Page 54 of Hiding In the Dark (The Righteous 4)
“I’ve lost, Zumi. I’ve endured unimaginable pain, and I’ve definitely felt the soul-crushing weight of being useless more times than I can count.” He let the sweater fall back into place. “It’s not the physical body that matters. Your first lesson must be to understand that your strength to overcome has to start here,” he tapped the side of his head. “And here,” he moved his finger over his heart. “We all have crap. Every person walking past you on the street has had to deal with some form of crap in their life. What you’re failing to see is that you’ve already proven you have what it takes to grab this life by the ball sack and drag the fucker around.” Reaching out, he softly tapped her between the eyes. “You need to stay strong here, or what I’m showing you won’t matter. Your size at first glance is a disadvantage, but it can be turned into an advantage if you let it. Do you understand?”
Her chin lifted and her water bottle crinkled as she gripped it tight. “I think I do. You’re saying that you can show me how to turn my itty-bitty size into a lethal weapon of death.” She smiled as she teased him. “But, I need to stop being a pouty brat if I’m going to learn anything.”
Kes laughed hard and smiled wide. “I really like you, Kid.” Zumi blushed and looked down, a grin finally breaking her features. “So why do they want to see you next week?”
“I don’t know. I got the message and called back saying my mom was busy, so they told me to be at the hospital with my mom by ten in the morning next Tuesday.” She rubbed over her heart. “I think it’s something bad.” Her bottom lip trembled as she stared up at him like she hoped he had the answers.
He really fucking wished he could tell her something comforting, be the hope she needed. The problem was, he had no idea what her condition was, so he couldn’t offer false hope.
“New rule.”
“You have a lot of rules.”
He smirked as he tried not to laugh. “It is what it is. Do you want to know it or not?”
“Fine, give it to me.” She shook out her hair and straightened her shoulders like a small soldier, and he realized that over their time together, he’d slowly started to see her as real family. She wasn’t biologically or legally, but some of the best family he’d ever known wasn’t related to him by blood, and she was no different.
“Don’t worry about things you don’t know. This appointment could be anything from a routine check-up to the worst-case scenario or anything in between. Until you have answers, don’t panic. That goes for any situation you find yourself in. Think shit through. That is what will save your life.”
“Alright, that’s kind of a good rule,” Zumi said with the best deadpan expression he’d ever seen.
“See, this is why I keep you around, for the entertainment.” He grinned wide, and she followed suit. “So, look, this is what’s going to happen. I will take you to your doctor’s appointment next week. See, one problem already solved. Now get back into position. We have more work to do. If they’re going to tell you you’re dying, you might as well go out fighting.”
“Ha, ha, so funny.” Zumi crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head in a perfect disapproving look. “What are you going to tell them when they ask who you are to me?”
“Take your pick. I can be your hot uncle, your savvy older brother, or how about your long-lost cousin Leopold that was just found wandering the Amazon Jungle?”
Zumi snickered. “Please don’t say that.”
“What’s wrong with Cousin Leopold? Is he a jerk? I’ll kick his ass if he’s a jerk.”
She tried hard not to laugh but failed. Her giggle was infectious as she shook her head at him. “There is something wrong with you, Kes, like really wrong.”
“Kid, I’ve been trying to tell you that for years,” he said as he dropped his water bottle to the sand. “But there must be something equally wrong with you, ‘cause you keep coming back for more.”
Zumi copied his actions and moved into position, her face turning up to his. “Thanks, you know, for everything.”
“Don’t thank Cousin Leopold yet. Knowing him the way I do, it’s very likely he’ll embarrass you at the doctor’s.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“If you get that knee kick in on me that I showed you, even once, before we’re done, then I will be on my best behavior, but if not? What can I say? Yo cuz really likes to go on bout his time in the jungle and how he picked up strange warts on his ass and a green fuzz between his toes.” Her mouth dropped open in horror, making him roar in laughter.
“I’m getting that kick in. Let’s go.”
* * *
It was dark by the time they finished, but Zumi had gotten the knee kick down. The slight limp he was now sporting was proof of that. He’d grabbed them both crab rolls and ice cream from one of the little shops along the beach and made sure she got back to the tent to sleep off her exhaustion before heading out to find Ashley at the church. She’d said she wanted to help over the holidays and make sure everyone felt cared for and had everything they needed.
He was really looking forward to having her to himself, and what could he say? He really wanted to get her naked again. The day they’d decorated Ashley’s house, he’d taken Zumi back to the encampment after they all scarfed down the apple pie. It had turned more into an apple crumble, but it was surprisingly tasty. He’d been tempted to rush back and crawl into bed with her, but she’d seemed worn out when they left.
His lips curled up, and his stomach got all fluttery as he thought about getting her home and into the shower. He rounded the corner of the church just as a small scream yanked him out of his thoughts. His eyes flicked to the scene at the bus stop, and an uncontrollable rage coiled in his system like a living dragon roaring to life.
Kes marched across the lawn toward the backs of the two men that were looming over Ashley as she sat on her ass. The one guy was going through her purse and dumping the contents onto the ground.
One glance at her terrified face and he was ready for murder. He ran the final few strides, and using the momentum, he jumped and snapped his leg out in a vicious flying sidekick. His boot was squarely aimed at the man on the right’s center mass. The blow caught him perfectly in the middle of his back and sent him forward with such force he crashed through the glass wall of the bus stop. Ashley screamed and covered her head as little pieces exploded and rained down on her.
The burning fire in his belly didn’t ease. If anything, it only amped higher as the second man spun around to see where the attack was coming from. Kes stepped on the end of Ashley’s discarded cane. The thing stood up straight so he could grab it.
