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Diana sat on the faded green couch in her living room, listening to the GoGo's on her record player when she heard the front door open. She saw Rudy entering the house carrying a cardboard box. "Diana?" he called loudly. "Im in here" she said, sounding annoyed. "Hi, Pumpkin" he said, looking slightly awkward as he set the box down on the floor. "Look, I cant even begin to tell you how sorry I am for dropping that bomb on you. I want you to know this doesn't change anything for me. I love you, you are my daughter, regardless" he put his arms up defensively. She didn't say a word, only got off the couch and ran up to him, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Rudy I love you. You've always been there for me. You have always been my dad" a single tear slid down her cheek as she looked up at him. "Good. Well im glad youre talking to me" he chuckled as he walked over to the box. "Look. I got you something" he had a huge smile on his face and Diana was a bit nervous.
He say the box in her lap and she opened the top, revealing a rough looking black cat with only one eye. "Oh jesus! Where did you get this poor thing?" Diana asked him. "He's been hanging around the shop. He's friendly! Thought since your mum and I are always gone, you could use a friend" he gave her a bright smile and she couldn't help it, Rudy's happiness was contagious.
She lifted the cat out of the box, he was small for being an older cat, but he looked fairly healthy, despite missing an eye. "What ya gonna call him, Pumpkin?" Rudy asked. She took one good look at him "I think I'll call him Hades, what do you think?" she raised her lip. "I think that'll do him just fine".
Diana fed Hades and brought him up to her room, where she called Corinne to tell her about the entire ordeal with Billy. "What the hell has been happening over there? I haven't talked to you in one day, ONE DAY!" Corinne bellowed over the phone. Diana listened to Corinne go on and on and finally let her talk her into going over to talk to him. "Di, you gotta make up with him! This just started, it cant end already".
Diana pondered her choices before finally agreeing to go over to talk with him.
Over on Cherry Road Billy was blasting music and lifting weights in the living room while smoking a cigarette. Maxine was on her bed, trying to repair her broken skateboard with duct tape when the doorbell rang. "Max, are you getting that or what!?" Billy yelled from the front room. "Coming!" she screamed back, hustling to the front door. When she got there she was relieved she answered it, because it was Lucas.
He wanted her to go with him but she knew Billy would freak out so she told him to meet her around back. She went back inside and slammed the door just as Billy got to it. "Who were you talking to?" he asked her as he took a puff off the cigarette. "Uh..Mormons" she lied. He looked unamused "Mormons?" he asked, not believing her. "Talkative ones" she nodded and marched back to her room, where she snuck out the window and took off with Lucas.
Billy went back to lifting weights when the doorbell rang a second time. "Jesus Christ. Max!" he called, but no answer. "Fuck sakes" he mumbled as he got up and went to answer the door himself. "Look, we're not interested in your reli..." he started as he opened the door but stopped when he looked outside. Diana stood on his front porch in a short green button-up dress. Her wavy red hair hung down past her breasts. Her green eyes shining as she stared back at him, arms crossed. "What do you want, Red?" he asked, blowing cigarette smoke out his nose like a dragon. "I want you to stop being a dipshit" she snapped. He smiled at her, astonished at the nerve she had mustered. "That so?" he asked, amused now. "I want you to tell me whatever is bothering you. I want you to trust me enough to be able to talk to me. I want you, Billy. Period."
He smiled at her and she glared back at him. "You love me?" he asked her. Her face softened and she nodded. "Good. Prove it" he challenged. "Prove it?" she asked, confused. "Yeah. Prove it. I've been working out for over an hour. I reek, I don't even wanna touch me. Prove it" he smirked at her. She had dressed as nicely as she could to come over here, and here he stood. Glistening with sweat, his white wife beater drenched with it, his long blonde hair dripping.
She closed her eyes and exhaled loudly. He was exhausting most days. She walked up the final step and into the house. She reached up and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him softly. "I put up with your disgusting attitude on the daily, Hargrove. You think a little sweats gonna scare me away?" she said as sarcastically as possible.
He smiled and lifted her up into his well muscled arms. He carried her to the bathroom, where he turned on the shower. "You wait here. I'll be out in two minutes" he told her as he removed his shirt.
