When Hate Turns to Love

Ch. 38

Mentions of abuse!!!
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"You were on the news again." Nini said when they arrived back at the apartment.

The kids were in their rooms playing with the souvenirs Ricky got them.

"What now?" he sighed.

"It was about woman leaving your hotel room." she said, pulling things out of the fridge to make lunch.

"A stalker." he responded, "She was so delusional. Somehow she got backstage and found out my hotel room number. She thinks we are going to get married. You know it's only you, right?"

She smiled at him over her shoulder, busy at the counter.

"I know Ricky." she said.

He let out sigh of relief. Nini set down the knife she'd been using and approached him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his own arms wrapping around her waist seemingly by their own accord. She looked into his eyes.

"I love you." she said definitively, "And I know you love me too. I know you love my children and they love you. I trust you. You were the one who helped me trust again, so naturally, it should be given to you."

He closed his eyes, his forehead meeting hers, and sighed.

"How'd I get so lucky?" he asked.

Nini giggled and pecked him on the lips. She turned back to her earlier task.

"What do you want?" she asked, "Turkey or ham?"

"Turkey please." he said.

"Can you find out what the kids want?" she asked.

"Sure."

He knocked on the twins' door.

"Come in!" Charlotte yelled.

He smiled when he saw them playing with their gifts. He had found some Outback toy figurines for Connor and a koala stuffed animal for Charlotte, who was currently trying to stuff it into one of her doll dresses.

"Hey kids, your mom wants to know if you want turkey or ham on your sandwiches." he said.

"Ham." they both chorused.

"Are you eating here too?" Connor asked hopefully.

"You bet kiddo." he said.

Connor's grin made Ricky smile.

"Can I play?" he asked Connor.

Connor nodded and Ricky joined him on the floor.

"Oh, wait. HAM!" he shouted.

Out in the kitchen, Nini rolled her eyes.

LINE BREAK

Brookelynn Caswell was struggling to keep the mask she thought she had perfected in place. Seeing her parents like that had just shaken her up. She had tried to forget about them, EJ had all but ordered her to. He wasn't what he was before they got married. She had met him at her friend's party a month after she turned 18. He was charming, sweet, and funny. They had this whirlwind romance that she felt like came out of a romance novel. It didn't feel wrong to marry him two months later.

But not even two weeks after they got married, she saw a different side of him. He was moody, volatile, shouted at her over the smallest things. She argued with him, fought back. That was until he hit her for the first time. She was stunned. After that he had all sorts of rules for her. What she could or couldn't say, where she could or couldn't go, she had to look perfect, and he basically locked her into the house, letting her out occasionally for appearances sake.