Chapter 2

She said, "Eric picked the lock to my bedroom this morning. I screamed as loud as I could and he ran back to mom's room. What can I do, Chad?"

I said, "We're going to my house. You need to talk to my mom right now."

She was still upset but took my hand in one of hers. She wiped her eyes with the other. We pulled up at my house and I parked to the side like always. We went inside as mom was at the kitchen table reading my note and drinking her coffee.

I said, "Mom, you and Britt need to talk."

"Sure, Son. Brittany, it's good to see you. You've been crying. Is it anything Chad has or has not done?" She shook her head. "Do you want Chad to stay?" She nodded. "I see. Both of you sit down. Chad, give her your handkerchief.

"Now, Brittany, tell me about it."

Britt held my hand tightly and took a deep breath. "Missus Arnold, I've been locking my bedroom door for about a year now since Amelia has been having her guys stay overnight. Lately, Eric has been looking at me funny. I've been staying with Chad a lot. I like that but also to stay away from Eric. He scares me. I said something to Amelia but she told me to ignore it, that he wouldn't do anything.

"This morning, I woke up and he had picked the lock to my bedroom and was inside my room naked. I began to scream as loud as I could. He ran. Amelia came in and shouted at me for having locked the door and leading him on! I told her that I don't like Eric and that I'm in love with Chad." She blushed. I grinned. My mom gave a grim smile. "I had started dressing as soon as he left and I ran out of the house. I was going to call Chad when he texted me. I can't go back!

"Missus Arnold, she was drunk last night and we heard her tell Eric that she was messy from sex with two other men. I'm scared. I don't want to have sex with her friends or Eric." She began to cry again. Mom swept her into her arms and held her while she cried whispering, "It will be okay. Chad cares about you and so do I. Nothing bad will happen to you." Her crying slowed and Mom handed her to me. "I need to speak to your father." She stood and Britt's phone rang.

Britt looked at it and said, "It's Amelia, my mother!"

Mom said, "Give me the phone. I will handle it." Britt handed the phone to my mother who accepted the call and said, "Hello, Amelia. This is Lois Arnold." She listened. "Brittany is right here and quite safe." Another pause. "Amelia, you may come. Leave your boy friend at home. He isn't welcome here." She paused again. "No. I'm not interested in hearing his lies. I can see the truth on your daughter's face." Another pause, then Mom said, "Don't make threats you can't fulfill, Amelia. I will hold onto this phone. Good bye."

She pressed the "end" button and slid the phone in a pocket of her jeans. She took her cell phone from another pocket and pressed a speed dial number. After a second, she said, "Charles, this is Lois. I need your support at the house immediately." There was a pause. "They and I are okay. Move it. If Mitch is there, bring him with you. Now." She ended that call.

"Chad, take Brittany to your sister's room. She will go in there and lock the door until you, your dad, or I tell her it's okay." Britt and I nodded. "When you come back downstairs, bring a baseball bat."

"Yes, Ma'am." Britt and I headed upstairs. At the door, Britt said, "Be careful, Chad. Eric can be mean."

"It will be okay. Do what Mom says." We kissed and hugged. I grabbed an older bat from my room and went downstairs.

Once I was in the kitchen, Mom said, "Until your dad gets here and says differently, you stay inside no matter what happens. Right now, you are Brittany's last line of defense."

She pulled out Britt's phone and looked at the contact list and made a call. "Mark, this is Lois Arnold, Chad's mother. I think it's important you come over here alone as soon as you can." She paused. "Half an hour will do. See you then."

She said, "Now, we wait." We waited. I wondered if dad would get here before Britt's mother. Also, if Eric would come with her though I was sure that's why I had a baseball bat.

We had gone into the living room. Mom said, "You don't talk, just listen." I nodded.

I heard a car screech its brakes when it pulled up in front of our house. I looked out the window. I said, "It's Amelia and Eric."

Mother was composed. She said, "Remember what I told you. If I want you to do something, I will tell you. No one goes up those stairs though unless your father or I approve it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

There was pounding on the door. Mom went to the door and opened it. "Eric, you are not welcome. Go out to the car and stay there."

"I'm going to drag that little slut back and you can't stop me!"

He pushed by her and started for the stairs. I stepped up and swung hard for his middle. One of his arms was in the way. It didn't slow the bat but the arm broke. Eric went down. Dad's car came up our drive fast with another car behind it.

He and another man ran to the front door. Eric had caught his breath and shouted, "As soon as I beat some sense into that little slut, I will take care of you, you little bastard!"

Everything stopped when we all heard the sound of a pistol being cocked. A deep voice said, "Don't move! You are under arrest for assault. You are also making threats. That's an automatic felony."

Eric wasn't very sharp. "He hit me with that bat. He broke my arm!"

"Were you invited in?" The man asked. I could see now it was Mitch, one of Dad's golfing buddies.

"No. That broad tried to stop me. I would have gotten that little slut out of here if he hadn't hit me. I still will!"

"I will add 'Breaking and Entering' and 'Criminal Trespass' to the list of charges. Good job of protecting your home, Chad. Is the person he refers to as 'little slut' a minor under the age of eighteen?"