Rescued

This is a complete rewrite of a story I posted to Literotica several years ago titled "Donnie's Mom." All characters and events are fictional.

Another Saturday morning. I stood in my robe at the kitchen sink and stared out the window. I noted and ignored the lawn's need to be cut. My head throbbed, a left over from indulging my grief the previous night. A whole year had passed since Rachel died. A whole year now I'd wallowed in self-pity. Self-recrimination...

My best friend, Mike, followed through on his threat to set me up on a blind date. I was supposed to meet him, his girl, and her friend Saturday night. At eight. Who goes to dinner at eight? By then, I'd be ready to chew off my own arm.

Mike was being an asshole. Butting in where he didn't have any business. I liked to swim in my misery. I didn't have to shave or shower or anything else. Hell, I didn't even have to put on pants unless I was going to go out front for some reason. Mrs. Parker, the crabby old widow next door, didn't care what I smelled like as long as I cut her grass for her.

I swallowed my first gulp of coffee. Mike's girlfriend, Shelly, was always nice to me. Especially over the last year. Any friend of hers was likely to be nice as well. I just wasn't ready for moving on yet. It'd only been a year. How long does the grieving process go on? I had no clue. I only knew my life was empty and pointless without Rachel in it.

I allowed a longing sigh. We'd had dreams. Vacations in exotic Mediterranean locales, dancing in the moonlight, and of course, kids. Gone now. All of it. Gone because some dip-shit was okay to drive himself home from the bar. Of course, the asshole survived. But he took everything from me. I toasted the cosmos with my mug. Enjoy your stay in prison, dickhead. I should have driven her... No don't go down the rabbit hole. Mike was right about that at least. Stay out of the black hole.

The doorbell rang. I cast a squinting side-eye at the clock. Seven-thirty. Who would be ringing my bell this damn early? Everyone who knew me knew I'd be hungover on Saturdays until at least ten. Maybe I could wait them out. I took another sip. The bell rang again. "So we're going to do this, are we?" I put my cup aside and went to the door.

My heart stopped. For a moment Rachel had returned to me. I blinked several times. In fact my former sister-in-law and her three-year-old son stood on my porch. After choking down the rehearsed tirade I used for religious nutjobs, I gathered my robe at the waist to be sure nothing untoward was showing, then pushed open the screen door. "Nikki, quite the surprise. What can I do for you?"

A single tear seeped from one of her deep green eyes and slithered across her bruised cheek. "I'm sorry to impose on you, but I need help. I couldn't think of anyone else to go to."

I frowned, she sported a nasty shiner under her left eye. Apparently Bill was up to his usual method of displaying affection. I'd gotten the impression he enjoyed punching his wife and she didn't ever complain about it. Not to me anyway. I ran a hand through my hair, then motioned for her to come in.

Nikki squeezed Donnie's hand and ushered him through the door. As she passed me, a floral scent drifted from her cinnamon-colored hair. She crossed the living room and stood with Donnie in front of the fireplace. I let the screen door bang closed.

Finger-combing my hair seemed appropriate. "I apologize for looking like such a wreck this morning. Yesterday was the anniversary..."

Nikki nodded. "I know. We all miss her." She wrung her hands. Donnie tried to hide behind her leg.

Her facial features resembled Rachel. Her large green eyes with the amber flecks near the iris's outer edge. High cheek bones, straight if somewhat wide nose, and a pointed chin. She was shorter though and a little thicker. With larger breasts and wider hips, she was attractive and sexy. Probably the wrong thing to come to mind at the moment.

I wanted to ask about the shiner, but I knew the answer already. Rachel used to get livid about Bill's abuse. Rightly so. But until Nikki decided to do something about it our hands were tied. "So, what can I do for you?"

Nikki sniffed loud and touched the framed photo of her sister where it stood on the mantel. "Rachel said I could come to you guys for help anytime. Donnie and I need a place to stay. Just temporarily of course. A few days at the most. We won't be any bother, I promise."

I rubbed my chin and glanced at the disheveled condition of my home. "Yeah, sure. But maybe you'd be more comfortable at your folks' house instead. I mean, I've let this place turn into something of a dump." I dug a box of tissues out from under a pile of dirty clothes on the coffee table and offered it to her. She snagged a tissue and wiped her eyes.

Nikki pried Donnie's fingers off her thigh and patted his head. "What are you afraid of? He's your Uncle John, you crawled in his lap at the funeral last year and put fingerprints all over his sunglasses."

