When she first met Jack Dalton, Riley was not impressed. He was just the latest in a long line of bad life decisions. He was cleaner than the last two and had kind eyes, but Riley knew better than to fall for that. In Riley's experience, men were nice to her sometimes, trying to win over her mom through her, but they always turned when they drank.
Riley glared at Jack and her mom sitting on the couch watching TV. He had his arm around her mom who curled into his side like she was part of his body. His hand rubbed her back, and she ran a hand along Jack's chest. Riley felt tears prick her eyes and angrily wiped them away. Mom had never looked so happy, or safe. Riley wished it could be this way all the time, but it wouldn't.
Riley sniffed and looked up; Jack watched her. Riley froze her heart pounding. She stepped back around the corner and closed her eyes waiting for the shouting, the thrown beer bottle, her mother screaming in fear and pain. Nothing happened. Riley turned and fled down the hallway to her bedroom. She slammed the door, ran into her closet and shut the slatted doors.
She climbed into the nest of blankets and pillows that she kept there. She curled into a ball and pulled Miss Cleo close smelling the worn fuzzy rabbit. It had been a gift from her father. He gave her a lot of gifts, mostly makeup gifts after he and Mom had a knock-down-drag-out. The others were strewn around her room brand new some still in their boxes.
This one was different. Daddy had given her Miss Cleo a long time ago when he still had sweet times. He had pulled her onto the couch and given it to her for no reason. He'd kissed her forehead, and they stayed up well after her bedtime.
There was a lady in fancy clothes, a gypsy her father had said, her name was Miss Cleo who could read the future. The stuffed rabbit looked like the Velveteen Rabbit in one of Riley's favorite books.
Riley hated crying. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and started rocking pulling Miss Cleo's ears back as if they were hair. One of her button eyes had broken in half, and ripped thread bristled from her pink stitched nose. Riley froze and clutched Miss Cleo to her chest. She panted with fear listening to the sound of boots came to her door. She looked out through the slats of the closet door. Jack stood in the doorway looking like he'd been caught stealing Mom's cookies. Riley frowned. Mom had put him up to this.
"Uh, hey Riley. Your Mom thought I should talk to you." Riley frowned. Jack stood at the door fidgeting from step to step. She wondered why he didn't just come in like all of Mom's other "friends."
"Do you mind if I come in?" Jack asked. Riley frowned. No one had ever asked her before.
"Go 'way." She said around a lump of fear pulling Miss Cleo closer. Jack nodded.
"OK, kiddo. We're going to watch a movie and have some popcorn if you want some." Jack paused then turned and left. Riley stared at him. She opened the closet door and crept out to make sure he was gone. Riley sighed in relief. She sat on her bed and studied Miss Cleo's worn face. She leaned close and whispered it the rabbit's soft ear.
"What do you think, Miss Cleo?" Riley whispered. Riley turned her ear to Miss Cleo's mouth. Riley frowned.
"Really?" Riley looked out the door and sighed. "Ok." Like a condemned prisoner Riley slowly walked down the hall and peeped around the corner. Jack stood over by the TV trying to work the DVD player and failing miserably. Riley walked over and shoved him aside. She cued the machine and slid in the disc. Riley smiled, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. She hadn't been able to see it in the theater.
"Great job, kiddo!" Jack said. Riley looked up at him anger in her brown eyes.
"My name is Riley, not kiddo. You're dumb."
"Riley!" Mom hissed coming in from the kitchen. Jack crossed his arms. Riley fought the urge to cower and jutted her chin up at him daring him to make a move. Her heart pounded in terror, but she had to know if her mom was safe. To her surprise, Jack smiled down at her and chuckled.
"You might be right at that, Riley. Do you like Harry Potter?" Riley turned. Her palms sweated and her shoulders hunched.
"It's ok," Riley said dismissively. She climbed onto the couch and glared at Jack defiantly. Jack frowned and looked hurt. Riley frowned. Hurt? Mom came in and sat on the edge of the sofa holding a big bowl of popcorn. Riley grinned able to smell the butter. Mom looked up at Jack.
"Don't let her kid you; Harry Potter is her favorite. She already read the first four books." Jack's eyebrows raised and he met Riley's eyes.
"That is awesome. Some of them are pretty fat." Riley raised an eyebrow and scoffed turning away. Riley couldn't hide the pleased smile on her face. Jack sat on the couch beside them and lifted the remote. He aimed it and frowned when the movie didn't start. He slapped it against his hand then looked at Riley.
"Looks like I am dumb, could you help me, Ki...Riley?" Riley rolled her eyes and took the remote from him clicking the menu. Riley glanced up and saw a smile between her mom and Jack Riley didn't understand. She felt like she'd gotten played somehow. Riley pushed herself between Jack and her Mom and snagged the bowl putting it on her lap. Mom and Jack shared a smile, and they settled in to watch the movie.
Halfway through the movie Riley leaned over and snuggled into Jack's side. She froze tense realizing what she had done. She looked up. Jack gave her a kind smile and wrapped an arm around her. Riley leaned in and closed her eyes. Her heart pounded, She could feel the soft felt of Jack's shirt; he smelled like antique wood and soap. He was warm. She closed her eyes listening to the steady beat of his heart. For the first time since Dad had given her Miss Cleo, Riley felt safe.
It had been a long time since Riley had hidden in her closet nest. She covered her ears and rocked back and forth sobbing. The sounds of her crying vanished in the sounds of violence coming from the kitchen. Her mom screamed, and there was a loud crash and the sound of broken dishes.
