Somewhere, far off in the distance, Dalton could hear a phone ringing but he just couldn't quite place from where it was coming. As he struggled to wake up, it took him several more seconds to make the connection from his ears to his brain that it was his phone ringing. He grunted as he rolled over, blindly reaching for his phone, slapping the bedside table till he located it. He cleared his throat.
"Uh...Hello?" He said, sounding hoarse and gravelly, as if just woke up...of course, he did just wake up.
"Dalton?"
"Yeah."
"Hey, um, I am so, sorry to call you at this hour. But....I, uh (hears a very heavy sigh)...I just didn't know what else to do."
Dalton, by now, was beginning to become more fully awake and recognized that it was his Aunt Julie, his mothers younger sister calling him and she sounded upset. Like really upset. He looked over at the digital clock on his nightstand, it read 1:39am. Now he was concerned.
"It's okay." He said trying to reassure her that he was really fine with her calling him in the middle of the night, however, he was becoming alarmed. Knowing that her husband Josh was currently deployed his mind naturally went to Josh. "Is everything is okay. Is Josh okay?" He asked.
"Yes, he is fine, well, at least I think he is." She said pausing. "Um...It's Lexi."
Now Dalton was very concerned, he threw his covers back and swung his feet over the side of the bed, sitting up on the edge.
"What's wrong Julie? What's going on with Lexi?" He asked, his voice now urgent, his heart rate immediately increasing.
"Well, I don't exactly know?" She said her voice trembling.
"Julie...where is Lexi?" Dalton pressed trying to keep his voice calm but feeling the panic raising.
"I don't know. I mean, I think I know but I don't know exactly where the place is."
Dalton took a deep breath. "Is she hurt?" He asked letting his training kick in, trying to remain calm and focus on the details of the current situation.
"Um..no I don't think so. She was just so mad at me because I wouldn't let her go to that stupid party." She paused, he could hear her crying. "But...but I think that is where she went. I just don't know exactly where the party is." He could hear her still crying.
Dalton dropped his head into his hand and rubbed his eyes. Okay, so from what he is understanding, Lexi must have snuck out and gone to a party of some kind. And now Julie who is obviously a wreck right now, doesn't know where she is. Now, he was beginning to understand what was going on. Well, what he thought might be going on.
"Okay, so from what I am hearing. You think Lexi has snuck out and went to this party."
He could hear Julie blowing her nose.
"Yes. Emmy woke up and I was putting her back to bed when I noticed Lexi's bed was empty." Julie started crying again. "I'm so sorry Dalton. It's one in the morning and I just have no idea where she is."
He could hear the desperation in her voice and it made him angry. Angry at his little sister. "I'm sure she is okay Julie." He tried to offer though he now was just as worried as she was.
Julie said still crying "It's just...it's just that I don't think I can do this anymore, Dalton. I just can't."
Dalton didn't need to act like he didn't know what she meant, he did. He ran his hand through his short crew cut. It made him briefly think how he was really needing a trim.
"I tried to call Dameon first but I couldn't get him." She offered.
"No, it's okay. Listen, I am going to come get Lexi for the rest of the weekend." He said. "I will talk with Dameon and we will get this figured out. You don't need to worry about this anymore."
"I'm sorry Dalton, I really am. I tried. It's just...it's just..." Her voice trailed off into tears again.
"Hey, hey, Julie, you don't need to apologize or offer any explanations. It's okay. I promise." Dalton tried to reassure her. "I should be there in couple of hours. Call me if she gets in and you are awake. Just don't worry about telling her I am coming though, we'll let that be our surprise." He said the sarcasm in his tone was intentional.
After a few more words to try and comfort her and reassure her it was all okay, they hung up. Dalton sat there and looked back at the clock. 1: 46am, it was going to be a very, very long day.
*****
Lexi was in one of those really good deep dreamless sleeps, that is until she was suddenly jolted from it. The suddenness of the overhead light in her room being flipped on, accompanied by a males booming voice instructing her to 'WAKE UP!', startled her out of her deep slumber and made her head instantly start pounding.
