Ryan
I have no idea what is happening but it's happening. In that moment I felt so glad that I gave Willow my phone number to ring me if she is ever in any kind of trouble.
When she rang, I answered immediately, hearing her crying, the shouting in the background. Willow was sobbing. "Ryan, please come help. Mum is yelling and I think he is going to hurt her."
I had ran to my car, leaving the middle of an important meeting with Ashlyn and the funeral director, racing to Harper's.
Out the front was her car and that white pajero. I could hear the yelling as soon as I opened my car door and I ran to the door.
"You fucking bitch!" I heard a male voice roar then a huge slap noise as I slammed open the door.
I only took three steps in when I saw Harper on the floor, her face red on one side and Connor standing over her.
"Ryan!" Willow screamed and I saw her at the entrance of the room.
Connor turned to me, his face just as red as Harper's. She slapped him. Connor pointed a finger at me. "You stay out of this."
I looked back down at Harper and I felt pure rage come through me. "Did you hit her?"
"Get out off my house!" Connor raged at me.
Harper got up and went to Willow and whispered something to her. Willow went down the hall as Harper straightened up.
"Sure, Connor. We will go." She snapped, pulling down the hem of her shirt. "I'm fine." I took Harper's arm.
"Are you sure?"
Harper nodded and I saw the mark starting to swell a bit. I turned to Connor and took his shirt.
"What are you going to do, hey?" Connor sneered.
I really wanted to punch him in the face but instead, I pushed him away.
"Coward." Conner snickered.
"No. I'm respectful. I don't hit women and I don't hit anyone in front of women or children. I'm not the coward, you are." I snapped as Harper pulled me back.
"Don't bother, Ryan. He isn't worth it." Harper cried out, pulling me away more. "Willow, come on."
"No. You aren't going anywhere and neither is my daughter." Connor went to stomp up the hallway and Harper immediately went after him.
"Leave her alone! What the hell has gotten in to you? Stay away from Willow!" She screamed at him, punching him in the arm. I intervened again and was pushed into the wall.
Connor went to the room that Willow was in and I heard her sobbing as I helped Harper up.
"No, daddy! I don't want to stay. Don't make me stay!" She cried out as Connor dragged her out.
"Let her go you bastard! She is an innocent child!" Harper yelled at him.
"Mummy!" Came Willows shriek in her distress as Harper pushed me off her and barged at Connor.
I gawked at him, how aggressive he was. This wasn't normal behaviour. This was induced through something.
Harper was crying, now with Willow between her arms but between them and me was Connor.
Harper glared up at him, her eyes searching at him. "For goodness sake, Connor, your flipping high! What is it now? Ice, speed?"
So drugs played a huge factor in this.
"Its an ice rage." I told her. Connor was breathing heavily, panting. His chest heaving in and out.
He had his back to me, looking at the two females I've come to care about immensely.
"Harper, Willow." Connor said softly. "I'm so sorry." He muttered, collapsing on to the ground.
Harper took the chance to get Willow across to me as she clung to me tightly.
"Harper." I whispered, making her look up to me from her ex. She stepped closer to me, glaring at Connor.
"You bastard." She snapped at him, taking my waiting hand.
I pulled her to me, holding her tightly and kissed her head. "Get in the car. We are going." I ordered.
Willow did exactly as she was told, but I had to half drag Harper out.
The ride was silent and when we got back to mine, Harper made Willow a hot chocolate before finding me in my room.
I was pacing the floor, raging about what happened.
"Hey," Harper called to me softly. I turned to her and went to hold her when I saw the coffee mugs in her hands.
Harper placed them down on the bedside table and instantly held me. I heard her cry, big sobs escaping her.
"I was so scared, Ryan. For Willow and myself. He usually gets high, but he has never done that before. I'm so sorry."
I lifted Harper's face, wiping away the tears. "It's not your fault." I told her, looking at the mark on her cheek. It looked like it was slowly going away.
"He has never done that before." Harper said softly. "He has never begged, nor raised his voice like that. He has never hit me either. Until now." Harper rubbed her sore cheek. "I've never seen him like that."
"Harper, calm down, okay. You and Willow are staying here tonight and under no circumstances are you going back till after the funeral tomorrow."
Harper nodded, sniffling.
"Thank you, Ryan." She managed to stutter out, burying her head into my chest.
I ran a hand through her loose hair and kissed her head.
"How about I send Ash and Trent out for dinner and we can relax here, Willow can hog the couch, the tv, we can do what ever you want." I offered.
