The Driver.

The Apology ?

Renee*

I left, piling my car with as many flowers as I could and returned home. I put them every where around the house. My 7 year old son Christian would love the bright colors and the smell.

Speaking of my baby boy, I decided to redecorate his room. I definitely had the extra money to pay for it so why not? He was already pretty much spoiled rotten but some more spoiling wouldn't hurt.

I drove to Walmart and picked up the whole Avenger's bedroom set, putting it in my basket. We both loved action movies like that. Looking around I suddenly gasped.

Is that a Xbox 1?

I reached for it the moment someone else did.

"So are you a Gamer Girl as well?" There's that familiar voice. Gee, I had a stalker now.

"A little bit... mostly for my baby." I intentionally wanted him to believe I was taken. The last time I let my guard down I was -

"Your son, Christian, right?" He asked interrupting me from my thoughts. He was definitely stalking.

"Yes." We stood in a bit of uncomfortable silence. I wasn't exactly ready for this encounter so soon after he'd made Christian and my life much more comfortable. I couldn't exactly see him as all bad now.

Well he was kinda on my creep list right now... He gently grasped both of my hands

"I personally wanted to sincerely apologize for the way I behaved these past two days, Renee.
My behavior was completely unacceptable and I am so, so sorry for acting the way I did. I shouldn't have judged you. I was way out of line." He sighed, looking down at out joined hands. "I want to say that I am not usually such a judgemental racist asshole, but I'd be lying and I'm not interested in starting our official introduction with dishonesty."

I blinked. Surprised. An apology from a billionaire?  

"I'd also like to formally introduce myself, my name is Lamar Maxwell. I'm an architect designer and I own Maxwell's Architecture Firm.

"Wow, I never would've guessed... an architect. I thought you were just some spoon fed billionaire."

"No, I make pretty good money but I come from humble beginnings, believe me.

"Well, I know you already know who I am and what I do at this point. Sooooo, I would like to apologize for -"

"Please don't remind me. I know I deserved it." He chuckled, smile lighting up the whole store.

He's fucking gorgeous smiling... 😋

I realized I was starring when he suddenly smirked at me.

Cocky Bastard.

I found myself grinning back at him, so what? He was very attractive. I was a woman and I damn sure wasn't blind. "I accept your apology Lamar Maxwell. It's nice to officially meet you."

My smile caught him off guard and I figured that he was analyzing my genuine smile but my unwelcoming body language. I was always sure that I kept a certain distance between us. I was big on personal space.

"Who hurt you?" He suddenly demanded.

"What? Um nobody?" I began to panic. I suddenly turned around to rush out of the store, leaving everything I had planned to buy in the cart beside him.

Who hurt you?
Who hurt you?
Who hurt you?

The question echoed in my head as I hurried home fighting tears that filled my eyes whenever I thought about Christian's father.

My step-brother. The fucking bastard who didn't take no for an answer and raped me.

**

I made it home around 5am. I picked Christian up from his friend's house and together with Christopher we put the remainder of the flowers up all around the house then I made him breakfast and we sat down in the living room to watch cartoons.

He wasn't going back to school until his paperwork was transferred to Empire.

A few hours late and good tub soak and I was okay. Damn I knew he was bold and direct but I didn't expect him to be that freaking straight-forward. I kept thinking about everything the whole drive home. I couldn't believe I had ran away from him like that, I wasn't no damn bitch.

I thought I was over the situation with Christian's father but it hit me like a ton of bricks all over again. I realized now I had been lying to myself all along and I would have to be honest with myself before anything else. That rapist bastard had a hold on me. And that was a weakness I had to expunge.

** 

Our Thanksgiving was amazing. We spent it with Christopher but as usual we got sad around this time. I always thought about the last thanksgiving I had spent with my dad. I missed him so much. The urge to call him, to hear his voice was so strong but it wasn't safe. I couldn't risk him.

Christopher, however, had married fresh out of college to his off and on high school sweetheart. He had came home early for thanksgiving after telling his wife and kids that he was working late to surprise her and found her in bed with another man, who was the actual father of her two children. It was a clean divorce, they were renting a house at the time and even though he'd had a shitty job he'd managed to support them all. He left with nothing but the clothes on his back that night, he let her keep the car and since the rent was already paid up for the year she would be okay. Now he had his own house, a boatload of cars, and his own business. She really missed out.

I was pregnant and staying in a homeless shelter when I met Christopher. He was doing volunteer work at the shelter I was staying in. He offered many of the able-bodied people there, including me, jobs at his business. He helped us with living arrangements, transportation, and for those in my situation- he helped us form new identities and paid for our self-defense classes. He soon became my best friend, even staying with me in the hospital 18 hours while I gave birth.  Christopher had even offered to sign the birth certificate but I knew I would be taking advantage of his kindness but in a way to thank him, I named Christian after him.

I smiled. Things had definitely worked out for us in the long run. I had no reason to be sad, worried, or upset anymore.

I was safe. My life was my own.