Come Away.

April's Shower

Rainy day was Marlowe's favorite, she could watch a scary movie at home and be cozy all she wanted to be. At school Steve was in the middle of his basketball practice, Marlowe had to wait since that was her ride home. Billy came over to Marlowe and started to flirt with her. Pushing Billy away, Steve jogged to be by Marlowe, check up on her. But she stormed off hearing Tommy laughing as he said. "Must be the time the month."

Billy sorta chuckled at that knowing that Steve was right behind them. Steve knew that two against one, wasn't a fair game. So he grabbed his stuff. Keeping things to himself. Marlowe had a cigarette in her mouth as Steve was heading to his car. "What the hell was all that about?"

"Just California, being California." She didn't want to get into it.

"I don't know why your always nice to him." Pointing at her cigarette. "Those things are going to kill ya."

"I know. I need to stop. Cause if I don't I can't have my surgery." Throwing it on the ground. Stomping on it so it wouldn't burn the grass even more.

"Yeah and we don't want that."

Billy had to go over to Granny's house to pick up his last paycheck. Steve had already dropped off Marlowe. Billy saw Marlowe heading up the stairs. They both stared at each other for a moment.

Granny was taking to Billy about another job she wanted him to do. But then heard kids screaming, it was their neighbor. Marlowe dashed down the stairs, flung open the door. And ran right to the kids.

All three were getting beaten by the mother, the father wasn't home. Marlowe couldn't bear to watch those kids get hurt. Running outside while it was raining like cats and dogs. Marlowe grabbed the three kids putting them in a line as Marlowe stood in front of the kids so they wouldn't get hurt. The mother was too drunk to care. Beating Marlowe over and over until, Billy and Buster came out. She'd fight them off one at a time but slowly got tired herself.

Children's clothing ripped, Marlowe's clothes barely ripped but you could see that she was bleeding from the blet that the kids mom had used. Bruises for all four of them.

While Buster and granny tended to the kids and called Hopper, Billy was left with Marlowe. "What the fuck were you thinking Mars?"

"I was thinking of the children. Thank you." Wrapping up the towel over her shoulders. "I didn't see you were going to do anything."

"You're right I wasn't, I'm not a hero Mar. Plus that isn't my family. I don't get into people's shit like that."

"Like you don't sleep with men's wives, right?" Marlowe didn't care about what Billy does. "No body is or was asking you to anything." Pointing to her door. "You can leave. Drive home safe or don't." Then heading to the bathroom. Shuts the door behind her. Hot steam came from the bathroom as Marlowe got into her shower. Ever inch of her body hurts.

Hopper came and stayed until he got Marlowe's side of the story and Billys. Billy cames down after Marlowe told him to leave. Granny stood up. "Is she okay?"

"She's taking a shower and will be right down." Billy didn't want to stay any longer than he needed to.

There was Steve playing with the kids. Making them feel like they were safe in this house. This made Billy want to leave more. More adults made him a little uncomfortable, he could t hit on Marlowe the way he wanted to or make her blush. It was enough for the day.

Billy made his statement, as Billy sees the kids mom taken away. He knows that feeling of watching a mother drive away. Might not ever come back. With empty promises. The dad came into the house soon as Billy got his keys out of his pocket. Kids came rushing to him hugging him.

Marlowe came down ten minutes. Billy headed outside to start up his car. Driving home, after cashing the check in and putting it in his little bank that he had on his desk for when he was ready to move out. Max and Susan along with his dad watching television in the living room. They already ate.

He didn't want to stay there, but where else could he go? Not Tommy's not some girl that he would hook up just for fun. Ugh. Back to Marlowe's he went, if she wouldn't mind.

Around seven he arrived. Everything had clam down. Granny was in town with Buster, Steve had already left. Meaning Marlowe was alone. Knocking on the door.

'Buster! I swear on your mother's life if you forgot something I'm kicking your ass!' Yelling from the living room all the way to the front door. As she got to the door, Marlowe opens it. Seeing Billy her attitude changed. Eyebrow rised up. "Everything alright?"

"Susan and Max are gone for the time being." Billy lied. "I didn't want to be alone. With him."

Marlowe sighed. "Get your ass in here before you catch a cold."

"I could say the same for you." Trying his best to make a joke. She wasn't laughing. "Too soon?"

"No. My brain is fried. All this studying. I'm in the middle of ordering pizza. Did you eat?" Billy shook his head no. "Great."

"I'm sorry about earlier." He wasn't.

"Why? I'm not. You are what you are. Be grateful that you except yourself the way that you are." Picking up the phone. "Sorry about that Ellie. With extra cheese with that please and that will be all." After Ellie gave her the total, Marlowe hung up. "Dinner should be here with an hour."

Billy took a seat on the couch, grandad wasn't in the living room. He was in his room sleeping infact. "Grandad?"

"His room taking a nap." Marlowe had a pillow to sit on cause of the beating.

"How are those kids?" Billy

"Okay I guess." Marlowe sighed. "I know the dad is pissed that his wife did the beating out in the public for the second time. And that she hit me as well. He's worried that I'll come after them." Tilting her head for a moment and moving it up right. "Which I won't."

"Why not? I mean the woman did beat the shit out of ya." Billy wasn't meaning to sound pissed, but he was.

"I'm thinking more about the kids than I am worried about the money. Or even getting back at them." Marlowe does understand where Billy is coming from. "Who do you have for math teacher again?"

"Nikcelson. Total bitch, but luckily her class is easy." Billy hated math class, even though he was passing her class with a A+.

"Ah yes, try having her for a PE teacher, making her understand that when a girl first starts her period for the first time and is very sacred, that maybe she should keep her opinions to herself." Mandy Nikcelson, around now 40 years old. And really doesn't care about anyone.

"Yikes."

The pizza came as they ate dinner as somewhat friends do.