She bolted up in alarm but as the room instantly swirled around her she flopped back down onto her fluffy pillow. Her brain felt foggy and her head felt so heavy and that damn glaring light hurt her eyes. What the hell?!
"Let's go Lexi!" The voice announced as it strutted across her room opening the curtains at her window letting in even more obnoxious light, "Time to rise and shine."
Lexi groaned and pulled the covers over her head. Three seconds later they were jerked off of her. "What the hell?" She snapped.
"I said it is time for you to get up." By now Lexi's brain was finally able to process that the voice belonged to her second oldest brother Dalton. The only thing she couldn't understand was...why was he there?
"What are you doing here?" She whined as she tried to curl up into a ball to stay warm.
Dalton marched over to the side of her bed and stood there with his hands on his hips, staring down at her.
"If you don't get out of that bed by the time I count to three, I am going to go get a glass of cold water and dump it on you." He threatened.
"One."
"Two."
Just right before he said three Lexi quickly sat up in the bed. The room tilted again, for a moment she felt like she was going to throw up. Dalton grabbed her legs and pulled them till they dangled off the side of the bed.
"You're still not out of that bed." He warned as she continued to just sit there.
"Okay....three." He said with little emotion as he turned and headed towards the bathroom.
"Okay! Okay! I'm up!" Lexi whined jumping up, though now the room lurched and her head instantly started throbbing again. She reached to grab the bedpost to steady herself and prayed that she really wouldn't throw up.
"Don't throw up, don't throw up", she mumbled to herself.
Dalton stopped at the doorway, turning back, he eyed his little sister. He would recognize a hangover anywhere, however seeing it on his twelve year old sister was not where he expected to see one. And of course he could still smell it on her too. It actually infuriated him, but he recognized that right now was not the time to deal with it.
He crossed his arms, his eyes becoming slits as he glared down at her. "Get yourself packed. We are leaving here by 7:30...sharp!" He snapped.
"Why? Where are we going?" Lexi asked, still clinging to the bedpost. But before Dalton could answered Lexi could hear Emmie, her five year old cousin and roommate, running down the hall towards their room.
"Dalton, I didn't know you were here." She squealed as she jumped up to him. Catching her, he set her on his hip. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. Lexi just rolled her eyes and tried to hold her head with her free hand. Emmie's squealing voice was making her head hurt.
"Mama said she made you some coffee." Emmie said sweetly.
"She did?" Dalton replied back, his dark mood now suddenly much lighter.
Emmie nodded her head yes, "uh hu." She said.
He turned back to Lexi, "I mean it, Alexis, Take a shower and pack whatever you want to take but you better be ready by 7:30 sharp!" He warned one more time before he turned and headed out of the bedroom. "And do NOT go back to bed."
Once he was gone, Lexi walked over to the light switch and turned if off. She sighed at the immediately relief her eyes felt now that that stupid glaring light was off. She looked over at her alarm clock, it read 7:07am. Well, she didn't really need a shower and one look at her comfy bed, she could hear it begging to be crawled back into. I'll just lay here for just a few minutes, then I'll get back up, she told herself. She really only needed a few minutes to pack anyway. She laid back down and pulled the covers back up over her head.
The next thing she knew she heard Dalton's voice growling loudly, "Oh, I don't think so!" And before she could even react he had jerked the covers off her. Then she felt his large hand land hard, as he popped her twice, on the side of her exposed thigh.
She yelped, jumping up. "What the hell?!" She shouted rubbing the spot where he just left his large handprint in his wake. It hurt like hell! "That hurt!" She whined then grabbed her head, now that hurt too...damn it!
"I told you not to go back to sleep." He stormed. "Now, we are leaving in five minutes. So, you better get your ass up and get whatever you can packed. Because whether you have it or not...we are leaving!"
"I haven't even had a shower yet." She whined.
"Not my problem. You can leave with what you have on." He instructed as he walked over to her closet and pulled out one of her larger overnight bags and tossed it onto the bed.
"That's not the one I use." Lexi pouted still trying decide which hurt more where he popped her, or her head. She was using both hands and holding onto both places at the moment.
"Fine...whatever, just start packing or I will add to those two I just gave you. And if you don't believe me...try me." He threatened as he stood there, his stance wide, his arms crossed as he scowled down at her.
