Page 32 of Kings Fear No One
“Teysha sweetie? Is that you?”
Logan and I look up at the same time.
Mama and Grandma Renae have walked up clutching tissues. They rush toward me once they realize it’s me.
“It’s our Tey Tey! We’ve come to take you home.”
10
LOGAN
“Thank God our baby’s in one piece!” cries out the older woman of the two. They’ve both smothered Teysha in tearful hugs and kisses.
I’ve fallen several steps back to make room. I might as well be invisible as the women dote on Teysha. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s her mother and grandmother.
“We didn’t know what to think,” says her mother, blowing into her tissue. “We heard they had you on drugs and you were pregnant. You didn’t know which of the cult members was the father.”
“Mama,” Teysha breathes, almost flinching.
“Oh, Teysha. What have they done to you, sweetie? The filth they put you through,” says her grandmother. “My baby girl lost her spark. Lord, please give her back her light.”
My eyes narrow, though I remain in the background. I come from a religious household. My mother had us in church every Sunday, and my father agreed because he loved her. But even at a young age I thought it was a crock of shit.
All of it useless garbage.
The more Teysha’s mother and grandmother talk, the quieter Teysha becomes. The more she shrinks into herself. If there was ever any light, they’re the ones putting it out. They’re the ones making her feel like crap after what she’s been through.
She’s no less valuable because some sick fuck kidnapped her and brought her into his cult.
“Please stop fussing over me.”
“How can I not? I heard all about it on the news. The vile things they expose their hostages to. But it’s not over for you, sweetie,” her mother says. “You’ll still find your way. You’ll heal and marry a nice man despite what’s happened. Someone out there will be willing to overlook those things.”
“She’s already married.”
The women freeze at the sound of my voice. Even Teysha’s surprised by my interruption. Her eyes go wide, the rest of her face slack. She doesn’t have a clue how to take me.
But her mother and grandmother do. The women mirror each other, their hands on their hips and brows arched, staring at me like I’m an intruder.
I guess, in a way, I am.
This is a private family moment, and I don’t belong to their family any more than they belong to mine.
“And you are?” Teysha’s mother asks.
“That’s Logan, Mama,” Teysha murmurs under her breath.
“Hey,” I say, offering my hand to shake, “Logan Cutler.”
Mrs. Baxter doesn’t shake my hand, ignoring my gesture. “Are you the one she’s been staying with?”
“That’s right…”
She gives a deep hum of disapproval. “Well, Logan, I’m sure you believe you’ve done a good deed by giving my daughter a place to lay her head. But I’m afraid all you’ve really done is make the situation worse. My daughter needs to be returned home where she can begin healing from the damage that’s been done to her. The last thing she needs is to be shacked up with some man looking to make trouble.”
“Make trouble?” I repeat in a scoff.
“Teysha, what have we told you a thousand times? What does Corinthians 15:33 say? Bad company ruins good morals. We need to get you away from this terrible town right now?—”
