Redemption Page 3

  She opened the front door and stood to the side as a five-foot-two whirlwind blew into the house. Concetta's voice was the only gentle thing about her; everything else was pure authority. She was a firecracker and lacked Martina's ability to quietly fade into the background. Instead, Concetta was always at the center of attention, directing everyone around her.

  "I heard about Ace," her sister said briskly, walking over to Azul's chair and sitting down without noticing the bird. Azul huffed in annoyance and avoided being squashed by shuffling up until he was perched just above her head. He then watched her carefully, revenge sparkling in his beady black eyes.

  "Be careful, I think Azul is going to give you a haircut with his beak."

  Concetta, looked up briefly to give Azul a withering look, then turned back to Martina. She had laser focus that evening. "Don't distract me. I want to talk about Ace."

  Martina rolled her eyes and flopped down on the couch. "What is there to talk about? He’s my new worker, thanks to the rehabilitation program. Definitely the last person I expected to wander in here, but I need the help around the place so I’m going to tough it out the next couple months."

  "He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere close to this place. He was a complete brute to you! If I had still been in school, I would have made his life a living hell for what he did to you!" Concetta was four years older, and had thus been away at college during Martina's painfully awkward and lonely high school years. A point of regret Concetta often brought up when she was on one of her over-protective rants.

  "I'm sure the bullies would have loved the fact I had to be protected by my little sister."

  "Big sister. I’m older, remember?"

  "No, I'm pretty sure you’re smaller than me," Martina joked, giving Concetta a bratty wink. “I’ve got a couple of inches on you.”

  Her older sister grabbed a pillow off the floor and hurled it towards her face. "Ugh, shut up. Listen, I'm serious. I absolutely hate Ace, and I can't believe you have to work with him every day. It’s wrong."

  "I'll admit it’s not my favorite thing." Martina sighed and grabbed some popcorn to thoughtfully munch on. "But maybe this will help me let go of some of that anger. I mean, I'm his boss now. If he does anything wrong I can just call up the police, say he is breaking the terms of the program, and he'll be off to jail to serve his sentence. I'm the one with the power, not him."

  "If you think it might help, then go ahead. But I'll be holding onto my anger. And if he does anything to hurt your feelings again, I swear jail will be the nice way out for that boy." Concetta’s pixie face was scrunched up in anger as she shook a fist in the air.

  Martina snorted, enjoying the mental image of her sister making Ace cry. "That's why I love you, Concetta."

  "Of course you do. I am the cooler sibling, after all." Her anger broke and she smiled smugly at Martina. Concetta’s look was cut short, however, as Azul chose that moment to grab a long piece of her hair and tug hard. "Shit! Make it stop!"

  Martina jumped to her feet and quickly untangled her sister from the bird’s death grip. It was a mighty battle, and Concetta lost quite a bit of hair in the attack. Finally Azul was convinced to jump off the chair and onto the couch, cawing in victory as he scurried away.

  "You shouldn't have taken his chair without asking. He doesn't like that,” Martina chided.

  “I don’t live my life according to the whims of a bird.” Concetta stood and ran her fingers through her tangled hair, vainly trying to get the new knots out. "These animals completely run your life, huh? I can’t believe you take commands from a three-pound bird."

  Martina walked over to where Azul was perched and gave him a tender caress on the head. "I'm just taking care of them. They need me."

  Concetta gave up on her hair and looked at Martina seriously. "I'm starting to think it is the other way around, Mar." She cut Martina off before she could respond with a protest. "Look, I'm so proud of you for what you've done. The nearest zoo is hours and hours away, and these poor animals had to go somewhere when rescued. I get it; you are a hero. But you need to have a life too. You can't pour too much of your energy into saving other creatures…be it grumpy birds or jerk guys like Ace. You also need to think about yourself and protecting your needs. When was the last time you went on vacation? Or even had a date with a sweet guy?"

