"Come in. Come in." Zeke's mom ushered them into the house. "Let me take that from you. Please go make yourself at home." She took the apple pie Talia and Addie had made.

Zeke's parent's home was a small rancher. The faded siding on the outside of the home said it had been around for a while. The lawn was slightly overgrown and the once well-maintained flower beds had weeds growing out. Inside the home was sparse. Only the necessary furniture was present. Accents of framed photos were no where to be found. Talia had the feeling that something was amiss.

"I'm going to help your mom." Talia kissed Zeke on his cheek then followed his mother to the kitchen.

"How can I help you, Mrs. Rogers?"

"Oh, you don't have to help dear." She rushed around the kitchen trying to do more than she had to with Talia present.

"Let me cut the vegetables for you."

"Ok." Passing the knife to Talia, the sleeve of her shirt revealed a dark bruise on her arm.

"What's that?" Talia asked.

Quickly she righted the shirt. "Oh, that's nothing. I'm clumsy sometimes."

The hair on the back of Talia's neck stood up. "Are you sure? You can tell me."

Zeke's mom looked at Talia for a moment. Fear shone in her eyes. She took a breath to say something when they were interrupted.

"What's going on in here?" Zeke's father's voice growled through the room.

"Talia offered to help me with the veggies. Isn't that nice of her?" Her voice wavered with each word. The atmosphere in the kitchen became dense with fear.

Mr. Rogers walked toward Talia. A waft of alcohol preceded him. All of the pieces came together. He was back drinking and beating on his wife.

"Is that right, girl?"

Talia nodded and held up the knife in front of her.

"Ok." He refilled his drink out of an unmarked container on the counter then left the kitchen,

Talia worked silently with his mother. Her stomach roiled with the knowledge of what was happening in that house. She needed to tell Zeke. They needed to help his mom.

***

"What's going on?" Zeke snapped as he pulled away from his parent's house.

"I don't know if I should tell you." Talia stared out the window.

"Just fucking tell me. You were rude as shit to my parents and I want to know why."

Talia turned toward Zeke. A pain began radiating in her temple signaling the beginning of a headache. She watched as his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"I wasn't rude. I was quiet."

"Same fucking difference. My parents invited you into their home and you couldn't have the fucking decency to even talk. I was so embarrassed. How could you do that to me?"

Heat flared through her. "How could I do that to you?"

"Yes. I have the right to know why you would treat my family like that. Amber even tried to talk to you. All you did was give short one-word answers."

"Fine. You want to know why I was quiet it was because I had a lot on my mind. I didn't know if I should share with you something I found out."

"What could you have on your mind that would make you act like that?" He demanded.

"Your dad is drinking again. Your mom has bruises all over her."

Silence descended on the truck. Talia watched the trees blur by. They turned onto the drive leading to the ranch house. Zeke screeched to a halt in front of it then turned toward her. Fury colored his features.

"You lie! Why would you make something like that up? Is this something that is going to turn up in Dirty Laundry?"

Talia blinked. Words evaded her. How could he think she would make something like that up?

"I wouldn't make something like that up, Zeke. You know me better than that."

"Do you have proof?" He snapped.

Sighing she reached for his hand. He snatched it away from her. A sharp pain lanced through her heart. "I saw him drinking at my parents party on the fourth of July. Tonight, I saw the bruises on your mom and smelled the booze on him when he came into the kitchen. He's fallen off the wagon, Zeke. We need to help your mom. She is getting hurt."

"Shut your lying mouth! Get out!" Talia was so stunned she didn't move. "NOW!"

Talia jumped out of the truck just in time as he put it in reverse and left her watching the dust cloud as he sped away. Her heart was breaking as tears flowed from her eyes. How could he act that way? Was this the end of what they had?

Running into the house, she headed to her room. A room she hadn't stayed in since they started sleeping together. She slammed the door behind her and fell on her bed. Pain and anger radiated through her. Picking up her phone she dialed the one number that could help her.

"Hello, sweetness." Jeremiah answered.

"Hey."

"What happened?" Alarm sounded in his voice.

Talia took a breath in, but her emotions clogged her throat. "I think we are over."

"How? You two just began. If Chrissy is right, that man is in love with you."

"Not anymore."

Talia went through all the gory details of their dinner with Zeke's parents. The bruises, the drinking and his reaction in the truck. By the time she was done telling the whole story she was sobbing into the phone.

"Tally, sweetie, it will be ok. I think he freaked out. From what you tell me the atmosphere in that house was fucked up the minute you stepped in there. He probably sensed it and he took out his frustration on you. I'm not validating his behavior, but it would explain why a completely rational guy would act like he'd lost his fucking mind."

"I guess you could be right. I just don't know what to do. How can I possibly trust someone who will act that way?" Tears flowed anew down her cheeks.

Jeremiah sighed into the phone. "Ok. Why don't you take a long bath and go to bed....in your bedroom and see how things are in the morning?"

"I'm ready to run."

"I know you are but if you run now you will never stop. If he's still a dick in the morning and refuses to apologize, then I will pick you up at the airport myself. But, if things are different maybe it will be worth the makeup sex."

Talia huffed out a laugh. "It's always about the sex with you."

"Well, if it really is as good as you say it is then I wouldn't be giving up riding that pony any time soon."

"Alright. I will let you know what is going on tomorrow." Talia paused remembering something Jeremiah had said. "You've been talking to Chrissy?"

"Of course. She needs my advice just as much as you do. Plus, she tells me what is really going on. Now, go wash that man right outta your hair." Talia laughed at his off-key signing.

"Love ya."

"Love you more, sweetie."

Talia walked into the bathroom starting a bath full of fragrant bath salts. She set her phone on the counter with music playing softly. Tears continued to fall until the third song. By the time it started to play she was all cried out. Talia remained in the bath until the water turned cold then she slipped on a tank and sleep shorts. Sliding between the cool sheets her emotionally drained body succumbed to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Zeketiptoed into her room. He curled upbehind her encircling her with his arms. Placing a light kiss on her shoulder a soft whispered apology was metwith silence. Talia continued to laystill while his breathing evened out signaling he was asleep. It took her another hour before the tensionleft her body allowing her to sleep again.