Arduous

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

[Lucina, 09:58, Catherine's House]

I would have thought Anne and Catherine would have been happy to see me. I didn't expect Adam to be the excited one.

"Doorbell!" I heard Adam yell from inside. I didn't expect to hear him at their house.

"LUCAS! COME BACK HERE!" Catherine screamed. The front door finally opened.

Adam stood in front of me, hair disheveled and wet, a few lumps on his head, two black eyes, and he limped on his left leg over to me. He wrapped me in a hug, and turned me around just as Catherine came into view. I guess I was his shield now.

I couldn't see Catherine right now, my back to her, but I could feel her anger. I wondered what happened with her and Adam.

"Let me explain, and Ill let Lucina go." Adam debated.

Silence stretched on, and Catherine finally sighed, "fine."

"And no injuring me before, during or after I explain." Adam rushed out.

"You can keep her then." Catherine said without hesitation.

"Catherine!" I cried in anguish.

"Fine, fine!" Catherine said in defeat.

Adam let go of me. "I'd never hurt you." He whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

I shivered but didn't respond as I followed him into the house. I observed the scene in front of me. The oven had a burnt pancake on it, the pan in Catherines hands. The tap was running and I presumed that was the reason why Adams head had been dripping wet. Plates were broken across the floor, knifes and forks embedded in the wall, and dish soap was even on the floor. No wonder Adam smelt good!

I didn't know if I should ask Adam about the reason he was limping, but I couldn't help it. "What happened to your leg?"

Without turning, he replied, "dish soap can be dangerous if used correctly."

I pursed my lips, curious, but not asking anything else. I found Anne in the living room, playing on her DSI. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had been on that thing the entire time Catherine and Adam were fighting.

Catherine was about to sit down, but Adam said, "does peanut butter still calm you down, because I think you could use some right now."

"You don't know me, so don't think you do!" Catherine snapped. She plunked herself into the armchair with great exasperation.

I take the seat beside Anne on the couch, while Adam took the only other armchair.

Catherine sighed once, then twice, and jerked from her seat. She exited the room.

While she was gone I took in the living room, and I realized something. The layout of their living room was really odd, especially in colours. A large sliding door was along the one wall, with sky blue curtains that reach the carpeted flooring. A glass coffee table was centred in-between two neon orange armchairs, each at one end, and a strawberry red three man couch facing the sliding door. The walls in the living room were a soft pink, unlike the beige the rest of the house was in.

I looked over to Anne to see she was playing Animal Crossing on her DSI. "I thought you had a 3DS?" I couldn't help but ask.

Anne looked up from her game, and her cobalt blue eyes pierced mine. It was hard to believe such a soft face could be in the mafia. "I own practically every nintendo device."

I nodded just as Catherine came back into the room and sat down in her armchair again, this time with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon.

"Okay," Catherine said, "Im ready to listen." She plopped a spoonful of peanut butter into her mouth and waited patiently.