heck was she doing upstairs?
Riley thought.
"I'm waiting." Her uncle reminded before she could greet her aunt.
"I went out to lunch with a friend."
"Was this the same 'friend' who has been hanging around the hospital?" He
sneered.
Just the way he said friend suddenly clued Riley into what this was all about.
That bastard Stevens had called her uncle. She would bet on it!
"Yes Uncle Rielly. I went to lunch with my friend." Riley said calmly offering no further details. Hoping to avoid the coming confrontation, she tried to change the
subject. "I'm sorry I didn't know you were coming or I would've been here to
meet you. One of my colleagues had a family emergency and I was covering his
call as well as mine. I got home early this morning. It's the first time I've been
here since Monday."
Rielly ignored what she'd said and went right to the heart of the matter. "I have
been hearing disturbing things about this 'friend'. I have a standing in this state
that I won't allow you to tarnish. This deviant behavior is unacceptable. I forbid
you to see that woman again."
"You went through a terrible ordeal when Keith was killed. He was such a
wonderful man and it must have been such a shock. You're just confused; we
know you're not 'that way'. This woman is taking advantage of you and trying to
corrupt you. We can get you the help you need." Riley's aunt added helpfully.
"WHAT?" Riley shouted, truly shocked. She'd known her aunt and uncle would
react poorly to finding out she was gay. But this! She couldn't believe what she
was hearing. Her uncle was worried his precious image might be tarnished and
her aunt thought being gay was something you choose. My God, do these
people think we're living in the 19th century? She asked herself incredulously.
"First off... No one corrupted me. I'm gay!"
Margaret gasped in shock.
"Secondly... I'm 35 years old and I will be friends with whoever I chose." Riley
stated emphatically.
Her uncle bolted up from his chair stomping across the room to stand right in
front of Riley.
"You will do as you're told! No niece of mine is a queer." He thundered. "I will not have you and your deviant friend embarrass me in front of my colleagues and
friends."
Riley took a step back in the face of his rage. Sam's face suddenly appeared in
her mind. Her back straightened and she squared her shoulders. Not this time
Uncle Rielly, not this time, she chanted to herself. She took a step back toward
her uncle.
"No I won't! I'm a grown woman and I'll associate with anyone I choose. I'm gay
and that's not going to change. The sooner you get used to it the better. Riley
adamantly declared. "And Keith who you think was so wonderful tried to kill me!"
she added for her aunt's benefit.
Her uncle's face turned purple and the veins pulsed in his forehead. Riley was
becoming concerned he was going to have a stroke.
"You're parents would be so ashamed." Margaret said in a sad voice.
Riley glared at her aunt.
"That's where you're wrong." She told her aunt trying to remain calm. "My
parents always encouraged me to be myself whoever that was."
Riley's uncle finally found his voice again. "I'm sure your Mother manipulated
him into believing that tripe. If it wasn't for that white trash little slut he married
your father could have made something of himself. Instead, he ended up
working as a common mechanic. If he had stayed in Los Angeles where he
belonged he would still be alive." Reilly ranted.
Riley couldn't believe the hateful words that spewed from her uncle's mouth. Her
anger soared at the horrible things he was saying about her beloved mother.
"My father loved my Mother and would've done anything for her. They were
happy together. He didn't want the empty life you have with your pretentious
friends and fake stature. He left LA to get away from you!" Riley raged.
Riley's head jerked back from the force of her uncle's slap. She put her hand up
to her bleeding lip.
"Your aunt and I did everything for you. Took you in, raised you as our own and
this is the thanks we get. You're the same white trash your mother was. You
should have died with her." He yelled.
Riley stood frozen in front of her uncle. Her aunt just stood by and watched, her
face a mixture of pity and disgust.
"Don't ever contact us again. As far as I am concerned I don't have a niece. And
don't expect any money from the family estate," he continued.
Riley actually laughed. Of course, to him that was what it was all about, money
and stature. "I don't want your fucking money." She sneered in her uncle's face.
Her aunt's eyes bugged out in shock. She'd never heard Riley use such
language."
Riley's head snapped back again as her uncle struck her across the face. After a
moment of shocked silence, Riley found her voice.
"Get out of my house before I call the police." She stormed over to her aunt who
backed up in alarm. "Give me your set of key's... right now." She demanded. She
quickly handed Riley a key ring. As her uncle reached the door, Riley made one
last comment. "My father would've been ashamed to have you as a brother."
Her uncle took a step back toward her. "Don't even think about it." Riley warned
picking up the phone.
When the door slammed behind them, Riley slumped to the couch and let the
tears she'd been holding back finally come.
Chapter Nine
Riley wasn't sure how long she'd been lying on the couch crying. She sat up
wiping the tears from her face. She winced when she came in contact with her
split lip. Riley glanced around the room wondering if she would ever look at her
living room in quite the same way. Her anger from earlier had vanished and she
just felt heartsick. Without any real thought she reached out and picked up the
phone. She really didn't consciously notice whose number she'd called until she
heard that familiar voice.
"Hello." Riley was almost surprised to realize she'd instinctively called Sam.
"Hello." Sam said again.
