Falling Slowly

Chapter Ten: As If Things Couldn't Possibly Get Worst

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I hid my face behind my hair. “What are you doing here?”

“I think you know which is why you shut the door in my face. That wasn’t very polite. It kind of hurt my feelings.”

I scoffed. “As if you have any. Seriously, what are you doing here? If my Dad finds you out here he’s going to have your head on a platter.”

His smile widened making his eyes shine a luminous blue gray. “As intimidating as that sounds I am not afraid of a challenge.”

“So I’m a game to you?”

His smile dropped and his eyes were intensely serious as he said, “No. Is that what you think?”

“I-”

“Anya? Who’s at the door?”

Shoot. Liam was definitely dead now.

Dad appeared behind me and cracked the door open to reveal Liam’s lone figure on the porch. I saw Dad’s jaw clench and the muscles on his hand and back stiffen in utter shock. If I could I would run upstairs and hide but I couldn’t leave Liam alone to fend for himself. That would be like leaving a poor little defenseless bunny rabbit with a wild coyote. Except Liam wasn’t a defenseless bunny rabbit. He was more like the roadrunner to Will. E. Coyote.

“Good Morning, Sir.”

“Liam.”

Liam cleared his voice and asked, “May I come in?”

I stepped back and leaned my frame against the opposite wall and watched as my father’s eyes calculated Liam until he opened the door and gestured for him to come in. I saw Liam walk into the living room with Dad on his heels. There was no time to improvise and I ran into the kitchen and told Mom what was going on. Her eyes widened as she quickly washed her hands in the sink and joined me in the living room with Dad and Liam.

Dad had already taken his shot gun out and was “cleaning” it. Oh, goodness. Kill me now.

“Why should I allow you to take her out?”

“Phillip!” my mother chastised. She turned to Liam and said, “It’s nice to you Liam. How have you been?”

Liam flashed one of his signature dazzling smiles. “Thank you, Mrs. Vanchester. I’ve been good.”

“That’s good. Would you like to stay for breakfast?” Dad glared at Mom, muttering something underneath his breath that she ignored.

Liam flickered his eyes to me and smiled. “I was actually wondering if I could take Anya out today. If that is okay with both of you.”

“Oh,” Mom perused her lips trying to hide the grin on her face. “I think it’ll be good for her to go out.”

“Mom,” I said through clenched teeth.

 She ignored me and turned to Dad. “Don’t you agree Phillip?”

He muttered something that sounded like, “No, not at all,” but said loud and clear, “Yes, I suppose. But I don’t necessarily believe that going out-”

“Phillip! Kitchen. Now.”

Dad gave Mom a loaded glance before getting up from the couch and walking into the kitchen. I watched as the kitchen door swung close and they disappeared, leaving me alone with Liam. I stared at my feet until I got the nerve to go and sit across from him on the couch.

“Your dad hates my guts.”

“Yeah, he does. Can you blame him?” I asked.

He sank back into the plush velvet cushions, his hand reaching into his breast pocket of his leather jacket. “No. But people can change for the worst and redeem themselves.”