The Final Gathering

Chapter 6: Visitors

"Happy birthday to you..." THUD! Everyone looked up at the ceiling. A loud noise had hit the floor directly above them.

"Cat?" Asher asked Lilly.

"We don't have a cat," Lola answered for her sister. Everyone was still looking at the ceiling.

"Lola, why don't you go make sure something didn't break, it sounded like something shifted in the storage room," Carol said, unsure.

"Me? Why does it have to be me?"

"Because you live here. Now go," Carol said sternly while still looking upwards. Lola gave an exaggerated groan and marched up the stairs. Lisa went to the window to look outside and her stomach plummeted. The car was back. She walked quickly to her mother and offered to go check on Lola.

"Don't be silly, Lisa. She's just fixing a box. Mike, hon, blow out your candles." She was already back to normal while everyone else felt uneasy.

"Why don't we wait for Lola to get back before we finish?" Mike asked gently.

"Because they are on fire, Mike, that's why. Let's just finish!" she was getting frantic. Mike knew better than to argue and blew out his candles. Everyone watched. No one cheered. Carol's face grew red from her ears and ending with her nose.

"Why the hell would you do that, Mike?!" Everyone turned their attention toward Carol. Asher whispered into Lilly's ear, asking if her mom was okay. Lilly didn't have an answer.

"Do what?!" Mike shouted back.

"Why would you just blow out your candles like that?" she began to cry.

"Mom, you told him to," Lisa put an arm around her mom but Carol shoved it off.

"That is not what I meant! I meant to finish singing! Not to just blow them out all willy-nilly!"

"Seriously? I'm sorry, we can relight them," Mike said as he re-lit a candle. Carol picked it up and dropped it in a cup of water that was nearby.

"It's too late, it's ruined."

"Mom, it's okay, we can," Lilly began but was promptly cut off by Carol, who's voice sounded like a growl.

"Don't you go sticking your nose in other people's business, Lillian. You're so damn selfish!"

"Carol! What did we just talk about not even 20 minutes ago!" Mike raised his voice.

"Yeah, well your birthday is already ruined now, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. By you!" Mike knew it was the wrong thing to say, but it needed to be said. A fire lit in Carol's eyes.

"I. Do. EVERYTHING for this family! Especially on your birthdays! All of you! I paid so much money for that cake! I decorated! I got this whole damn circus together for you!"

"Don't act like this isn't your fault, Carol!"

"Mom, please calm down!"

They were all shouting over each other. Lilly began to cry.

"Um, guys..." Lola chirped from the living room.

"And if you think any of you are getting another birthday party from me you are delusional!"

"Guys..." Lola said a little louder.

"You think we can't throw a birthday party without you?"

"I know you can't!"

"GUYS!!!" Lola screamed.

"WHAT?!" Carol and Lisa screamed at Lola at the same time. Then they were frozen. There was a silent beat until Lilly let out a scream.

Lola was standing at the bottom of the staircase. Her makeup was dripping down her face from her tears. She was trembling. A man dressed in all black had one arm around her chest, holding her tiny body prisoner. The other had a gun to her head. Mike rushed toward them but the man pushed the gun harder against Lola's temple. Her legs kicked in the air, she began sobbing.

"No one fights. Or she dies. Understand? You are all going to cooperate. Yes?" His voice was scarily calm, as if he had done this before. The man was older and fairly large. He had dark hair that was graying and a clean-shaven face. He was almost handsome, but not quite. Lisa let out a small gasp as she recognized him as the man from the strip club that was harassing Lola.

"We can pay you back the money," Lisa said quickly as she grabbed her purse off of the table.

"Too little too fucking late, isn't it?" said the man.

"Zach, please. Please, Zach, leave my family alone. Just take me. I'm the one who pissed you off, not them. Please," Lola could barely be heard over her sobs. Zach looked annoyed.

"Yeah, well, that was the plan. I didn't know you still lived with your parents. Or that the whole fucking Brady Bunch was in town," he laughed at his own joke. "Now, Lola," he said while stroking her face with his gun, "I've been very patient with you, and I'm not a patient man. I gave you many opportunities to pay me back the money I so kindly lent you. Didn't I? But you never paid it back, and now I'm done being patient. Unfortunately for you, that means your whole family is involved. They look confused, babe. Want to tell them why I gave you money?" Lola shook her head rapidly. Each time her head turned toward the right, it bumped against the gun. Zach pushed the gun against her temple again, "yes you do." Lola was sobbing. It took her a few minutes to catch her breath. She kept repeating "I'm sorry" in between sobs. Mike was crying. Between gasps Lola looked down at the ground and explained, "I've been working at a strip club. I'm so sorry. And Zach was a regular for a while. He can be really nice and he pays very well," she looked up at him, hoping she could soften him up, "we became involved. I'm so sorry. I...I got pregnant," she could no longer speak. Zach squeezed her body between his own and his arm and told her to finish. "I'm so sorry. I got an abortion that Zach was really nice about and he paid for it. And...and I told him that I would pay him back. But I never did. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Zach. I understand now how much it meant to you, I'll get you your money. Please." Zach laughed and rubbed her hair with the gun.

"Look, babe. I loved ya. I did. Fuck, I still love ya. But I love money more, understand? And I don't fuck around when it comes to it. When my girl says she's gonna pay me back, I believe her. And not only did you lie to me but you made me look like a jackass. So now it's time to make you look like one. Quid pro quo, my babe. Now, we're going to have some fun! It'll be fun, I promise! For me at least," he laughed at himself again, "now listen, family. You're going to cooperate, got it? Me and my friends will start pickin' ya off if you don't." Lola looked up and saw that two more men were in the home. They were both very large and wearing all black. One was standing by the front door and the other was by the garage door. They each had guns that were much larger than Zach's. They walked toward the family and Lola screamed. Zach smacked her upside the head with the gun. Everything went black.