Back Talking & BackHanding

Knew Find-Outs

Sean POV

"Ya know, I could use some help. And I'm sure you're gonna be goin' to that there town there pretty often." Rick started. I listened. I had a feeling I knew what he was getting at. "I'll make ya'a deal. I'll pay you to work for me, and rent you a place you can stay at in the town when you come. Sound good?" He asked. "Okay, I like money so sure." Rick chuckled.
"Well besides our dad's opinions that's one thin we have in common." We both laughed.

I walked down through the road that Rick rides his wagon on and entered the gates. Benny, one of the dogs, ran up to me barking and wagging his tails. Not really liking when he did that, I did a quick pat on his head and found my way to the front porch. Marcus, the lazier and much meaner dog, was laying their sleep. I knocked on the door and he sat up with a growl.

When he noticed it was only me, he laid back down and went back to sleep. I walked into the cabin when I heard Rick invite me inside. He was in the kitchen and it looked like he was making eggs. "Howdy Cowboy," he greeted me with a smile. "Good morning." I said. Rick was in jeans and he didn't have a shirt on. His hair was wet and I assumed he'd just taken a shower.

"Hungry?" He asked. I nodded and said, "A little." Rick gave me a plate of eggs and bacon and when he finished making his plate he joined me at the table.

"So how's your...partner?" I knew he was going to say friend. That's why he paused. I heard the 'fr' about to come out of his mouth but he stopped and changed his words. The reason I had a problem with that word was because she wasn't my friend. I didn't want her to be. I wanted her to be my lover.

"Was she hurt or anything? I forgot to ask. " He asked. I shook my head. "No, she was fine." I say. The thought of Ari made my stomach hurt. Why did I do that to her, I kept asking myself throughout the conversation about her.

"Was?" Rick asked looking at me over the side of his mug as he took a sip of the coffee he made out of some cocoa he'd purchased on the way to his house. He offered me some but I didn't like coffee. "No thanks," I said. "Yea," I rubbed the back of my neck. "Was..." I said. "What happened?" Rick asked. I swallowed, looking away from him. "Did you hurt her?" He asked placing his mug down.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked looking up at him. How did he know? Most people would ask a different question. Any question but that. "Did you hurt her?" He repeated himself. I sighed and nodded. "What did you do?" So I told him what I did. He wasn't like my dad, though. He wasn't like my dad. He didn't give me a hateful look.

Instead, he sucked his teeth and was quiet for a second. "Ya know what," he asked. I knew then that he was going to kick me out. "I had the same problem." Wait, what? "You...what?" I asked. "I use to hit girls." I raised my eyebrow. He looked mean but not that kind of mean. "Really?" I asked. "Yea...when it got bad enough I told my dad about it. And he gave me this..."
"Disappointed, ashamed look..." we said at the same time. Then we looked at each other and shifted in our seats. "After I told him that I broke up with my girlfriend because I was abusing her he just...wouldn't..."
"Talk to me. Or look at me the same." I finished for him and he nodded.

"I use to be able to tell my dad everything but after he found out that I hit girls...he just...." I shook my head.
"It's like he didn't love me the same." That time, Rick finished for me. "Yea," I said. "Well I wanna tell you it'll be okay but I can't. I'm gonna tell you what happened with me." Rick said.

"She was my best friend and then I asked her to be my girlfriend. I was so in love with her but then she started acting different and it just hurt me so much when I found out she cheated on me with one of my best buds. So I started to be mean verbally, that lead to physically. And it got so bad that I just couldn't stand to see her in so much pain anymore so I broke up with her. Then I told my dad." Rick said.

"It might be the same with you, Sean. What you did o her was bad but come one. We both know that guys like us can do way worse then that. A lot worse. And you just might do a lot worse to her. You might get to the point where you just can't even stand to see her that way anymore. But I wanna make sure you don't turn out like I did. So if you ever feel like hitting her, or after you hit her if you really can't control yourself, then, just come to me. Okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "Thanks, Rick. It's good to know I have someone to talk to." Rick smiled. "Anytime." When we finished breakfast, which was amazing, we went out back to the barn. "Ready to work?" Rick asked me. "Ready to get paid." I said and we both smiled. His smile reminded me of something but I couldn't put my finger on what, just yet.