The smile and wink I flashed at him were probably terrifying. I felt like there was an icepick jammed through both my eyes. I'm sure it showed on my face.

Donnie grinned, but stayed behind his mother's leg.

She frowned and said, "I don't know what's wrong with him. But I can't go to my parent's house. I'd die having to listen to them go on and on about I told you so. Get a lawyer, change your name, call the police. The admonishments never end. They've always disliked Bill, even when we were dating. Besides, that's the first place he'll look for us."

I nodded. "Well, you know where the unoccupied bedrooms and guest bath are. Make yourself at home while I get dressed and we can get you two moved in."

"We don't want to be a bother. We've only got a couple bags. I'll bring them in," Nikki said.

I drug a hand across my face. "Okay. I've got to get dressed anyway. Would Bill suspect you'd come here?"

"No. Not at first. He's never liked you and by extension, I'm not supposed to either. But I understand if Rachel loved you, you can't be all bad." She smiled, a little color decorated her uninjured cheek. "Anyway, I crammed what I could into Donnie's backpack and some of my clothes into a duffle and ran out of there while he was sleeping it off." She stepped toward the door. Donnie followed on her heels.

"So you're saying he may come looking for you?"

She turned at the door. "I don't know. Probably. If he causes trouble we'll leave so you don't have to be involved."

"I'm already involved. I'll throw on some pants and move my truck out of the garage and put your car inside. No need to advertise you're here."

"Do you think that's really necessary?" She nibbled her bottom lip.

I rolled my head back and forth, wincing at the crunching my neck made. "Yeah, I do. He's been to the house in the past. If he can't find you at your usual hideouts, he'll eventually think to look here."

I made myself presentable and finished moving the vehicles. Her car was a finicky pile of crap. None the less, I got it into the garage. Certain it leaked like a sieve, I crammed a piece of cardboard under its engine.

Nikki unpacked their meager belongings and rustled up some breakfast from the dregs I had left in the fridge. After she'd completed an inspection of the backyard fence, she turned Donnie out to play. She and I sat at the dining table watching him through the sliding patio door.

"I'm going to divorce Bill," she said after ten minutes of silence.

I got the pot and refilled our cups. "Had enough now have you?"

She nodded. "Yes. Of course, it'll take some time. I'll have to get a job and save some money to hire a lawyer."

Her plan wouldn't ever work. She didn't have the skills for a high paying job. There'd never be enough cash or some other excuse would present itself. Eventually she and Donnie would end up back with Bill. I'd gotten a sizable settlement from my wrongful death arbitration. "I can front you the money. For the retainer, at least. A good lawyer will arrange for Bill to pay the bulk of the fees."

"That's very kind of you." She smiled, then stared into her cup. "I said we wouldn't be any trouble and I meant it. I'll figure something out."

I examined her features. She'd been a gangly, young teen when Rachel and I'd married. Now an adult, her resemblance to Rachel had become more pronounced. The differences too. She'd held my hand and helped all she could in the aftermath of our shared tragedy. It only made sense I'd do what I could for her now. "You won't be a bother. Hell, sooner you're rid of Bill, the sooner you'll get on with your life. The sooner you'll be able to provide a stable home for Donnie."

We both let our attention shift to Donnie. He was gleefully bouncing a super hero figure off the barbeque grill. She turned to me. "Sounds like you're in a hurry to be rid of us. We'll leave if you're having regrets."

"Nothing of the sort. I'll go to the grocery and buy some real food. In fact," I went to the junk drawer and rummaged among the string, tape dispensers, bent screws, and mystery keys until I found a pen and note pad. "Jot down some things the two of you'd like. While I'm gone you can call your folks and let them know what's going on."

Nikki took the pen and paper. She drew circles on the corner of the page until the ball-point started working. "I don't think I'm ready to talk to them."

"They'll be relieved. Trust me. You probably won't get more than a couple 'I told you so's.' They love you and only want what's best for you and Donnie. You know that."

Nikki sighed. "You're right. I'll call them in a few minutes." She started jotting a list.

I went to the master bath, shaved and showered. Once dressed I actually felt mostly human. I returned to the kitchen and picked up the list. Nikki's handwriting was messy, like Rachel's had been. In my experience most women had neat legible handwriting. Not those sisters.

