The Dangerfields

Chapter Twenty-One

The number stays on the screen for at least thirty seconds, then Shaun turns the TV off and I can't keep track anymore.

Mom buries her face in her hands. "I thought they'd realize we're not bad people and leave us alone. I thought that eventually they'd forget all about it. It feels like hardly anyone knows about Louise Gates anymore, and she was very public about her murders.

Ryder rubs her back. "I don't think Felix Harrison will be happy until he gets his hands on us."

Mom just shakes her head again, and I hug Hudson, burying my face in his chest. "It'll be alright," he says, "We won't let them take you. You'll be safe with us."

I straighten, and touch Alston, hoping the feeling of the little guy's feathers will calm me down, and it does help a bit. "I still think we should get the apartment," I say, "We won't be burdening anyone, and we can use that spell that doesn't let people recognize you."

"I agree," says Ryder, to my surprise. I thought that he'd be totally against it, as protective as he is over me. I half expected him to lock me up in this house and keep me from leaving until I'm thirty.

Mom nods too, and I like that they agree with my idea. I thought I'd have to argue with them until they saw it from my point of view, and I was preparing myself for a long debate, for us Dangerfields are very stubborn. I'm glad I don't have to waste any time, though.

All I have to do at the moment is enjoy Emma's pizza, which smells like it is just about ready.

As I think this, the timer on the over goes off, and I grin. The nose always knows, as Grandpa used to say.

The doorbell rings, and I grimace. As he did yesterday, Rick has arrived just in time for dinner. Lucky us.

"Darling!" Rick exclaims as he spots Mom, and I turn my nose up in distaste.

Rick is dressed in sweatpants and a tight white t-shirt with gross yellow stains all over it, especially in the armpit region. The closeness of the shirt to his skin is remarkable, and I fear that if he eats too much, it will tear into shreds, for his beer belly stretches the fabric incredible distances. It must be some form of spandex, in order to stretch that much. Maybe I'll ask him later. Or instead, maybe I'll focus on keeping the pizza in my stomach instead of adding it to Rick's stain collection.

He disgusts me. Have I mentioned that yet?

We sit down to eat, and the pizza is delicious. Fresh green peppers, tender chicken breast, homemade tomato sauce, and more toppings that just keep adding to the flavour.

I decide that I've died and gone to heaven.

That makes me wonder, though, if they have pizza in heaven. I'm sure they want to bless the souls that make it into heaven, but if they don't have pizza and that's where I end up, I'm requesting to be moved to hell. They'll have pizza.

I decide, as I munch happily away on my third piece of pizza, that my decision contents me. I turn my attention to the conversation going on between everyone else, and find that I should've stayed lost in my own thoughts.

Rick is back at it again.

I just get angry as I listen to his flirting. It's just desperation at this point, and I'm tired of it. I become unappetized, and slide half of my slice onto Hudson's plate. He looks at me, surprised, but seems to understand when he sees me glaring across the table at Rick, who unabashedly throws an arm around Mom's shoulders, rubbing his sweat stains against her.

Mom shrugs him off, but he remains persistent, continuing to come onto her. Finally, the ridiculously outspoken, protective part of me took complete control, and I couldn't help myself.