Raising Lexi (Year One)

2-First Time Consequences

For several moments the four of them just sat there in the awkward silence.  Chandler was the first one to get up and leave, Tyler was fast on his heels.  They quickly found their way to the family room leaving their older brothers to discuss whatever it was they wanted to talk about. Besides, Chandler still hadn't had his "discussion" with Dameon about his current situation in his math class. So, he would rather just stay out of his eyesight if at all possible, even though he already knew that didn't really matter either. If Dameon already had you on his radar to "discuss" something, you could bet it was going to happen...eventually. 

However, at least at the moment Chandler had his little sister to thank for creating a nice diversion for him.  He was definitely going to take advantage of it as long as possible, he thought to himself as he plopped down on the leather couch. He turned on the XBOX 360 as Tyler came in to join him...let the games begin, he thought with a sly smile. 

Dameon and Dalton were still sitting in the living room area when they heard the T.V. turn on. Dalton looked over at his older brother, he could see he was deep in thought,  his face etched in concern. 

"Damn!" Dameon suddenly spat out. He looked up to see Dalton looking at him. He looked away shaking his head. "I should have thought about that." Dalton just waited letting Dameon sort it all out, since he seemed to be talking more to himself anyway.  "I should have taken time to explain to Lexi what was going on when Chandler and Tyler left." Dalton could see his brother was visibly upset. 

"Dameon, come on now, there is no way any of us could have known..." Dameon cut him off.

"I should have." He snapped back. "All this time she has been thinking I just left her, abandoned her. Damn." He finished muttering more to himself again.

"Hey, listen, that was a very difficult time back then, a lot was going on. What with having to deal with Mom and the courts and everything. You can't fault yourself for this one Dameon." Dalton said asserting himself a bit more this time. "Besides, now she knows, so you need to let that go."

Dameon just glared over at his brother. Like that was easy for him to do, he wasn't the one directly responsible for her, or the others. Sometimes he wondered if he was the right choice for this task. However, who was there to do it if not him, he thought to himself. He sighed, maybe Dalton is right, maybe he just needed to let it go.

"Well, this is just as good of a time as any to tell you then I suppose." Dalton said interjecting into his thoughts. 

Dameon face went from frustrated and worried to cautious as he wondered what in the world Dalton was up to now. "Tell me...what?"

"So," Dalton started, "just wanted to go ahead now and give you a heads up that Lexi won't be the only one coming here to live here with you. I'll be joining you too." He finished by locking those same brown eyes with his brother. 

The only thing that moved on Dameon's body were his eyebrows, as both shot up in unison. He knew he had caught Dameon by surprise. The only thing Dalton didn't quite know was what was Dameon thinking. Was his reaction from doubt, or disbelief, or disapproval. He was trying to figure that part out as he waited.

Dameon leaned back in his chair and studied his younger brother. If Dalton was saying what he thought he was saying he was having no part of it. He was not going to allow Dalton to burden himself with trying to raise three kids at this time in life. Nope, he would not allow it. He started shaking his head.

"No, Dalton," he finally said," No. That will not be happening." He stated using all of his older brother authority to express how much he meant it.

Dalton sat back, giving his brother that infamous smirk he was so good at doing. Dameon knew that look, he had seen it all his life. It was Dalton's way of saying he was going to do whatever he wanted to and there was nothing Dameon could do to stop him. Dameon glared back over at him. Now it was going to come down to the battle of the wills and both of them were equally stubborn.