  Martina shrugged and avoided her sister’s gaze. She hadn't had a date in a while. Ok, in years. But she kept telling herself it was a small town and the options were limited. Besides, the park was her dream and she needed to devote every second she had to it. There was no one else she could depend on, and she couldn't let the animals down.

  "I'm sure I'll have time to settle down one day. But I’m not looking at guys or vacations right now. I'm young, Sis. Let me get my career going, then I can focus on the other stuff later," Martina answered at last, trying to placate Concetta.

  Concetta gave her a long stare, obviously not believing any of it. "We can talk more about this later, but I've got to get going now. Just keep in mind that Ace Bennett is a creep and you shouldn't let him get under your skin. Also, you really do need a vacation."

  Concetta crushed Martina in a goodbye hug that rattled her bones. With a final sisterly look of concern, Concetta then waltzed back out the door. After she left, Martina sighed heavily and thought about her sister’s parting words. The sad truth was that Ace did get under her skin, in more ways than one. For the first time in ages she found someone attractive – but for some crazy, stupid reason it was Ace Bennett.

  CHAPTER 5

  A ce sat on his front porch, feeling stuffed after a big dinner. His father had never been a talented cook, but he sure knew how to grill a steak. It was a rare occurrence, but his dad seemed to think that completing the first day of the work program deserved a celebratory meal. Ace went along with it – maybe the fact he was narrowly avoiding jail did warrant a small party.

  Clete hadn't said much during the meal, and had merely clapped Ace on the shoulder as they cleaned up their plates afterwards. But that quick gesture had given Ace an alien surge of confidence, an unspoken nod of approval. He couldn't remember that last time his dad had been proud of him; it felt nice, even if the pride came from being able to successfully follow a court order and avoid jail time. It was twice in one day someone had been proud of him, and he couldn’t deny that the feeling was nice. However, he didn’t really think he could make it last; how much longer could he go before he fucked everything up again?

  The gate to the front yard squeaked open, causing Ace to whip his head up and out of his dark thoughts. Bruce Burdon walked into the yard, his chest puffed up like it always was. Bruce was Ace's longtime friend and instigator of many regrettable decisions. Ace grimaced and looked into the house window, trying to see if his dad was in view. Luckily, the older man had decided to retreat to his office to do some reading before bed.

  "Hey, Ace. What's up?" Bruce called, sauntering up with his normal cocky swagger. He had a big doughy face and tiny blue eyes that had always reminded Ace of a rat's.

  "Shh, try to keep it down. My dad is inside," Ace said, keeping his voice low.

  "He still hate me?"

  "Yeah, he isn’t your biggest fan, especially not right now. I'm pretty sure he knows it was you who gave me the pills I was caught with. He'll flip his shit if he sees you here."

  "I won't stay long." Bruce seemed entirely unconcerned, flopping nonchalantly into the chair opposite Ace. That was typical Bruce though – he never paused to think about whose life he might be making more difficult. "I thought I'd see how your first day on the job went."

  "Eh, it was pretty boring. I just dug a bunch of holes. Not much different than my regular construction gig, honestly."

  "Dug some holes? Is that a new euphemism I don't know?"

  "What are you talking about? I dug some holes for a fence."

  Bruce laughed nastily, leaning closer. "I was talking about Martina, your new boss. We all know she’s desperate to get
laid. Word is, she’s still a virgin and can’t get a single guy to look at her. So I imagine she has some weird-ass plans for you over the next couple months."

  "Are you still in high school, man? That virgin shit isn't a big deal now. Let it go. She’s not done anything weird to me at all." Ace rolled his eyes and looked away from his stupid friend, instead gazing across the yard toward the distant mountains.

  Ace was pissed off; he knew he couldn’t admit that he too was a virgin. Hell, if Bruce ever realized that little fact, Ace would never hear the end of it. Bruce just didn’t understand the idea that some men didn’t want to stick their dick in whatever hole they could find. Ace didn’t know what he was waiting for exactly, but he knew he didn’t regret it. If Martina was also waiting, then he didn’t see anything wrong her choice either.

