Derrick started to come over more often. He enjoyed hanging out with the kids. Gabby fell in love with him in no time but for Austin and Hannah it took a while for them to adjust to him. He had asked Jada on several occasions to get out of the house and finally after three months of nagging she finally gave in to spend a Saturday at the bowling alley. It had been a gloomy rainy day and the kids were bored as well as Derrick.

"I wish it wasn't raining." sighed Gabby.

Derrick made a little frown back at her, "We can still have fun you know."

"But it's fun-ner outside." She pouted.

"I have a great idea." He leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Let's go bowling."

"Yeah, let's go!" She smiled ear to ear and then looked confused. "What's bowling?"

"You have never been bowling?"

"We've never been bowling." Austin tuned into the conversation.

He puckered his bottom lip out. "Are you serious?"

"Yep, he's for real, never been." Added Hannah.

"Well then, let's go it's a must." He stood and walked into the kitchen were Jada was finishing up the dishes from lunch.

"Mom we want to go bowling." They all chimed in together.

"Bowling?"

"Yes, Derrick is taking us bowl-ling mommy." Gabby raised her voice slightly and she was gleaming.

"I don't know."

"Oh, come on mom," begged Austin.

Hannah added, "It will be fun and it sure is better than sitting here being all bored to death."

"Well it looks like the four of you have made up your mind already." She wiped her hand dry and threw in the dish towel. "Well, let's go."

For a rainy Saturday the bowling alley was not that full. There were only two lanes in use. They waited at the counter and each got a pair of shoes and then walked to lane four. Derrick showed them how to hold the ball and throw it down the lane to knock over the pins. With the first try Austin knocked over all the pins.

"You're like a pro kid, you sure you have never played before?"

He gleamed. "Nope, never played."

Hannah scored a few points and little Gabby used the ramp and the guard rails on the side so that her ball would not fall into the gutter. Jada sat back and watched as they were taking turns and seemed so fascinated with Derrick. He was so charming and kid friendly.

"It's your turn."

"Oh! You know I haven't done this in years." She picked up the ball and walked to the front on the lane. He watched her every twist, her every little move. She bent over just a little and whirled the ball down the lane and struck three of the pins. "Wow, I actually hit a few."

When Gabby knocked over her first pin, he picked her up high and twirled her around. They all laughed.

Later that night when the kids were in bed, Jada sat on the couch next to Derrick. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything." She smiled. A single little tear filled her eye but she refused to let it all go. She didn't want him to see her so tender, so affectionate for him.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yea, it was just a wonderful day." She placed her hand on top of his; "The kids loved it; that's all they have been talking about since they've been home."

"Well, it was a great idea then." He paused for a split second; "Maybe we should do it again sometime." He leaned in to kiss her and she backed away.

"I'm sorry, I just..." she attempted to stand up but he pulled her back down. "I can't..."

"We don't have to do anything." He just wanted to hold her closer to him, to be able to feel her heart pound against his.

"I know....look it's getting late."

He took the hint rather well, "I guess I better go then, see you tomorrow." He stood and walked to the door as he did every night with her right behind him. And every night she locked the door no sooner than he was out the door.

Over the next few months, Derrick took them to other places as well, places that they have never been, where all kids should go sometime in the childhood. They played miniature golf; go-cart racing and even went to the local fair. On the day after Thanksgiving she had told him that she was not able to be with him that it was a special day for just her and the kids. He never asked.

She took them wherever they wanted to go and ended up with Derrick. They went out to eat and then he took them to the movies. Each had their own bag of popcorn, and a coke. Jada tried to watch the movie but enjoyed watching the kids more. She was more shocked that Gabby did not fall asleep, but she did sit very close to Derrick. Then she wanted to sit in his lap, laying her head against his chest. Derrick looked over at Jada and smiled then held her hand.

During the Christmas holiday she introduced him to her father. Hoping that it was not a mistake. Her father watched as he played with the kids.

"Are you sure you want to get him involved?"

"Oh, Daddy. He's really a great guy and look how he is with the kids."

"I can see that, but when he finds out the truth do you really think he is going to stay?"

"I hope it never has to come to that." She looked into her fathers' eyes.

"I know you, but one day, one day you will have to make that decision, and I don't want to see them get hurt or you for that matter."

"Neither do I, neither do I." And she smiled when Derrick looked up at her.

Now that summer was here he wanted to take them all swimming. Jada hesitated but they kept begging and pleading until she gave in. They all needed a swimsuit, so the first thing on Saturday morning they went to the store. Austin found a pair of swimming trunks with an ocean wave and a surfboard printed on them. Gabby found a two-piece suit with little monkeys dancing on the bottoms. Hannah looked for something more stylish, and settled for a lime green two-piece.

"Well, aren't you going to try anything on?" he asked as he placed both hands around her waist.

"I can't swim."

