Appleberry(Completed)

Ch. 3: Dinner For Three

I was setting the table with Frankie's help. Dad was sitting there reading an email from his boss. He was an architect. So, he was constantly on the phone or online reading emails and talking to people.
"Dad, can you put the laptop away? Dinner is ready." Frankie and I sat down.
He was engaged with whatever was in front of his face. "I will in a minute Sloane."
I sat there, irritated probably more than I had ever really been. It had been two years and it was always the same damn thing. Though tonight it was really getting to me. I wanted to take the laptop and throw it against the wall.
Frankie placed a hand on my shoulder leaning over to whisper. "Sloane, breathe."
I looked to her and then to my food. "Let's just eat."
Dinner was becoming unbearable. Two years of small talk or no talk was about to drive me insane. "So, dad, we meet a few people out in town today."
That got his attention. His head shot up. "Who?"
"Some of the Appleberry's, I think they were brother and sister. Then this girl named Bodhi and a guy named Zeke Alderman." I twirled my fork on my plate.
Dad was more serious than he had ever been. "Stay away from the Appleberry's. Just because we moved here, does not mean we have to acknowledge their existence." 
I sat back in the chair folded my arms across my chest. "Why? They seem nice."
Frankie gave me a look to drop it. I think I started things with dad, just so he would talk and pay attention to me, to us. It sucked that it was this way. But that's all I knew to do.
"Because I said so Sloane. Don't get around them, don't talk to them, and don't even look at them." Dad gritted through his teeth.
"That's going to be hard to do since we will be going to the same school dad." I got up to start cleaning up and putting food away.
"Just try. Frankie, make sure she tries." That pissed me off. Frankie didn't have to watch over me. I went over and grabbed dad's plate just about the time he went to get another bite.
I threw it in the bowl with the other leftovers. "I wasn't done with that."
"Yes, you are." I walked off and went up to my room.
I could hear dad slamming around in his study. He was mad at me or with me. Either way, I had caused it. I was tired of it. I wanted to be able to fly off and just forget things.
There was a knock on my door. "Come in."
Frankie poked her head in. "You okay?"
My head hung, I laced my fingers placing them in my lap. "Not really. I am just tired of it Frankie. Two freaking years and he is still like this. We lost her too. Not just him."
Frankie sighed coming in and taking a seat on the bed. "I know, it's just different. He lost his dad, then his mother, and after all that; mom. He just needs time to adjust and remember the good things he has."
I looked at her, nostrils flared. "Really? You are taking his side Frankie?"
She shook her head. "No. I'm not taking sides Sloane. I get you both. I'm just stuck in the middle. We all lost her. We have to figure out a way to get through it together."
I got up putting on my jacket. "Where are you going Sloane?"
"I don't know. I just need to get out of here. I feel like I'm suffocating." I opened the window.
Frankie chuckled. "You know, we have a door."
I was half way out the window. "If I do that, dad will want to know where I am going. I don't want to talk to him Frankie. Just come up with something if he asks if I'm in my room or something."
Frankie got up walking to my door. She opened it then looked back at me. "Just don't stay gone too long. I wouldn't want dad to send out a search party or anything."
I smiled. "Love you, Franks."
"Love you too." She vanished behind my door.