"Whatever," Lexi mumbled as she stomped her way to her closet, now she was wishing she hadn't laid back down. However, it was too late now for that and she really didn't want to find out if Dalton would make good on his threat or not. So, she started throwing things into her other overnight bag as Dalton stood there counting down every minute as it passed.
At exactly five minutes he made her leave the room, grabbing her overnight bag out of her hand and personally escorting her down the hall. She tried to think of everything but she was pretty sure she forgot something, or several somethings. She trudged along behind him to the front door where Aunt Julie stood with little eighteen month old J.J. in her arms. Dalton leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Please text me when you get there." She said. Dalton couldn't help but notice how she looked tired and there was something else in her eyes he could see. To him it looked like a hint of sadness or maybe it was defeat, he really wasn't sure.
Lexi just propped herself up against the wall as she waited till they got through all their goodbyes. Whatever she thought as she rolled her eyes.
Emmie jumped up and Dalton swooped her up and gave her a big hug and a kiss.
"Now you be a good girl for Mommy today, okay?" He said so sweetly that Lexi had to look over there to make sure it was still Dalton speaking. He never talked to her like that. He gave Emmie a kiss and then put her down.
He looked to Lexi and nodded towards the door, "Let's go." He said. She couldn't help but notice how quickly his countenance changed back to this grumpy person when he talked to her.
She lifted her body off the wall and shuffled out the door. She made her way down to his car, where she climbed into the front seat. Dropping her bookbag in the floorboard at her feet, she peered through the front windshield. She could see her aunt standing in the doorway with J.J. still on her hip and Emmie beside her. She ignored them. They were ignoring her too, so it didn't really matter. Dalton gave another goodbye shout out over the top of the car and then climbing into the drivers side, closed the door. A minute later they were out the driveway and pulling out of the subdivision.
"You know you could have at least said goodbye to Aunt Julie before you left." Dalton admonished.
Lexi shrugged her shoulders, "It's not like she couldn't have said it to me first." She replied sullenly.
Dalton shook his head as he steered his way onto the main road. He was tired and aggravated and really did not want spend the next several hours fighting with his sister. So, he bit his tongue and said nothing, at least for now....later, he would have plenty to say but for now, he just wanted a peaceful drive.
******
"Hey, we're here." Dalton announced reaching over and giving a shake to Lexi in an attempt to get her to awake up.
Lexi squinted against the bright mid day sun as she pulled the seat up into its upright sitting position. Other than their initial stop at a fast food restaurant for some breakfast and one bathroom stop, she slept just about the entire ride. She was glad Dalton had left her alone. Now as she undid her seatbelt and looked back out the front windshield she realized that they weren't at Dalton's. They, instead, were at Dameon's her oldest brothers house. Shit, why were they at his house, she wondered? Damn...she really thought they were going back to Dalton's place. What was the deal?
"Why are we here?" She snapped as she whirled back around to Dalton her face reflecting confusion intermingled with frustration. "I thought we were going back to your place."
"I never said that." Dalton simply stated the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. He wasn't going to lie, he was getting a little satisfaction in seeing her not-so-happy reaction to pulling up into Dameon's driveway.
"And take those out of your ears." Dalton instructed as he pointed to her earbuds. She glared at him as she yanked them out and put them back into their case. She then shoved the case into the front pocket of her bookbag. With a very dramatic huff, she opened the car door.
Just as she stepped out of the car, Dameon opened the front door and stepped out onto the front porch. She could see his dark mood from the drive way. Oh, great, she thought to herself, this is going to be fun. Hoisting up her bookbag onto her shoulder, she shut the car door and started towards the house. Keeping her head down preferring to study her feet as she crossed the yard rather than look at her oldest brothers scowling face.
While climbing up the stairs to the front porch, Chandler, the third oldest brother came to the front door. He had been living with Dameon for the, almost, last two years as had Tyler, the youngest of the brothers. Speaking of Tyler, she looked up and watched as he joined the rest of them, hovering just inside the doorway. Oh, goodie a family reunion, she thought sarcastically to herself.
