Shameless, Reckless Love (GirlxGirl)

Part 2: Chapter 12

Eden wakes to the burst of her bedroom door opening. She jolts up to see Fabian in his boxers, looking alert as all hell. Before Eden can even ask, he goes over to the bunk beds and looks at Lib's bed. She wasn't there. Fabian sulks slightly, and Eden slumps back into her pillow, tiredly.

"Alright...W-Wake up, girls. School time." Fabian then says to Eden and Cora. He walks to the bathroom afterwards.

It's been about three weeks since Lib had left home. The younger ones have been slightly concerned, but Fabian had them beat. Every morning he'd rush to the front door, or into the bedroom once we got home from school just to see if Lib came back. His emotions were so strange, and unreadable. No one could tell if he was either sad, or angry with Lib gone. Eden was the only one who was a bit calmer though; since she secretly knows of Lib's whereabouts. Apparently, Lib was staying at Steph's new apartment, says Mitchell.

Eden finally steps out her bed. She does her morning bathroom routine, and then finds a black tee and black skinny jeans to wear. Fabian and Eden step out their rooms, ready to go, at the same time. Suddenly, a smell of burnt bacon fills their noses. To add on to it, pans are heard clattering down in the kitchen. Eden looks at Fabian, wondering if it's an intruder. But by the look of Fabian, Eden knows that he's hoping it's Lib.

"Lib?" Fabian calls out, and runs toward the stairs. Eden rolls her eyes, and quickly follows him. As Eden reaches the bottom of the stairs, she bumps into Fabian's back since he stopped abruptly in his tracks. Eden grumbles something under her breath, but she looks past Fabian's shoulder to see exactly why he was frozen in that one spot.

"You have to be kidding me." Eden says aloud, staring at the person who was making all the racket.

"Dad?" Fabian asks, confounded. Mel stands over the stove, flipping pancakes in a pan as he smiles at his son and daughter. He looks a lot different from the last time they all saw him. Instead of dark clothing, Mel was dressed in a white tee, blue jeans, and tan boots. To top it off, he apparently dyed his hair blonde over the last months. He looked as if he was glowing now. But that didn't stop Eden from seeing the clear silhouette of his devil horns.

"Good morning, Bubba!" Mel exclaims, sweetly. Fabian gets red in the face. Mel hasn't called Fabe that since he was 4. It angered Eden that Mel truly thought it was acceptable to be in their house, cooking breakfast as if he's done it every day of their lives.

"Just so it's out there, we don't have any money." Fabian informs him. Mel instantly looks hurt.

"That's not why I've come." Mel replies.

"Fabe, just shut up, and have a mimosa." Faye is heard off to the side. She was sitting over at the dining table, surrounded by champagne and orange juice, but Fabian and Eden didn't notice her until now.

"Why the hell is he here?" Fabian asks Faye. "I know you don't seem to understand much, but I'm sure that I made it very clear that we don't need him around." Fabian continues through gritted teeth. "So why the hell is he here?" Faye then clears her throat.

"So your Granddaddy died last night." Faye openly announces. Fabian and Eden look at her sympathetically.

"Granddaddy died?" Fabian asks himself aloud. "Oh my gosh." Mel suddenly makes his way towards Fabian.

"Kiddo, I'm so sorry." Mel says with his arms outstretched. Fabian snaps back into cold reality, and quickly moves away from Mel's sudden display of affection.

"Hey, he was my father, shouldn't I get some more attention?" Faye asks. Fabian rolls his eyes and tries to make coffee even with the mess Mel has made on the counter.

"Are you gonna call the morgue?" Fabian asks Faye, but they are interrupted by the sound of Declan's voice coming from the other staircase.

"Hey, Fabe! Leona finally walked down the stairs by herself. Isn't that cool?" Declan says, walking into the crazy scene in the kitchen with Leona gripping to his jeans beside him.

"Declan!" Mel yells excitingly. Declan's face turns pale. "Leona! Oh, come here, my little bear!" He says, picking up Leona and bouncing her in his big arms. He then ruffles Declan's fluffy hair with his free hand. "Dec, look at you! You're almost to your old man's shoulder! Wow!"

"Dad?" Declan then asks. "How long is he staying here this time?" Declan asks Fabian.

"Don't think I forgot about you, Eden." Mel says, turning around with Leona still in his arms.

"Oh, trust me, the feeling of abandonment only occurred to me ever since I was 9." Eden replies dryly, but Mel is oblivious to the comment.

"Look at those arms. So strong. You're beginning to look like a woman now, it's amazing." Mel continues. Eden had to chuckle afterwards. He had the nerve to come back to them, and trying to pull this "Proud Father" act.

"Seriously, why are you here?" Eden asks.

"I asked your father to come home after hearing of your grandad." Faye answers Eden. Eden shoots her a dirty glance.

"Oh, so you live here now too?" Eden asks Faye.

"Eden." Fabian says with warning in his tone. "Maybe you should head on over to school–."

"Not before breakfast!" Mel interrupts Fabian. "Come and eat some breakfast, babe." Mel tells Eden. Instead, Eden goes to grab a banana from the counter.

"No thanks." Eden simply replies. Faye suddenly slams her hand down on the table.

"Your father slaved in that kitchen trying to make that breakfast, so sit down and eat it, damn it!" Faye orders. Eden heads over to the back door.

"Why don't you take those pancakes, and shove em' up your ass?" Eden replies.

"Eden!" Fabian says, but Eden is already out the door.