All In Good Time by Talia Aden

Author:Talia Aden [Aden, Talia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2023-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

24

August 1985 | Before

Becca poked at the newest bruise on Derek’s back, gently testing how much damage had occurred. He winced, air hissing as he sucked it in through his teeth.

Becca flinched away like she’d been burned.

It wasn’t even the worst one, but it was the newest. Just another colorful splotch on his back that had shades from yellow to blue to green to purple to fresh red littered on it.

“Derek,” Becca reached for the warm damp rag sitting next to her. She bit her lip, anxious to say what she wanted to. She’d been thinking about saying it for a while now, but with how things were going, she decided now was the best time. “Have you considered talking to anyone?”

He lay on his stomach, with his head turned away from her, but the defined muscles on his back tensed up. She couldn’t tell if it was from the rag touching his skin, or from the suggestion.

“About what?”

So now he wanted to play stupid.

“It’s the fourth time this week.”

He didn’t respond for a while, and Becca thought he might not respond at all. That had been one of the many possible outcomes she expected when she planned this conversation.

“I told you, didn’t I?”

“You know I don’t really count.” She moved her attention from his back to his arms. She used the rag to clean around the new bruises there.

“Why not?”

She thought that was obvious. “Because I can’t do anything.”

“You’re doing something right now.”

She sighed and dipped the rag back into the bowl of warm water to rinse it off. “You know what I mean.”

Minutes passed without any sound other than the fan running in the guest room, and the wet towel brushing against Derek’s bruises. If he didn’t respond in the next few moments, she would consider the conversation dead and let it be for now.

These topics were delicate with Derek. Sometimes, they wouldn’t speak at all. Becca was lucky he didn’t clam up entirely after the week he had. His dad was “stressed from work” and spent more time at the bars than usual. Just about every little thing Derek had done this week triggered him, and Becca saw the aftermath of that under her fingers right now.

She wouldn’t be surprised if this triggered the start of a silent session. She was pushing her luck.

Derek stirred and flipped onto his back, forcing Becca to pull away as he hid away the bruises. He winced but raised an arm behind his head to support him against the pillow. Becca put her towel in the bowl while she wasn’t using it.

“If he finds out that I tried to talk to anyone, it will only make it worse.” He watched her closely, observing her reaction.

She knew that. He had never said it outright, but Derek was more afraid of his father than anything else, and he avoided upsetting him however possible. Mark was already a loose screw, and if someone was told and nothing was done, it could put Derek in a difficult position.

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