She couldn't help but notice that it seemed, to her, that Tyler had grown another foot since she saw him last. Well, she thought bitterly, it had been Christmas since she had actually physically seen him in person. She and Tyler used to be close but now, well, now it was just her alone. She trudged up the stairs, stopping at the top of the porch, only because Dameon was basically blocking her way.
Dameon's six foot, three inch height towered over Lexi's inch or two over five feet. Craning her neck to look up at him she didn't even try to hide her surly mood. Which apparently was matching his perfectly. For several tense seconds neither said anything. His normally brown eyes, seeming almost black as they bore down on her.
"Take your stuff to your room and come right back downstairs to the living room." He instructed, his tone unyielding.
"Can't I at least change first." She mouthed back.
He looked at what she was wearing, it was taking every ounce control to keep his temper in check.
"No." He answered flatly.
"Whatever." She said as she rolled her eyes.
Dalton came up beside her and handed her the overnight bag she had barely got packed, as he and Dameon exchanged glances. She grabbed it and huffed towards the door where Tyler and Chandler were standing.
"Hey, Sis," Tyler greeted as she stepped past him and into the modest two story house. Saying nothing she headed towards the stairs and up to "her" room. "I'm good, thank you for asking!" He shouted as she disappeared up the staircase. He turned to look at his brothers, if she thought she wasn't happy, well, by the looks on their faces...none of them were either.
Her room was on the left, one of the three upstairs. If you could call it her room. She never felt like it was her room. She had only been there a few times but it was where she always stayed when she was there. It obviously had been a nursery or at least a small child's room when Dameon purchased it. The pale yellow walls and the stickers of baby cartoon looking zoo animals that were still stuck to the walls, helped to give that away. Even though Dameon once told her she could paint it, she never had any desire. Why should she, she was never there and never had any desire to stay there.
She dropped everything onto the floor and made her way to the only bathroom they had upstairs. She had to share it with Chandler and Tyler, who were in the other bedrooms across the hall. As she came out of the bathroom she could hear them talking down stairs. She couldn't make out what they were saying but she was pretty sure it had to do with her. She went back into the her room and plopped down onto the single twin bed. She wondered if she just stayed up there, would they forget she was even there. Ha! Fat chance.
"Alexis!" Dameon's voice boomed from the bottom of the stairs. "Get down here, now!"
Lexi sighed and lifted her body off the bed, pulling her short red skirt back down into a more modest placement, she walked towards the door. She now was kind of wishing she had changed into her pajamas last night, or rather this morning, when she finally climbed back into bed. But she was so tired when she had finally come back home, that she just literally kicked off her shoes and fell into her bed...clothes, makeup, jewelry, everything.
As she shuffled down the hallway, the closer she got to the top of the stairs, she could see Dameon standing at the bottom. With one foot resting on one of the last few steps, one hand on the railing the other on his hip, he watched as she slowly walked down the stairs. He could see she was deliberately taking each step, individually and methodically, slow. He didn't have to look at her to see her attitude, he could feel it radiating off of her with each descending step she took.
When she got to the last few, where she was just about eye level with him. He locked those dark eyes onto hers and then let his eyes travel down very obviously taking in what she was wearing. Lexi suddenly felt very self conscious in the short cropped t-shirt and short skirt. He looked over to living room area off to his immediate right. She knew he was silently indicating that is where he wanted her to go. She finished sauntering down the stairs and shuffled over to a small sofa that sat up against the wall, plopping down onto the blue-gray cushions. Dalton was sitting in a chair that sat to the right of the sofa and Tyler came plopped down on the small sofa with her sitting to her right. Chandler was sitting to Dalton's right, partly out in the open foyer area by the front door, in a chair the he had pulled from the Dameon's office.
So, she thought sarcastically as Dameon approached, sitting down in a chair to her immediate left. Well, here we all sit, one big happy family, she though to herself. Grabbing one of the throw pillows, she hugged it up against her chest, as she propped her feet up on the coffee table in front of her and waited.
"Oh boy", she mumbled to herself, "this should be fun."
"Lex, get your feet off the table." Dalton ordered. Lexi dramatically let her feet flop to the floor with a huff.
