shoulders stiffen and I lift my chin. “Ah, so you do know something.”

“It’s not my story to tell.”

“What is it?” Mom lifts the beer again, and has another drink. “I know something is going on there, I’m not an idiot. Just like I know something is happening between Dean and Joanne.”

“You know?” I blurt then instantly scold myself for opening my big mouth.

“I’ll let them tell me what’s happening with them, so don’t worry, I won’t ask. But, Dani?”

I look away as I blow my cheeks up and slowly let out the air. “It’s fucked up,” I say.

“This is what I do know. I haven’t seen her parents in years, so I suspect they’ve probably upped and moved and left her here about two or three years ago.”

“Try nearly seven years.”

Mom sits up straighter, frowning. “Nearly seven years? That would’ve made Dani around sixteen.”

“She was about sixteen and a half.”

“You knew all this time? So help me God, Rhett, I won’t be happy with you if you knew that girl was on her own.” Mom’s eyes widen with anger.

“I only found out three days ago.”

Mom’s body relaxes as she stares at me. Her lips are pursed while she thinks. “Is that why she ran out of here the other night?” My jaw clenches and I feel my face pull into a grimace. “What the hell did you do, Rhett?” She tenses again.

“I didn’t do anything,” I try to defend myself. Mom glares at me while she waits for my explanation. “She thought I was rejecting her...”

“Why would she think that?” Mom interrupts.

Fuck me. Mom doesn’t need to know about my virtue. “There are some things you don’t need to know. Basically, she thought she was being rejected, and took off for home. As you know, I followed her, and we had a heated discussion where we both admitted things to each other.”

“Both? What did you admit?”

“None of your business,” I snap.

“Alright, shit, Rhett. No need to be so damn moody.”

“You’re asking too many questions about things that don’t concern you.” I stand and head toward my room.

“Get your ass back here, Rhett!”

I hate it when she’s like this. “What?” I ask, irritation in my tone.

Mom closes her mouth, tilts her head to the side, and widens her gaze. “I need to know what you’re going to do about the girl.”

“What do you mean?”

“She lives in the trailer park?”

“She does, and the people who live around her there have taken care of her. They helped her when they figured out she was on her own.”

Mom’s nodding, impressed by what I’m saying. “We’re all in her life now, which means we’re her family. We don’t leave family to drown, so you better figure out the next steps moving forward. You move her in with you when you move into your brother’s house, or I move her in here. She’s a young lady who needs family, and by sounds of things, she’s never had a positive influence around her.”

“I want her to move in with me when I move into Alec’s,” I say as I move forward to have this conversation with Mom. “We’ve barely talked about it yet, though.”

Mom chuckles. “There’s nothing to talk about. Don’t give her the option. She may have a network there, but they’re not going to take care of her the way we will.”

“Mom, don’t you think that’s a little...” I shrug. “I don’t know, archaic? Dated? Old fashioned?”

“I know what archaic means, son. Don’t be an ass.” I laugh at her outburst. “We’re Morgans and Morgans never leave a man behind. I suspect by the way you look at each other that one day she’ll be a Morgan too.”

What? “As in marry her?”

“Pffft.” Mom flicks her hand at me dismissively. “You’re such an idiot. Of course, you’re going to marry her. Because you’ve finally pulled your head out of your ass and found your match. Now, like I asked before, what are you going to do about getting her out of that trailer?”

“I don’t know.”

She rolls her eyes, lifts the bottle to her lips and takes another drink. “Don’t give her a choice.”

“Mom, I can’t storm in there and pack her shit up and move her.”

“Why not?”

Turning, I walk toward my room. “I’ll figure it out,” I call.

“You better do it soon. We don’t leave a Morgan behind.”

She’s not a fucking Morgan yet. Shit, I just thought yet, meaning she will be one day. Mom’s right, I can’t let her stay there. She’s safer with me than she is at the trailer park.

Sinking back on my bed, I take my phone out of my pocket, and notice Dani’s responded. I’m really tired, I’m going to go back home and go to sleep.

What time do you finish?

I’m on until close. I’ll be home near 11. Please, no surprises tonight, I’m too tired.

I don’t like her getting home so late. I’ll drive out to her place, and wait for her to arrive before I leave. I set my alarm, roll over and go to sleep for a couple of hours while Dani’s at work.

I’m sitting out in front of her trailer, waiting for Dani to return. It’s nearly eleven, so I know she’ll be back soon. Headlights shine down toward me as a car slowly makes its way toward where I’m parked. I can’t help but smile when I notice it’s Dani’s car. She parks the car, gets out and shakes her head. “What are you doing here?” she whispers, making sure not to wake her closest neighbors.

“Wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

She walks over to me, reaches for my face and gives me a kiss. “That’s really sweet, but I’ve been living here for seven years, and nothing bad has ever happened to me. I told you, they all look out for me.” Dani looks at the grocery bag, then back to me. “What’s in the bag?”

“Stuff,” I say as I hold the bag up. “I’m taking care of you now.”

She places her hand to my chest, before leaning against me. “I’m not your responsibility, Rhett.”

“Like hell you’re not.” She steps back smiling. Walking over to the door, Dani unlocks it and I follow her into her trailer.

“You don’t have to do this. Honestly, I’m good.” She yawns and stretches her arms over her head. “I’m sorry, but I’m really tired. I’m going to have a shower, and jump into bed. Aren’t you working tomorrow?”

“Nope, the next day.”

“Okay, well.” She walks over to the bathroom door and opens it. “I’m going to have a shower.”

On the right side of the trailer is a sofa with a small table. In the middle of the living space is a tiny kitchenette, with a bathroom beside it. And to the left is a bedroom that can be closed off with a pocket door. The entire trailer is clean and well kept, yet tiny. Is this what they mean by tiny living?

“I need to lock the door, so can you go.”

“I’m staying,” I announce.

Dani shakes her head, then heads into the bedroom. “Whatever.” She grabs her nightclothes, and walks into the tiny bathroom. It’s only barely big enough for a stand up shower, a toilet, and basin. The water starts and I settle into the sofa, waiting for my girl to finish with her shower.

I unpack what’s in the grocery bag before I take my phone out of my pocket and scroll through social media until I hear the shower turn off. Within only a few moments, Dani walks out wearing the cutest sleep shorts that show off her fucking fantastic legs. Her hair’s up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing an oversized t-shirt. “What are you doing?”

“Admiring the view.”

“I just came out of the shower. I didn’t even wash my hair.”

“You’re cute,” I say as I stand and walk over to her.

With sleepy eyes, and a lax body, she falls against me again. I like when she uses me as her pillar. “I’m so tired, Rhett.”

“Come on, bed time.” I walk her backward to her bed, and flip the covers down so she can crawl in “Move over,” I say as I maneuver my way into the bed too. She moves enough to allow me in and I quickly drag her over to me. She places her head on my chest, puts her leg over my leg, and flings her arm around my waist.

“Hmm,” she sighs softly.

I kiss the top of head, and before I know it, she’s asleep.

I could get used to Dani in my arms. I like this. It feels right

I lay awake listening to her breathing, while something Mom said plays over and over in my mind. Mom said one day Dani is going to be part of our family. Dani Morgan, hmm, I do like the sounds of that.

One day.

Soon.