Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 25 - That Wicked Sweater

"I only had a glass or two to celebrate the New Year but decided I needed to check out what your Mom made. I was just thinking that I dropped the only cupcake I could have and God made dirt. But then I wondered if he also made everything else that was dragged on the bottom of a shoe? Was I willing to risk tasting what I brought in from a crime scene I was at earlier?" Kyle explained. Jake laughed while Stacy grimaced.

Alicia poked her head in and brought her glass to the counter to rinse off and place in the dishwasher.

"Those are for the family." She said to Kyle.

"Then why did you say I could only have one."

"I needed to make sure the kids had some when they got home." Alicia explained her trickery.

Stacy and Jake laughed. Alicia turned to Stacy.

"I want you up early tomorrow please so we can get the hard stuff out of the way before help comes so that everyone can worry just about the details."

"No problem Mom." Stacy responded.

"How did the party go?" Kyle asked grabbing another cupcake out of the container at a quick pace and careful hands. He was going to hold on tighter to this one.

"Great" said Jake,

"Crappy," said Stacy at the same time. They looked at each other.

Jake looked at his dad thinking he looked tired. Most likely from working so hard on his latest case. He seemed startled before they had walked through the door.

Kyle offered Jake a cupcake which Jake gratefully took and started to consume it before he was able to rip the liner.

"So how is Bryce?" Alicia asked.

"Good." Jake said.

"Slutty as always." Stacy said at the same time making their parents laugh again. Kyle almost spit out some of his cupcake.

"Oh, honey you might want to take that sweater off. You might get the frosting on it and the pink color is food coloring, so it will stain." Alicia told Stacy. "I haven't seen that sweater before. Is it new?"

"No, I borrowed it." Stacy replied careful not to put her cupcake near her body.

"Why didn't you give it back when we dropped Anna off?" Jake asked just remembering it was Anna's and not hers.

"I forgot." Stacy's nonchalantly replied.

"Sure, you did." Jake said dryly making it clear he didn't believe her.

"I did for a moment. By the time she rushed out of the car you took off and I didn't realize it until we were driving again, so by then it was too late. I'll return it to her in a couple of days when I go shopping." Stacy said and smiled satisfied with her explanation and decision.

"You need to give that back right now." Jake said worried. He saw the sparkle in her eyes that told a different truth. She wasn't going to allow him to win.

"What? We are going back to her house at this time of night?" Stacy asked incredulously then turned to her parents to put a quick end to Jake's request.

"Oh my gosh you should see her house. I have never seen anything that big in my life! Her garden is lit up like Disneyland. To give a perspective of how big this place is, Anna's frame looked like a paper doll cutout against the massive doors. It was surreal watching her open the doors with her keys, then disappear behind the double doors made for Gods. The roads up there are so dark even in the snow. It was almost scary driving her home."

"It's late son. There are a lot of drunks out right now and with the storms it's not safe to drive right now." Kyle said holding a finger out to his daughter to pause but she caught onto his words instead.