Dameon positioned himself on the edge of the chair, resting his arms on his thighs as he rubbed his hands together. He looked to Dalton then back to his hands.
He let out a long audible sigh, "Okay Alexis," he said looking over at her, "to be honest...I don't even really know where to begin with you."
Lexi watched her oldest brother. His face was stern, his lips tight, his eyebrows all knotted up like he was concerned. She really didn't understand what he was all uptight about as she looked from him to Dalton, who was wearing a very similar look. You couldn't miss that those two were brothers, except for their different hair cuts they favored each other a lot. Of course they would, they had they same father. She rolled her eyes, she just wished they would get on with it, she really would like to take a nap.
"Do you know why Dalton had to go pick you up this morning?" He finally asked.
Lexi thought about it minute. She really didn't know and to be honest, she hadn't even really cared. She shrugged her shoulders in answer to his question.
He looked over at her. "So you honestly do not know why Dalton picked you up or even why you are here right now?" He asked again as cut a biting glance over to Dalton. Dalton just shook his head.
She shrugged again.
His lips tightened, nodding his head, "Alright, let's get something straight right now." He said, then paused waiting till she eventually decided to look up at him.
Once she caught a glimpse of those dark commanding eyes shooting disapproving darts her way, she knew she better not look away again...she didn't. Biting her lips, she waited.
He continued, "When I am talking to you, you will answer, clearly. You will speak, using your words so we can hear you. Understand?"
Well, her first reaction was to just nod. Then she thought better of it, so instead she did as she was told and answered...using her words, or rather a word, "Whatever," she said and she made sure it was said very clearly.
Dameon's head dropped for a second, his shoulders slumped briefly. Then just as quickly he shifted, his back stiffened, he threw his hand up and ran his hand through his thick dark hair. Taking a moment to collect himself. To Lexi it sounded like he also let out a low sigh or maybe it was a growl, she wasn't sure which.
"Okay, let me see if I can be clearer." He said his voice deep, his tone now hard. "You will answer, when I address you, with 'yes, sir or no, sir'. That way I know for sure you heard me eliminating any confusion. Do. You. Understand?" He repeated his dark eyes now locked onto hers almost daring her to try and pull away, or say anything smart. She didn't do either.
There was something about him today that made Lexi take pause for a moment. The stern look in his eyes, his commanding voice, his demanding requests, whatever it was it had taken her aback for a second. Something was different and she wasn't sure what exactly or even why. She finally meekly forced out a frustrated 'yes, sir.'
Dameon cleared his throat, again looking at Dalton then he proceeded.
"Well, let me see if I have this story correct." Dameon continued his eyes narrowing as he spoke, "Apparently you wanted to go to this party last night and Aunt Julie told you no. Explaining to you that you are not only too young to be going out to parties but definitely to young to go to a party for college kids."
"I wasn't going to go to the party." Lexi interrupted defensively, "I was going to keep my friend company, while her sister had the party." She explained.
Dameon glanced up to Dalton shaking his head. Even Chandler and Tyler exchanged glances knowing that was just a cover up, seriously, if she wasn't going to attend she wouldn't be dressed the way she was right now. Chandler made a snorting sound, Lexi glared over at him.
Ignoring her defensive outburst, Dameon continued.
"So, you took upon yourself to sneak out and go anyway." Dameon finished leveling his gaze on her. His look was still thunderous, his eyes narrowing as he sat there staring and not saying anything else.
Lexi began to grow uncomfortable under Dameon's intense silence stare down. What did he want? Both Chandler and Tyler exchanged a knowing look between each other because they understood exactly what Dameon was doing and what he wanted. They both had spent the last almost two years coming to understand Dameon's body language. This one he was currently displaying, definitely meant he was not happy with you...at all.
Dameon's presence had always just demanded respect. He moved, stood, walked, talked with authority. Maybe it was because he was teacher and coach, whatever the reason, he just naturally commanded attention. It was something that had always been that way for him. Even when he was younger, kids just gravitated to him as the leader no matter what the activity or sport was that they were doing.