Harper gave me a watery smile and nodded. "Sure."
"And what would you like for dinner?"
Harper's smile got wider. "Pizza?"
I gave her a soft kiss. "Absolutely."
*
Harper
Ryan drove me home after the funeral. Willow stayed with Ashlyn and we had two hours before Ashlyn left with Trent.
I had dread fill me as I nervously opened my door. Everything looked the same as it did last time I was here and I sighed in relief. Thank goodness.
The place wasn't too messy and I saw the letters on the table, untouched.
I went over and ripped them open. Power bill, bank statement and a letter from the real estate. I scanned over it, seeing my lease is about to run up and they weren't offering a new one.
"Great. I'm gonna be homeless." I whispered so Ryan didn't hear me.
I felt relieved that everything was where it was meant to be.
"Thanks, Ryan." I said again and he walked up to me, crashing his lips on to mine.
"Stop saying that, Harper." He insisted. "Just stop it."
"But I'm grateful."
"I don't care. I've told you, you could ask for anything and it won't be much at all." Ryan took my hands and led me to the couch, insisting I sit with him.
"How about this? Move in with me?"
I froze at the words. "Huh?"
"Move in with me. I really like you, Harper. I want us to move in together. I adore you and Willow. I don't know how I'll handle not having you around."
"Move in together? Aren't you moving a bit fast, Ryan?"
"Me?" He grinned. "I asked you out to dinner and ten minutes later you were the one telling me to strip."
"But... living together. Full time. I don't know, Ryan. I really don't. Willow adores you. You were the person she called when she needed someone the most. She trusts you and I do too, but can't we just see how this goes? Without living together?" I asked him softly and I saw the rejection in his eyes, making me feel guilty. "I really like you too, Ryan. But I don't want to rush into this and then we find out we aren't compatible. It would tear me and Willow. I have to think about her too."
"I know. I just thought that Willow wouldn't want to come back here."
I sighed. She doesn't. She doesn't want to see her father either. He has scared her and now that I know he is on heavy drugs, Willow won't be going near him at all.
"I'm actually thinking of moving back home, Ryan."
Ryan frowned. "That's three hours away."
I nodded. "I know. Apart from you, I have nothing down here. All my friends and family are back home and what happens if we don't make it?"
Ryan sat back on the couch. "Three hours away."
"That it is. I don't know. I don't know what to do. I really like it here but I'm lonely. I really like you and I want to see what becomes of us, but you are all that anchors me."
We both sat in silence, not knowing what to say.
"There will always be long weekends, school holidays..." I continued, not sure if Ryan was listening so I placed a hand on his leg. "I need to take a few steps back, Ryan, reassess my life. I got out off a marriage into this relationship and in a way, I'm really kicking myself because you make me laugh and blush and smile. You make me feel things I have forgotten I could feel because it has been so long where anyone pays any attention to me."
I could feel the waterworks threatening but I wouldn't have it. "So what I'm asking is, can you give me six months? For me to clear my head, sort out my divorce, get back on my feet?"
Ryan took my hand and kissed it, making me smile. "I will give you all the time in the world if you ask for it."
I smiled, trying not to cry. Instead, I kissed Ryan, sitting on top of his lap, moulding our lips together.
I didn't want to lose Ryan and I hope I don't, I just wish things were a bit more simpler.
The feelings I've started to develop for Ryan are more than the mutual likes. I really feel something for him and it could possibly be that awful but romantic L word.
Ryan
After coming back from Harper's, I went and sought out Willow. We said goodbye to Ashlyn and Trent then the house was just us three again.
Harper peeked at me and I grinned at her, making her blush, looking away. "I'm just gonna sort out Willows clothes before I go." She muttered, looking flushed as she ran up the stairs.
Harper always looks gorgeous when she has that after sex glow. Grinning, I turned to Willow, bending down.
"Hey, Willow?"
"Yeah, Ryan?" She looked up at me with big eyes.
"Remember what we spoke about in the car the other day, coming back from camping?"
Willow thought about it for a second. "That you really like my mummy?"
"Yeah, that one, honey." I've called Willow honey for a while now, but not around Harper because I'm not sure how she'll take it. "I need you to do something for me. Can you keep a secret?"
Willow grinned, her eyes wide.
"But you can't tell mummy. Not for a few weeks, okay?"
Willow nodded. "Okay." I leaned down and started whispering in her ear.