  Bruce put his hands up in a mock surrender. "You were the one who let everyone know how pathetic she is, man. Don’t get on your high horse. I bet she regrets flirting with you that day in the barn. I still remember the look on her face.” He laughed darkly again. “The cheerleaders mocked her for weeks."

  Ace clenched his jaw. Yeah, he was sure Martina regretted that day. So did Ace. The whole stupid thing wouldn't have happened if Martina hadn't looked so damn cute standing there with her hands on her slender hips outside the barn. The nerd's sweet smile had shot to Ace's heart, and lower extremities, like lightning. That was the problem with Martina – she was so smart and driven, and Ace was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. But he’d been too big of a pussy to admit it in front of his friends, so he’d thrown her under the bus. God, he had been an asshole, and it still haunted him.

  "Yo, man, are you even listening?" Bruce snapped his fingers in Ace's direction.

  Ace’s mind snapped back to the present and he sighed. "Sorry, I'm tired. What were you saying?"

  Bruce made an angry noise. "Obviously nothing you care about. Anyway, I just stopped by to say that there is going to be a lake party at the end of the month. We are going to rage hard. You in?"

  Normally Ace would jump at the chance to party. He loved nothing more than wild nights filled with alcohol and drugs, where he could forget everything for just a few hours. Forget how disappointed everyone was in him. Forget how much he missed his mom. Forget the way he felt around slender, sweet Martina.

  However, Ace currently didn't feel the urge. News traveled fast and soon everyone would know he was working for Martina. So, he'd have to go the party and hear all the old jokes. People would expect him to go on about how silly her crush was, and how he was offended that some quiet, sweet nerd might actually think she had a shot with a rebel like him. That line of thinking pissed him off, and Ace didn't have the energy to keep up the charade anymore.

  "I don't know. We'll see how tired I am after work. It's been pretty brutal, so I might not have the energy to party."

  There was a loud thump inside the house, and both guys turned to look in the window. They didn't see Clete, but Bruce stood up anyway. He jammed his hands into his pockets and nodded towards Ace. "I'll be going, in case the old man comes out to yell at me. But promise me you’ll think about the party. It'll be fun."

  With that he bounded off the porch and made his way out of the yard. Ace stared after his friend long after the man had disappeared from view. Bruce had been his pal for years, but Ace couldn’t ignore the fact that the guy was a complete and utter asshole.

  Like me, Ace thought. Just like me.

  * * *

  The next morning, Ace slid into the passenger seat of his dad's patrol car, ready for work. He had decided to wear a baseball cap to keep the sun and dust from his face, and he pulled it down over his eyes. He wanted nothing more than a few more minutes of sleep before another long day of digging holes.

  Clete opened his door and got behind the wheel. Ace listened as the older man turned on the engine and arranged his seat. Finally, once the cop had positioned all his mirrors exactly right, the car began to move forward.

  "So, Bruce came by last night?" his father said at last, an edge to his voice as they drove down the town’s main street.

  Ace groaned and pulled the hat lower over his eyes. His dad had gone to bed by the time Ace had come inside the night before, but obviously the cop didn't miss a thing.

  "Yeah, he came by for a second. Is that such a big deal?" Ace hated being interrogated, especially early in the morning.

  "He isn't a good man, Ace. You should hang out with better people than that."

  "Thanks, always glad to know what I do wrong," Ace snapped back. The warmth he had felt from his father's pride the night before had completely frozen away now. Life was back to normal. Nothing but being questioned and yelled at.

  Clete sighed, and reached over to snatch the hat off of Ace's head. He then threw it into Ace's lap, ignoring the sputtered and indignant noises coming from the passenger seat.

  "I want to see your face when I'm talking to you," he growled, clearly exasperated. "It shouldn't be this hard to talk to my own damn son."

  Ace crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window. They were passing the town's small graveyard, which was over a hundred-fifty-years-old. Many generations of townsfolk were buried there. Including Ace's mom.

  "Listen, I overheard what Bruce was saying about Martina. What exactly happened back in high school? I didn’t know you two had any issues, but Bruce made it sound like you guys have history."

