Chapter 69

"No, he's not, Kris. He's a good, kind man that loves you, sweetie. He's nothing like daddy, I promise," she said hugging her sister tightly to her. "Daddy is dead, Kris, he's dead and gone. AJ is alive and loves you very much and would never do anything to hurt you or your babies."

"How can you be sure of that!" she asked in a fierce whisper, "Your Tom is in the military too, he could be just as bad!"

"Tom loves me and would protect me with his life, he wouldn't hurt me. I have to trust that Kris. We have to start trusting someone, someday. Reach out to AJ and trust him, he's the father of your children and will protect all of you, you'll be a family," Krystal encouraged. "Do it Kris, don't give in to the fear it's not worth it. Believe me you can fight it."

Krista looked over to where AJ stood, he didn't look scary right then, in fact he looked worried, even scared himself. Had she caused that fear? "Albert?" she questioned softly.

"Darlin', are you all right? Can I come over there and hold you?" he asked cautiously.

She held out her arms to him. Holding her in his arms he rocked her carefully back and forth. "Sweetheart, I'd never do anything to harm you or our children. I love you far too much to do anything that would hurt you."

"I'm sorry, Albert, you just scared me with your military voice," she whispered to him.

"Sweetheart, I didn't even realize I was using any other voice but my own. I suppose the military has become such a big part of my life I carry some of the characteristics into my everyday life," he said hugging her body close to his. "When I do that without thinking remind me and I'll stop."

"I'll try, Albert," she told him, snuggling close to him now that she felt safe again. But at the back of her mind was the niggling doubt that he was much too deep in the military to really be safe.

Tom put his arms around Krystal and softly asked in her ear, "What did your father do to her that would set her off like that, Krystal?"

Krystal just shook her head and walked into the kitchen.

He followed her, "Krystal, a few minutes ago you asked me to trust you, now why won't you do the same? What is it that you are not telling me about your father?"

"I told you what kind of man he was like to live with and you didn't believe me," she pitched the dishrag in the sink.

"Darling! I'm sorry…I guess I just didn't realize how bad it was! Did he abuse the two of you?" he asked taking her in his arms and holding her tight.

"Yeah, he made life miserable to live in that house. Why do you think Kris ran away? Why I stayed, I have no idea. I left for college the minute Kris was gone. We should have packed up and left years before, but where would two young girls have gone? We'd never made it on the streets," laughed Krystal. "Anyway it's over and he's dead and gone."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Krystal!"

In the living room AJ was holding Krista's tense body. "Darlin', what do I have to do to prove to you that I love you and would never hurt you?"

"I wouldn't ask that of you, Albert, I'll learn to trust," she said and then muttered almost under her breath, "I hope."

"Darlin, I swear I'll never hurt you and I'll protect you with my life," AJ replied realizing he was
getting nowhere but wanting her to understand. She had been hurt and hurt badly but how and where?

"We should find Tom and Krystal, they'll think we're being rude, Albert." She didn't want to talk about this topic anymore!

"I made it just fine, I can take care of myself. I protected her from a lot but he was verbally abusive too," said Krystal turning her back to Tom and staring out the kitchen window.

"Darling, lets go back in and see if we can finish dinner, we can put it in the microwave to warm it up, see if we can salvage some of the evening?"

To be continued…