Chapter 7: The Long Road Home

Author's Note: These characters belong to Charlene Harris.

As the first smatters of rain landed on the pavement, I heard squealing and laughter in the crevice of my brain. My eyes slowly opened as a few drops kur-plunked on my legs. I saw Eric scrambling towards me with a kid under each arm. His hair was matted to his head, Copley was soaking wet and Amelia was giggling furiously as they strode towards me.

"Wake up 'leeping beauty!" Copley bellowed at me as Eric set him on the chair next to me.

Amelia grabbed her towel and swaddled herself; Copley put his towel over his head in an imitation of Eric. More rain started to fall and my eyes turned towards clouds but caught on Eric's gaze. They were stormy and brewing, something I was unprepared for. I was a bit unsure if he was angry for me falling asleep but couldn't form the words to ask what was wrong.

"You missed it mom!" My attention was turned towards Amelia as she began to relay a comical situation where a woman was furious for having Eric play with my children while I slept. The story was broken and not very well told so I had a bit of confusion understanding the gist of the anecdote.

Clearly I was confused because Eric gruffly told me he would fill me in later. The rain was starting to come down quicker and cooler now. I stood and pulled my towel around my body and grabbed for Copley, who promptly propelled himself into Eric's arms. Amelia followed suit and I was left empty handed. I guess Eric was serious about get to me through my kids; unfortunately he didn't have an extra hand or arm for me to be swept into. Oh well, at least I had a nap and the kids were taken care of. I thought to myself.

We managed to get to the hotel room before the rain really started to come down fast and furious. Everyone piled into the Stackhouse room, the kids ran off to the separate bathrooms to have their own private baths.

"So what happened?" I asked once Eric and I both had put on robes and each checked on a kid.

"Nothing really just some uppity bitch." I was taken back. Eric was not one to cuss; he was too refined for the most part.

"Well something had to happen, for Amelia to mention it. And?"

"A woman came into the pool area with her brat about Copley's size."

"Oh, here we go again." I rolled my eyes, in exasperation. It never ends with kids my son's size. My blood began to boil as I knew this was not going to be an amusing story.

"Hold on a moment. Let me just say Copley is an awesome kid. Amelia is very intelligent and articulate. No one would be able to ever gauge their ages accurately. So that being said; the bitch told her kid to play with me and the kids because she didn't want to get in. The kids were all up for it but I was not really happy about it. Anyhow, this kid had to be six or so, they decided that playing Marco-polo would be fun. I told them as long as Copley would be able to touch I was fine with it. So of course they had me be it, in hind sight shutting my eyes with kids that I was supposed to be watching while in the pool wasn't the greatest idea. So I started out in the deeper end of the pool and was working towards their voices. I heard a great splash and opened my eyes. All I saw was a little brown blob under the water with that stupid kid standing next to it. He decided that dunking Copley was going to be a great game. The second Copley went under and came up he was shocked about what had happened and Amelia was instantly furious. I'm quite surprised you didn't wake up when she started screaming and the boy." I looked at the ground in embarrassment; I hadn't slept that soundly since before Bill croaked. "That's neither here nor there. Amelia shrieked at the boy and then the mother for not having a 'well behaved boy'. Copley started crying and Amelia swam over to him. Then quick as a fox she dunked the little boy. Well that actually got the mom going because she didn't understand the relationship between everyone. She really didn't seem like the brightest bulb in the box anyhow. I pulled Copley into my arms and made sure he hadn't swallowed too much water. Amelia sat on the steps arguing with the lady about her ignorance. Once I was assured Copley was alright I let into the bitch, verbally, telling her that Copley was just a little guy and her son had pushed too far. The little boy said he was going to go get his father."

"So were you all being quiet when you were arguing?" I was quite shocked that I hadn't woken up. Normally if the kids whispered in their sleep I was up and at their sides within seconds.

"I was trying to be quiet, I guess even the kids were." He shrugged. "But the boy came back with his dad, which was humorous. Because I think the dad was expecting something totally different than me. He kept taunting me to come and pick on a man."

"Who were these people?" I was straightening up the room while Eric told me all of this. Something Bill pointed out as a nervous habit. I didn't think about what I was doing but I remade the beds, folded our dirty clothes and even watered the Ficus plant in the corner.

"Well come to find out, they are the hotel managers family from Mississippi. Someone was going to come to the pool but they heard the arguing and called management. I just stayed put until the manager showed up and then I exited the pool. The guy's face was comical as I approached. I think he may have shit himself. He was about an inch taller than you."

"Thanks compare me to some Neanderthal. So what happened?" I stopped straightening the picture that was glued to the wall and threw him a dirty look.

"Well, our rooms are compted for another night if we want to stay and manager escorted his back waters family out of the pool area. They kids told me they hoped I would hit Mr. Podunk. But I didn't want to show them that side of me."