  "It's nothing, Dad. Just some stupid high school shit that people don't forget. Also, stop eavesdropping on my conversations!"

  Clete was silent for a moment before continuing sternly. "Stupid high school shit has a tendency to stay around, especially in this small town. Martina doesn't deserve that sort of teasing. She's been through a lot, and I won't have you going around harassing her."

  Ace's eyes opened wide and he turned to his father in surprise. He didn’t think his dad knew Martina well at all, or had any reason to care so much if Bruce was being an ass. But the cop was acting like a protective papa bear at the moment, and Ace was completely confused.

  Clete noticed his silence and shot him a sideways look. "It's true. I think Bruce is a complete idiot, and I certainly don’t want him bringing any trouble to that girl. If I hear that he is upsetting her, I’ll make sure he gets pulled over every time he goes even one mile over the speed limit. Same goes with you, son."

  "Wait, why did you say she has gone through a lot? Martina was always such a suck up during school, getting perfect grades and loved by all the teachers. Then within a couple years she’s set up her dream sanctuary. To me, that looks like coasting through life without breaking a sweat." Ace continued to stare at his father, confused by the rage that was simmering just under the surface of the older man.

  They were turning now onto the dirt road that led to the animal park. It was still fifteen minutes away, and houses were beginning to pop up further and further apart, with wild shrubs and small trees dotting the barren land between them.

  Clete stared out the front window, watching the sun come up over the distant mountains. “You never heard about Martina's mother?" he asked softly, at last.

  "No, I don't think I've ever seen her."

  "You wouldn't have. I had to arrest her when you were still a little thing.” Clete cleared his throat before continuing huskily. “I knew Ella when we were kids, and she was always a sweet gal. She got married, started her hair salon and seemed to be ‘coasting through life without breaking a sweat’, as you put it. But something in her changed after she had her babies. It was noticeable after the first girl, but when she had Martina it got twenty times worse. Ella became reclusive and mean. When she did come out of her home she would be yelling at storekeepers for perceived insults and claiming that the neighbors were stalking her. Just crazy stuff."

  Ace’s eyes opened wide. He’d definitely never heard about this, but then he wasn’t the most observant kid around. He wondered who else knew this story. "What happened?"

  Clete grip
ped the wheel tightly, and his voice dropped so low that Ace could barely hear him. "When you were about five years old, I got a call one night that Mrs. Fierro had completely lost it. I rushed over to the household, knowing it must be something truly terrible this time. When I got there, I found Ella barricaded inside, threatening to kill herself and Martina if anyone entered. Martina's dad was on the outside, holding Concetta with tears running down his face. He had tried to save both children, but hadn’t been fast enough to grab Martina. I’d never seen a man break like that, listening to the woman he loved threatening his baby."

  "Jesus," Ace whispered, unable to fathom the horror of that night.

  "Ella ranted a lot about Jesus, actually. And the End Times, goblins in her mind, and all sorts of conspiracy stuff. We had to talk her down for hours before we finally got her distracted enough to burst into the house and grab little Martina. I remember how sad that tiny girl was as we carried her out. Martina loved her mother, but I think even though she was young she knew exactly what was happening. She seemed to know she wouldn't be seeing Mommy again for a long, long time."

  There a long silence in the car before Ace got up the nerve to ask, "What happened after that?"

  "Ella was put into the system, and they were going to try and get her medicated and normal again. I don't know how it worked out in the end. I do know she never came back to town, though, and she and her husband were eventually divorced. He’s still around, but won’t talk about Ella, not even when he’s drunk enough whiskey to kill an elephant."

  They pulled up to the gate of the animal park, which Ace stared at with new wonder. Martina had built that whole thing up from nothing, creating a home for a wide variety of abandoned animals. She had done all that herself, even though she had every excuse to double over in pain and hide away. Somehow, even after being hurt in such a profound way, Martina was able to pick herself up, excelling at school and work. She was out there trying to help the lives of so many creatures, protecting them from a hurt like what she had experienced.