Unexpected Turns

Finding a Scarlet

"Wake up sleepy head," I hear a deep voice call down to me as I lay on the bed with my eyes closed.

I groan and slightly open my eyes to see Gregory, who was bending over in front of me.

"Good morning, had a good sleep," he says with a grin.

"The greatest," I grin, "what time is it?" I ask.

"9 A.M."

"It's Saturday, why are you waking me up this early, Greg? Let me sleep."

"Mare, you need to get up. Dad and Mom wake up at this time and if they catch you in my room, there will be a lot of questions. And I need to go to work, so I will be gone if you keep sleeping," he explains.

"Okay," I sit up, "but I'm going back to sleep in my room."

"Okay," he smiles, "I'll see you later."

I nod.

"Can I have a kiss goodbye?"

"No."

He takes hold of my arm gently to stop me from leaving.

"No?" he repeats.

"Yea, No."

"Stop joking, a peck is all I want," he smiles charmingly.

and so I gave him what he wanted and went on my way to my bedroom.

I could hear someone downstairs, but I just assumed it was dad or mom and kept on my way.

-

When I woke up around 12 AM, I was awoken by dad. He had a very worried and anxious impression on his face, as if he had been knowing something for to long and wanted to let it out.

"What's wrong?"I sit up as quickly as possible.

"I need to talk to you," he said solemnly.

"Dad is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, I just need to talk to you."

"Okay, what is it you want to speak to me about?"

"I know."

I waited for a continuation and when I realized that was all he was going to say, I replied in a confused tone, "know what?"

"About you and Gregory," he spills it out.

My heart begins to beat fast, "I don't know what to say."

"Didn't you ever think to tell me?"

"We knew that you wouldn't approve."

"Well your right on that, and if you knew you shouldn't have done it. It's unacceptable. It's not right my son and daughter wanted to go steady," he says in a voice that I've never heard.

A lump in my throat grows, "I'm sorry," I managed to let out, "But he isn't my brother. He will never be. Before we were friends, just close friends. Dad, I don't want you to be mad but he and I are not going to ever think of each other as family. I don't see what is wrong with it, you and I know I'm not even related to you. But, there's a difference between you and Gregory, you are still my dad but he will never be my brother.

He makes me happy, he's the first guy that looked at me and didn't see my skin color as something not to come close to. I'm like a disease to many, but even as a disease he purposely wants to get infected."

He calms down, "I am not very thrilled at this, you know. He is practically 10 years older than you are. You are still a little one, and even though I know he won't take advantage, it's not very smart to date someone that much older than you are."