The Stepmom

CHAPTER 10

Deafening silence filled the car as we drove. The tension was smothering. After what felt like forever, the car pulled into the driveway and into the small parking lot. My Dad went into the adjacent garage and I ascended the stairs out of the lot to the living room. The house was dark, the only source of light was the gibbous moon outside. I blindly ascended the dark stairs to my room. I turned on the lights as soon as I entered. I took off the layers of clothes that had kept me warm and went into the already lit bathroom. I shivered from the cold as I got in the shower. I turned on the water and let it pour down my naked body. The warm water ran down my bare skin, washing away my frustrations.

I then turned off the water and exited the bathroom to put on my pajamas and get under the linen sheets. I was especially cozy and fell asleep in an instant.

I woke up the next morning, a little later than usual. This day was even colder than the last. When I went downstairs Angela was already cleaning. She was almost finished in the living room.

"Your food's in the microwave." She said simply waving me off and continued scrubing the tiled floor. I nodded and took out the food to eat. We said nothing to each other since she was occupied and I wasn't in a mood for small talk. I finished eating and tidied up the kitchen  before going back to my room. I passed by the library to get a new book to read and then went to sit in the small balcony still in my pajamas. I didn't mind the cold breeze that passed by every second. As I was halfway through the fifth chapter, my cellphone rang. It was on the bed. I ignored it, hoping that whoever it was would cut the call soon. They didn't. The phone kept on ringing until I had no choice but to get up and go pick it up since I couldn't continue reading with the vexatious unremitting ringing. A faint crease formed on my forehead as I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration. I put down the book and answered.

"Miles." I said vexatiously. "What an unpleasant surprise." I added in a monotone.

"Oh come on, am I that annoying?" A masculine voice boomed through the cellphone's speaker. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"What do you want?" I asked with a nettled sigh.

"If that's how you wanna play this, fine. I'm in town and I wanted to do a story on your Dad..."

"What makes you think my Dad's going to wanna talk to you?" I asked.

"That's why I called you first." He said and I scoffed.

"Why in the world would I do that for you? After that shit you did. What, you think I've forgotten?"

"Skylar come on. I've apologized a thousand times—"

"I don't care! Apologizing is never gonna change the fact that you did it, regardless of what we've been through together. You took advantage of our friendship just so you could get on the cover." I said angrily. I couldn't stand Miles. I couldn't believe he had the nerve to ask me to do this for him. "So you listen here Miles. I don't ever want to repeat myself. You and I aren't friends so NEVER contact me ever again. Emergency or not, you lost that privilege the day you chose clout over us... your family." I cut the call and threw the phone on the bed in anger. How dare he?  I went back out to the balcony to get my coffee. It was already cold so I stormed back in to the kitchen to get a fresh cup. Angela was still there. She could see how angry I was and she asked, "What's going on." Her warm welcoming eyes made me tell her without thinking twice. She was here when Miles did what he did so there was no reason for me to lie to her.

Miles was my childhood friend. I'd known him all my life. He was the kind of person who'd do anything to get what he wanted. That's what my Dad loved about him and it was one if the reasons he let him stick around. He thought that I could learn a thing or two from him and maybe someday I'd get to take over his businesses. What my Dad nor I didn't know was Miles knew no boundary. Doing whatever in order to get what he wanted included betraying family. Miles was not family by blood but he was family regardless.

His parents died when he was ten years old and since we were best friends my Dad let him stay with us for as long as he needed. His aunt Scottie didn't mind as she was always away on business. Miles was like a brother I never had but he ruined all of that when he wanted to prove his worth at his new job. He took everything we shared with him in private and put it on Friday Magazine. He never asked if we were okay with that, he just did it. He never thought of how it'd affect us.

"This will make my career." That's how he'd justified it. "It'll put my name on the map." He'd say.

How do you keep someone like that around?

"You did the right thing Sky. That kid is bad news." Angela said.

"He might have asked for permission this time but he's not going to stop just because we said no. He'll do the story regardless of what I say."

"Are you going to warn your father about him?" She asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Do you think I should?"

"Well if you tell your father he might be able to put an end to it or atleast prepare for the hurricane. If you agree to do the story you can control what he writes about and what he doesn't, but if you don't... he will sell the story however he wants. He won't care about the facts, just what can get him to sell." Angela explicated.

"You're right about that." I said standing upright with my fingers twiddling with my phone. I thought of a way forward for a minute and then I said, "I'll find out where he is." I then made my way to the master bedroom to find my Dad.

"Come in." Kaitlyn said after three knocks. I entered upon her command. She smiled as I made my way to the bed she was sitting on.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"You okay?" I asked politely.

"Yeah. And thank you for last night. He promised it won't happen again..."

"Kaitlyn—"

"It's okay—"

"I'm not here to talk about that." I said. "There's something I need you to do..."

"Okay, what is it?" She asked.

"Where's Dad?"

"He left an hour ago. Why?"

"I wanted to talk to him, but it doesn't matter. I need you to convince him to talk to Miles. We'll tell you everything when Dad gets back."

"Why don't you do it?" She asked skeptically.

"Because, Miles is a very sensitive topic for him and we aren't really on good terms right now."

"You're never on good terms."

"That's just how we are." I said a little louder. I sighed. "Will you do it?"

"You should do it, you're his daughter."

"You're his wife."

"Sky—"

"Please." I begged.

"How am I supposed to convince him to talk to someone I don't know, hell I don't even know what's going on. Skylar what is this about?"

"Just trust me, okay? I promise it has nothing to do with what's going on between you and Dad." She looked at me skeptically for a second and then said, "Okay."

"Thank you." I said pulling her into a hug. After realizing what I'd just done I pulled away. She gave me a look I couldn't decipher. Our eyes locked for a minute. My heart racing and my mind clear of everything except her alluring hazel eyes. I broke eye contact feeling my cheeks heat up.

"I-I should go." I stumbled over my words and hurried out of the room. I closed the door behind me and took a minute to breath in and calm my racing heart. Then London popped into my mind leaving me feeling conflicted.
What was up with me today? I went back to the kitchen to get beer to drown these feelings invading my heart.

"Is it Miles who has you this worked up?" Angela asked after I popped open a third bottle. I shook my head before gulping down the liquid like it's water, ignoring the burning sensation and bitter aftertaste.

"God, you need therapy." She said before heading upstairs to clean the library.

"You have no idea." I murmured to myself and continued drinking.

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