Page 48 of Nick: His to Claim

“Maggie,” she told her, extending her hand. “I’m Maggie Cassidy. Can I get you anything, a glass of water or a soda?”

“No, it is me who should be waiting on you,” she said embarrassed. “Is there anythingIcan getyou?”

“Do you know where anything is?” Maggie asked with a grin.

Tess laughed.

“Actually no, I have only been here for half an hour.”

“Then I’d better get it,” Maggie told her moving to the fridge. “How old are you, Tess?”

“I am twenty-eight.”

“And how did you meet my brother, Rory?” Maggie asked as she handed the girl a soda. Studying her closely, she could see that Tess wasn’t as young as she first appeared. There was wariness about her, sadness in her eyes, and Maggie couldn’t help being drawn to her.

Tess flushed and hung her head.

“It is kind of complicated. I am not sure what to… he arrested me,” she finally stammered, her face red.

Maggie was momentarily shocked speechless. Would her own brother send a criminal to care for her children?

“No, Mrs. Cassidy, nothing like what you are thinking,” Tess told her, blushing fiercely.

“Call me Maggie, Tess. Mrs. Cassidy was my mother-in-law. Go on.”

“You see, I lost my job, and then I could not pay my rent, so the landlord made me move out. It was not much of a place anyway, but it was furnished so I did not have much of my own. I decided to sleep in my car until I could find a place. But it has been so hot, and my car is a compact.

“Anyway, I thought I would just sleep in the park. I had an old sleeping bag and the bench was not too uncomfortable. I did not think it would be a problem, but apparently there are laws against that sort of thing.”

“Don’t you have any family?” Maggie inquired gently. As crazy as they were, Maggie couldn’t imagine not having her family around.

“No, I have a sister in California, but we never were very close. Our parents were killed in an accident when I was fifteen. Maria, that’s my sister, took care of me until I was eighteen, but the day after my birthday she told me I was on my own, and I have been ever since.

“Mostly I do all right, but lately it seems like everything is falling apart.” Tess was quiet, apparently lost in thought and not pleasant ones by the sadness in her eyes.

“So my sainted brother arrested you, did he?” Maggie asked, not thinking too highly of Rory at the moment.

“No, Maggie, do not blame him, he did make me leave the park three times in one week. Rory… Detective O’Malley, was very kind the first two times, walking me to my car and explaining the dangers of sleeping in the park. I guess I should have listened.”

“So the third time he took you to jail?” Maggie asked incredulously.

“Not exactly,” Tess mumbled. “He was so angry that night. Said there had been a woman attacked in the park recently, and as I did not have the sense that God gave an ant, he would have to instill some. He… he… ” Tess didn’t seem able to continue.

Maggie pulled her over to the counter and sat her down, pushing her drink towards her.

“It’s okay, Tess. There’s nothing you could tell me at this point that would surprise me, but if it makes you uncomfortable to talk about it, I’ll understand.”

“That is just it Mrs. Cass… Maggie. I have to tell someone. It is so embarrassing. I can hardly believe it happened.” Drawing a deep breath, Tess wrapped her shaking hands around her drink and continued.

“Before I could guess what he meant, he put his foot on the bench and pulled me right over his thigh. I tried to struggle away, but it seemed like a really long way to the ground, and I was afraid I would fall on my head. It did not matter anyway, because he is very strong and there was no way I could escape.

“I started yelling, but he said go ahead, maybe I could get a crowd to witness my foolishness. Not wanting that, I started quietly swearing at him, calling him a few choice names. It was not my best idea.

“Maggie, he spanked me, hard, and for a long time. I cannot remember the last time I was spanked. Matter of fact, I do not think I have ever been spanked, at least not like that. By the time he set me on my feet I was crying so hard I could not see. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped my face and made me blow my nose. That was almost worse than the spanking.” Tess shivered with a faraway look in her eyes.

“Finally he pulled a pair of handcuffs out and put them on me. He marched me to his car, plopped me in the back seat, and used his radio to call and have my car impounded. I could not believe it. No home, no job and now no car. It was the worst night of my life. We drove around for a long time. I kept quiet, trying not to make things worse. I swear if I could have gotten my hands free I would have smacked him just for the sheer pleasure of it.”

Maggie grinned.