Forbidden

Chapter 14

Skylar, my dad, and I all were in the middle of watching the third episode of Loony Tunes when the doorbell rang. I sat up from the couch the same time my dad did.

"I got it." I smiled a little at the thought of him going to answer the door like this was still his house. He said back down after I protested.

I walked over to the front door and unlocked it.

I opened it to find Connor. He was standing there with his hands in his pockets, hair going every which way.

He looked up at me and just stared.

"Connor this is a bad time." I tried whispering but I could tell my dad heard.

"Please don't go on that date." You could almost hear real desperation in his voice. Almost.

"Why would it matter were not dating anyway remember?" I said sarcastically. "Now go." I started to maneuver him out of my doorway.

"Brooke please? Brooke come on." He protested but I eventually got him out and closed the door behind me.

I walked back over to the couch and sat down. I tried not to make eye contact with my dad even though I could practically feel him staring me down.

I didn't say anything and neither did he, we just continued watching tv.

A couple hours had gone by and Skylar had fallen asleep on dads shoulder. I glanced at the clock, 9:56. I know Mom's alarm goes off at 10 am. Boy are she and Blake in for a surprise when they wake up.

After about what I think was five episodes of loony tunes, I glance at the clock in the living room, 8:52. Mom's alarm goes off at 9:00 so she would be getting up in eight minutes.

How would Mom react to this? I mean, I know Blake wouldn't be surprised, he'd probably know he was coming considering I found put they keep in touch. But Mom, I'm not too sure about that. I can't even begin to comprehend what he wants to talk to us about, all of u together.

One big happy family. Yea right, that offer expired the night he left.

I shake my head so that night doesn't dig in too deep in my thoughts again.

"I'm gonna get dressed real quick." I run up to my room and go straight to my closet. I pull out my girls volleyball team sweater from sophomore year. It's all black with bright gold and green print that's says, I know I fight like a girl, and on the back it says, try and catch up. We all signed each others at our pizza party at the end of the year. We all went downtown to navy pier and went jet skiing and played volleyball, of course. I looked at the names signed, Maggie Witkins... Jared Broder. Then I came across two names scratched out ,oh so obviously, in neon pink marker. I had scratched out Cameron and Jennifer's names. As if my hatred for them back then wasn't oblivious enough, I just had to use neon pink.

I threw that on over my head walked up to my dresser. I pulled out this new pair of black and white floral joggers Claudia got me. I threw my hair into a messy bun and looked in the mirror.

I remember being very self conscious about my looks freshmen year. I was so anxious about my hair and makeup that I actually started failing math. It would be my least favorite subject and my least favorite teacher at the time as well. I swear she was out to get me. She almost flunked me from volleyball because I didn't do extra credit right. EXTRA credit. As in, EXTRA work that is NOT, I repeat NOT required. I still hate math, but I didn't fail last school year so, that's a turn around. I guess?

Anyway, I'm not as nervous about how i look and what other people will think.

As I opened the door I noticed both Blake and Mom's door were wide open. I creeped by the corner of the top stair. Mom, Blake, Dad, and Skylar were all sitting togetherin the living room. They weren't even speaking except the occasional comment from Skylar that no one would continue.

"Goodmorning sweetie pie." My mom said after she heard me coming down the stairs. And just an fyi, my mother has only called me one "pet name" in my whole life, honey. That didn't end well because it was the night my dad left. More like morning, 3:46 in the morning actually. Yes, you may think it's obsessive or crazy that i rememeber the exact time my father left the house. But all I could do to keep myself from having a mental breakdown was to stare at the clock on my wall and watch the minutes tick by. The ticking noise of the clock almost drowned out the yelling and screaming of my parents in the kitchen.

"Uhm, hi? So you knew that Dad was coming?" I walked into the living room and sat on the arm chair closest to do the door, just incase i needed to bolt. Knowing this fsmily, I might.

"Your mother and I want to talk to the three of you." My dad and mom were sitting next to eachother. My dad took a deep breath and looked directly at me. "Your mother and I have come to a decision that I need to have a relationship with my kids."

"Are you moving back home?" Blake asked, no expression in his voice whatsoever.

"No but I do have my own house, 4 bedrooms, 3 bath, a nice kitchen and backyard. Oh and a cozy front porch." My dad said abruptly so no false assumptions were made."

"Are you saying were moving in with you?" My heart started to beat faster.

We'd be a family again, a real family.

"No actually, I'm getting married."