Nightly Confusion

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Joey stuck around once we got back to the house to lend some moral support to his newly found sister and my mother.  I called Zack and he was pissed but after I told him the truth about a long lost sister he became pretty nice. Alissa and Erin were on their way over, mom called a family dinner and wasn’t taking no for an answer. Dad wasn’t home yet and I have to admit I was a little glad, I knew for a fact he wasn’t going to be happy. Grandma Loupe was out with her friends doing god knows what; maybe her hair will be purple tonight.

Alissa was still leaving town that night but she had time for a family dinner she told mami over the phone. I bet she wishes she would’ve found an early flight.

Mom and Elena were in the kitchen, I stayed in the living room to give them time alone. No matter what I or the family felt it still had to be harder on them. I looked around but no sign of Joey; man of mystery strikes again.

I left the living room and headed outside. It was hot but it felt better than being inside. I sat on the porch as a car, Zack’s car, pulled into the drive away. He walked right up and sat beside me. “Hi.” I said shyly.

“You’re driving me crazy.”

He could’ve said worse, now he was just being honest, hell I was driving myself crazy. “Yeah, I could see that.”

He kissed me as we sat beside each other. “How are you?” The tough guy womanizing cop was gone and now I saw the sweet- yeah who would’ve thought it, Zack Myers was sweet- the sweet guy I was in love with was looking back at me.

“I don’t know yet, I’m trying not to think of it. My mom is going to need someone on her side tonight and I decided to be that person. Wanna stay for dinner?”

Now Zack began to look uncomfortable. “I can’t and I won’t lie, your family scares the hell out of me and I think this is something you should do alone as a family. I’ll see you tonight and take your mind off of it then.”

“Oh, ok when you put it like that I forgive you for ditching me.”

“I have to get back to work before my boss decides to fire me for never being around and not making this case.” He kissed me again as he stood from the porch. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Joey is, do you?”

“Actually no, I don’t.” he might’ve been somewhere close by but I really had no idea where he was. Zack left after that and I stayed on the porch, I couldn’t flake on dinner but I didn’t want to be inside until the second I had to.

“Lying to Myers again?”

I leaned over the porch railing and found Joey leaning against the side of the house. “No, I had no idea where you were and how long have you been standing there?”

“A few minutes, enough to hear you and Myers hint at sex, thanks for the disturbing visual.”

“Shut up.” Ok that was embarrassing, I hate when people listened in when they really shouldn’t.  “That’s what you get anyway for lurking around. Shouldn’t you be inside?”

“I’m giving them time to talk alone.”

“Yeah, me too.” I went to where he was standing. “How are you dealing with it?”

Joey had his arms crossed over his chest and his foot against the wall behind him; he looked down before meeting my eyes. “I just want to know why. Someone took Elena away from them and made them believe she was dead because they wanted them to suffer. Dad figured it out after all this time, I have no idea how, and he was killed for it.”