Just One Night

Just One Night ~22~

I frowned. “Why the hell were you looking at bridal magazines?” I asked. Please don’t tell me he’d been planning our wedding already…

He laughed lightly, kissing my head. “My mom plans weddings, remember? Or didn’t I tell you?”

“You never told me that.” I said, again relieved. I loved him, but we weren’t even out of high school yet.

“Oh. Well, my mom plans weddings. She has her own little business. Sometimes she drags me into helping too. I think I saw your sister in a few of the pictures. I can’t think of how else I’d know her…” He shrugged. “Do you want me to give you some time, or do you want to go?”

“Let’s go. I can come back tomorrow.” I said. Just as we were about to  leave, my dad stormed in, Jennifer following after him.

“What’s going on?” My dad asked.

I sighed. I’d forgotten I’d told him to come down. “Dad, meet Tiffany. She’s my step-sister. Kate, I mean mother, is going to jail. She should be there for at least one life sentence.” I summarized.

My dad frowned. “What?”

“My mother stabbed Tiffany because she was threatening to take her to court for beating her.” I said.

“But how do you know about her then?” My dad asked, and I sighed. That was the one question I’d hoped would never come up.

“Because… remember when I was four years old, and that neighbor beat me up?” I asked. When my dad nodded, I said, “It wasn’t the neighbor, dad.”

I waited for my dad to connect the dots. The second he did, I saw his jaw tighten to a point where it seemed almost painful. “Where is Kate?” He growled.

The sound of my dad angry made me flinch slightly, but I kept my stand. He wasn’t mad at me, not yet. “In the police station. They’re going to arrest her definitely for stabbing and beating Tiffany.”

“Kate stabbed someone?” My dad yelled.

I made a hushing, sound. “Dad, calm down. Yes, Kate stabbed Tiffany. But Tiffany’s going to be fine, and Kate’s going to jail.”

Jennifer touched my dad’s arm lightly. “Alan, breathe. Everyone’s fine, and she’s getting what she deserves from the sounds of it.”

He looked at her for a few minutes, before letting out a breath. “Fine. But I swear to God that if they try and give that woman parole, life will be hell for her.”

Cam’s arm tightened around my waist, and I jumped slightly. I’d almost forgotten he was still here. “I’ll happily help with that, Sir.” Cam said.

My dad looked up at him, also a little shocked. “You knew?” He asked.

“I only found out on the way up here.”

“Right. Well, what’s going to happen then?”

“The police are going to take Tiffany’s statement, and she might mention me so I’ll have to give one too. I’ll probably have to give one anyway because I helped call it in. Dad, don’t ask. Anyway, after that I guess we’ll have to go to a trail or something, and then we’re done. At least until parole comes around.” I said.

It was silent for a minute, and I saw Jennifer rubbing my dad’s arm slowly, probably trying to keep him for going to the police station and dealing with Kate himself. As her hand move, I saw something shining, and gasped.

“Holy shit!” I shouted.

“Language.” My dad scolded, following my line of sight. “Oh, right.”