The Bad Girl and The Good Boy (#Wattys2014)

~*~Nineteen~*~

The door opens for me, and Erica stands there holding it open, not looking at me but over my shoulder to the car, I can’t help but take a look over my shoulder, watching as Kade leans back in his seat and tugging at his hair before he leans forward slightly and punches the steering wheel a few times, before the car finally starts and I watch his black impala 67 drive away.

“Are you coming in, Lisa?” My head snaps to Shae as she stands behind her mother.

I look up to Erica, expecting her to not let me in, after a few tense moments of Erica icily holding my gaze before stepping back slightly, “Come in.” She says briskly before turning away from me and walking into the house.

“Who is it Erica?” I hear my father’s voice call from the kitchen, Erica doesn’t answer and gestures for me to walk in.

“Go speak with him.” Erica says, not exactly warmly but not as coldly as she used to address me, before she turns to Shae, “Come on sweetheart, let them speak.” She says placing her hand on Shae’s back and leading her away and down the hall.

I continue the rest of the way walking into the kitchen, “Erica?” He calls again, his back to me.

“Nope.” I respond, I’d never seen my father spin round to fast. “Just me.” I add as he continues to look at me shocked.

“Annalisa,” He finally says before quickly turning around and turning the stove off, moving whatever he was cooking off of the stove top. “I wasn’t expecting you to be back so soon.”

I shrug at his words as he turns back to me, “Daniel’s funeral was today,” I start turning away and looking towards the small and dead backyard, “I met someone and now I have to leave. I thought I’d say goodbye first.” I murmur the last bits lowly, unsure on whether my father heard or not.

A hand rests on my shoulder and, automatically, I tense, looking up at my father, “Come let’s talk in the lounge room.”

It was almost strange sitting in my own lounge room, I’d gotten used to Kade’s lounge room, which was large yet full of the two massive couches, coffee table and the cabinets. I was even more comfortable thinking about Robin’s little apartment lounge room, which was one two seater and a recliner, but at least that was cosy. Sitting in this lounge room, it felt weird, almost like it was cramped. “Who did you meet Annalisa?” Is the first thing out of my father’s mouth.

I can tell he was looking at me as I stare out the window, I never understood how Erica stood at the window for minutes on end, I suppose watching the trees sway in the park was nice and soothing, but boring after a while. “Just someone who can help me get answers.” I say, I wasn’t sure if stating that it was a man who claimed to be my brother and that he had answers to my mother was a smart thing to do, “I’m not here to tell you about that, I’m here to pack and say goodbye dad.”

When I say the final word I look up at the man who raised me, “I knew that once you got involved with Mathis’s kid you’d be leaving.” Is not what I expected him to say as he places a hand on my knee as we face each other.

“You knew Jonathon Mathis?” I take a leap and question.

My father lets out a chuckle and looks away as if reliving a memory, “I fought against him once, ignoring the fact I lost,” I can’t help but let a small smile grace my face at that part before going back to a neutral expression, “He also is the one who introduced me to your mother. But I never really knew him, he was in a little trio, no one could join that trio.”

“Marcus, Jonathon and Caius.”

My father nods, “Yes, those three, but you aren’t here for a story. You said you were here to pack and leave? How long will you be leaving for?”