My interest was piqued because I had never seen Eric really raise his hand against anyone outside of sports. "What do you mean that side of you?" The room was well straightened and I pulled out clothes for the kids and myself laying them on the bed.

"Well, I have been training." I just raised my eyebrow for him to continue. "With Quinn, he moved back and took over Sufo Pineda's dojo. He has been leading the classes."

"You mean I will have to go to him for entrance into the dojo?" This was not good. The last time I fought Quinn in the dojo, my nose was broken. Unconsciously, I rubbed the bump on my nose.

"Yep, I don't think you are going to want to go back. But you will be living in Green River anyhow and there is another Kempo dojo over there. The owner and Sufo is a really great guy. His name is James Clancy. He works out at the Soda Ash mine and runs training most nights of the week and has his black belts run the weekend training. He even has little kid classes." He shrugged.

"Ewric, I'm done." Copley hollered from Eric's bathroom. Sheepishly Eric picked up an Oscar the Grouch t-shirt with shiny silver pants.

Eric had skeptically looked at the outfit and lifted his eyebrow, like saying what the fuck with just an expression. "He like Oscar and the shiny pants make him think he is in the trash can. What can I do? Mrs. Fortenberry gave them to him a few weeks ago and he has me wash them every other day so he can wear them. Plus they are stretch so he can use the bathroom by himself."

Copley's sing-song voice called for his newest hero to come help him out of the bathroom. I grabbed Amelia's Scooby-Doo dress and walked the few steps to the tub. I peeked into the bath and saw my princess playing in a bubble bath.

She had decided that pouring the shampoo into the running water would be a good clean fun and I did a belly laugh as I walked in on my daughter looking like an old man with a bubble beard. I helped Amelia scrub her hair and then rinsed her under the shower head. Once she was dry enough to put some clothing, she shrugged into her dress.

I put some music on and told the kids they could look at books while I jumped into the shower. Eric was already in his and I could hear splashing. Slightly aroused I went to my own bathroom and stepped into the shower only taking off my bikini once I was completely in the bath tub. Involuntarily I let out a moan as the hot water worked the kinks out of my back from driving. Hearing a noise next to the bath tub I poked my head out to see Eric standing next to the door jam.

Whispering fiercely, "What are you doing?"

"The kids are out like a light, I was going to ask you if you were hungry." His eyes sought mine and I was pretty sure he was talking about something more than food. "I found a great little diner here last time I was swinging through town. I was going to order something for you, that's if you want me to."

"But why are you in here?" I did my best not to notice Eric was still in his towel and it was draped lowly over his hips. There was a narrow strip of hair starting at his navel traveling south to a broader patch. He was quiet, too quiet. I flashed my eyes up to his face and he was smirking.

"Are you going to stand there and watch?" Hmmm, that sounded vaguely familiar.

"No." But I stood there watching how the droplets of water slowly dripped onto his shoulders.

"You're watching." His smile expanded, lighting up his whole face.

"I'm showering." The water on my back was starting to cool down which was going to help me calm down.

"Serious?" His hand secured the towel more snuggly against his hips. "You're not going to see anything more…for right now." Laughing he walked back to his room. I watched his ass shift under the towel as his big feet quietly moved over the threshold.

Pulling my head back into the shower I shivered more from Eric than the cool water cascading down my back. I made record time with my shower as the temperature plunged from the shower head. Snatching the towel off the hook, I realized the only towel left was a hand towel. Biting my lip, I wondered if Eric somehow planned this. I rubbed the small piece of fabric over my breasts and up and down my legs. I wrung my hair out as best I could. Stepping out of the tub, I quickly glanced towards Eric's room. I saw no movement so I quickly ran to the empty bed in my room. My intent was to snatch the blanket off the bed and wrap myself into it. But there was a problem, a very large problem. Eric was sitting on my bed ordering food from a menu, using my phone.

He looked up at me a flashed his shit eating grin at my nudeness.

Senior Year Fall

I had been in Kempo since Eric and Jason had started in third grade. Unable to officially take the class until my eighth birthday I practiced at home with Eric and Jason. I was always the attacker. Learning how to take blows and fake strikes was fun. It was like the wrestling on the television we watched Saturday morning. By the time I was eight I knew most of my forms and easily progressed through the belts until I stalled out on my brown belt. Between extra curricular's at school, working part-time at the YMCA after school programs, having a bit of a social life in high school and Pam's constant annoyance that girls shouldn't fight; I just didn't have the motivation or time to further my Kempo education.

The summer from my junior to senior year I decided that I needed to get back into the dojo. Jason was home for the summer and we went to practice together. It was a pleasant bonding experience. Jason had earned his black belt in his senior year, the last year I was really serious about Kempo. He encouraged me to go for my brown belt and helped me practice my forms, spared with me and was constantly pushing me to my physical exhaustion. Agreeing that I would continue to train in the fall, he left for his junior year of college with a smile on his face.

