Book 2 - Into the Light

Chapter Thirteen

Gunnar decides to spend the rest of the week with Victoria and work from her house. He is there with her sorting out all the paper side of things while Richard handled the kids and parents in person. He is glad to have a small group of friends he has to where he can trust them with things in the center. The same mindset of it not being about the money per se but about building a better future.

"Hey Vic, we need to start packing for the trip," he says.

"Ok. Give me a minute to find my big bag,"

They are heading to Gunnar's family land and he is excited to have all of them together. Hudson is flying in from Colorado and Everett's back from Boston, or Miami, he can't remember. She has really made some incredible friends doing well in photography.

"Where would you even keep a big bag in this place?" Gunnar asks.

"Here," Victoria points to a part of the wall and pops open a storage compartment that he never knew was there.

"Wait, what is that?" curiosity takes the better of him as he is standing on the ladder of her tiny house looking at this hidden compartment.

"I built little compartments in this place for extra storage and insulation. I just need to take out all the clothes from winter and I can pack. See I change out my weather clothes for what I need then repack what I don't need and then back to storage. Smart right,"

"Yes, incredibly smart. Just remember it gets cold at night so pack some longer stuff," He reminds her.

She nods and Gunnar watches her as she flawlessly moves around this tiny place and acts like nothing hurts. He wonders how often did she get physically hurt to be able to handle all of this. She reaches for something and her shirt rides up showing a part of the bruise.

"Does it hurt still? Be honest," He points to her bruise.

She looks at him and she stops what she is doing. "Truth?"

"Please,"

She gently sighs and realizes that this man deserves the complete truth. "It's better now, more uncomfortable at this point. You want true honest?"

Gunnar climbs up to the loft and squeezes himself next to her. His fumbling into bed causes her to giggle.

"I'm sorry this place is too small for your giant body,"

"Don't be. It's like a mole hole for me. Now, go on," he encourages but notices her hesitation. "You've told them before and people left or asked you to change?" She nods her head and looks like she is fighting some tears and building courage, to be honest with him. "Listen I'm not going to say don't do something. I learned a very long time ago that you will do what you need, how you need to do it, and you can handle the world exploding. I admire that, scares the ever-living hell out of me, but I want you. I want all of you so I need to know."

"Okay," she says with a shaky voice. "It's happened a bit more than I'd like. This job style has allowed me to fulfill Oscar's bucket list and I am thankful for that. The owner of the bar installed cameras after the vacationer got physical. The black eye and was knocked out for a few minutes. Then when I was almost robbed the owner gave me pepper spray. It's in the stock room for me and a few others. He's had security guards for nights he knows we are busy so this happens randomly with drunks. It's people letting go on vacation and they just get too carried away. My dad hit me harder than those drunks so I know I can take it.

"Doesn't make it right," Gunnar whispers gently.

"No, it doesn't but this job is a stepping stone. It isn't forever,"