Ralph opened the room, and Adira entered first. She saw that the room had a sofa and a huge bed that dominated it. It was all she looked at. She then muttered, "So stupid," and forced her gaze away. She felt that, of course, the bed was always a centerpiece. Mainly if it is a hotel room.
Ralph pulled on the cushions, and they started to expand the sofa into a sofa bed. He joked, "Your plans to not let me sleep on the floor were heard by that guy."
He then pointed at Adira and asked her to check out what had been kept there for Raven.
She turned, her mouth dropping open. She said, "I don't believe what I am seeing." There was a 'pack n-play' in the corner. Inside was a huge basket filled with baby supplies, like diapers, formula milk tins, bottles, wipes, blankets, and even clothes.
Ralph grabbed the basket, setting it on the table in the corner. He asked Adira to take a closer look.
She asked him, "Did you do that?"
He grinned and said, "Nope. It was all courtesy of the guy behind the counter."
Adira was so overwhelmed with gratefulness. She sat down on the bed, holding Raven closer. But then they put her down on the bed so she would sleep comfortably. She then said to Ralph, "I don't understand. This entire day has been like a dream. I am afraid to wake up."
Ralph came to stand in front of her, then kneeled. He had a soft, gentle smile on his face. He said, "Adira, I don't know who hurt you so badly, but I am here to tell you that this is not a dream. There are good people in the world." He added, "More importantly, you deserve to be treated right."
She felt that he was sitting so close to her. His lips were so inviting that she could hardly breathe. She thought she shouldn't think about him or his perfectly kissable mouth. She questioned herself. Had she not learned her lesson with tall, good-looking men? Had she not learned that men are not to be trusted? They take what they want, and when they are done with them, the women are dumped as easily. They lie, they cheat, and they hit. Her entire adult life, she had been on the receiving end. She was the one who always gave and gave.
Adira said, "I cannot accept the basket. It is too much."
Ralph touched her knee, and heat ignited in her because of that. He said, "Yes, you can. It has been given freely to you. No strings attached. A good person is doing something kind for another good person."
She thought that maybe she could allow herself to receive, allow to trust, and allow herself to feel like a woman who was worthy of love, hope, and safety. But she just muttered, "Ralph, you are making everything sound so easy."
He replied, "Believe me when I say it is. After all, if you can't believe in a man whose job is to protect everything he holds dear, then who can you believe in?"
Adira burst out laughing. She asked, "Did you just use a line on me?"
He gave a broad grin and said while smiling confidently, "Thought I would give it a try. Adira, you must feel you are taking advantage of me; but I will tell you that you are not. Let me help you, dear. Let me keep helping you until you are finally back home."
Sincerity shone so brightly in his eyes that she tried looking away and said, "I used to be the kind of girl who trusted easily. But that girl turned into a woman who cannot allow herself to be vulnerable again."
He asked her, "What happened, sweetheart?"
She replied, "The shorter version of my story is - I married a monster."
He asked her, "Are you still married to him?"
She replied, "I divorced him after I had conceived Raven. He got everything because I walked out on him. That was in the conditions of the prenuptial agreement."
"What did he do to make you leave?" Ralph asked.
Adira was overwhelmed. While everyone, including her family, had blamed her for divorcing such a big catch as Lucifer. Ralph asked her what Lucifer had done to her. She answered, "He cheated on me. When I confronted him and refused to believe his lies, he hit me hard and gave me a black eye. Then he acted as if he was horrified by his action and said he would never do it again. I had thought that marrying a guy like Lucifer was a good choice. He was different from the boys I had dated in college. I thought he would give me love, attention, and respectability. But no one had ever hit me before; not even my hardhearted Aunt believed in violence. I stood back stupidly and then realized I was pregnant. But he was unhappy with the news and gave me money to abort the baby. I then summoned courage and ran away." Adira wondered why she was sharing her secrets. But she didn't know why. She believed he was her savior, who could save her from worldly evils.
Ralph said, "Son of a bitch. I hope the police arrested him, locked him up, and threw away the key."
"They didn't." She smiled bitterly. "It is hard to arrest a person who owns the entire town. I don't blame them. They have families to support. He staged everything and ended up looking like the victim."
Ralph looked so angry that he clenched his fist in anger. His wolf was ready to come out openly. He had to control himself. He looked ready to fight for her.
Adira asked him, "How are you so good? Always thinking the best of myself. Helping me."
He replied, "A wise man once told me we should help others without asking if they are worthy of it."
She asked him who that person was.
He replied, "That person was my Dad."
"Was?" she asked.
He nodded, and pain entered his eyes but then left as quickly. He replied that it happened when he was very young.
She said, "I am so sorry, Ralph!"
Just then, he received a call from his buddies. Ralph excused himself and said that he would return quickly. They would continue this talk then.
Adira smiled and nodded.
He left, closing the door behind him.
Ralph returned in fifteen minutes to their room. He spoke to Adira, who had been waiting for him, "Tell me something, will Raven's dad be a problem for both of you?"
She replied, "He never wanted a child, and when I gave him the news that I had conceived, he asked me to get rid of the pregnancy. He neither wanted me nor the baby anymore. Also, I have divorced him."
Ralph asked her, "How did you get this far?" He sounded very impressed with her.
She replied, "My brother was the reason." She then got up and laid her daughter in the pack-and-play. She stood watching her sleep. Raven looked so innocent and so peaceful, Adira thought. She then told Ralph, "I missed my brother so much. I finally texted him. I did not think he would reply. He is studying in college, and I was sure I was the last thing on his mind."
Ralph then replied, "Yet here you are." He then came and stood behind her. He was large and tall. His shoulders were so broad that she would have been threatened by him. But she felt comforted. She felt protected and was ready to lean onto his shoulder and let him take care of her, she thought.