"YOU BITCH! Do you think I wouldn't come home! You've been screwing everything that moves, you WHORE!" Her father screamed. He slurred his rage. Riley bit her lip trying to swallow her scream. She heard flesh slam into flesh. This was her fault! She had seen Daddy coming up the sidewalk, and she'd opened the door and ran to him like she did when Jack came home from one of his trips.
She smelled the alcohol a second too late. Her father lifted her up.
"Hey, Punkin." Riley turned her face aside as Daddy kissed her. She hated the feel of his bristly unkempt beard. "Wha's wrong?" And the switch snapped. "Your Mama has somebody in there doesn't she?" Riley cringed at the angry tone she knew all too well.
"No, Daddy, do you want to see Miss Cleo…?" Riley tried. Daddy shoved her aside. She felt the heat radiate off of him as he stomped into the house. "Daddy, NO DON'T, PLEASE?" Riley screamed as she ran after him. Mom was doing dishes. She had time to half turn before Dad had her by the shoulder and shoved her up against the wall.
"Where is he?"
"Wh-who?" Mom gasped. She looked over his shoulder at Riley. "Riley, go to your room." Riley paused crying she had to do something. She ran up and began to beat Dad's back with both fists.
"Daddy, stop it! Stop it!" Riley wailed. Dad backhanded her.
"Riley! You son of a bitch!" Mom yelled in rage. She grabbed a pan and bashed it against Dad's head. He fell back roaring. He grabbed Mom's front and slammed her head into the wall then tossed her on the ground. He kicked Mom. Mom's right eye was red and swollen. "Go, Riley, Go." Riley staggered to her feet ran to the closet and climbed into her safe place. Would he kill her? Riley's heart thumped, and she swallowed down puke in the back of her throat. She threw Miss Cleo across the room and kicked her away.
Riley looked up surprised at the sound of Jack's car revving as he sped into the driveway. Riley held her breath. Would Dad kill Jack too?
"So you're the man screwing my wife…" Dad's voice ended in a choke. Riley blinked. It was quiet in the house. Riley heard shouting outside. She crept to the window and peeked out. Her Dad swung at Jack, but Jack ducked out of his way. Her father's screams of rage had become loud, incoherent ramblings mixed in with swearing. Jack didn't say anything only waited. Riley licked her lips. Jack wasn't scared; he stood watching Dad as if he were in line at the grocery store. Her dad took another swing. Jack gracefully stepped aside then struck. Riley blinked at the speed of his punches. In seconds her Dad was on the ground bleeding.
Jack leaned down and pulled Dad up by the shirt leaning close and said something in Dad's ear. Dad's eyes widened. He scooted away from Jack turned and ran unsteadily to his car. Jack sat watching him on the lawn until he was gone. Jack rubbed the knuckles on his right hand and turned. He looked up at Riley and froze. Riley's mouth opened in horror, her heart pounded. Jack offered her a small smile. Riley blinked and ducked back.
She crawled back into the closet. She felt cold and shook. She heard the soft murmur of conversation. Riley froze at the sound of boots walking to her room. She braced herself. As always, Jack stopped at her door. He had never come in unless she said it was ok.
"Riley? Your mom wants to see you make sure your ok." Jack's voice was soft, gentle. Riley's lip trembled. There was a heavy moment of silence. "Riley, is it ok if I come in?"
" 'k." She said softly. Jack crossed to the closet and crouched at the door. Slowly he opened it. Riley looked up at him skittish as a colt. Jack knelt back making no move to touch her.
"Are you ok, kiddo?" For once, Riley didn't correct him. She sniffed. "No one's ever going to hurt you while I'm here, ok?" She studied his deep brown eyes and saw the solid truth of the promise. Riley nodded. He smiled. "Can you come out and see your Mom? I have to take her to the hospital. Do you want me to drop you off at Aunt Rosie's?" Riley blinked up at him his face wobbly through her tears.
No one had ever stood up to her father before. No one had ever protected her or her mom, or taken care of her mom after a fall-down-drag-out.
"Riley? Sweat heart?" Riley let out a soft cry and leaped toward Jack her arms out. Jack rolled her into his warmth. Riley felt like she cried with her whole body. Jack gently rubbed her back and murmured something comforting that didn't have words. Jack lifted her up and carried her to the kitchen. Riley looked up at Mom and buried her face in Jack's shoulder trying to shut out the sight of her Mom's bruised and bloody face.
"Oh, baby." Mom said her voice hoarse. Riley looked up at the tears of pain in her Mom's eyes. Her mom was pale she gave Riley a small smile.
"I'm sorry, Mommy." She cried. Mom looked at her open-mouthed horror on her face. Jack leaned back and looked deep into Riley's eyes.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, kiddo. This isn't your fault or your Mom's. It's gonna be ok, I promise." Riley believed him. Her mom stood beside them and leaned her head against Riley's kissing her on the cheek and ran her finger's through Riley's hair.
Riley refused to leave them. She stayed close to Jack clinging to him when Mom went downstairs for XRays.
"You hungry. Kiddo? They have some vending machines; I'll get us some Cheetos and snickers?" Riley raised an eyebrow in surprise. Jack gave her a sheepish smile. "I won't tell her if you don't, kiddo." Riley smiled.
"My name isn't kiddo; it's Riley and your dumb." Jack grinned back.
"So is that a yes?" Riley giggled and climbed off his lap grabbing his hand leading him to the vending machine.
"I want two snickers and the hot Cheetos," Riley demanded as they came to the floor's food corner. She stabbed the glass over the items. "And a Dr. Pepper."
"I don't think…" Riley crossed her arms and jutted her chin up at him defiantly. He shook his head.
"Alright, ki...Riley. You drive a hard bargain." Riley grinned. Holding her stash, they walked back to her mom hand in hand. That was the last night she ever listened to Cleo or hid in her closet.