I shrugged. I could make out most of the items. Ugh, feminine-hygiene products right on the top of the list. Oh well, in for a penny... At least she'd been specific, I wouldn't need to ask any embarrassing questions. I poked my head out the patio door. "I'll be back shortly. I left you a house key on the table in case you need to go someplace while I'm gone."

Nikki gave me a thumbs up sign as she continued to nod with her phone to her ear. I glanced at Donnie. He was using a spoon to dig up the grass at the edge of the patio. I'd have to get him some proper tools and build a sand box. Hopefully before he managed to tunnel out of the backyard.

I was gone about two hours. When I went into the house with the first load of groceries, I froze in the doorway. I must have accidently gone into the wrong house. The clothes, pizza boxes, and old newspapers were gone. Everything looked dusted and neatly arranged. The washing machine chugged away in the laundry room. A fresh citrus aroma clung in the air.

Well, the room had my furniture and my photos on the mantel. Must be my house. I went into the kitchen. Nikki had on bright-yellow-rubber gloves, was on her knees with her upper body crammed in the oven, and scrubbing as if she wanted to wear a hole in it.

I chastised myself for allowing her plump, heart-shaped butt to draw my attention as it strained her jean's stitching. "Hey there, what's going on?" I set my parcels on the counter.

Nikki started, then retreated from the oven's confines. "Good God, John. You scared me."

"Sorry. What are you doing?"

She blew a stray curl out of her eyes and her color came up. "Oh, I'm just spiffing things up a little."

I glanced around the room. It gleamed, as did the dining set. The dish washer was running too. Where in hell did she find all the cleaning stuff? "Looks like more than just spiffing."

Her brows dived together. "Oh." Her gaze flicked about the room. "Maybe I got a little carried away. When I'm stressed or anxious, I clean. It's my coping mechanism."

"Okay..." I looked around again. This place hadn't been this clean since... "You didn't clean my room, did you?"

Nikki hopped to her feet, shaking her head. "No. I didn't even look in there. I mean it's your house. I can only be so rude."

Good, I'd have time to get rid of my titty mags before she thought I was some sort of perv. I'd give the evidence to Mike after work Monday. "Okay. I'll get the rest of the supplies. Where's Donnie? I bought him a couple cheap toys."

"I put him down for a nap." She peeled off the gloves and dropped them in the sink. "I'll help you with the groceries."

For reasons I couldn't nail down, I felt guilty leaving Nikki and Donnie at home when I left to meet Mike, Shelly, and the mystery lady. Being distracted all evening by nagging thoughts about my sister-in-law, I made a terrible impression on Amy, my supposed date. Just as well, I wasn't up for dating again anyway.

Sunday proved to be a day of getting used to and smiling at Donnie's noisy antics and activities. Nikki, for her part, spent most of her day apologizing and shushing. During his nap time and again after she'd put him to bed for the night, I offered to pay for a lawyer. She brushed me off, but I could feel her resolve dwindling.

Monday I rose before Nikki and Donnie, fed myself, and went to work. I sat at my desk going over invoices. I looked up when Mike plopped a convenience store cup in front of me.

"So, who's the girl?" He said.

I pried the lid off the Styrofoam cup, sniffed the coffee, and sipped. "What girl?"

"The one you were thinking about Saturday rather than trying to motorboat Amy's tits?" He gulped from his own cup.

"A decent guy doesn't try to motorboat any woman's tits in a restaurant. Not that you'd know that. And there's no girl. I'm just not ready to jump in the dating pool. Seems I told you that before you set up Saturday night's ambush." I pretended to find something interesting on my computer's display.

"That's bull and you know it. I had to listen to them complaining about you and the 'other woman stare' all the way home." He shrugged his work vest onto his shoulders, then sat across from me. "Come on, man. You know I know you. Give. Who is she?"

I leaned in my chair and rested my cup on a knee. "There isn't a she, not in a romantic sense anyway. My sister-in-law's husband beat her up Friday. She and her son were on my doorstep Saturday morning. They're staying at my place until she figures out what she's going to do. That's all it is."

He grinned. "The pretty little redhead with the great ass I stood up with at your wedding?"

I tossed him a stink eye, but nodded. "Yeah. She was only fourteen at the time. If I'd known you were such a depraved pervert, I would've had someone else stand up for me."

He laughed. "Hey, I didn't lay an inappropriate hand on her or leer or anything. But I couldn't help noticing she was a hot little number. What's it been, eight years? I'll bet she's smoking now, huh?"

