Raising Lexi (Year One)

1-Time to Come Home

"I tried to call Dameon first but I couldn't get him." She offered.

"No, it's okay. Listen, I am going to come get Lexi for the rest of the weekend." He said. "I will talk with Dameon and we will get this figured out. You don't need to worry about this anymore."

"I'm sorry Dalton, I really am. I tried. It's just...it's just..." Her voice trailed off into tears again.

"Hey, hey, Julie, you don't need to apologize or offer any explanations.  It's okay. I promise." Dalton tried to reassure her. "I should be there in couple of hours. Call me if she gets in and you are awake. Just don't worry about telling her I am coming though, we'll let that be our surprise." He said the sarcasm in his tone was intentional.

After a few more words to try and comfort her and reassure her it was all okay, they hung up. Dalton sat there and looked back at the clock. 1: 46am, it was going to be a very, very long day.

*****

Lexi was in one of those really good deep dreamless sleeps, that is until she was suddenly jolted from it.  The suddenness of the overhead light in her room being flipped on, accompanied by a males booming voice instructing her to 'WAKE UP!', startled her out of her deep slumber and made her head instantly start pounding. 

She bolted up in alarm but as the room instantly swirled around her she flopped back down onto her fluffy pillow.  Her brain felt foggy and her head felt so heavy and that damn glaring light hurt her eyes. What the hell?!

"Let's go Lexi!" The voice announced as it strutted across her room opening the curtains at her window letting in even more obnoxious light, "Time to rise and shine."

Lexi groaned and pulled the covers over her head. Three seconds later they were jerked off of her. "What the hell?" She snapped.

"I said it is time for you to get up." By now Lexi's brain was finally able to process that the voice belonged to her second oldest brother Dalton. The only thing she couldn't understand was...why was he there? 

"What are you doing here?" She whined as she tried to curl up into a ball to stay warm.

Dalton marched over to the side of her bed and stood there with his hands on his hips, staring down at her.

"If you don't get out of that bed by the time I count to three, I am going to go get a glass of cold water and dump it on you." He threatened.

"One."

"Two."

Just right before he said three Lexi quickly sat up in the bed. The room tilted again, for a moment she felt like she was going to throw up.  Dalton grabbed her legs and pulled them till they dangled off the side of the bed.

"You're still not out of that bed." He warned as she continued to just sit there.

 "Okay....three." He said with little emotion as he turned and headed towards the bathroom.

"Okay! Okay! I'm up!" Lexi whined jumping up, though now the room lurched and her head instantly started throbbing again. She reached to grab the bedpost to steady herself and prayed that she really wouldn't throw up. 

"Don't throw up, don't throw up", she mumbled to herself. 

Dalton stopped at the doorway, turning back, he eyed his little sister. He would recognize a hangover anywhere, however seeing it on his twelve year old sister was not where he expected to see one. And of course he could still smell it on her too. It actually infuriated him, but he recognized that right now was not the time to deal with it.

He crossed his arms, his eyes becoming slits as he glared down at her. "Get yourself packed. We are leaving here by 7:30...sharp!" He snapped.

"Why? Where are we going?" Lexi asked, still clinging to the bedpost.  But before Dalton could answered Lexi could hear Emmie, her five year old cousin and roommate, running down the hall towards their room.