Blake and Aimee

Chapter 20: Blake

I hear the knock at the door from upstairs in my bedroom.

"Is that her sweetie?" I hear Ma shout from the kitchen. I really tried to convince her to order pizza just this once but she wouldn't have it. I think we are having some kind of casserole, God only knows what's in it though.

"Yeah Ma I'm coming alright?" I hurry down the stairs, adjusting my beanie as I go down. I turn to Ma as I reach the last step. "And if you refer to me as "sweetie" at any point while Aimee is with me tonight I swear I will-" Another knock at the door. I straighten my shirt and pull the door open.

"Well well well, right on time." I let her inside and lock the door behind her.

"Hey Blake, never seen your house past the front door this is exciting." God she really is an optimist, if only she knew the chaos that lay ahead.

"Anyway, this is my Ma in the kitchen." Ma paces over.

"Ah lovely you must be this wonderful Aimee I've heard so much about, please take a sea, make yourself at home, won't you?"

"Thank you, Mrs Sullivan, that's really kind." Well everything seems to be alright so far, but I cringe as I hear the door behind me creak open and my Dad come barging through, bunch of papers in his hand.

"What the bloody hell are these from and," He pauses and looks up, seeing Aimee beside me and Ma, "Oh, she's here." He just sighs and rolls his eyes as he lobs over back to his bedroom. Over his shoulder, rather tersely he says, "Just call me when the bloody meal is ready alright Aileen?" I hear him mumbling under his breathe, I refuse to listen as I don't feel like getting into a fist fight with my father tonight. Not tonight. Ma sighs and hunches over the kitchen sink, her small looking even smaller than usual. She smiles apologetically.

"I'm terribly sorry, my husband has been rather, out-of-sorts of late."

...

"Michael, dinner is ready." She gestures toward the table. Aimee slowly walks towards it.

"Mrs Sullivan where about would you like me to sit?"

"Ah Darling anywhere to like, there is a spare seat between Blake and I on the left side of table if you'd prefer." Ma glances over at me, she's trying to keep Aimee as far away from my Dad as possible. God bless her. We sit around the table saying Grace and Ma begins to serve up.

"Right so tonight we have an organic chicken casserole with a broccoli bake and potatoes."

"Thank you, Mrs Sullivan it looks delicious." Ma stops for a moment and smiles, just briefly. I don't know what it is, but it sort of makes me feel sad.

"Why thankyou dear."

We all start eating and all is good until I hear Dad set his cutlery down. Everything suddenly seems impossible to swallow- I force my food hard down my throat.

"It's Aimee isn't it?" As Aimee set her hands in her lap she looks up and smiles as usual but I see her hands shaking under the table. She's nervous, and I don't not blame her.

"Yes Mr Sullivan, Aimee Harris, it's really nice meet you." Dad chuckles, but it is not a nice sound, it makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

"Alright sweetheart. A word of advice for you." He leans over the table, his face inches from mine. "Cut the bullshit." Aimee looks down.

"Michael!" Ma looks horrified from the other end of the table.

"What Eileen? You really expect for me to just let this hormonal and deranged teenage girl into my house and damage my son without making her answer the consequences?"

"Michael that is hardly appropriate."

"So then little miss, what are your intentions with my son? What were you really doing here tonight?"

"I, ah, we- we were going to study tonight. F-for History and English, maybe some biology if we can fit it in." She fumbles with the edge of her dress, her breathing quickening at an alarming rate. Her heart must be racing, I know mine is.

"What a load of horseshit. Study? Really? I wasn't born yesterday."

"For god's sake dad she has the books and notes in her bag if you really need evidence."

"Seems like a good cover up to me," He starts straight at Aimee, his eyes bulging out of his head, "Aimee look at me when I am talking to you." Aimee looks up her eyes filling with tears. "If you think you can hurt my son cause he's weak, stupid, cancer central then think again young lady. My son has got enough shit going on in his life and he doesn't need some flashy harlet to lead him astray!" Aimee is shaking from head to toe, she keeps opening her mouth to speak but keeps getting choked up. I grab her hand.

"Aimee you don't have to sit through this bullshit we are done here." Dad bangs both fists on the table.

"I'M NOT FINSHED TALKING!" Aimee bursts into tears. She looks straight at my horrible wretched father.

"I would n-never hurt your son Mr Sullivan. He is the b-best thing that has happened in my life for a long time, a true friend when I needed one most," She wipes her face with her sleeve and stands up, "And you are wrong about your son Blake Mr Sullivan. He's not weak. He has cancer yes but that does not define him. He is stronger than you think, physically and mentally, and he is certainly not stupid. He knows more than anyone I know." Dad bellows in laughter.

"Oh, deary me and what are you suggesting my all-powerful son knows so much about hmm?" Dad casts an evil smirk upon his face and he tap his fingers on the table. Aimee looks at me briefly before casting an expression of utter disgust on hers.

"Well for one Mr Sullivan, he knows how to treat a woman." And she proceeds to walk up the stairs, me closely behind. I look behind me, Ma is crying in the kitchen, she sees me staring but ushers me upstairs. I hate seeing her like this, I don't know why she stays with my Dad. He's a horrible alcoholic, she doesn't deserve that. But as I stare back up at Aimee, her head held high all I can think is she stood up to my Dad for me, I have no idea why and no idea how she did it, but she did. And it fills me with a warmth I cannot explain with words, instead a tear falls down my face. As I stare at her hair curling around the back of her dress, one thought comes to mind. Well a song rather, maybe you're going to be the one that saves me.

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