Free Be With Me by C.D. Taylor Page A

maybe I shouldn’t go.
I mean meeting your parents and all…that’s kind of heavy
Tyler.”
    “Relax, it’s not like I’m
introducing you to your future in laws here, it’s just dinner with
family and friends.”
    “Okay.” She smiled
meekly.
    This woman was an enigma
to Tyler; she was passionate, but so reserved in some aspects. He
still wasn’t sure what to make of her just yet.
    “Oh, I was thinking, if
you want to dig deeper into the thing about your father, maybe my
dad could lead us in the right direction. He has tons of
connections, and knows damn near everyone in the Tri
County.”
    “Yeah, that sounds good I
guess.”
    “So…are you ever going to
tell me what the deal is with your father?”
    “What do you mean
Tyler?”
    “Well obviously something
is going on, and every time you talk about him you clam
up.”
    “It’s not really something
I want to discuss, its…personal.”
    “Did he hurt you?” Tyler
asked straight out.
    Maggie let out a puff of
air, and he could see her eyes filling with unshed tears. Tyler
knew he hit a sensitive area with her and needed to tread lightly
or it would blow up in his face. He didn’t want to hurt her, and he
damn sure didn’t want anyone else to hurt her.
    “If I tell you Tyler, I
know you will walk out the door and never look back…”
    “Try me
Maggie.”
    “Fine. Yes my father hurt
me. He was a sadistic bastard, and he controlled my mother with an
iron fist. It all started as just that, he would not let my mom
work, and made sure she was always at home and at his beck and
call. I pretty much stayed to myself when I was a kid, I hid out in
my room reading books and doing things that kids do.” Maggie then
took on a more serious look.
    “When I turned twelve, my
father started…visiting me at night. He told me that’s what all
dads did with their daughters, and made me think it was okay for
him to be there. I didn’t tell anyone because I thought it was
right, I just didn’t know better.
    “It went on for years; he
would come in, touch me, and leave.”
    “When I turned sixteen,
things became more serious. I had a sweet sixteen party, and that
night my father came to my room and demanded more from me. He told
me I was his princess, that he wouldn’t let any other boy touch
me.”
    “He took everything from
me that night Tyler, and I hated myself and him ever since. When I
turned eighteen and graduated high school I got the hell
out.”
    “Didn’t you tell anyone?
Maybe your mom?” Tyler angrily asked.
    “That’s the thing, I did
tell my mom. She knew what was going on and she was so afraid of my
dad that she said nothing. She didn’t protect me.”
    “Fuck!” Tyler bit
out.
    He stood up and began to
pace the floor. This was just too much information to figure
out.
    “So why the hell are you
here? Why did she want you to come back to the place that was a
nightmare for you Maggie?”
    “I don’t know Tyler; I
hate this house and what it represents. I would rather bulldoze it
down than have to spend any time here.
    “I know you probably want
to go now, and I understand that. I’m sorry I’m so fucked
up…”
    “Don’t Maggie, this isn’t
your fault dammit it’s his. Don’t try to me a martyr. I’m not going
anywhere okay?”
    “Okay.” She
whispered.
    Tyler sat back down beside
her and wrapped her in his arms. The overwhelming need to protect
her was running through his veins, and he would not let her think
that what happened to her in the past was any way her
fault.
    She needed him, and he
would be there for as long as she would let him.

    Eighteen

    I couldn’t for the life of
me understand why I would spill the secrets of my past to Tyler.
Yes I was comfortable with him, but there were several people in my
life that had me on a comfort level. Richard and Hayley were two of
them but I never once poured my story to them, I just couldn’t. I
didn’t want people looking at me with sympathy, I was stronger than
that. Tyler