Page 96 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
“Hey!” Cade shouts so loud that I jump. “I don’t give a shit if you’re mad, you watch the way you to talk to her.”
“Whatever, I’m out of here.” He bolts down the stairs and a second later his door slams.
I stand frozen to my spot, staring at the empty place in front of me, and try to process what just happened.
I startle when Cade touches my shoulder and turn to see him holding an upset Ruthie. I swallow past the burn in my throat. “Are you okay to stay here for a bit if I leave?”
He watches me for a silent moment, knowing where I plan to go, then cups the side of my face, his small gesture calming my storm of emotions. “Yeah, we’re good. Just don’t make me have to come bail you out of jail because you were pulling hair, Red.”
I kiss his palm. “No hair pulling, I promise.”
After giving both him and Ruthie a quick kiss I get into my car and start driving over to Alissa’s house. The closer I get, the angrier I become. I try to calm down, hoping it’s a mistake and Christopher has it all wrong, but judging by how upset he was… I doubt it.
I arrive a few minutes later and park on the street in front of the familiar two-story house that my family was invited to for supper when we first moved here. Walking up the front steps I take a deep breath, and try to rein in my emotions before knocking on the door.
Alissa’s mother answers quickly. “Faith, hi,” she greets anxiously, standing between the small open space in the door so I can’t see in.
“Hi, Helen, do you have a minute?”
She glances behind her nervously. “Sure, a quick one.”
I don’t miss the not so subtle hint. “Great, then I’ll cut right to the chase. Christopher just came home really upset, he says you are not allowing Alissa to go to the dance with him and that you are making her go with Ryan. I’m hoping you’re going to tell me he is mistaken.”
I can immediately tell that is not going to be the case. “Look, Faith, I think it’s really noble that you have taken in those kids.” My blood starts to heat at the way she says ‘those kids’. “But he is not someone I want my daughter to associate with and…”
“Why not? Alissa would be very lucky to go with him.”
“Listen, I know his father and…”
“He is nothing like his father.”
“I would say he is, considering what he did to Ryan Hunter’s face.”
“Ryan is the one who instigated that, not Christopher!”
“That’s what I keep telling her but she isn’t listening to me,” Alissa’s upset voice comes out of nowhere, cutting into the conversation. When Helen turns back I see her, her pretty brown eyes red and swollen from crying.
“Alissa, go upstairs now. We will talk about this later.”
“No. I want to stay here and make sure you hear Faith out.”
“It won’t make a difference!” she spits angrily.
“Why?” I ask. “I’m telling you he is a good kid, he’s just had a terrible start to life and has been let down so many times. You have no idea how excited he was to go to this dance with her. Can’t you just give him a chance to prove you wrong?”
“I know all there is to know about those kids, Faith. Everyone does and they are nothing but trouble. I mean just look at what that little girl did to poor Henry’s nose…”
My temper flares hot and fast. “That little Henry is an asshole who has been bullying her since she moved here. He has thrown rocks at her, called her names and even pushed her. She finally stood up for herself and I’m not going to let you or anyone else judge her for that!”
“That does not make it right for her to break his nose. Those kids are violent and out of control, and I hope for their sake you make them come to church when it opens because they need it…”
“They need it?” I yell in exasperation. “Lady, if anyone needs God it’s you. You think because you go to church every Sunday that makes you a good Christian? Well it doesn’t. You have to practice what you preach and clearly you do not, or else you wouldn’t keep your daughter from the chance at being taken to the dance by a really good guy and instead force her to go with a jerk she doesn’t want to go with. You’re hurting both of them, why can’t you see that?”
She turns her nose up at me, “Well I guess we will have to agree to disagree. We have lived here longer than you, Faith, and his drunk of a father…”
“For the last time, Christopher is nothing like that man! I am also happy to say your daughter is nothing like you—a stuck up self-righteous bitch.”
She rears back in shock from my language, and quite frankly so am I, but I’m too angry to care. I know now is the time to leave or Cade will end up having to bail me out of jail after all.
I start down the stairs then turn back one last time, “And for the record, both of my kids will be going to church, not because they need it but because they are one of God’s best creations.”
I continue on to my car when Alissa calls out my name. I turn back again to see tears streaming down her face as she pushes past her mom. I give her a hug when she reaches me, my heart breaking for both her and Christopher.
“I’m so sorry she’s acting like this, Faith. Things have not been great at my house lately.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry she’s making you go with Ryan.”
She steps back and shakes her head. “No, I am not going with him. If she doesn’t let me go with Christopher then I am not going at all. Can you…” she pauses and swallows back her emotion, “can you tell him how sorry I am and that I really wanted to go with him. I like him a lot, Faith.”