"That's no excuse, your getting a suit." He could not help but notice the way she was looking back at him. "Come on, I can teach you and I won't let go. I promise."

She looked over all the swimsuits but most of them were backless, strapless, or showed practically all of her body. But that is what a swimsuit does, shows your body off.

"Try this on." Holding up a one piece that was backless. He had never seen her below the neck and was begging to have the opportunity to do so.

She took the hanger and headed for the dressing room. It fit perfectly and made her hips curve in the right place. For a mother in her thirties she still looked good except for the scares. She starred at the mirror, wondering how she would explain the deep marks left into her skin from all the hatred brutal beatings. Her ankle would defiantly show and for her back she thought she would have to find a way to just cover it up.

"Come out here, let's take a look." His face fell as she walked out dressed, completely dressed. He had hoped to see her in the swimsuit but it was back on the hanger. "What's wrong did it not fit?"

"It fit great, you can see it later." And she walked up to get in line to pay for the new clothes.

After lunch they went to the recreation center. They had a big pool outside with a slide. They also had a kiddy pool with water that sprayed on them. The kids jumped in and began splashing each other. Derrick was holding onto Gabby and every now and then would dunk her in completely. Jada sat in the chair along side the pool.

"Are you getting in or am I going to have to throw you in?" he smirked.

"Give me time," she mocked.

He dived back under the water and came back up on the other end. While he was under she undressed and quickly got into the pool. She did not see him and he came up behind her. "What's this?" He pointed to the shirt over her suit. "Are you shy?"

"No!"

"Then why the shirt?"

"Oh! I forgot, it will be all right." She could tell that he was not too happy about it but dropped the subject and dunked her under headfirst. He had seen the scares on her wrist months ago but he never said anything about them. When she went to get out of the pool he noticed the scars around her ankles and a few along the back of her legs. He couldn't help but wonder why. Had she done this to herself or had someone else cause her such pain, such misery.

They returned back to her house after dark. The kids were exhausted and went straight to bed.

"I'm going to go take a quick shower, you want to find a movie to watch." She tossed him the remote.

"Sure." He caught the remote and started searching through the channels. While he was looking Austin yelled for him in the hallway.

"Hey, Derrick come check out this game." Austin motioned for him to come back to his room. As he was walking by the bathroom he stopped. Her reflection was in the mirror. She had left the door open just about an inch or so. She pulled the damp tee shirt off and then one arm at a time she pulled her arms out of the straps of her suit. She reached up and pulled the clip from her hair, it swung gracefully along her shoulders. He looked farther down and became dazed. He was appalled. Her beautiful soft skin slashed by a whip or a belt of some kind. The scars were deep, years of torture. He could see her as a slave like in one of those movies like Roots. Why else would someone have beaten her so if she had not been. That would have explained the other scars as well.

Austin stood in front of him now. He saw the expression on his face and then held up his finger to his lips for him to be quiet. "Shhhh." Then motioned for him to go on back to his room.

Before Austin could say anything, Derrick replied, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to stare at your mom like that."

"It's all right, man. Look at this new game. You want to play?"

"Sure."

They played for a few minutes and then Derrick got killed and had to start all over.

"Is your mom all right?"

"Yea, I guess so. Why?"

"I don't mean to get involved but what happened to her?"

"You mean her back and the rest of the scares don't you?" He was hitting the buttons on the remote so fast that the match was over and they had to start all over again. "That happened a few years ago. She saved my life that night."

"Saved your life?"

"Yea. He found out that I was in his things. I didn't mean to do it but I was playing and knocked the box over." He paused as he hit the buttons. "He came home and after we ate he took me out back and wiped me one time. That's all it took. I was waiting for the next strike but something jumped over me and took the beating instead. When I looked up it was my mom." His eyes watered up and he could feel a lump in his throat. "She saved me. That beating was meant for me. Please don't tell her I said anything."

"I won't, but I'm winning this one." And as he controlled the remote Austin body slammed him and he lost again.

"Are you boys having fun?" Jada asked as she stood in the doorway, brushing her hair.

"Yea, mom. Just showing Derrick how to lose." He laughed.

"Ha! Ha!" Derrick laughed back.

They walked back into the living room and fell beside each other on the couch. "I'm exhausted," she stated with a sigh.

"Me too. It was a fun day." His hand found hers and they held on to each other. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently on the backside and then he kissed again and again, reaching the scar. "This must have been painful." He kissed lightly. He could feel her breath deep as her chest caved in. "Does that feel a little better." As he kissed it again on the other side of her wrist.

She pulled away from him. "That happened a long time ago."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No! I'd rather not," she said coldly while biting her bottom lip.

"You can talk to me you know."

"I know, but I'm just not ready to talk about this. Please don't push the subject."

"All right for now, but promise me one day you will tell me."

"Maybe one day." She gave him a half-hearted smile.