Maddie's Girls

Chapter 20

My heart sank when I woke up and Becca wasn't next to me.

I put on my jeans and went to her indoor bathroom.

I made sure I looked like a decent human being before I headed out of her room. Since I didn't have a toothbrush so I brushed my teeth with a finger and used mouthwash.

I knew the downstairs area pretty well by then, so it wasn't an issue to get to the kitchen. I followed the noise and I found Becca with her hair up, she had a little frown between her eyebrows, lost in what she was doing.

A tall man was standing behind her, he was dressed in an elegant suit, had a tie and everything. He looked like he belonged in a magazine.

When he noticed me, his bright brown eyes took me in, from head to toe and it although it made me a little uncomfortable, I smiled back when he smiled. It was Becca's smile, the same one that lightened up her whole face.

"Good morning, I hope we didn't wake you," He said, his accent's nice. I know he was just being nice because his house was so big that I doubted I'd hear anyone talking from the other side of the house. "Rebecca and I were just discussing what's the right way of making pancakes."

"It's just pancakes," She groaned, there was tension in her voice and in the way she was standing. "Aren't you late for your flight?"

It was clear in her tone, that she didn't care whether or not he was late but she wanted him gone.

What was it with Becca and her parents that whenever we were in the same room, it made me wish I could make myself disappear?

"I think they can wait a few minutes," Her dad shot back, ignoring or not noticing her tone. "And if I miss it, I can get another flight."

"That's bad for the environment."

Her dad grinned, not bothered in the slightest by Becca's attitude, in fact, it seemed he found it humorous. Becca's dad tapped her on her shoulder, forcing her to scoot over and took over the pancake's mix.

"Let's not be hypocrites and point fingers when talking about what's bad for the environment."

Becca was ignoring my eyes, she was clenching her jaw, resting her back against the kitchen counter.

"So, what's your name?" He looked at me as he carried on stirring the mix.

"Asha, Mr Mancini." I tried my best to make my smile genuine.

"Beautiful name," He said squinting his eyes, pointing at me with the mixer. "Where are you from?"

"Er, my dad's side of the family's Colombian," I told him, scratching my eyebrow, I could see Becca shaking her head from where she stood.

His face changes, he seemed more comfortable and open, surprised even. And then he started blurting out words, way too fast for me. My Spanish was a little rusty and I needed people to slow down but Becca's dad... he spoke really fucking fast.

"I— sorry, Mr Mancini, my Spanish's a little—"

He made a face, disapproving. My stomach flipped. "Don't tell me you don't speak Spanish?"

"I'm a little rusty," I laughed, although it wasn't funny but I didn't know what to do with myself.

He made a disapproving noise, "I ought to have a conversation with your father—"

"Papá," Becca snapped. Her face was red with anger as they both begin to have a conversation that was way too fast for me to even try to follow.

Once the discussion was over, Becca's dad stepped away from the kitchen counter and pulled his shirt's sleeves down. He turned to me with a smile and he said, "I did not mean to make you uncomfortable, Asha. I hope to see you again someday, have a good day. I'll see you when I get back, Rebecca."