Matching Leather Jackets

Dinner with Dell

"How come I've never met you before?" I ponder aloud, sitting at the small table and chewing on a small chunk of pineapple. Rachael is slurping up spaghetti while "aunt" Dell nibbles lasagna. I had chosen a small fruitful salad, just to make her feel weird.

"Well, your father kept your mother and you two locked up in the house. After your younger brother left-"

I cut her off. "Wait, what're you talking about "younger brother"? It's just Ray and me." I click my tongue and roll my eyes. How did she come up with that one?

"He didn't tell you, did he?" she says.

I sit up straight. "What?"

She bites her lip. "God damned him. I don't think it's my place to say anything about it."

"Whatever," I say, rolling my eyes.

She cuts her eyes fiercely at me and I stare back at her. "Don't talk to me that way, Penelope."

"Or what?" I challenge her. She raises her eyebrows and looks me dead in the eyes. People would think I would have respect for a lady like her, but put yourself in my position. How can I trust someone who looks just like my father and may start to act like him to? It wouldn't make much since.

"I can't make you respect me or do anything-" She starts, but I cut her off.

"That's for sure."

She sends a warning glare and continues. "-But let's make a proposition. I'll give you freedom and respect in exchange for respect and reasoning from you. Deal?" She asks, wrapping up the food she didn't want and tossing it on the plate. I look her dead in the eyes and sigh.

Maybe I can try to tolerate her, but if she screws up at all, whatsoever, I'll have the right to treat her as I damn there please. It's only fair.

I give her another stoic look and nod my head. "We can give it a go."

"Good."

"I'm finished," Ray says suddenly, looking up at me with big eyes and with pasta sauce smeared all over her cheeks. I snicker at her and take a napkin from the side of her plate. I swiftly wipe the redness from her face and look up to see Dell watching animatedly. I set the napkin aside and take one last sip of my tea.

"You remind me of myself when I was your age," Dell blurts at me.

"How so?"

She sighs. "Our parents worked too much, so we pretty much have been fending for ourselves since we were ten. We're fraternal twins, but your father was a few minutes after me, so I was obligated to look out for him, just like you look after Rachael. I used to be a hot-head too, just like you."

I don't feel the slightest bit of denial or disagreement here, so I just stay quiet and nod my head.

However, what she spilled about my father and her is...interesting. My father had parents who worked so much that they had forgotten how their children needed some TLC. Wow, doesn't this story sound familiar? My father doesn't care.

I see an uncomfortable look arise in Dell's eyes so I flip the topic a little bit. "Aye, why did my father say he was going on a business trip when he was actually going to get you to watch us while he is in rehab? Why didn't he just say so?"

"First off, your father is a very reserved man. He keeps everything to himself, with the addition of being so aggressive. I see those marks on your arms, honey, and the bruise on your cheek. I can see the way you jump when you hear loud noises, even. How long has he been doing this?" She asks softly. I almost say how long, but then I clench my jaw and squeeze my fingers onto the table's edge.

"Can we leave?" I ask warily, wiping my face and grabbing Ray's hand. Her face looks stricken, and when I ask her what's wrong, she's too quick to say, well, nothing. I'll let her be.

Dell pays for the food and we head out to her giant Lincoln. She had two cars. She's loaded, you can tell, so I have no idea on why she might want to "babysit" Ray and I. When I saw her first car, which was a Cadillac CTS Coupe Convertible, all I wanted to do was take the baby for a ride, but of course, no one would know that.

When we pull up to my home, all of the lights are out and my Dad's car isn't in the driveway.

Freedom.

However, we have a problem. Blake is sitting on my porch.

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Hey guys! Short chapter, I know, I'm sorry! I wasn't into it this week :I

Next chapter coming soon! Thanks for the reading and the support! Comments and votes are greatly appreciated! Love you all :*

~Crys