What If It Was Like This

Chapter 13 - Sheena

Francis and Sheena rode in silence for a few minutes before she started figuring out what she thought she was supposed to say. Sadly, as usual, Sheena kind of just rambled.

"I'm really sorry about my mom. She's only like that because of her history with guys and what happened to her. She had good intentions, but it came out the wrong way. I promise she wasn't-"

Francis laughed and shook his head, cutting her off. "Twig, don't worry about it. She was cool. A little messed up, but cool. She didn't freak when she learned I'm 23 and a tattoo artist like most mothers would. And she doesn't seem to mind the idea of me nailing you."

Sheena laughed softly and nodded. "Yeah. Well, legend has it that my mother sleeps guys older than her and with jobs like a tattoo artist. Plus, she's a slight tattoo fanatic, so I you don't give her a discount on or a free tattoo, she will kick your ass."

Francis smiled. "Don't worry. I won't make the mother of my Twig pay full price for a tattoo- Wait, what do you mean 'jobs like a tattoo artist'? There are no jobs as fulfilling and important than putting beautiful, meaningful pieces of art permanently on people's skin," He half-joked.

Sheena smiled and nodded, pulling up to the tattoo shop. "Of course, what was I thinking?"

Francis shrugged. "I dunno, but the smell of the wine must've gone to your head," he smiled, leaning over to kiss Sheena's cheek. "See you tomorrow, Twig. Text me when you can." With that, he hopped out of the car and into the tattoo shop.

Sheena waited to see him disappear inside before squealing with happiness and driving back home. She quickly parked the car on the side of the rode outside of the house and came inside, swinging her keys on her middle finger as she walked. About halfway up the driveway, Sheena heard screaming of multiple languages and rushed inside to find Charles and Ella not in the room, Alyssa looking as white and sickly as a ghost and seeming to be struggling to comprehend something, and, finally, Mark and Elise screaming at each other about something, switching from screaming from English to Italian, with Elise screaming some German, quickly.

Unable to figure out what else to do, Sheena screeched, "Everyone, shut the hell up and explain to me what happened!"

The three people in the room quickly spun around to face Sheena, all startled by her screaming as they had not seen her walk into the room.

"I said explain to me what happened!" Sheena said again, but this time more quietly.

Alyssa muttered something that Sheena didn't understand and was asked to speak up, so she yelled, "Mark is my god damned dad!!"

Sheena stood in shock as Elise bit her lip and stared at the floor, Mark crossing his arms and glaring at the back of Alyssa's head.

"Why the hell is it so bad that I'm your dad?" Mark sneered, his words slurring, telling Sheena that he was drunk.

Alyssa spun around, her fists clenched and her eyes teary. "Because one: I hate you, and two: you knew for so long and didn't tell me! Didn't tell any of us! I wanted to know my dad just as much as everyone else, but I didn't want to hate them!" She yelled before running away to her room, locking the door behind her.

"Why the hell did you tell her, you blundering idiot! We agreed to keep it a secret for a reason! We agreed to keep all the dads secret for a god damned reason, but today you just decide to tell Alyssa yourself? What the actual hell were you thinking?!" Elise screeched.

Before either Mark or Sheena could question what she said or answer her question, the doorbell rang and Sheena walked over to answer it. Francis stood at the door, seeming slightly embarrassed.

"Uh, I thought I just dropped you off?" Sheena said, confused.

He nodded and bit his lip gently. "Yeah, about that... I kinda just learned that I didn't pay my rent for a little while and was kicked out of my apartment, so I was wondering if your mom would let me stay here for a bit."

Sheena shrugged and stepped aside, allowing him to come inside. "As long as you don't mind family drama. A lot of shit is happening."

He nodded and chuckled, closing the front door after him. "Yeah, I figured that out outside."

Sheena blushed and nodded. "Seems accurate. Go in the kitchen and I'll see you in there in, hopefully, a few minutes."

Francis nodded and walked to the kitchen, permitting Sheena to go back into the living room, only to find Mark pasted out on the couch and the sound of the garage door opening followed by Elise's car on and driving from the house.

Sheena sighed and groaned, walking into the kitchen to look for Francis. As expected, he was in the kitchen, but, unexpectedly, he was sitting at the kitchen table playing with Ella. Sheena sat next to him and put her head on the table. "My life is chaos," Sheena groaned.

Francis scooted closer to her and gently rubbed her back. "Hey, don't worry about it. Your family is cool. It will all work out, I promise." Sheena nodded and moved her head on his shoulder, looking at a giggling and smiling Ella.

"Hey, El. How're you?" Sheena said softly, only to receive a random babble in return. Sheena nodded and closed her eyes, soon falling asleep.

~~

Sheena yawned, her eyes opening to Francis sleeping on her bed next to her, his arms around both Sheena and Ella, whom was currently sleeping between them. She laid there for a while, waiting for someone else to wake up and trying to figure out how she got to her bed.

Finally, Francis woke up. He smiled groggily and blinked at Sheena. He sat up slowly, careful not to wake Ella, his hair an adorable mess. He picked Ella up carefully and carried her to another room, leaving Sheena alone for a moment before coming back and laying next her, this time wrapping both arms around her.

"I'm still tired," He grumbled, burring his face in her neck. She giggled, grabbing a blanket and putting it over them so they wouldn't get cold.

When she was about to fall asleep, Sheena heard the door open and Charles's voice start to ask something, but tapering off in shock. Sheena quickly sat up and pushed Francis off of her, blushing madly at Charles, who was already quickly shutting the door and running down the hall.

Francis sighed, pulling Sheena down again. "He'll be fine. Now sleep." With that, Sheena actually slept again.