The Unexpected

Chapter 5

*Paul's POV*

"Uncle Pauly, does Denee know you're here?" Tammy holds my finger as she leads me to her dollhouse in the corner of the living room

"She knows I'm here, marshmallow." I try to lift my voice up so she can't hint the sadness in my voice due to the recent events that occurred this morning. Tammy was sleeping and I'm glad she was. Seeing that Aunt Rebecca looked terrified when Denise screamed at her, I know Tammy would never be able to approach Denise again.

"Really? That means we can play house together!" she screams as she jumps up and down in excitement.

Before I can process what she had said, she ran out of my sights and up the stairs screaming Denise's name. Oh no.

"Is something wrong?"

I look up at my Aunt Rebecca who must have heard Tammy's shrill little voice calling for Denise.

"No, but I think something will go wrong. Tammy went to call Denise to play with us." I kneed my thumb into one of my temples. Stress clearly building up in my system. "You've got to get Tammy out of Denise's room. I don't want Tammy getting the end of Denise's anger because of me. It's enough she lashed out on you earlier."

Aunt Rebecca gently smiled and came over to my side. "If there's one thing I know about Denise, it's that she'd never raise her voice at Tammy. She loves her too much. Even though she refuses to say it out loud to any of us, the bond between those two are obviously one that would take a thousand people to break. And even then, I'm sure it'd be impossible."

I look up at her and place my hands in hers. "Thank you again for taking care of her when our mother was unable to. Thank you for answering my call. Thank you for letting me come over and for taking the blame. Thank you for everything, Aunt Rebecca."

"Anything for family, Pauly," She kisses the top of my forehead and just as she's about to leave, she turns around and says, "Get ready for lunch. Lord knows that we'll need it to get through the rest of today."

I let out a small laugh and look at the walls surrounding me. I start thinking of everything that's happened within this week and a half. I stayed back when the boys went back to the UK because I needed to know and see how my sister was doing. It wasn't as easy for me as it was for Denise to just push family away.

I've always been in contact with my Aunt since I found out my Mom was unfit to care for Denise and had brought her to the states to live with her sister. I tried talking to Denise then but she never wanted to speak to me and when she was handed the phone, she'd stay quiet or hang up.

I knew that I should have tried contacting her a week ago when I dropped off the boys at the airport but I was too scared to. Can you believe that? I was too scared to face my own sister. I was supposed to be flying back to London but I decided last minute that I owe it to her and me both to try to salvage our brother-sister relationship. I knew she wouldn't exactly love the sight of seeing me, which I was right about, but I have to keep trying.

I twist my hands and look down on the floor. I silently curse at myself for only being here now when I had nearly a week to get to her. These next few days are going to be challenge. Before heading into the kitchen, I look up at the ceiling as if someone was there and silently asked for help for I knew I only had 2 days to get Denise to somehow at least forgive me. Enough forgiveness to follow me to London so she can start a new life. She's my sister, it's the least I can do.

*Denise's POV*

I try to stifle the laughter building up in my system as I feel little fingers poking the side of my cheeks and a small voice begging for me to wake up from my slumber. I knew it was Tammy because I heard her screaming my name as she made her way into my room.