Too Close For Comfort (LH) (PT1&2)

5. Replaceable

Today was supposed to be better, but yelling was all I could hear. I rolled over, covering my head with a pillow, but the voices seemed to get louder and more frantic.

I gave up on sleeping and decided to see what was going on. Alexis wasn't in her bed, Luke wasn't in the living room, judging by a quick glance it appeared the house was empty, but they were still here. I knew, because I could hear them. Mainly I could hear my dad, West, Liz, and Megan.

I caught a glimpse of Parker's burgundy hair. Approaching them, I could see Alexis tucked under his arm. She was hiding in his side, she seemed scared.

"What's going on?" Their heads snapped back at me. Their eyes wide with concern and sympathy.

Parker reached out the door and tugged on something. That something was actually Luke. When he turned around his face gave away how he was feeling. His eyes were dark, his jaw was clenched. His face softened some when he saw me.

"Luke?" I was starting to get nervous. My arms slowly snaked around my waist, "what's going on?"

"Come on," he reached for me, but I stepped back, "let's go upstairs."

I could hear the screaming voices perfectly now. My dad and West the most. At first I thought they were fighting, which wasn't like them. That is until I heard, "she's my daughter you can't take her from me!"

"Is that my-," I tried to walk out the door, but Luke grabbed me. He held me back, fighting with me to hold me in place. "Ow! Luke let me go!" I struggled, eventually breaking free from his grip, rubbing my sore arms.

"Kaytlin!" He tried to grab me again, but I was out the door. Luke was only a few quick steps behind me. "Mom," he alerted Liz.

"Megan!" Parker yelled.

The two women turned, freezing when they saw me. "Katie honey go back inside," Liz tried to turn me around.

"You left her! You sold the whole goddamn apartment!" My Uncle screamed in his sister's face. My mom's face.

"West!" Megan scolded, but he was too angry to hear her.

It felt like I had a thousand hands on me each trying desperately to pull me back into the house. Luke's hands worked the most efficiently: he tried to pick me up and carry me back in.

"Let me go!" I shoved his hands away, knocking him off balance. My mom continued to yell at her ex husband, who continued to yell at her, who was being backed up by her brother. Megan and Liz were trying to talk over them and block my view. Out the corner of my eye I could see the neighbors watching. "They aren't going to fight are there?" No one answered my question, and the yelling continued. "Stop yelling at her!" No one seemed to hear my protest.

"Stop it!" I screamed loud enough that all of Atlanta could hear me. My throat aching.

All the hands that were on me fell and were replaced by eyes. They were all staring at me. My heart started to race. Megan and Liz stepped out of my way, giving me a better view of the scene. The back of West's SUV was wide open, there were a few suitcases and bags dropped carelessly in a pile, while all of my stuff seemed to be thrown around the yard.