Thick As Blood {A Menendez Brothers Fic}

14. Florida

Packing for Florida without my mom, felt too surreal to even being to comprehend in my racing mind. She always loved it there. And I did everything I could to ruin that for her. Maybe that's why in so many ways, she resented me. Because I didn't do what my father told me to do. And I still didn't, leading to the day she died. But I refuse to believe it was a suicide. She wouldn't do that. I know her. Better than even my father at this point.

"Hello beautiful. Deep in thought?" I looked up to a smiling Erik upon packing the remains of what I would be bringing on our little trip before the real world came crashing back around us, as usual. I was nervous to go back to Florida, knowing all the things I did there. What I lost. And what I left behind.

"Definitely. My mom..... would have been so excited for this trip. More than any of us." He simply smiled a little at me, before slinging my bag over his shoulder so I wouldn't keep fumbling with the zipper as a distraction from what I was really thinking. But my thoughts were immediately gone the moment I noticed something on Erik's arm that he clearly tried so hard to hide, but failed.

"Erik.... what happened?" A massive bruise in the shape of a handprint lined a portion of his arm, sending shockwaves of anger through my once lax body. The terror in his eyes told it all, right before I heard the sudden yell of Jose and my father, calling for everyone to meet in the entryway of my house that I suddenly, didn't want to leave.

"I'm sorry Ana. I didn't..... I didn't know what to say. He persisted. My mom is coming to. Your dad apparently has business in Florida and my dad volunteered to help." I sighed in clear defeat, softly taking his arm within my grip to examine it further. And felt terrible that he even had to endure this in the first place.

"You don't deserve this. You and Lyle both don't deserve this kind of abuse. There has to be something we can do. You can't live in that house anymore with that.... that monster!" My eyes filled with rage, and my breathing accelerated, my rapidly beating heart being the only thing I could hear. What if something happened to Erik? I couldn't live with myself if it did. I already lost my mom. I can't lose him.

"Hey.... it's okay. I'm okay. We have each other all weekend, and Lyle is looking out for us. For Ava. We're safe. They won't do anything around a bunch of people." I softly nodded with sudden tears forming in my eyes, before leaving the softest kiss imaginable to Erik's lips, feeling content with him around. And never wanting to leave his side. But it's always proven impossible.

"Come on guys! Dad is beginning to lose his mind from the wait." Lyle came bursting into my room with a smiling and laughing Ava atop his back, grinning at us both with a little wink. Erik nudged me with a little smile of humor to lighten the mood, sending us on our way out the door. And to Florida.
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Orlando, Florida was actually a good sight to see from all the occurrences of our life back in Beverly Hills. I missed living here in so many ways. But could never come back to live. Too many memories. Bad more than good.

"Ah! My beautiful nieces." Aunt Clare swooped us up in a big hug with that award winning smile of hers upon her warm and welcoming face I loved so much. But instantly saw the entire crew with us. Meaning the parents. So much for a vacation huh? And so much for our promised surprise I suppose.

"Don't fret sweetheart. You'll still have fun." She pulled back with a wink, before helping get some things in her car. I followed behind Lyle to grab some bags, when I noticed Erik and Jose in a heated conversation. And I so badly wanted to intervene.

"Don't. You'll only make it worse. It's about you anyway." Lyle had grabbed ahold of my arm after placing his load of bags into his rental car for the trip, our eyes locking the instant I turned to keep from stalking to Erik's aide. The airport was full of people. Surly Jose wouldn't do anything rash. Would he?

"I just can't let this keep going on Lyle. You and Erik need peace. Away from that horrible house." He softened up on his grip, looking me deep in the eyes as if he was trying to read my mind for indication of what I was truly thinking. But I'm good at hiding that. I'm stone cold when need be.

"None of us deserve that. It'll all be okay. I'm protecting you, Erik, and Ava. Don't worry." Suddenly, he placed a soft kiss to the corner of my lips, just as he had done all those months ago, before walking away with a little smile upon the arrival of Erik.

"Are you okay?" I softly placed my hands upon his cheeks the moment Jose and Kitty sped off with Lyle in tow. Kitty didn't want to be here. I could tell. Just as I.

"He rented his own house that he's saying I need to be in. Even here, he's wanting to control me. We'll never escape...." I lifted his head up the moment he looked down to the ground, his trembling lip indicating how bad their conversation truly was.

"Yes we will. I swear we will. Even if it means taking drastic measures. We will get away. I swear to you." Ava suddenly came bounding up to us the minute the words left my lips, dragging us both to Aunt Clare's awaiting car to whisk us away to the vacation home my father bought before we left here for California. Even on vacation, we weren't free.