Fragments (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 6: "Family" Dinner

The table was quiet besides the clicking of Alex's fingernails on her Android's screen. I pushed around my food, not doing much. "You ok, Alice?" Aunt Diane asked me and I nodded, looking to my dad and immediately back down. I was sharing yet another meal with the devil after months of avoiding it. Aunt Diane picked up the empty plates, which included my 3/4 full plate that I wasn't eating. "So... Roger, it's so nice that you could take the train all the way here. How'd you afford the ticket? I imagine it was expensive." Aunt Diane said with an awkward cough. Drugs, duh! I picked at the tablecloth and didn't meet anyone's eyes. "I'm a working man. I work an office job and that helped pay for the ticket and all that." He replied. If you call drug trafficking a job then yeah, you're sure working.
       The night pressed on and I like bursting, it's been so long since I've had to see him that being within five feet is freaking me out majorly. I contemplated called Keith who I knew wasn't that far away. I pushed the thought aside, there were a few cops outside waiting for him to leave the house. "So Roger, I think we should discuss some... Things I've been told recently about you and your daughter," I internally cringed as Aunt Diane spoke, "I was just hoping some things could be cleared up." God I just wanted to stand up and yell in his face that I told and he was finished. So I did. I realize that this wasn't my best plan and made me wonder how the hell I'm the "smartest kid in class" and still alive by this point. "Ugh I can't take this! I told her everything from the drugs and alcohol to the abuse." I stood up and shouted at him and he looked shocked before rage took over. I found myself with his hand around my throat leaving me struggling for air. My head hit the wall leaving my vision blurred for a moment. The loss of oxygen burned horribly in my lungs. I noticed him pulling his fist back to hit me, I heard a scream for him to stop before his fist connected with my eye. I couldn't wince, in reality the pain wasn't that bad. J mean, my pain threshold is pretty damn high so if I was someone else, it'd hurt like hell. And just like that, my vision went dark.
I came to after an EMT opened my eyelids to shine a light into them. I coughed and went to sit up. I looked to my left and spotted an angry-looking blonde. "You seem relatively OK, kid. Just take some Advil for pain and inflammation." The guy said and I nodded. They left and I was alone with Keith who looked not-so-happy. "So... Couldn't have told me your dad was coming over?" He asked and I shrugged.
"For a smart girl, that was a pretty dumb move..." He shook his head. I lowered my gaze for moment before looking back up to meet his eyes. They softened and he sat next to me. He pulled me closer so that my legs were over his lap and my temple was resting on his shoulder. It was quiet. "Missed you." He said and I smiled.
"I missed you too." He gave me a long kiss that was cut short by my fussing godmother. She looked like she was in worse shape than I was and I was the one who suffered the abuse. She began going on and on about how bad the bruises would be and what to do and why I didn't tell her how bad it was sooner and blah blah blah. I hid my face is Keith's chest. "Hey, let her relax for a bit." He defended and then she started arguing with him about how he doesn't have the right to tell her what to do. They argued for so long that I just fell asleep.

I woke up on my bed cuddled next to Keith who was holding me so tight I could barely breathe. My throat hurt and my eye throbbed. I wiggled out of his grip and got up out of bed. I looked in the mirror, my eyes didn't look that bad, my throat had a dark bruise on it in the shape of a hand. A pill bottle of Tylenol sat on the Vanity, along with a mini bottle of water. I had one pill and started feeling better within 15 minutes. My eyes were slightly bloodshot as well from being choked for a long period, that should fade soon enough. I walked to the bathroom and took two Advil as well for inflammation. Don't worry, you can take them both at the same time.
        I laid back down and felt Keith wrap his arm around my stomach once again, he pulled me towards him. I snuggled even closer and sighed contently, nearly falling back asleep. The door clicked open, I kept my eyes closed. "They're so cute, OMG." It was Riley, unmistakably.
"Should we wake them? It's getting pretty late." It was Alex.
"Take one step closer and I'm throwing out both out the nearby window." Keith spoke.
"Got it." Riley squeaked and they left. I turned to face him, "Morning." He smiled and kissed me. The kiss deepened and I felt Keith's warm hands on my hips. I felt him lift me up so I would be sitting on his torso, the kiss didn't break for a moment. His lips left mine, making their way from my jaw to the crook of my neck. "Watch the bruise." I hissed and he apologized quickly before going back to what he was doing. He nibbled on my neck and all the way to my collarbone. He stopped causing me to whine and pout. I connected our lips again, he chuckled a bit and kissed back. His tongue swiped my lips asking for access, I gladly granted his wish. Things escalated more and more, luckily no one interrupted.
       We finally left the bedroom to get something to eat. "What happened to your shoulder, it's all red." Riley asked innocently and my face heated up.
"Nothing." I replied shyly. She shrugged and went on with her business. Alex asked how I was feeling, I said fine. Well, now I felt fine. Keith passed me a bowl of Cheerios with blueberries, I went to say I wasn't hungry but was told I was eating it anyway. This was going to be a long week with him, I could tell already.