He expected you to be fair, honest and respectful because he was and if you are his responsibility, you were definitely expected to behave as such too. Something both the younger brothers were learning having fallen under his guardianship. Something they both feared the youngest of them all, their sister, was going to have a hard time understanding and learning. At least if they had to base it off how this whole conversation was currently going.
"Answer me Alexis." Dameon barked.
When she went silent on him. Chandler and Tyler exchanged knowing glances. They both were feeling a little bad for their little sister. Dameon can be hard sometimes, well, a lot of the time, it's just that he was not one to play games, or take any of your attitude.
Lexi jumped, startled by the sharpness in Dameon's tone.
"Uh...I...I..guess." She finally squeaked out. She really didn't know what to say.
"You guess?" Dameon asked his face darkening.
His words may have been calm but the tone was ringing with frustration at her audacity.
"What do you mean you guess young lady? You either did it or you didn't. And I am pretty sure in this case, we already know you did. So, sounds to me like your answer should be...yes, you did take upon yourself to just sneak out and go to the party anyway." He paused not releasing her from his darken gaze. "Am I right?" He waited.
Lexi grinded her teeth, what she wanted to say was 'well, duh' but looking at his face changed her mind. Instead she rolled her eyes and finally said, "Well, then...Yes," as smart-assy as she could mean it.
"Yes, what?" Dameon pushed, choosing to ignore that first part.
Lexi rolled her eyes, again, "Sir." She gritted out.
"Do you know how dangerous that was?" Now it was Dalton's turn to jump in.
Lexi just rolled her eyes over to him. With Dalton being the police officer in the family, she was not surprised he did not like her sneaking out in the middle of the night, at all.
"It wasn't that far away." She defended.
"I don't care if it was next door, Alexis." Dalton snapped, his voice rising, "It was a dangerous thing for a twelve year old girl to do in the middle of the night."
"Especially dressed like that." Chandler chimed in.
"Shut up Chandler." Lexi shot back to Chandler, "What I wear is none of you business."
"Well, it is mine now." Dameon piped in, "And it is something we will be discussing later I can assure you."
"Whatever," Lexi mumbled as she rolled her eyes again, turning away from all of them, choosing instead to look at some dumb painting Dameon had on the wall in the living room. Well, she wasn't really looking at it, she was to angry to really see it, she just need to look anywhere but at her brothers right now.
But then she started replaying what Dameon just said and something caught her ear. He just said, "well, it is mine now." She slowly looked back over to Dameon, who still hadn't moved since he first sat down. Her brow furrowed, she wanted to know what he meant when he said that.
Dameon watched Lexi and waited till he was sure he had her undivided attention again, at least some of it. Because what he had to say next was going to be big news and change all their lives.
"Yes, Alexis, after this school year, you will be coming back here to live with me." Dameon finally said as if reading her mind.
The room became quiet. Nothing seemed to move for several moments. There was no noise, just a faint whirling sound of what Lexi thought was the dishwasher running in the kitchen was all she could hear.
"Like for the summer." Lexi asked, cautiously looking from Dameon to Dalton and back to Dameon.
"No," He answered, "permanently".
Again no one said anything for several moments as Lexi tried to process what this actually meant now.
"You will move here once school is out in a few weeks and start school here in the fall." He explained as he watched many emotions flicker over her face in a span of several seconds. 'You'll be attending Crestview, just like the boys here."
Crestview? That's where Dameon teaches, she told herself. "Why?" She finally asked, those green eyes of hers wide.
Dameon breathed in a deep breath, slowly exhaling, "Because Alexis," he began, "your Aunt Julie can no longer handle taking care of the two little ones, work a full time job and try and keep up with you while Josh is deployed. It's just to much for her right now." He explained.
Suddenly all of what Lexi was going to have to leave behind began running through her mind. Mostly it was her friends but her school, too. She had just got settled into a new life, and a new school after her mom had passed away. Now she was going to have to uproot again and start over and this time moving in with Dameon.
No, this is not what she wanted...not at all! She could feel a lump starting to form in her throat and tears forming in the corners of her eyes. No, she would not cry...no she would not cry! She kept telling herself. She looked away but unable to really see anything as the tears were quickly blurring her vision anyway.