She cleared her throat before speaking but her voice still sounded rough from
crying.
"Hi Sam. It's Riley."
Sam tensed at the sound of Riley's voice. "What's wrong?" She was answered
by silence.
"Riley please tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me."
"My uncle and aunt were waiting for me when I got home. Dr. Stevens must've
called him and told him about us." Riley couldn't stop the tears from falling again.
"My uncle was very angry." She told Sam though her tears.
Sam glanced over at Kim and Jess. They were both watching her closely. She
put her hand over the receiver for a second. "It's Riley, something happened with
her uncle." She quickly explained.
"Baby, listen to me. Did he hurt you?" Sam's anger soared when Riley didn't
answer and started to cry harder. "I'll be right there." Sam told her already on her feet.
"No. Wait Sam. I don't want to disrupt your time with Kim and Jess. I just needed
to hear your voice. I'll be fine." She tried to convince her. She already felt guilty
for even bothering her.
Sam ignored her protests. "I'll be there as fast as I can. Don't open the door for
anyone 'til I get there." She hung up before Riley could protest further.
Sam grabbed her keys as she turned to face her sister. "I have to go. Riley's
uncle was waiting for her when she got home. Her asshole boss called him and
told him about us. He was very angry according to Riley. I think he hurt her and
she's not telling me. I've got to get up there."
Jess grabbed her backpack. "Let us go with you. I can help if she's injured and
Kim might be able to help her deal with the fallout from the confrontation with her
uncle."
Sam shook her head no. Kim stepped in before she could speak.
"No Jess. It's Sam Riley needs. Riley would've told her if she was seriously hurt.
She reached out by calling her and Sam needs to be there for her." Kim
counseled.
Sam quickly kissed Kim and her sister goodbye. "I'll call when I can and let you
know what's going on." She assured them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sam broke the speed limit as well as several other traffic laws as she raced up
to Riley's condo. She figured worse case if she got stopped they'd let her off
when she told them who she was. She managed to make the almost thirty
minute drive in fifteen. She ran up to Riley's condo arriving slightly out of breath
from the pain. Her leg hadn't been up to running.
She knocked on Riley's door. It took several moments before the porch light
clicked on. "It's me Sam." She confirmed. "Let me in."
The door opened revealing Riley with her bruised face and bloody split lip.
"Oh Christ." Sam gasped before quickly stepping into the condo and locking the
door behind her. She gently pulled Riley into her arms cradling her against her
chest. "Are you alright Baby?" She asked in a gentle voice.
Riley burst into tears clinging to Sam. Sam wrapped her arms around Riley
holding her tightly to her chest. She stroked her hair trying to calm her. Riley's
tears tapered off. She shuddered, tightening her arms around Sam's waist.
"I am now." She finally responded her voice muffled by Sam's shirt.
Sam placed her fingers under Riley's chin and carefully tilted her face up. "Did
your uncle do this to you?"
"Yes." Riley whispered.
"I'll kill that bastard!" Sam hissed through clenched teeth her whole body going
taut with rage.
"No Sam. Please."
Sam berated herself. She has seen plenty of these situations and violence was
never the answer. Riley's needed her support and caring, not her anger.
"I'm sorry Sweetheart; it just makes me crazy that someone hurt you."
Riley couldn't help but notice the endearments Sam had been using. This was a
side of Sam she'd never seen. She smiled at Sam and instantly winced.
"Let's get you taken care of. Where's your first aid kit?"
Sam kept an arm wrapped around Riley's shoulders as they made their way into
the bathroom. She directed Riley to sit on the commode as she searched for all
the supplies she needed. She carefully cleaned her split lip with peroxide and
wiped the blood off her face. When she was done she pressed a soft kiss to her
forehead.
"Go into the living room and I'll get some ice for your face and lip."
Riley looked hesitant. Her eyes drop to her lap and she made no attempt to get
up.
"What's wrong Baby?" Sam questioned kneeling down in front of Riley.
"I really don't want to go back in there right now." Riley told her softly.
It took Sam a second to realize that must've been where the confrontation with
her uncle had taken place.
"Do you want to leave? We could go to my apartment." Sam offered.
Riley shook her head. "No I won't let them run me out of my own home but..."
Riley seemed suddenly almost shy. "Could we go up to my bedroom?"
Sam grinned causing Riley to blush. She reached out and stroked Riley's cheek.
"Whatever you want. Why don't you go change into something comfy and I'll get
the ice and be right there."
Riley's eyes were liquid pools of heather as she gazed into Sam's eyes. "Thank
you."
"You don't have to thank me. I'll be here whenever you need me for as long as
you need me."
Riley felt her tears start to flow again. Sam immediately enclosed her in a warm
embrace.
"Everything is going to be alright Riley. I promise."
Riley turned to head up the stairs and didn't see the look of pain that crossed
"In A Heartbeat" отзывы
Отзывы читателей о книге "In A Heartbeat". Читайте комментарии и мнения людей о произведении.
Понравилась книга? Поделитесь впечатлениями - оставьте Ваш отзыв и расскажите о книге "In A Heartbeat" друзьям в соцсетях.