I nodded. "There's nothing going on between us. I'm just giving her a place to stay for a couple weeks. Why don't you go do some department manager stuff in plumbing? Maybe wrap your lips with some Teflon tape while you're at it."

He rose, smiling. "You got it, boss." As he left my office I could hear him chanting, "Johnny's got a girlfriend..."

What an infantile ass. I had no idea why I considered him my friend.

So, Nikki's couple of days and my couple of weeks morphed into several months. Along the way, she'd accepted my financial help and started the divorce process. We expected a long drawn out custody battle, but to everyone's surprise, Bill agreed to not contest anything as long as he got Donnie every other weekend. Now we waited on the decree to be finalized, a few months yet down the road.

I woke in the wee hours one morning. Longing for Rachel's company, feeling empty, I stood in the kitchen waiting for the coffee pot to do its thing.

I turned at the padding of bare feet. Nikki halted, her eyes wide.

"Oh, I didn't know you were up," she said. "I had to pee and heard strange noises."

I tried a smile. Fail. "Just thinking about Rachel. How long will I feel like my guts are ripped open?"

She embraced me in a soft hug. "I've read grieving never ends. It just becomes more manageable. We're all in this together. We're here for you. I'm here for you."

I returned her hug. With all the shit going on in her life, she still had room in her soul for compassion. She was a remarkable woman.

***

Mike, pervert that he was, demanded an update on Nikki and me at least once a week. He questioned my manhood more than once when I'd tell him there wasn't anything going on. Of course, he was only too willing to offer advice for moving things along. Ignoring him became a full time job.

Nikki and I fell into a routine. Normally on weekday mornings I'd get up, fix myself breakfast, and leave for work before either of my housemates woke up. When I'd come home in the evening, Nikki and I'd exchange a few minutes of news about our day, then she'd leave for work. Every other weekend, when Bill had Donnie, she'd go shopping with her mom or some girlfriends. Those weekends she had Donnie, we'd try to do something as a family. We'd go to the zoo or have a picnic or something.

We remained in a platonic relationship even though I grew more and more fond of her. I loved how she dealt with Donnie. Doting one minute and yet the stern task master. That boy didn't get away with much. Of course, it was easier for him to get way with stuff if I was watching him. But hey, I was his uncle. Letting nephews get away with things was what uncles did.

She never let on that she felt anything more than sisterly affection for me. She slept in her room and shared her bathroom with Donnie. As the months ticked by, I grew accustomed to her pleasant smiles and warm company. Those smiles brightened the house. Her cheerful demeanor and Donnie's exuberance lifted me from my occasional grieving doldrums.

Nikki's compassion and love of life buoyed my spirits when they were their darkest. A sparrow crashed into the patio door one day. Nikki rushed outside and scooped it up. She caressed it in her soft hands. "Do you think it'll be okay?"

I shook my head. "Hitting that hard usually kills them."

Tears welled. She closed her hands on the bird and blew a warming breath on it. A moment later the bird chirped and sat, a bit shaky, on her palm. Nikki beamed. "Look, it's okay." The sparrow flapped a couple times, then flew away, landing in the sapling Rachel and I'd planted when we first moved in.

I smiled at Nikki. "All hail the bird healer." And the soul healer. She was working the same magic on me. Whether she intended to or not.

***

There's not much better than waking to the aroma of bacon cooking and strong coffee brewing. I got up, tossed on a robe, and went barefoot into the kitchen. Nikki wore her red fleece robe and a pair of faded-pink, fuzzy slippers complete with bunny ears. I chuckled at the sight as I wondered why an adult woman would be wearing those ridiculous slippers and where she'd been hiding them.

She flinched and placed a hand on her chest. "Jesus, John. You're always sneaking up on people. You scared me half to death."

I smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean too. Nice slippers."

"Well thank you." She paused as a smirk came unbidden to my lips. "Oh, I see, that's just sarcasm isn't it?"

"Just a little." I shrugged.

"Well they're comfortable and warm. I've had them since I was in school and I just feel good wearing them."

I held my hands in a defensive gesture. "Okay, wear whatever you like. Doesn't make any difference to me. What are you doing up anyway?"

Nikki handed me my favorite mug, filled with steaming coffee. I sipped some before taking a seat at the dining room table.

She returned to the stove. "I worked a double because Betty wants me to go to the movies with her tonight. I've only been home long enough to shower and start breakfast."