"I think this is will be best for all of us." Dameon finally said, his tone softened some what as his eyes swept over all three of his brothers, lingering for a few seconds longer on the youngest two.
Lexi's head whirled back around, her frustration and anger bubbling dangerously close to the surface now.
"No you don't!" She shot back glaring at Dameon.
All four brothers eyebrows shot up in unison. It would have been almost comical, if it wasn't such a serious situation right now. Both Chandler and Tyler, eyes wide looked at each other in almost disbelief....what did she just say?
Dalton tried to step in, "Lexi, it really will be a better situation for...." but before he could even finish Lexi interrupted his 'one big happy family speech'.
"No it won't!" She snapped back the tears now starting to slip down over her cheeks, "You'll just move me here till you can find somewhere else for me to go, then just ship me off there. Well, here's something for you...I'm not going anywhere!" She shouted jumping up. Her hands balled up into tight fists straining at her sides.
She stomped around Tyler and made it behind where Dalton was sitting and just about to the stairs when Dameon caught up with her. As she lunged for the stairs, he caught her mid step, his left arm wrapping around her waist.
"LET ME GO!" She yelled as she thrashed about against Dameon's strong arm. "I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! STOP! NO! LET ME GO!" She screamed over and over as Dameon held onto her tightly. She reached out to grab a hold of the banister trying with all her might to pull herself out of his grip. It wasn't working.
"ALEXIS, CALM DOWN!" He shouted, as they both continued to struggle at the bottom of the staircase. Him holding her in a titan grip as she fought to break free screaming and crying.
Dameon's first concern was just trying to get his sister to calm down so he could talk to her and find out what the hell was going on. Her reaction about moving from Julie's to come live with him caught him off guard. However, what really threw him for a loop was what she said about him shipping her off somewhere else. He needed her to settle down so he could find out what she meant because he was really confused. But right now, right now she was completely out of control.
The fight between her trying to free herself from him and Dameon refusing to let go of her was slowly coming to an end. He could tell she was giving up the fight when she finally just slumped over in his arms, sobbing. Picking her up he carried her back over to the chair and placed her on his lap. He placed both arms firmly around her waist. He wasn't taking any chances of her jumping off and having to go through that again.
"Alexis," Dameon finally said after several minutes passed of her just sobbing. He had pulled her into his chest, trying to calm her, as he gently rubbed her back. He kept looking to Dalton but he was looking just as confused as he was at the moment.
"Alexis, he said again. "I need you to talk to me." His voice was deep, but not hard or angry, it was actually gentle, soothing.
She pulled her shirt up and wiped her nose. She heard him give a deep chuckle. A moment later, someone, one of her brothers, she wasn't sure which one, handed her a wad of paper towels. She used them to blow her nose. They were a bit rough but they did the job.
She was trying to sort out her feelings herself. She was angry, hurt and she felt abandoned and she wasn't sure how to say all that. She wasn't even sure if he really wanted to hear it anyway. What did it matter, things weren't going to change. She felt so...so lost. She missed her mom.
Tears starting to pool in her eyes again. She sat there staring down at the knotted up paper towels in her hand. Studying the pale blue and yellow flower design it had on the edges. She did think it odd that Dameon had flowery paper towels.
"Alexis," Dameon tried for the third time, "please hon, tell me, what are you feeling right now?" He asked as he looked over to Dalton, trying another tactic to get her to talk. Something, anything, he needed her to open up to him. Preferably though, not like she did a few minutes ago.
She sat twisting her snotty paper towels into a unorganized spiral mess.
"Okay, then let me ask you this." Dameon said, still trying to find a way through her silent walls, "Why do you think I am going to ship you off to live somewhere else? You don't believe you are coming here to live?"
She shook her head no. She knew he had just given her the big 'use your words' lecture but she just couldn't seem to say any at that moment.
Dameon's face grew darker with concern. "Alexis, I can't explain things to you if you don't talk to me. I need you to talk to me." He almost sounded like he was pleading.
