Ride The Wind

Chapter Thirty: Liss

"No knives, right Lissy?" Luca wonders.

Today's the day Rikki wants to meet my dad and it's going to be fun. We're just saying goodbye to everyone.

"No knives, Luca." I assure him and go to walk past him.

He grabs my shoulders pulling me back, he pulls the switchblade out of my back pocket. Luca smiles at me.

"Liar." He turns to Rikki and my boyfriend sighs, handing Luca his own knife.

"Kill my fun, Luca." He mutters and I smile.

"Have fun!" Andy waves with her good arm from CC's lap.

"I hate everything." I mumble but Rikki catches it.

"Don't kill anyone, Rockett." Bret calls.

"No promises, Michaels." My boyfriend smirks.

"Don't screw each other in front of Liss' family!" CC adds.

"That's you and Andy, sweetheart." I smile as we walk out of the hotel.

We start to head to my dad's hometown, I drive as Rikki tunes the radio and looks out the window. I drum the wheel to AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long. I'm freakin out. How's my dad going to react to Rikki? What bullshit did Carter tell him about Rikki?

"Babe, there gotta be something you love about Alabama." He tells me and I nod.

"Yeah, of course." I admit. "I love my grandparents, I love the harvest festival, I love Rainsville in the fall."

"See there's good things." Rikki smiles.

"Do they out weigh the bad though?" I mumble and he grabs my hand, kissing my knuckles.

"Don't worry." He tells me. "I love you."

"I love you to." I say as we pull up to my grandparents house.

Around here, our family is known. During the Civil War, our family was right up there with General Lee. Our family has been pretty wealthy since then. I'd rather not be known for that though. I love being normal in LA with my apartment and crap. My grandfather was in the second world war. He was this war hero, pretty much a legend around these parts. He got a pretty big  pay off. They have this huge stunning house, with lots of closets and halls. My cousins and I used to run around the halls saying the that the ghosts of the Civil War were coming for us. The Rebel Flag and the US flag flap in the wind just like always, I sigh as I open the door of the truck.

Rikki walks up beside me and grabs my hand. He looks around at the house and smiles at me.

"Your family is loaded." He bumps my hip and I roll my eyes.

"I'm not proud of it." I admit as we walk up to the door.

Rikki goes to knock on the door and I shake my head. I turn the nob and the door opens.

"Nobody locks their doors around here." I smirk and he laughs.

We walk into the bug foyer and my grandma walks down the stairs. She's small plump and looks what anyone good country woman would, she has the brightest smile I've ever seen.

"There's my dolly!" She says as she hugs me. I pull Rikki up beside me.

"Hi grandma. This is my boyfriend Rikki." I smile up at him.

"Hi Mis. Swagger, it's nice to meet you." My boyfriend shakes her hand and she smiles.

"He's cute, dolly." Grandma smiles.

Trust me, I know Gram.

"Silas! Get down here!" My grandma yells for my grandpa.

My grandpa walks down the stairs and smiles. He hugs me and shakes Rikki's hand. We talk for a few minutes about Rikki and LA before my grandpa turns to me.

"Your daddy's out back. He's not very happy, dolly." He tells me and I half smile.

"Thats nothing new, gramps." I say Rikki and I walk out back.

My dad stands with that stupid gun of his. My dad stands about 6'6" and is built like my brother. When he fires the gun, Rikki jumps and I smile.

"Dad." I say and he turns around. He looks like my stupid brother.

"Alyssa!"

My dad hugs me tightly. I don't know what to do, my dad has never hugged me before. When he steps back, Rikki stands in front of me.

"Hi, sir, Mr. Swagger. I'm Rikki Rockett, I'm Liss' boyfriend." He holds out a hand to my dad.

When my dad grabs his hand, I watch Rikki wince and I push up beside him. My dad looks down at me.

"Liss?" He wonders then looks back to Rikki. "Boyfriend? Who said?"

"Me, now let go of him." I state as he releases his grip on Rikki. He open and closes his hand a couple of times.

"What do you do?" Dad asks.

"I'm a drummer, sir." He says

"A drummer?" Dad looks him over again. "Where are you from?"

"Pennsylvania." Rikki tells him.

"Hmm, you know who moved back here, Alyssa? Cole. Remember him?" My dad turns to me.

"Yeah, I remember him." I says quietly and Rikki's hand squeezes around mine as my eyes drop.

"You should really think about moving back here, settle down, get married." My dad tells me.

"And what dad? Have a couple of kids and stay in this city for the rest of my life?" I look back up at him. "So you can control me for the rest of my life and tell me all about Carter!"

"Alyssa, you won't talk about your brother like that!" He snaps.

"Oh great! It took you a whole two minutes to take his side." I start. "You don't need to kiss his ass, he's not even here!"

"Alyssa." Dad starts.

"Don't call me that!" I snap and angry flushes my father.

"I've been more than patient with you all these years! You are nothing but a mistake! I didn't want another kid! And..." Dad yells.

"And what dad?" I snap. "Let me guess, if I wasn't born maybe mom would still be here?  That's not how fucking cancer works dad!"

"You don't know what you're talking about! You're a child!" He yells.

"What the fuck does that make you?" I wonder.

"Your father." Dad snaps.

"Some fucking dad." I snap.

"You're not exactly daughter of the year!"

"Fuck you!" I yell.

"Mind your manners, Alyssa!" He yells.

"Maybe if you taught me some!" I snap.

It's quiet for a while and my dad cusses under his breath.

"Dammit Mouse!" It slips out before he can stop it.

"Mouse." I mutter as I stumbled back.

That's my mom's nickname. My dad looks almost apologetic for the first time in his life. I keep backing up, I can't handle that.

"Liss." He says quietly.

"No, fuck you. Stay the hell away from me!" I snap and I walk through the house.

Rikki and I loud into that truck and I drive away as fast as I can.