Unapologetically, Juliet

Chapter Thirty

I pulled into my parents' driveway at 8:00 on Christmas morning, almost exactly the same moment as my dad. His black pick-up stopped right behind me, as I struggled to juggle the backpack full of stuff that Marcia gave me and my grumpy cat.

"Here, Jules, let me grab that." Dad walked up behind me and slid the pack off my shoulders and onto his while I grabbed King and cuddled him to my chest, trudging after him through the snow.

"Thanks, Dad. I thought you were supposed to be home a week ago?"

Dad raised his eyebrows and smirked at me. "I thought you were too."

I laughed, waiting for him to unlock the front door. "Touché. I got stuck in a town a few hours away." My dad pushed the door open and we both hurried inside, where I immediately set King back on his feet.

"Is that why you have that ugly ass car?" I glanced back at the rusty station wagon and giggled at his question, following him into the kitchen where my mom was already awake and cooking breakfast.

"It's not that ugly. And her name is Olga." My dad cracked up laughing as he walked up behind Mom and wrapped his arms around her while she continued making scrambled eggs on the stove.

"Joe! I missed you." After scooping eggs onto a plate, she turned around in his embrace and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"I missed you too, love. How are the kids doing? Is there anything you need our help with?" Dad and I yawned at practically the same time, and Mom shot us both a scowl.

"No, no. You two go ahead and nap. You both look like you haven't slept a wink in days. Chance and Pierce will be here around noon, they just left Briarwood about a half hour ago."

Dad and I tiredly trudged into the living room, each of us falling onto a different couch. I'd closed my eyes for about two seconds before I felt King jump on top of me and curl up on my stomach.

I wasn't sure how long I'd been asleep before I felt my new phone ringing over and over again in my pocket. It was the vibration, rather than the noise that woke me up. I pulled myself into a sitting position, accidentally kicking King when I swung my feet over the side of the couch. He lazily glared up at me but went right back to sleep after a second.

Looking around the living room, I found that I was entirely alone, except for King, and I didn't hear the telltale noise of my family, which was nerve wracking in and of itself. Digging my phone out of my pocket, I was about to check my missed call list, when it started ringing again, startling me.

"Hello?"

"I swear on Brother Anthony's gave that I will find you and drag you half-clothed into the snow and bury you alive if you don't go call that annoying friend of yours in the next five goddamn minutes."

"Well, hello to you too, Ro," I grumbled, falling back against the couch and looking at the time. It was already after six. I'd slept almost the entire day. Crap.

"Don't be snarky with me, kid. I'm sick of him calling me every day wondering if we've heard from you again. I thought you told Grimm you were gonna put him out of his misery."

"I will. I just wanted to sleep first." I picked at the loose thread on the bottom of my shirt and waited for him to yell at me some more. But Ro only sighed loudly.

"I get it, Jules, I do. Grimm got in the middle of things and that Saber kid fucked up and you got iced out again. But honestly, I think this kid has some real initiative. He knows what he wants. If you do too, I say go for it. And if he fucks up again, I'll break his arm."