Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Chapter 136

"For fucks sake, Aunt Abigail," Nick growled as he stood in the middle of the kitchen, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Calling Momma a bitch? Really?" 

"Nick -" 

"No," he shook his head, "no. That was too far, and it escalated the situation between you two further." He glared at her. "What the hell were you thinking?" 

"Did you not hear what she was saying?" 

"I heard her perfectly clear! But you had no right calling her a bitch in her own home, let alone at all! She has a perfectly good reason for feeling the way she does, and you have no right getting in the middle of that." 

Abigail rolled her eyes. 

"I know you have good intentions. I really do. But you also are going about in the wrong way. Instead of trying to tell Momma and Pa how to raise us, try giving them suggestions instead. Nicely. As in, not yelling or starting an argument with them about how they raise us in the first place. We are doing perfectly fine with how they're raising us, and if you have a problem with it, approach them nice and calm about it." 

"I tried that already -" 

"No, you haven't. I heard about what happened the first time and trust me, I wasn't too happy about it. You both are too angry with each other and it's upsetting us, and you two. It's also tearing that bond that you and Momma have always had, and it's getting out of hand. You two are best friends and sisters. It shouldn't be like this at all. You guys need to figure out the issues and how you go about this shit before talking to each other because both of you crossed the line tonight." 

Abigail bowed her head, taking in her nephew's words. 

"This is getting ridiculous, and both me and Erika have had enough of it. We're done with the arguing between you two. It's tearing the family that come around the most apart. My sister's birthday is in less than two weeks. You two better figure shit out before then because I don't feel like having this conversation again, understand?" 

Abigail nodded. 

Nick walked away and back down the hallway towards the living room where the men sat. He looked at John. 

"Go get your wife." 

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Erika paced in her parent's room as her mother kicked the bedpost. 

"Momma," Erika said calmly as she rubbed her temples, "I'm getting mighty sick of the shit between you and Aunt Abigail." 

"She just called me -" 

"A bitch, I know." Erika growled. "But the arguing between you two needs to stop and now before I lose my cool with both of you. My birthday is coming up and I'm not going have you two arguing on it. Nick already had to deal with you and Pa arguing, so I'd suggest you make up with Aunt Abigail and do it real soon." 

"She -" 

"Momma!" Erika yelled. "She already apologized! You need to get it in your head to understand where she's coming from and give it a thought!" She began pacing again. "I'm done with the shit between you two! You want to set a good example for me and Nick? How about you think before you act instead of getting all pissed off and cross with her! For god's sake, she's your sister! Start respecting each other!" 

Amelia growled and plopped down on the bed. 

"It starts with you!" Erika continued. "She already apologized and yet you're still losing your mind over something so stupid! The same thing happened with your parents, and if you try and cut our Aunt and Uncle out of our lives, I will be losing my shit! This needs to end now, or I will be taking matters into my own hands." Erika opened her parents' bedroom door and slammed it shut. 

She glared up at her father the same way Nick had at John. "Your wife has lost her damn mind. This is on you now, daddy." She stalked off to her room, slamming the door. 

Arthur looked over at John, his eyes wide. John gave him the same look. 

"I think we should probably talk to our wives." John said after a minute. 

"Probably." Arthur said slowly. "My son and daughter are losing their shit, so let's go take care of that before we get yelled at by them as well." 

"Actually," John stopped him before he walked to his bedroom, "how about I take Amelia, and you take Abigail?" 

Arthur thought for a moment before shrugging. "Sure." 

"We'll go talk to the kids." Hosea said before him and Charles walked away. "I'll take my grandson and you can talk to Erika." 

"Fine by me." 

Arthur took a slow breath and walked down the hall to the kitchen. There, he saw Abigail sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands, sniffling quietly. Arthur walked over to her and crouched down. She looked down at him with tears running down her cheeks. 

"Abigail," he said softly, "wipe those tears away." 

She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry -" 

"I know," he stood and hugged her, "I know." 

"I don't mean to get in the middle of things, but I worry about your kids. I mean, look at how we grew up." 

"They're growing up differently," he pulled away and sat down across from her. "Granted, not as different as we hoped, but much different than we did." 

"I know," she shook her head, "but it's so complicated for them. They both know about our past lives and it's catching up with us. I mean -" She trailed off. "I don't know."

"We're doing our best to protect them from what we lived before them." Arthur leaned over and lifted her chin. "But you gotta stop getting in the middle of how we do that. Do you understand me?"

Abigail nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you really?" He questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"I do."

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John knocked on the bedroom door before opening it. There, he saw Amelia laying on the bed facing away from the door. She was crying. He took in a big breath and sat down on Arthur's side of the bed. He then shifted so one of his legs was up on the bed.

"Amelia? It's John." He reached over and placed a hand on her calf.

"You act like I don't know your dumb voice." She chuckled sadly.

John smiled. "Fair enough." He paused. "Are you okay?"

Her body shaked with uncontrollable tears, and John quickly stood up and walked around to her side of the bed. He pulled her upwards and hugged her tightly, rocking her body gently. He tried to shush her tears, and it was working. Slowly, but surely.

Once her breaths became less forced and more calm, John looked down at her. "Better now?" He asked softly.

Amelia simply shrugged. "I don't know what to do, John."

"There's nothing you have to do." He began. "You do what you see is fit for those kids. Abigail can deal with it."

"I mean, I see where she's coming from, I really do. But then her trying to make how we raise them her business. It just pisses me off so much."

"I get it." He sat down on the bed, and she followed. "But she doesn't get the right to tell you how to raise your own kids. That's just the end of it."

"Do you really think she'll listen?" She looked up at him.

"She's gonna have to." He shrugged. "It's as simple as that."