RED: Welcome To Fayetteville | Complete ✔️

Chapter 20: The Gun

"Thank you," Natalie told the nurse as she washed her hands. The water pressure made some splash out of the silver sink. "I know I'm going to be okay. He's scary, but I mean, I'm fine."

The nurse turned to Natalie's step-dad, "do what you can to keep her away from that guy. I'm not a cop, but I have children of my own. Protect her." Even though Genni's body being found wasn't out to the public yet, she was on everyone's mind.

"Thank you, ma'am. She'll be fine." Natalie's step-dad was always there for her. He shook the nurse's hand and started for the door. Natalie hopped off the examining table and joined him.

***

Robert wrapped his coat around Natalie on their way to the truck. He let his arms covered in tattoos show; Jesus's name and crosses danced on his arms in ink. He was unashamed of his faith.

The glowing red lights on the hospital created a red spotlight over the dark parking lot. Their shadows moved with them in the night. They opened the doors and talked as he drove her home.

"He hit you?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the road.

"He threw me. Off the freaking porch, too. He was on top of me, and I thought I was going to die," Natalie was holding back her tears. "Are we pressing charges?"

Robert assumed Derrick was already in a holding cell at the jail. He would know... he'd been there before. "It's up to you, Nat."

"I don't want him to go to jail forever. I want a restraining order or something. But, he doesn't need to go to jail. Not yet."

Robert looked over to Natalie as he slowed at the red light. "Do you still love him?"

"No," she whispered. Letting the red light bounce off the tear on her cheek. She sniffed, then looked out the window.

"I want you to be able to defend yourself, Nat. We'll do whatever we have to. I know it's a long drive out to our place, but--"

Natalie interrupted, "Where's Mom?"

"She should be on her way home now. Her phone died earlier today so we couldn't get in touch."

"I just really want to see her," Natalie put her head in her hands.

As they finally pulled into their driveway twenty minutes later, Robert opened the glove box in front of Natalie.

"You don't have a permit yet, but we can work on that. I think you need this." He grabbed something in the shadows of the glove box. He pulled it out and turned on the overhead light in the car. "Here. I trust you, and you know what's appropriate with this."

He placed a heavy, black pistol on Natalie's lap. She picked it up like a pro... because she'd used one before.

***If you liked this chapter, hit the star to vote. Thank you for reading! A new chapter is coming in 2 days. What do you think will happen with the gun?