Midnight Rain; Cordell Walker

x. cordell

He took a step toward her when she passed by him, in an attempt to stop her from leaving, but he watches desperately as she keeps her head down and excuses herself from the house. Bonham rubs her shoulder comfortingly as she leaves before giving Cordell a hard look from his spot behind his mother.

"Is this true?" Abeline asked, her own features turning angry at the man in front of her. He deserved worse.

Cordell took a deep breath, trying to avoid the looks from Stella and Augie. Guilt traveled through his veins as he stared at the ground like a child being punished. How could he have been such an idiot to involve himself in something as serious as her living space? "Yes," Cordell replied in shame. "But—"

"And how are you going to fix this?" Abeline questioned, crossing her arms.

"I..." Cordell started to stammer until he shook his head and raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. It seemed like he was truly at a loss at how he was going to fix his mess. The more time he spent quiet, the angrier Abeline seemed to become. Even Stella and Augie got the chills even though they were nowhere in the wrong.

"I got an idea," Bonham spoke, diverting Cordell's and Liam's attention. "You let her stay with you."

Cordell gulped, looking at Bonham with shock crossing his features. He expected something else like paying the deposit for another apartment or getting her apartment back, nothing like that. "Here?" Cordell ended up asking.

Abeline gave him a look, almost questioning the audacity that Cordell had. "Do you have a better idea?" She questioned. "She won't be staying with her mother, I won't allow it. The least you could do is open your home for family. Me and your father did not raise you not fix what you broke, Cordell."

Cordell winced, deflating like a balloon. He hated that Stella and Augie were watching this whole thing. Watching him be a sore loser and not admit defeat. Liam sighed, looking back at Cordell after a beat of thinking. "They have a point," he says.

Cordell seemed reluctant, but after being there for him when he spoke his truth about the night at the barn with Denise, this was the least he could do and he knew that. Slowly, Cordell nodded, tightening his jaw.

"And you're gonna make it up to her," Abeline continues. "Call the truce."

Cordell nods again, thinking about that conversation again. He screwed up and he needed to fix his mess, but the thought of it was sending shocks of anger through him at the same time. Why did it have to be Celisa? Why did she have to be so trustworthy and kind that he can't even find a reason to hate her anymore?

He wouldn't let his guard down. Not again. He wasn't going to suddenly be buddy-buddy with her just because she was gonna be living there now. It just made him hate her more because his family was getting on his ass because of her.

Now, he had to tell Celisa about the cameras he found in his mother's house and more than likely in his as well. Now he had to tell his family about them. Now he had to... goddammit.

Cordell cleared his throat, watching his parents and Liam walk out of his place and sat on the couch. Having his kids see his immaturity... see how Celisa was fuming when they'd only ever known her as the happy aunt until her accident.

Both Stella and Augie seemed apprehensive to talk to Cordell after the little incident, but Stella seemed to be a little more confident than Augie in that moment. Could be because she knew Celisa well and spent at least one class with her everyday.

"Dad?" Stella questioned, wringing her fingers.

Cordell looked up at Stella, acknowledging Stella and letting her know that he was listening. Stella glances back at Augie, but he remains put, putting the spotlight of Stella.