The Dove And The Grenade.

Chapter 8: Trigger Finger, Bullet Tongue.

Emily was upstairs in the shower when Eliese showed up the next morning. Her wrists were bruised from the night before but she covered the marks with makeup, as well as the marks on her neck. She was sore but that's to be expected. Her mind was confused by things, she knows Matty is incapable of remaining in a relationship and he knows that too, yet he wants to be in a relationship with Eliese? Eliese is scared that her best friend was going to cheat on her, just like every boyfriend before. She didn't know what to do, was Emily at risk because of this? But Eliese knew one thing for sure, Matty was the only way she'll be able to keep Emily and that means Eliese is going to have to comply with their demands and play house.

Matty dropped her off for a small visit while he went to run some errands before he picked the two girls up. He needed to go somewhere to think for a while, usually going to the gym for a while helped. So he had his gym bag in the backseat when he dropped Eliese off. That morning was warm enough for them to not have to wear jackets; he admired the red bruises on her neck, the ones she couldn't get with makeup. He didn't tell her about them though.

"I'll pick you up at three." Matty told her honestly in a low tone. Eliese blankly stared at the house and nodded softly.

"Okay." She murmured weakly with her hand on the door, she got out and closed the door behind her. Matty didn't wait to drive away. His chest ached with sorrow. His head immediately decided to go somewhere else. He needed to address these issues he's been having and the only person he can think of who's been in this situation is his own mother. He skipped the gym and went to his mom's house to chat.

Eliese smiled at the woman and embraced her in a welcoming hug. Eliese's mom has aged well in ten years. The Native American woman stood in the door of the small house and smiled widely. She had her hair down in a single jet black ringlet that was tied to one side; it was draped over her shoulder lazily. Eliese marched up to the house stiffly, looking fashionable in a Halloween orange corset with black hemming and a pair of low rise jeans with black open toe heels. Nancy always thought Eliese would become a stylist, not a beautician. Or even a designer.

"Hey mom." Eliese smiled lovingly at her small mother. Nancy caught a good glimpse at Eliese, making a few notes about her appearance.

"Hello sweetie, how are you? Are you okay?" Nancy was concerned for her daughter's health when she saw Eliese was stiffly moving. The fifty-seven year old woman invited her daughter into the small house she's been in since Eliese was a little girl, unlike her daughter Nancy hasn't had to move around a lot. And unlike her mother Eliese didn't run away from home when she found out she was pregnant. She stayed and raised the baby in Inglewood.

"I'm fine, mom, just sore from work." Eliese bold faced lied to her mother. She's been a hair dresser for a year now and never once did she have hip or back pains, this pain was from last night. Matty was a bit too rough with her but that's okay. She didn't mind it at all.

"Where is she?" Eliese asked her mom, pulling a couple of mugs out of the cupboard in the kitchen. Nancy smiled at her maturing daughter as she set the coffee mate creamer down onto the counter top.

"She's upstairs in the shower. How was the night alone with your new boyfriend?" Nancy knew about Eliese and Matty, Emily wasn't the one to break the news to them. She's seen the love bites on Eliese's neck and knew it wasn't someone she just met. Eliese always told her mom when she met someone new and there hasn't been word of a new man in Eliese's life from Emily. Nancy knows that Eliese and Emily live at Matty's with him, Matty was well known for leaving love bites on girls. Eliese didn't like hickies; she detested them to be frank.

Eliese's cheeks glowed brightly with redness as she bit her lip to hide the smile that was trying to cross her mouth. 'How does she know? Am I that obvious?' Eliese thought to herself as she poured coffee into the two mugs. She resumed to shrugging her shoulder and brushing it off as if it was nothing.