Crush Me

Twenty Nine

Wilson

The Louvre, and it's amazing glass pyramid. I hope we can forget about everything that's going on at Leanne's Mom's place. I understand why her mom is blaming herself. I want to blame her for being a stupid drunk too. But Mom's right. We have to give her a chance to fix her addiction and make things right. It sounds like she wants to. Question is, will she be able too. I wish Dad would get it together and stop with the binge drinking every time he comes home.

He spotted a tour bus unloading across the plaza. The kids piling out were breaking up into pairs and groups. Then he spotted Mrs. Eckleberry and headed across with Leanne.

"We'll stick together for the first while. I want to point out the different periods of architecture. The Louvre's original building was a Gothic castle built in the late 1100's. That's underground for the most part and where we're headed first. As it was expanded, different types building techniques developed, and various styles became popular. Let's go inside." She led them toward the center of the plaza and stopped when they faced the pyramid squarely.

"Take your pictures here. It's the famous identifying view of the Louvre you see all over the web when you search for images."

Wilson said, "Stop right there, Leanne. It's the perfect picture. You're hair has caught the sun, and you're glowing. That green is a great color on you." He pulled out his phone and clicked away. "I want to remember every second of this trip."

Leanne's half smile bloomed into a full laugh when she pointed at the pigeons strutting across the stones around them.

"Looks like they congregate anywhere, where people feed them. Reminds me of the scene in Mary Poppins."

"Love the songs in that musical," Wilson said.

"Me too."

Wilson saw Jo-Jo coming across the plaza.

"Leanne, watch out." He pointed and hit video at the same time. Leanne whirled just in time to keep Jo-Jo from slamming her face first into the pavement.

Her glasses flew and she hit the stone tiles sideways on her right hip. Wilson slipped his phone into a pocket and ran over to drag the furious bully off Leanne. He rolled her over to one side and grabbed Leanne's hand.

Turning to put himself between the girls, he listened to Jo-Jo's shouts.

"It was your bitch of a mother who turned mine in. You need to pay for it. You always needed to pay for it. Get up so I can wipe your ugly face off the planet." Jo-Jo came at Wilson with her fists raised. "Get out of the way. Or I'll take you out too."

A police officer sprinted across from where he was directing traffic. Pulling Jo-Jo's arm down behind her, he snapped a handcuff shut on her wrist as she struggled to get free.

"Stop it, it will get much worse for you." He spoke passable English.

"Help me get up. I don't think anything's broken," Leanne demanded. "Where are my glasses?"

"Four eyes. Blind too. Can't even see he's a faggot." Jo-Jo yanked the officer with her trying to get at her victim again.

"Stop. Resisting is making it worse."

Jo-Jo scowled and stood still. "You're hurting me." She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Wilson found Leanne's glasses and handed them to her. "Are they okay?"

She put them on pushing them up her nose and nodded. Reaching for her hand, he hauled her to her feet. "Can you put weight on that leg?"

"Yeah." Leanne took a few limping steps over to where the policeman finished cuffing Jo-Jo.