Mia nodded. “He pushed me one night when I told him we had to keep back part of the money I made that week for groceries. He wanted to use my whole paycheck to place a bet on a game. I fell and hit my head on the edge of his gaming system.”

“Did you tell Addy and Jesse about this?” Cody laid his spoon to the side and his hands knotted into fists. Anger rose up from depths that he didn’t even know he had. Losing Dineo and Bodi had made him both angry and sad, but the thought of Ricky hurting Mia went above and beyond that.

“No, I didn’t,” she said and shook her head. “How could I? Mama and Daddy both thought that I was still living in the dorm and going to class, not working for minimum wage in a café. But I did go to the health clinic and they diagnosed me with a concussion. I had a headache for a few days, but I didn’t miss any work. In those days, I didn’t even blame Ricky. I figured I deserved it because I didn’t let him make that bet.” Mia clamped her mouth shut tightly and then said through clenched teeth, “He didn’t ever let me forget it either. Even though his team didn’t win, and he would have lost the money anyway, he said I was bad luck because we had to use his betting money for doctor bills and medicine for me. I was pretty stupid, wasn’t I?” She glanced up at Stevie. “And I didn’t mean to bring all this up.”

“You didn’t,” Stevie said. “We kind of pried it out of you.”

“But I do feel better for talking about it,” Mia admitted.

“He was a real loser,” Cody growled. “Why did you put up with that kind of abuse?”

“Ricky is what happens to us girls who feel too ugly for boys to notice,” Mia declared, “but it won’t happen again. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Now, eat up because I brought chocolate pie too.”

“I have to know one thing,” Stevie said, “Why would you ever feel ugly? You look like a runway model.”

“Ricky used to say that, but hearing it and believing it is two different things,” Mia said.

Cody was glad that Stevie could talk to Mia, because at that moment all he wanted to do was find that kid and give him a concussion. No wonder she hadn’t dated anyone since she’d come home.

“I understand.” Stevie nodded and went back to eating.

“Knowing I’m not the only one who has felt that way helps more than you’ll ever know,” Mia said. “Mama says to tell you that Cody is supposed to bring you to the house tomorrow morning.”