Rowan [NaNoWriMo 2018]

Fifteen

"Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related for better or for worse...and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum." - Rick Riordan

Rowan laid in bed later that evening staring at the ceiling. Laurel had never answered her text but heard her mom on the phone with her earlier. Alder had come into her room when he got home from school and heard what had happened. All he said when he came in was that he hoped she had learned her lesson. Rowan flipped him the bird, which resulted in him telling Rebekah. Rebekah came up and told her that she was grounded for the next three days. Just as she was about to get up and go downstairs to see if there was anything left for dinner her phone vibrated. It was Matthew.

"Hey, sorry for the late response. I had a crazy day at work. I am so upset for you. Please don't be hard on yourself, even though it's easier said than done."

"I am being hard on myself. The whole thing is entirely my fault. Now Mom, Laurel, and Alder for sure hate me. Probably Dad too."

"Yeah, I did hear something about Laurel being pissed."

Rowan felt the tears building up as she started to type. "Now, I feel even worse."

" She'll get over it, it's just a big shock. I already told her that she wasn't being fair to you. I have to drive now, talk soon."

Rowan tossed the phone back on the bed. She felt as though she was a volcano that needed to explode. No one was listening to her and she didn't know what to do. She left her room and trudged downstairs to the kitchen. Neither Rebekah or Samuel was in sight, but Alder was sitting at the table eating ice cream.

"Oh you're alive," Alder commented, not looking up from his bowl.

"I figured it was safer for me to stay out of Mom's way," she replied.

"Why do you say that?" Alder asked.

"Because she's mad at me for having that book," Rowan answered.

Alder shrugged. "She should be mad at me about it."

Rowan narrowed her eyes at her brother. "And why's that?"

Alder glanced up, meeting Rowan's eyes. " Because I was the one that told Mrs. Johnson that you had it."

"Why would you do that?" Rowan bellowed.

"Because we have to be loyal to Icamera and you weren't showing your allegiance," Alder replied, sounding like a robot.

"I am going to kill you," Rowan growled as she lunged toward him.

Alder yelped and jumped out of his seat. Rowan chased him around the table and out of the kitchen. Alder dove into the dining room with Rowan on his tail. Just as she was about to grab his arm, he ducked under her and out of the room.

"Come back here," Rowan screamed, watching as he began to bound up the stairs.

Rowan ran up the stairs as fast as she could. Alder stood outside of their parent's bedroom. Before he could turn the knob Rowan dove into the floor and grabbed his legs. As he was falling to the ground, he opened the door causing them to crash into the master bedroom.

"What the hell?" Rebecca asked, her voice going up an octave.

"She's going to kill me," Alder said, pointing at Rowan.

"Believe me, I have a good reason," Rowan answered with a grunt as Alder tried to kick her.

"Knock it out right now," Samuel commanded, sitting up in the bed. "Now can someone please tell me what is going on?"

"He," sputtered Rowan as she pointed at Alder, "told Ashley Johnson about me having the textbook in the house. This whole thing is his fault."

"Alder," Samuel said gruffly. "Is this true?"

Alder bobbed his head up and down proudly. "Yes, Dad, it is."

"Well, that's just amazing Alder," Rebekah praised. "You make us all so proud. Now go finish whatever you were doing."

"I was eating ice cream," he stated.

"It probably melted so get yourself another scoop," Rebekah said. "Now, young lady you can find yourself a place to sit."

"But," Rowan started.

"Don't argue please," replied Rebekah.

Rowan sat on the ground and stared at the floor.

Once Alder was out of the room Rebekah walked to the bedroom door and shut it. When she sat back down, she beckoned Rowan to come to sit beside her. After Rowan had joined her parents on the bed, her mother spoke first.

"I had to pretend to be proud of Alder. If not, then who knows what he would've told Ashley."

Rowan looked relieved. "That was a great idea. I hope he doesn't tell her that I chased him around the house. Why is he like that?"

"Well, my sweet girl, he's younger and he's inundated with Icamera propaganda all day at school. He thought he was doing the right thing. We just have to really watch what we say or do around him," Samuel stated. "Oh, and another thing, I'm not mad at you. I'm the one who gave you that book. I'm really just mad at the governmental system and Ashley Johnson."

"Mom," Rowan said meekly. "Are you mad at me?"

Rebekah put her arm around her daughter and pulled her into a hug. "No, sweetheart, I'm trying to put on appearances because you never know. I know how much guilt and shame you're feeling about all of this. I'm sorry that the way I acted added to that."

"It's okay," Rowan sniffled. "On top of that I'm also scared and I know you are too Mom. Is Laurel mad at me or is she acting?"

"You're right, I am scared too, we'll get through all of this somehow. We're a strong family. Unfortunately, Laurel is actually mad at you. I could say much to her about it since we were on the phone," Rebekah answered.

"She'll come around, you two are as thick as thieves," Samuel intoned.

"Oh, Dad, how are you feeling? It breaks my heart to see you like this," Rowan said.

He reached over and smoothed Rowan's hair. "I feel better than I expected. Sometimes fathers have to do things for their family. I would rather me go through what I did than to see it happen to anyone else in this family. I need you to stop hating yourself for this. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Rowan nodded. "I will try, although it will probably take me a couple of days to work through the many different emotions that I am currently experiencing."

"That's fine, take some time," Samuel said with a smile. "We didn't name you Rowan for nothing."

"Thanks, Mom and Dad. You guys are the best parents that a girl could ask for."