She sighed and opened her eyes to find Zach watching her with a smile.

“What?”

“It’s that good?”

“Long night.”

Zach handed her a paper from his back pocket. “Here’s the only rental car company in town. If you run into a problem, call me.”

She accepted the paper and thanked him.

The water from the pipes in the walls made a squeaking noise before turning off.

When Nolan stepped from the bathroom he strode to the side of his bed, sniffed a shirt he’d tossed there the night before, and then pulled it over his head.

Karen laughed, but tried to do so quietly.

Becky sat in the center of her bed sipping her milk and nibbling on a doughnut.

“Did you call your parents?” Karen asked Zach.

Zach nodded. “Told them I had some issues I needed to deal with on site. That I’d try and get back to them later today.”

Karen gave a sad smile. “Guess your vacation is over.”

He looked through her. “Some people make it better. Without them, it’s just idle time.”

Like the last year of her life. Idle time spent pretending to be something she wasn’t. Not that it was terribly difficult living with a great friend in a fabulous home. Only in the past month did her decision to put much of her life on hold cause any real emotional turmoil. In the end, it would be worth it to help people like Becky and Nolan, or so she told herself.

“Is one of those for me?” Nolan asked when he eyed the cups of coffee.

“Yeah.” Zach pulled one from the tray and handed it to him.

Nolan mumbled thanks and took a big drink from the black coffee. He sighed with satisfaction. “That’s good.”

“We should get out of here. Before anyone sees us.”

Zach was right.

Karen sat on the end of her bed and watched as Nolan packed his small bag. Then he hesitated before he leaned over and kissed Becky’s cheek. The motion was sweet, and so full of innocent love that Karen had to look away. “You need anything…call me.”

Becky nodded with a smile. “I’m OK.”

Then when she didn’t think anyone watched, Karen noticed Becky mouth the words I love you to Nolan.

Nolan kissed her again, then took a bite of Becky’s pastry and strode past Zach and out the door.

“Coming?”

Zach lifted an eyebrow and then glanced at Karen with a smile. “Call me.”

Karen saluted him with her coffee cup as he closed the door behind him.

Alone with Becky, they both smiled at the closed door.

“Nolan is a good guy,” Karen told her.

When her comment was met with silence, she turned to see Becky’s blank stare. “He’s the best.”

Her lower lip trembled.

Karen set her coffee on the table between the beds and moved next to Becky. With her closeness, the girl started to cry.

Karen enveloped her in her arms and Becky clasped on. “I’m so scared.”

“I know, baby. I know. It’s OK.” Karen stared at the stained ceiling of the tacky motel and thanked God she had been in Hilton when this girl needed her most.

Becky’s hand clutched Karen’s shirt. Her sobs filled the room.

“It’s OK. You’re going to be OK. You’re not alone.”

Zach pulled Nolan aside and shoved a bag with a double cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke at him for lunch. They both sat on the tailgate of his truck and bit into their burgers in relative silence.

“How do you like construction?” Zach asked him between bites.

“I like it. Much better than filling orders and inventorying your dad’s shop.”

Zach understood that. “Do you think you and Becky will stay here in Hilton?”

“I need to work.”

That wasn’t the answer Zach was looking for.

“But I don’t think Becky’s parents are going to walk away. And people will talk.”

“People are going to talk anywhere.”

Nolan shoved several fries in his mouth and talked around them. “But less people know us in Bell…or even St. George.”

“That’s a long commute.”

“Whatever. I have to think about Becky. I don’t think she’s safe here…ya know? And if I run into her dad, I’m bound to rearrange the man’s face. Bastard.”

Zach was half-ready to do that himself and he didn’t even know what the man looked like.

“You have a lot to think about.” Zach sipped some more of his soda. “And you’re thinking. That’s good. Best for both of you.”

“I love her. Not just because of the baby either.”

“Are you saying that for my benefit or yours?” Zach watched him now, searching for doubt.

“Yours. I already know how I feel. Yeah, I would have waited until she was out of school…until I’d saved some money and we could find a place of our own. But shit happens. Go with the flow and all that. Life happens whether you want it to or not.”

Zach’s thoughts shifted to Karen and her honey blonde hair and pink lips she licked right before he kissed her. The way she made him feel alive. Hell, he hadn’t realized how dead he felt inside until she walked into his life.

He shook thoughts of Michael from his head. Life happens, whether you want it to or not.

The clinic provided an anonymous setting for Becky and Karen. Karen had called ahead and arranged for them to be taken into a room quickly. Becky gave them the name Rebecca Parker and answered all her medical questions on the history form while Karen sat beside her in support. They’d covered up the bruise on her face with some makeup, but only a blind person wouldn’t notice the marks.

“Do you want me to stay in here when the doctor comes in?” Karen asked.

When Becky didn’t immediately say no, Karen took the decision away. “I’ll stay. If you want me out, just nod.”

“OK.”

One of the nurses stepped in the room and retrieved the form. She scanned it with a smile and then handed Becky a plastic cup. “We need a urine sample. And you can put this on, open in the back.” Becky took the blue and white hospital gown and crumpled it to her chest.

The nurse directed her to the restroom and then moved back into the exam room and waited.

“Is she your sister?”

Karen smiled. “No. I’m a friend.”

“Poor kid. She’s scared.”

“Aren’t they all?”

The nurse nodded. “At least she’s not fourteen.”