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