A Safe Haven

Ten

Ace approached Allison who was sitting in the living room watching television. "Hello. My names Ace." He could hear Spencer yelling and throwing things but ignored it.

She turned her head sharply looking at him and opened her mouth to speak when her attention was averted towards Marks office. "Maybe he needs help?"

"No, it happens all the time. I wouldn't go in there. You'll just get hurt," Ace warned slouching into the far side of the couch and looking at what she was watching on tv and grimacing. "What is this, some chick flick?"

Allison looked undecided for a moment about whether she was going to go to into Marks office, and then smirked at Ace. "Sure, whats wrong with that? Hey, aren't you the boy who called me?"

"It's boring and soapy is what's wrong with it," Ace retorted picking up the remote but just fingered it for the moment. "Yep and I called you again on your cell but you never called back," he said looking at her questioningly.

"I like it, but you can change it if you want," she said shrugging and then frowned. "I was in the bathroom because normally that's the only place I could get any privacy, but one of the children suddenly barged in and I accidently dropped my phone in the toilet. It wouldn't work after that."

Ace smiled when she said she was going to call him and he put the remote down on the side table leaving the show on. Spencer was shrieking now which grated on his nerves. "You wanna get out of here?"

Allison was looking towards the office worriedly now. "He might be hurting him.

Ace looked towards the office considering for a moment and then shook his head. "Nah, the boy is just loud. He holds him so he can't get away and he just screams and screams until he's so tired that he stops. Trust me."

Allison looked doubtful for a second and then followed him outside.

He went to a picnic table in the back yard and takes out a cigarette, "Do you care if I smoke?"

She shrugs. "It's a free country."

Ace chuckled as he lit it taking a deep drag and letting smoke out the side of his mouth.

"Why did you call me? How did you get my information? I don't understand what happened because about a week after I spoke to you I found out I was being transferred to another home through a private agency. As much as I hated it there, I didn't want to come here, but Mark seems nice and then here you are," Allison explained looking at Ace for answers.

Ace was silent for a second and then said, "If I tell you, you can't tell Mark or Spencer. Do you promise?"

Allison considered it and nodded. "I wont. I promise."

"I found your picture and information about Marks family on his computer. He made me promise to keep this to myself so I'm breaking that by telling you this, but I'm pretty sure your his daughter."

"What!" Allison said with her eyes wide and eyebrows narrowing. "That can't be. My fathers name is Merle Garcia."

Ace shook his head. "I think that dude lied to you. He's your grandfather and he apparently kept you from Mark, your dad."

For a moment, Allison looked like she was going to march in there and demand an answer, but she stopped and looked at Ace. "Why doesn't he want to tell me the truth?"

"I guess he wants to get to know you. Spencer is his son as well and doesn't know either," Ace said dropping his cigarette on the ground and pressing on it with his foot.

"Are you his son too? Are we brother and sister?" Allison asked with a slight grimace on her face.

Ace couldn't help grinning. "Nah were cousins I think. My mom is Marks older sister. I don't care though."

Allison blushed not sure what to think. "My dad, I mean grand dad was a redneck and I think its okay to like your cousin."

"Then you do like me?" Ace asked in a teasing voice which seemed to make her blush more.

"I'd like to be friends," she offered.

Ace nods his head. "Me too so we'll be friends."

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