Page 85 of Crying Shame
“Good,” I said. The last thing I needed to worry about was my son wanting to date. We needed at least a few more years of peace.
Sam said, “I’m ready for that discussion.”
Clarissa cupped his face. “Well, I love Elon, and he loves me, so we’re going to stay.”
She was going to stay as my wife.I wanted to say it, but first I needed to ask her to marry me. I took out my phone and texted a jeweler to send me an engagement ring with a rose design andBeauty and the Beasttheme. That was one of her favorite movies.
Sam asked his mother, “You're really going to stay?”
She laughed, glanced at me, and then asked Sam, “Is that okay?”
“Fuck yeah,” he said quickly.
Her eyes widened. “Language!”
I had everything. Clarissa was getting stronger all the time, and I needed to know she would be here with me—forever.
46
Clarissa
A few days later
Getting on the plane to Florida had been harder than I thought. But I totally understood that Sam needed time to adjust to his new life, and Elon was providing a bridge that would allow Sam to connect his old world and his new.
I kept my head high when we got to the football field, joking with Elon as he and Sam walked next to me.
In some ways, Elon had always been the one to keep me sane. We joined the other parents in the bleachers, where Elon happily claimed his status as Sam’s dad.
For the first half of the game, Sam and his friends dominated play, and Elon answered questions from the parents about the Super Bowl.
Then his phone rang. He showed me the display on his screen. The call was from one of the doctors who ran his Manhattan branch. He said, “I need to take this call.”
I nodded and smiled. “Sam knows you're here.”
I did too. I let out a sigh and scooted off the bleachers with him. I wanted to stand at the fence watching Sam without being asked in whispers why I wasn’t wearing an engagement ring.
Elon rubbed my back and said, “I’ll be right over there.”
He walked to the parking lot where he could have a more private talk with the doctor.
I folded my hands over the fence. When my son ran past, I called out, “Go, Sam.”
Somebody tugged at me from behind and dragged me to a nearby tree. I shouted, “What the—?”
Time stopped. It was Hunter.
My heart thundered like I was in a time warp and I'd gone backward. His face was tight, and his steely-blue eyes had no flecks of light. “Did you think you could suddenly start living like a princess instead of the trash that you are?”
My spine stiffened. He was tall, lean, and wearing that snarl he'd had when he raped me. I was ready to scream, but suddenly Elon was there, knocking Hunter off me and down to the ground. I massaged the arm Hunter had grabbed as Hunter shouted, “What the—“
I glanced down at Hunter. My life was amazing now, and I wasn’t ever going to hide from life. I lifted my chin. “I’m not here alone.”
While holding Hunter to the ground, Elon glanced up at me. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. Elon was here. His security guards hurried over and took over from Elon. I was more sure than ever of our love as Elon rose and came toward me.
I took his hand. “Elon, that’s Hunter.”
