Lynn and Leif Forevermore Ch. 38

Lynne put her arms around her neck.

"Leif being with you, and our wedding that is soon to come, is the happiest time of my life. His shit doesn't matter to me. Not really. He's just so mean...it's just...now I know why, all these years I wondered why he acted like he hated me, and my mother sometimes, and now I get it. I thought it was because family burdened him down so he couldn't do more in the church. But I was so wrong," she added softly.

Lynne was still shell shocked.

She was surprised to feel Leif put his hands under her calf and lift her in the air. He cared for her and pampered her so much. She couldn't believe that her father had the nerve to insinuate that Martin the rapist would be a better match than sweet and tender Leif, her husband to be who would carry her to the car when he felt that she was too emotionally exhausted to walk down the path.

And her father hadn't believed her, about the rape, even though she'd told her father, the ugly truth.

"I need to keep practicing this anyway, to carry you over the threshold. It's alright. You've been through so much. My pleasure to tuck you away, safe in the seat, and get you on home," said Leif.

He unlocked the door of the van with the remote, and swung it open, and placed her gently on the seat.

***

Leif was grieved at what had happened. He'd prevailed on Lynne when they were constantly buzzing her phone, to answer that phone and face up to them regarding their threats to excommunicate her.

But now that she had faced them, and he saw how horribly she'd been treated, he was sorry he encouraged her to go to their home. The way her father had thrown her invitation. The cold, terse way her mother had reacted when Lynne suggested her father owed her an apology for his rudeness towards Leif.

And who knew what he'd said to her in that room alone. Lynne hardly said a word as Leif drove silently through the residential neighborhoods that led from their home, and out back onto the freeway.

"I'm not a liar," she kept repeating softly.

Whatever happened in there was so scarring emotionally that she just repeated herself like a small girl, saying the same broken phrase over and over. He feared that the visit would cause her an emotional setback, and was sorry to see that his fears were coming through. She'd held up like a trooper, stood up to her father in many ways that made him proud of her. But it was emotionally trying, and he'd abused her mentally in some way when they were in that room alone. Leif was just trying to figure out what was gong on. Drawing her out, with patience and love. It was a skill that he learned very well since becoming her man.

"Darling, I know you're not a liar. You want to talk to your man about what is going on? How can I help sweetness," he added. He put his fingers gently in her hair.

Her hair was so soft, and she was so beautiful and delicate, he couldn't understand how anyone could hurt her, especially her father. Seemed like she'd be the apple of his eye. Well even if she wasn't, she was the apple of Leif's eye, and had stolen his heart when he first saw her singing on that stage. He'd always care for her gently, and with love!

Leif reached in the glove box, and handed her a tissue. He wanted to wipe her face desperately and help her get herself together but he needed to drive.

Instead he patted her hand, because it was safer and took less attention off the road.

"I....you always help Leif. Because you listen. See my father's problem is that he never listens. I mean, even when I was a child, he rarely listened. Never doing anything I really wanted to do. I know how to play pool, and can charm the cards away from a door keeper in Las Vegas. That's because those were things that he wanted to do, and things he did when he ran the streets before he was saved, not activities a child wanted to do. But yet, I became a master at that shit, because I wanted his attention, and his love. But he never listened to what I wanted to do. And all I wanted to do, just one morning was just ride the Ferry and get a hot chocolate, like one of my classmates used to do on Saturdays with her family. Just once. And he never took me on that ferry. He told me I was lying, if it was too cold, they wouldn't run that Ferry. But Jennifer told me she went on that ferry. I wasn't lying about that Ferry. I just wanted one morning away from that damn religious canvassing," said Lynne.

"I...I believe you about the ferry Lynney," said Leif.

He turned around and took the next exit on the freeway, going in the opposite direction.

"Baby, what are you doing? You're going back toward Mom and Dad's now. I don't want to go back there. I want to go home," said Lynne.

"I'm never taking you back there. I....I know that the Ferry runs year round. Sounds like he was lying to you, because he'd rather you be out saving souls. And if riding the ferry, and a nice hot chocolate is what you want, and it was something you never could have because no one ever listened, well, I'm gonna be your husband in about a month. I'm the dream catcher Lynney. These things that you've always wanted, I like to know them all, no matter how big, or small, so that they don't have to be dreams anymore. I want you to have everything you want now, and I want you to have all the things you missed before I ever even knew you, when you were just a wee little Lynney," said Leif.

