On Mute

Chapter 10: Home Again...

"Oh my goodness!" I heard a shrill voice muffle off in the distance.

"Who is this? Hey buddy, get up!" said a rather deep voice. I felt my body roll over; my brain was still trying to swim through the thick fog. "Abigail Lunette McFaul!" Hey, isn't that my name? My eyes tore open. I looked around.

I heard my friends moaning and saw them pulling their blankets over their heads; I shot up and swayed; gaining my balance as I held onto the wall. What's going on? I slowly trekked downstairs, my raw eyes burning as I stared into the light of Sunday morning.

"Mom Dad, is that you?" I rubbed my eyes a second time. I felt a presence come over me and I lowered my fist. I looked up to see my Dad, his face red and his nostrils fuming. Who peed in his cornflakes?

"Abigail Lunette McFaul, who is THIS?" I refocused my eyes towards the couch. A large muscular man, his shirt unbuttoned, plaid boxers, dark hair, peacefully sleeping. Wasn't ringing a bell? Wow...jeez, what happened last night?

"John, it's the young man!" My mother said as she lifted the blanket from the side of his face, the funny thing is... that was the only thing it was covering; what a way to sleep? What- hey, did she just say Marc?

Suddenly it all came back to me: the flood, the rain, the thunder...

"I don't want you out in this...I want you to stay here till it calms down alright?" Oh crap! My mother came forward.

"Abby, why is Marc here?" My eyes grew wide. Um... what was I going to say? Would the truth suffice, or would they believe such a far fetch tale? I know I wouldn't believe it. Yeah-Mom, Marc needed to use the phone... and somehow stayed over for the night...

"W-well we were having fun upstairs when suddenly_."

"Oh I bet you had a lot of fun!" My father said, his voice was sarcastic but his neck looked like it would burst from his shirt collar. I pieced together what he was meaning, I turned scarlet.

"NO NO, I meant me and my friends!" Oh my god... this was becoming too much for me, what were they implying?! "W-we heard someone at the door and Marc showed up out of the blue!" I felt my knees trembling. Come on Abby get a hold of yourself! "Marc said his power went out a-and he needed to use the phone, that's all!" They stared at me... they didn't believe me. I looked over to the sleeping giant. Come on man, wake up and back me up here?

"Ok, so he knocked on the door?" My dad asked, clarifying.

"Yes," I was nodding with my whole body.

"And he asked to use the phone?" He smiled.

"Yes," Why was it the more I said 'yes' the less I felt he believed me?

"Ok..." His smiling turned to an angry scowl. "Then he somehow went from using the phone to sleeping on the couch and wearing MY CLOTHES?" Well... at least they fit him?

"Uh... Uh..." Oh god, I was so dead!

"I-I'm sorry Sir!" Dad and I shot our heads towards the couch. There sat up the half awake giant, mom had her hand on his shoulder; she woke him. Marc shot up from the couch, grabbing his unbuttoned shirt and holding it closed. "I-I really am, the road was flooded and Abigail didn't want me to go out in it. I-I was soaked so she lent me something to wear over the night. I really should have just gone home, I'm sorry." My dad swallowed hard, processing.

"Home to what?" I pulled away from my father. "Your house is probably swamped right now!"

"So what? It's against any moral in society to stay over at a girl's home, what in hell was I thinking?!" Dad got in between us, his hand falling on Marc's shoulder. Even though Marc was taller than Dad, Marc was the one who shrunk in fear. Fear... another beautiful emotion that spread across that magnificent face. Focus Abby, focus!

"You are that park manager's kid ain't cha?" Dad was picking his teeth with his nail, looking at Marc through his messy receding hairline. Marc nodded. "That creek is horrible for flooding down there, you knew about that didn't you?"

"Not exactly, I didn't know if the pump was installed... a-and when the power went out the only place I knew that would let me use their phone was_." Dad shut him up.

"Enough, I heard enough." Marc and I shivered. "Evelyn, this boy has been through enough for one day, how about you whip him up something to eat, and I'll tidy him up a bit." Huh? Dad wrapped an arm around me, smiling.

"You're not mad?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm mad alright." He kept that evil grin on his face. He looked directly at me. "As soon as you escort this young man back to his house to make sure everything is ok, you are in for the grounding of a lifetime." I covered my face with my hand, dad shook my shoulders as he laughed, then disappeared with Marc down the hall.

"Honey," I was sitting at the breakfast counter with my head on the table.

"What?" I mumbled through my arms to my mother.

"How about you go get dressed, that is not the thickest clothing, not really suited for outdoors or in front of company." Marc is company now? And this shirt is fine! Look, it passes the two finger test?

            I went to open my mouth when I realized that she was only using this as an excuse to get me ready and cause no more conflict. I slumped over to the stairs.

            "And honey?" I peeked back into the kitchen. "Don't wake up the girls; it will be better to ask them to keep this sleepover quiet from their parents when Marc is no longer in this house." I thought of how mad Brie was.

            "Yeah... you're right."

            Tip toeing over the three bodies on the floor I grabbed a tee-shirt and jeans from my closet. I went to the bathroom to change and came back downstairs without a sound. I stopped at the doorway of the kitchen. Marc was sitting at the counter with a Spanish omelette between two pieces of toast. He looked uncomfortable, and so was I.

            After he finished Dad sent us off, it was sunny and unusually warm for such an early part of the day. Marc walked back in the clothes I gave him the night before, a white button up top and my Dad's old torn up weekend warrior jeans. On my father they looked like some sort of confusion between corporate casual meets redneck, but on Marc they looked like he was just about to head to the beach, especially when his shirt was unbuttoned. Damn it Abby, stop drooling!

            Marc stopped and my foot stepped into ankle deep water. I backpedalled at the ice cold sensation. My eyes shot up to see the creek flooded over the boardwalk, and the trail leading to his house was about a foot under water.

            "Oh my god!" Marc's lip tugged to the corner as he studied his surroundings.

            "The house looks alright, but getting there will be tricky for a few days." He rolled up his pant legs then began his trek through the freezing water.

            "M-Marc, are you sure_?"

            "Everything is fine, head back home ok? I caused you enough trouble as it is." The water rose to his calves and I heard him mutter a curse. I don't even want to know how much trouble my Dad has in store for me? He looked back

            "I guess this makes us even... sorta?" He made it to his house and opened the door, giving me the thumbs up. Thank god his house was ok!

            "I guess, although I kind of liked having you indebted to me." He called with a laugh. I looked away, flushed.

            Well, I guess it is good to be home again.