All's Fair in Love and Law

'; Part Twenty One - Revelations

Cherri's P.O.V.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!” Dad screamed, from the door that had been flung wide open.

Sh*t!

I quickly scrambled for my bra, along with a vest top and a pair of pyjama shorts that I had been wearing the previous night.

I cleared my throat, not knowing where to look, "Dad! Um... hi!"

Dad stared at me murderously, a vein pulsing in his temple. Jake looked panic-stricken and fearful, not once looking at me as he did up the buttons on his shirt and slipped on his trousers.

“Uncle Riccardo, I... it’s not what it looks like... I can explain... I—“

“WHAT THE HELL IS IT THEN?” Dad was shaking in anger.

He shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. Oh sh*t, this was bad.

“I think it’s pretty obvious what just went down here Dad, I’m not going to even try and hide it.” I shrugged, trying to make light of the situation even though I knew I was in some pretty deep sh*t right now.

“KIMBERLEY!” Dad shouted, his eyelids still shut, squeezing his hands into a fist and then flexing his fingers rapidly.

Moments later, Mom appeared in the door frame, her hair dishevelled.

“What is it? What’s happening?”

Jake and I exchanged nervous glances before sheepishly looking at Mom.

Slowly, she looked us up and down, taking in the scene. She gasped.

“You didn’t?” Mom’s voice shook. I looked down at the floor and nodded.

“Oh God...”

“I’m going to kill him!” Dad lunged for Jake, who quickly stepped backwards, his eyes wide in panic.

“Riccardo, no!” Mom screamed

“You will not hurt Jake, Dad! Do you understand me?”

Dad sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking pained, “Mierda Cherri! You’re eighteen! You’re just a little girl! You’re my little girl....”

I shook my head, “No Dad, I’m a legal adult, I can do whatever I want without consent, and you know that!”

Mom gripped Dad’s shoulders, looking into his eyes pleadingly, “Rick, this had to happen. You know it did.”

"But it's not meant to be so soon!" Dad's voice caught in his throat as he looked away from me, before adding with a murmur, "It wasn't supposed to be like this so soon."

"Riccardo," Mom sighed, touching her hand to his shoulder, "This is hard, but please calm yourself down. You're scaring the kids."

"Kids! Exactly!" He exclaimed, looking helpless, "Kimberley, they're children!"

Dad looked across at me.

“I love him Dad.”

Dad scoffed, "You're barely 18. You don't know what love is."

“Yes I do!” I shot back, “Love is feeling something that no one, absolutely no one can replace, love is waking up to the person that you want to share your life with, love is letting someone be the missing piece of your jigsaw. So YES Dad, I know what love is because I’ve seen it all my life, with you and Mom.”

Mom’s face softened, and Jake wrapped his arm around my side.

Dad’s eyes snapped to Jake’s hands, his arms around my waist, and he let out a frustrated growl, banging his hand against the wall, “I can’t deal with this right now! I need some time."