fires and floods. | dominic fike

20

Jessica Fike-McCann sighed heavily, running a hand through her long brown tangeled hair. In her hands she held clothes that belonged to her, the clothes she wore when she got arrested 8 months ago. Following the cop through the corridors, Jess was led to the booking area where she would be released from Collier County Jail. She signed some last minute paperwork and was directed to the doors that would lead her to freedom.

On the other side of the door stood the Fike family on the Naples pavement. The air was warm, the familiar Florida air was comforting. Dominic stood next to Alex, who stood next to their grandmother, who was holding Apollonia. He could feel his nerves bubbling, he was excited for his mom to be back but he didn't know how long he would have her for. It was something that annoyed him heavily about his mother's ability to constantly land herself back in jail, it felt like an endless cycle but Dominic knew he just had to accept her for who she is. Plus, both him and Alex had their fair run ins with the law so it wasn't like Dominic wasn't sympathizing with his mother's recklessness.

Jess began to make the long stride from the jail to beyond the fences, when she made it to her family, she stood smiling softly in front of her kids and mom, her hands folded over each other as she held her belongings.

"My babies," Jess started, holding herself back from throwing herself at them to respect their boundaries. Alex was the first one to open his arms and embrace his mother, followed by Dominic.

"Sean couldn't make it, he said he will call you though." Dominic spoke, the first words he said to her without a glass wall in between them and his hands touching her skin. He sort of grew numb to these reunions, he knew Alex wasn't entirely use to it and Apple had a long way to go before she understood how royally fucked up the Fike siblings were put in. Apollonia cooed from the arms of her grandmother, gaining the attention of Jessica.

"My Apple!" Jess exclaimed after letting go of her boys. She reached her hands out to the baby, a nervous look on the mother's face. Jessica's mother, Ruby, reluctantly handed the youngest child to her mother.

"You better enjoy it. She still mine till you prove your probation officer you got your shit together." Ruby mumbled, loud enough for all the kids to hear.

"It's nice to see you too, ma." Jess chuckled lightly, not surprised by her mother's aggression. "Thanks for helping me with these little ones. I'll make it up to you."

"Damn right you will."

LATER...

"Celeste! Ernie needs a change, Help me while I get both sets of twins ready to go to your Tia Yessenia's house." Aleida yelled throughout the hallway, earning a groan of annoyance from the girl's room. She shares the room with Catalina and another younger sister, Chalina.

"I heard you, Huevona!" Aleida quickly stepped into her eldest daughter's room and slapped her leg with her sandal and walked right back out. "The fuck!" Celeste yelled, rubbing her leg as she followed out after her mom to go find her brother. She spotted Ernie roaming the house in his walker, picking him up and instantly being met with the smell of his diaper.

"Jesus fucking christ, you're gross. You're like free birth control." Celeste mumbled to her younger brother, who simply cooed at her words. He didn't understand her of course, but part of Celeste felt he understood in someway. He giggled softly as she began playing with him to distract Ernie from the disruption she was about to cause by changing his diaper.

When Celeste finished, she began walking through the house in search of her mother with Ernie at her hip. Aleida was found in the twin girls room, making sure both girls were ready to go visit her own sister. Both sets of twins were now old enough to all 4 go together to their aunts house now that they were more well behaved and understood what could happen if they were acting up.

"Mom, I'm gonna go to Doms. They're having a welcome home party for Jess." Celeste explained.

"Oh? Who gave you permission?" Aleida chuckled dryly, surprised by the statement rather than question.

"Me. Cmon, ma. You know them." Celeste sighed, ignoring the light pulling of her earring from Ernie and the hesitancy in her mother's voice.

"Whatever. Yeah."

...

im here hurry up or i will crash this car into your house!

Celeste giggled at the message from Dominic, finishing the last of applying her lip gloss and dropped it in her bag, beginning to make her way out the house. As she walked past some of her siblings, they couldn't help but notice how pretty Celeste looked. She very rarely dolled up, but every time she did, she reminded everyone around her how beautiful she truly was. She was excited to meet her boyfriend's family, and be away from the chaos of her own home for a bit. After saying goodbye to her family, she skipped her way over to Dominic's car.

Once she was outside, Celeste was met with the sight of Dom leaning against the passenger door. "Finally, fuck. I thought I was gonna have to actually crash my car for a second." Dominic joked, kissing his girlfriend on the lips. Celeste pulled away quickly, wiping the sides of her lips.

"I thought we agreed to not ruin my combo?" Celeste asked, placing her own forehead against his lips for her preferred greeting.

"I'll ruin your makeup if I want to." Dominic slyly spoke, earning a gasp of shock from the girl as he opened the door for her.

"Dom, that's gross!" Celeste giggled as she put on her seatbelt.

"Right, these hickies on my chest tell me otherwise!" Dominic fired back, pulling down the collar of his t-shirt, closing the door and running to his side as Celeste's laughter filled the car. She quickly leaned over and opened his door, struggling a bit from her seatbelt but opening it nonetheless.

"I gotta remember to buckle up after I open the door." Celeste sighed, leaning back into the seat and running a hand through her hair.

"Learning new habits together baby." Dominic winked, beginning to drive to the place of the party.