Dark Angel (Sequel to White Raven)

Chapter Three: Harper vs. Harper

Warning: Strong Language and Sexual References!

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Chapter Three: Harper vs. Harper

"Aunt Bella!" Ary was awoken to two little monsters jumping on top of her and none too gently, either.

Micah and Stella had taken over her and Maddie's old bedrooms since Scarlett had moved back home. Because of this, Ary had ended up just tossing a passed out Maddie on the couch in the front living room and she had crashed on the couch in the family room.

"Get off me," Ary grumbled. She shoved the children off of her and rolled over so that she was facing the back of the couch.

"You might want to get yourself cleaned up before Mom gets up," Scarlett told her, standing in the entryway between the kitchen and the family room.

"I showered last night," Ary replied, snuggling against the couch.

"You smell like vomit," Scarlett shot back as she ushered her children into the kitchen for breakfast.

"That would be Mom's favorite jacket, which is laying in the kitchen sink," Ary sighed. She finally gave up on going back to sleep and sat up on the couch. 

"You puked all over Mom's favorite jacket!? As if she's not mad at you enough as it is!" Scarlett gave Ary an incredulous look.

"Oh yes, because I'm such an alcoholic," Ary groaned as she stretched out her body. The tumble with the dumpster last night was finally catching up to her.

"Well then, what happened to Mom's jacket?" Scarlett huffed, placing her hands on her hips.

"Princess Smartypants stole it and hucked up all over it last night," Ary explained as she rose to her feet. 

"Mads? She was at a friend's studying last night," Scarlett challenged.

Normally, there would be no doubt that Maddie was indeed studying. She had been the girl that would study all night for every single test. There were only a handful of times that she had actually gone out in high school, and even then she rarely drank.

"Oh yes, she was studying the ways of how to get date raped at a club," Ary snorted with laughter. "Seriously, if you don't believe me then go check out her slutted up self on the couch in the front room," Ary told her older sister.

Scarlett gave her a doubtful look, but she left the room just the same. What a relief it was to see her go. Scarlett was becoming worse than their mother.

Ary didn't wait for Scarlett to return for any confirmation on Maddie's condition. She headed upstairs to the bathroom, which was now dominated by toys and strawberry flavored toothpaste, to clean up a bit.

She checked on her bruise and winced at the sight. If it had been gruesome last night, it was downright horrendous this morning. It looked like she was growing a second head. She was only thankful that she hadn't decided to chop all of her hair off over kid summer, like she usually did, and it was long enough to cover the hideous beast.

After she quickly rinsed out her mouth with some bubblegum flavored mouthwash she headed back downstairs. The couch in the front room was empty and the shower in the main floor bathroom was running so she figured that Scarlett had convinced Maddie to go wash off the smell of booze, vomit, and desperation.

"You know this is your fault," Scarlett told her as soon as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Oh, is it now?" Ary asked, barely even saying attention. She walked right passed Scarlett and grabbed her cell phone off of the coffee table in the family room.