“Tell me. I can’t help you unless you do,” Fallon pleaded.

“He’s really rough with me. Like when we have sex, he hurts me and I tell him and he doesn’t listen. You would think I wouldn’t be so stupid to keep going back, but I do. I don’t know what to do.”

Fallon ran her hand up and down Audrey’s back as her temper rose. She swore as soon as she learned the douche’s name she was going to kill him, but right now she needed to take care of her baby sister. Audrey’s body shook with her sobs as Fallon held her close. She kissed Audrey’s temple before saying, “Audrey, you gotta let him go baby. This isn’t right. No man should call you names or hurt you.”

Audrey nodded her head, tears streaming down her face. “I know but he keeps calling me fatty, fat ass, and just fat stuff, but he does it with a grin and he acts like it’s a joke. I just don’t know. I don’t know if it’s something I’ve done or what? I haven’t gained any weight! I just don’t know.”

“Audrey,” Fallon said, still not believing what her baby sister was saying, “Honey, you are better than this. Don’t let this ass**le do this to you. Leave him.”

“I can’t. I love him,” she said, looking up at Fallon with her wide, tear-filled eyes.

“No,” Fallon said shaking her head. “You don’t deserve this.”

“I know but I just love him and I don’t want to leave him.”

Fallon continued to shake her head, anger growing inside her with each passing moment. “Then what can I do but find him and kill him. That seems to be the only way I can get you away from him!”

“No, that’s why I can’t ever tell you who he is and that’s why I haven’t told you,” Audrey cried.

“This is nuts,” Fallon said, still running her hand up and down Audrey’s back.

“I know! I just wished I was strong like you. You can stand up to anyone and you don’t care. I can’t.”

“Yes you can,” Fallon stressed. “You can do anything.”

“No. I obviously have an issue when it comes to men. I couldn’t stand up to Dad, I couldn’t stand up to that douche I dated back in the day, and now I can’t stand up to the guy I’m with now.”

“Who is also a douche, and what did you not stand up to Dad about?” Fallon asked, confused.

“Don’t worry about it,” Audrey said with a wave of her hand. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Audrey Jane, really? You are a part of my heart! I will always worry about you.”

“Don’t, worry about you and Lucas. Make yourself happy. Show me how I need to do it, because I’m obviously an idiot when it comes to love.”

“You are not. Baby, you gotta listen to me, you need to leave him,” Fallon stressed again. She had to get through to Audrey. She couldn’t have her sister being abused like that.

Audrey looked up at her and Fallon could see the pain in her eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Yes you do, you know I’m right.”

A quiet moment passed as they stood staring into each other’s eyes. Fallon reached over, wiping the flour off Audrey’s beautiful cheeks. How anyone could be mean to someone so beautiful was beyond Fallon. Yes, Audrey was a little plump but it worked on her. She didn’t need to be bone skinny to pick up men. Men loved her; she was funny, sweet, caring, loving and genuinely infectious. She was perfect!

Audrey nodded her head, tears still coursing down her cheeks. “I know, and I think that you are the most amazing person in the world. I look up to everything you do and I promise that I will work at letting him go.”

“Good, you need to Audrey. Look at you, you’re a mess,” Fallon said, moving her fingers up to Audrey’s cheeks to catch her tears.

“I know, and while I’m sitting here, bawling over a man that doesn’t love me, you have a man that loves you more than anything and you’re fightin’ it. Stop fightin’ it. Please Fallon, please, show me what I need to do. Show me what it’s like to love a good man, so I’ll leave this bad one.”

The tears came hot and fast down Fallon’s cheeks as she wrapped Audrey up in her arms. She kissed Audrey’s temple before nuzzling her nose into her hair. She wanted nothing but to fix all Audrey’s problems. She didn’t know if Audrey’s request would help her leave the ass**le that had a death wish, but she was going to try. Fallon had no problem loving Lucas with everything inside her and she would, as long as she didn’t think of the past. If he stayed true to his word, and he didn’t hurt her again, they could be together forever. Fallon had no doubt about that.

She also had no doubt that when she informed Lucas about the ass**le with a death wish, he would be just as enraged as she was.

Fallon was sitting in the chair by the island watching a calmer Audrey frost her cupcakes when she saw Lucas and Aiden coming down the stairs. Her eyes met Lucas’ first and he smiled confidently, causing her girlie parts to scream. She returned it before looking down at her little guy. The first thing she noticed was that he had been crying. Fallon looked up at Lucas quickly but he shook his head, putting his hand on Aiden’s shoulder when they stopped in front of her. Aiden looked up at Lucas with a nervous look on his face before Lucas squeezed his shoulder and Aiden looked back up at Fallon.

“I’m sorry Momma. I love you and I’ll never hate you. I promise.”