It was near Halloween. The big dance slash Halloween party that was cool to go to would be on the weekend of my brown belt assessment. I opted out of partying with everyone to go and do battle in the dojo. The weekend before I had completed my forms with honors; the following weekend I would be doing my 'sparring' part of the belt assessment. If I survived I would be rewarded with my belt. Halloween was one of my all-time favorite holidays and I was a bit bummed about missing the parties but I thought for the real day of Halloween I could be a prize fighter. Knowing full well that sporting a black eye after a belt assessment was a badge of honor.

My week was rather boring; Spanish, Physic, Chemistry, Pre Calc, Lunch, Gym, Senior Lit, and afternoon rifle club practice the following day would repeat except a different activity after school. My day would speed up when I arrived at the dojo for training. Friday night finally arrived and I sunk into my bed with a happy fatigue.

The 28th I woke to find snow on the ground and begged a ride to the dojo from Gran. Jason was going to try and come home for fall break which was more like a hunting break for him and his buddies. I had expected him the night before. Gran informed that Jason was due in the afternoon and he was planning on sitting in the peanut gallery. Dad on the other hand had to work and wouldn't be able to come and watch. She just had no use in seeing her granddaughter beat to a pulp for a colored belt.

"You know Herberger's sells brown belts." I knew she wasn't dense about the honor or dedication that came with earning a new belt but she just didn't think women needed to fight as much as men; even though Dad sent her to a self-defense class after Old man Andre across the street was found beaten in his kitchen.

"Gran I know you worry but there is nothing to it. I will come home tonight with a few good bruises but the Sufo won't let anything get too out of hand. It is not like I will be fighting a real villain."

As we pulled up I noticed a very distinct pink caddy in the parking lot. Curiously I forgot the way Quinn treated me at the dance two years before. I thought he had come to cheer me on. Wanting to support me in my effort for my brown belt; he had been there when I earned every other belt so I just naturally thought he was there for me. Come to find out, he had a score to settle.

I fought for the first half of the day in elation. Every female that I came up against I easily out maneuvered and placed well thought out hits, we broke for a light lunch. I went out and told Gran how everything was going and said I would be fine. She should go on ahead and I would catch a ride home with Quinn. Gran gave me a very serious look before nodding and then she drove off. I thought it was a little weird but would know later that was more about Quinn's father than Quinn a few years later.

Stepping back in the dojo I noticed most of the women had left and only a few men were left to spar with. Quinn was nowhere to be seen and I just assumed he had to use the restroom. Two hours went by and I got my ass handed to me on a plate by two different black belts from Utah. I was nearing exhaustion when Quinn stepped out of the back room in full spar gear. Having my head jabbed at for six hours did not interfere with the understanding Quinn was here to spar me. Pulling my mouth guard out, I nodded to Quinn.

"What are you doing? I thought you were supporting me." I was a bit hurt about the reversal in his role as supporter to sparer.

"I'm here to teach you a lesson. No one walks away from me." His purple eyes glinted menacingly at me.

"I have no clue what you are talking about. Last time I saw you, Eric and you swapped partners at the dance." I hissed furiously at him.

"No, you ran away from in the car and then avoided me the whole dance. Eric told me Sophie-Anne wanted to suck my cock and since you were playing the virgin princess; I figured Eric could have you. But you denied me something I wanted, I don't like that."

Two things happened simultaneously, Jason walked in the door as I put my mouth guard in and the Sufo came to referee the match. We bowed to one another and stepped into fighting stance. Sufo's arm barely dropped when the first punch landed to my left breast. I swatted the massive arm away just in time to clear a path for his second blow to land about an inch above my belly button. He was too fast, as a fourth degree black belt and three years on the MMA circuit he clearly was the superior fighter. Without thinking I spun under his left arm as it went for a face shot. Planting one solid punch is right eye; he reciprocated with an equally brutal right upper cut to my nose. I soared into the air and left an indention into the wall. If the hit from Quinn hadn't knocked me out, I might have hurt more from being knocked into the dry wall. The last sound I heard before my clock was cleaned came from near the door. It was a brutal sound like a wounded animal.

I woke up in the hospital Saturday night with Gran standing on one side, Sufo at the foot of the bed and Dad sitting in the chair looking miserable. Tentatively, I touched my face which was swaddled in gauze. Wincing at the pain that shot through my skull; I closed my eyes again and didn't open them until Monday morning.

My sufo was still in the room looking worse for the wear and I heard Dad shouting at someone from the hallway.

"So did I earn my belt, Sufo?" His head snapped up with such brutal force I thought it might cause whiplash.

"Yeah. Yeah kid you did. I told you if you survived it would be yours." He had a sadness lingering in his eyes.

"I'll heal and be fine. Don't worry; I'm a lot tougher than I look."

My dad chose that moment to scream for security. My sufo stood up and I heard muted voices and heavy footsteps receding. Dad walked to my side and whispered promises of me never being hurt ever again. Little did he know Quinn would come to ruin my relatively comfortable life eleven and a half years later.