wild star| ongoing

eleven

CHAPTER 11:
November 13th, 2015
• • •

From Grant's studio apartment, Brandy was awestruck by the stunning view of Manhattan. It was unlike anything she had seen before, especially since the apartment she shared with Keith had windows that faced brick walls. While still able to hear the lively sounds of city life from their cramped suite, the experience of watching expensive cars and yellow taxis drive by while counting pedestrians in their winter coats bustling back and forth on the sidewalk was unparalleled.

For a moment, she wondered if any of those faces belonged to Keith and whether he had been desperate enough to come looking for her. His calls and texts continued to flood her phone, and she worried that he would be able to trace her to Grant's place. He was a cop, after all. He had multiple resources at his disposal and could locate them in a heartbeat.

Now, though, she simply wanted to spend some time away from him and her family. She had left Keith for a reason, and though it was painful, it was also necessary. She needed time to figure out what her next steps would be, how she would provide for River and herself, and where she would go from here. For now, all she wanted was to spend some quality time with her son, away from the toxicity of her old life. 

River sat at the small kitchen table, sipping on his juice box and humming to himself as he scribbled with the blue crayon on the white paper Grant had given him. Brandy watched him fondly, marveling at his innocence and resilience despite the challenges they faced. She had to be strong for him, to provide him with the love and support he needed.

"He's a really sweet kid. Polite, too." 

She was drawn to the sound of Grant's footsteps as he emerged from the kitchen with two red mugs in hand. Her eyes were fixed on him as he approached, his tall, lean frame making the room seem smaller by comparison. Despite being a familiar stranger, she found herself feeling at ease in his presence. It was a sharp contrast to the way Keith's presence had always made her feel on edge. Grant's casual attire made him appear like a completely different person, yet his warm smile and the joy in his blue eyes remained unchanged. For once, Brandy felt seen, not as a broken mess, but as a human being deserving of kindness.

"I made you some coffee," he said, setting down the mug in his right hand on the glass coffee table. "Two sugars, no milk, no creamer. I remember from that day we went out to grab some at the café."

Brandy peeped at the dark liquid sloshing around in the mug. "You... remember?"

"Only because it's so different from how I have my coffee." Grant settled beside her, the grey couch cushions dipping with the addition of his weight. "I drink mine with lots of milk and sugar. I blame my sweet tooth."

"Thanks for the coffee and for remembering..." she lost her voice at the end of the sentence as her fingers wound around the mug, her cold hands growing warm.

"Anytime."

While she gingerly sipped her drink, he unabashedly gazed at her, undeterred by her occasional sideways glances.

"I want you to tell me about your son and why you were both alone on the street today." Grant's tone was gentle, yet his words held a firmness that made it clear that he expected an answer. "I'm assuming that your boyfriend is his father."

She didn't want to think about Keith. He was a dominating presence in her life, and even without him in the room, it felt like he was nearby, watching and waiting, listening to what she was going to say. "Yeah, Keith is his father."

Putting down the mug on the table, she began to pluck at the skin beside her nails, a habit her ex-boyfriend hated but that she could never stop doing, especially when faced with questions she couldn't answer. It was how he could figure out when she was lying. One look at her hands and her fingers and he could tell what the truth was. "We went to Long Island to visit my parents and I decided to head home before he did. My mom's sick, so he said he would stay behind to look after her for a few more days."