His voice was husky with emotion. If she wanted to ride the ferry all night and have cocoa until her stomach was sick it was quite alright with him. Such a simple wish, and he wanted Lynne to understand, he would always listen to her. Wanting such simple things, and the pleasure she reveled in when they were granted made her even more loveable. And, Leif also had an inkling that this desire for a Ferry Ride and cocoa was about a hell of a lot more than just the realization of a wish denied when she was a small girl. It was about receiving attention, and kindness, and being allowed to play, and he was learning more and more that in their quest for Lynne to have perfect grades, and be a perfect little church girl, she didn't get to do a lot of playing, at all! He wanted to make up for all those times. Grown woman or not, he didn't give a shit! It was her time to play and have fun now.

"Leif I love you so much. Because you always listen! And you always believed me. And always right there. Even in the beginning when I was shitty to you, and about that mouse. No one would help me, not even Daddy but you were right there. And...and when I told you...about why I was scared of sex...and how...and how I was raped, and you believed me. You believed me, and you hadn't known me for a long time then, I was just a woman you cared for and was interested in dating, but you didn't know me then, like you know me now, and you believed me without question," she added sniffling.

Of course he believed her! Lynne was sweet and sincere, and he knew she'd never lie about being raped.

"Of course I believed you darlin'. Of course I did. Why would a woman make that up. And you were so broken up about it. Hell you were even scared when things heated up when we were kissing. I believed it then, I believe it now," he added and he kissed her hand.

"I wouldn't, I wouldn't make up lies. I know I hid things when I was a teen and a young adult and lived in my parents house, but that was only so I could have a life. I did drink and smoke some with my girlfriends, but I just wanted to be normal when I wasn't with my parents. But I'd never lie about Martin raping me! How could he say that? And the only reason I told it was because I wanted my father to know, things are not what they seem and he shouldn't be judging the love that you and I share on our outward appearances. He called you some stupid, ugly things and I wanted him to know you are not those things, and you are a very well mannered and sweet man. You saved me Leif. I was terrified of men, when I wasn't on stage, until you taught me how sweet and gentle men could be, inside and outside of the bedroom!" said Lynne.

Leif's insides quaked with anger. Sure, he might be gentle, Lynne was right, but when pushed, and where Lynne's emotional well-being was harmed, he was not at all gentle. And now that he knew that her father had called her a Liar when she'd revealed painful, and personal information, Leif had lost the will to be so mild mannered and patient. He impulsively started switching lanes and speeding back in the direction towards her parents house.

"Baby, what are you doing...I don't want to go back there!" shouted Lynne.

"Calm down sweetheart. We're going back there one last time. He owes you an apology. Nobody calls my baby girl a liar. Nobody. Daddy or not. I know you didn't lie about that rape. You'd never do that, but I've never believed a woman more than I believed you when you sat in my lap and cried like a baby, telling me you were scared of men because your boyfriend raped you! I'm angry at him, that he'd take the word of somebody in his church over his own daughter. Oh hell Lynne, you were scared when we were kissing and I'd get a hard on when we first met! You're a sweet, good girl, and you didn't deserve to have such an abusive introduction into sex, and on top of that, be insulted by your father calling you a liar. I demand he treat you with dignity and respect now. You might be his daughter, but you're gonna be my wife. And no one disrespects my wife!" said Leif.

"Baby, don't drive so crazy! I know you're upset but calm down," said Lynne as he narrowly skidded past several cars and swerved onto the exit for her parent's neighborhood amongst a bunch of horns.

"I can't calm down! Calm down! You're my little girl now, not his any longer, he's forfeited the job! He hurt your feelings! I'm sorry I drove so poorly to make this exit, but I thought I was taking you to the ferry. I still am, but dear old dad and I, we need to have a conversation first. And after we have that conversation, he's going to apologize to you baby. And after that, I'll take you back to the ferry, and you can get your cocoa," he added patting her knee.

He had to focus on the ferry, and cocoa, and giving his sweet woman her childhood wish for fun, as it kept the anger from pounding so severely in his temples and the back of his neck. He knew his blood pressure was getting high, and he was trying to focus on being calm so he wouldn't be ready to pound the door down with his fist when he knocked on the door.

When he got to the house, he pulled hurriedly into the space.

"Come on with me Lynney. He's going to apologize to you, so you need to hear it," said Leif.

"Leif, I don't think this a good idea. Daddy does not apologize to anyone. As religious as he is, I doubt he'd really apologize to God in a prayer. He acts like he does, but not really, daddy isn't ever sorry for anything. He's not going to apologize. We'll just be embarrassing ourselves," said Lynne.

"Oh he's going to apologize. Today! I never thought you'd be growing up like you did today, and standing up for yourself, and what you feel is right, and do it. There's still time for dear old fucking dad to apologize. And he owes you one. Honestly, for calling his daughter a liar when she reveals a painful secret about a rape. What a bastard. If he believes in hell, there's a place on the rotisserie for him right next to the devil," fumed Leif.

Despite the pain that he knew Lynne was feeling, she chuckled through her tears.

She squeezed his hand as he rang the doorbell.

***