She closed her eyes, thinking back on the day he took both Chandler and Tyler away to live with him. She could still see it so clearly in her mind. It had been a beautiful fall afternoon, the sun was setting, casting long shadows against the colorful trees. She was standing on the porch of that old apartment where they all had lived with their mother. She was wearing her favorite oversized hoodie. Well, actually it had been one of Chandler's, which he had outgrown but she found the old faded blue hoodie, warm and comfortable. She stood on that porch, hugging the old dingey white post as they came out of the house. They were lugging what little possessions they had in large black garbage bags. Her mom walked out behind them, Lexi remembered she seemed so sad, her face reflecting how Lexi also felt. She remembered wondering why was Dameon taking them away? And why was her mom letting him?
She recalled a huge argument Dameon and their mom had gotten into about a month before he took them away. It had happened right after Dameon brought Chandler home after getting him out of jail. Lexi found out later that Chandler had skipped school and got caught stealing at the Target store. Dameon was furious, even Dalton had come over later that day and all three had a long, drawn out and rather loud discussion with their mom. Lexi didn't hear everything because they made her leave the room. However, as she stood there watching them as they drove away, she was pretty sure she now knew what the argument had been about.
Of course, not long after they left, her mom eventually explained that Dameon had taken legal custody of her two brothers. She said it was in order to help provide them with a better education and better opportunities for college. The only way that could really happen, she had said, was by having them attend the school where he was teaching.
Lexi didn't know much about the school Dameon was teaching at, except that it was private. Apparently, from what her friend Carmen's older sister told her, it wasn't just private. It was one of the "elite" private schools in the country and she stressed, very expensive. Only rich, snobby, kids go there, she had added, along with kids of some famous people. Lexi didn't care about who the famous people were, all she wanted to know, was why didn't Dameon take her? Why did he leave her there with their mom and just take her brothers?
Why did he leave her with an addict? She had wondered and not for the first time since her mother had passed away. Though at the time Lexi didn't really understand that was what her mom was. But looking back she could now see why her mom couldn't hold a job down and they were always moving. It was after her mom's sudden death that she found out her mom had had a problem with pain pills and that is only because Tyler told her.
That information triggered pictures in her mind of finding all these pill bottles laying about, more than once, in her mom's purse, bathroom cabinets draws, even in the car console. Lexi recalled seeing that sometimes they had someone else's name on them and thinking that was odd but didn't say anything. Of course now she understands why. She also now understood all those random trips to these strangers homes her mom used to take her to.
They would pull up, her mom, jumping out of the car, telling Lexi to stay there while she would run up to the house. Sometimes she would be gone for just a few minutes, sometimes for an hour or longer, either way it always made Lexi feel so uncomfortable just sitting there, waiting. It didn't help that some the neighborhoods she would drive into made Lexi feel so uneasy. She would lock the doors, pull her hoodie up over her head, slump down into the front seat and wait. She hated those stops the most. Now she understood her mom was picking up her illegal drugs.
Now looking back she could also understand the times her mom was not all there, sort of out of it. She now knows that was when her mom was high on the pain pills. During those times she would be so happy, so funny and let Lexi do basically whatever she wanted to do. Lexi would say she wanted to skip school that day and her mom would say something like, "sure, go ahead, you deserve to have some fun while you are young". Her friends thought she had the coolest mom...so did Lexi.
They really got along for the most part that was probably because she basically let Lexi do whatever she wanted to do, especially after the boys left. More than once Dameon and even Dalton had said something about Lexi's behavior to their mom in front of her. But she just ignored them. Besides they didn't live there, they were not her father, or the boss of her for that matter.
However, ever since the day her mom died so unexpectedly, her whole world had been turned upside down. It had only been about six months since she last saw her mom but somehow it felt like forever ago. And now Dameon was sitting there telling her that he was going to be moving her again, making her leave her new friends, her new school. Why now? Why did he want her now, when he didn't want her then? Her mind was racing all over the place with a hundred questions.
What she really wanted was to just curl up somewhere and for everyone leave her alone. But seeing that determined look on Dameon's face told her that was not going to happen.
Finally mustering up her courage she choked out, "Because....because, you didn't take me with you. You didn't take me with you...when, when you took Chandler and Tyler. You didn't want me." She finished in barely a whisper a tear slipped down her cheek.
Dameon closed his eyes. Damn, he could kick himself. It never dawned on him that Lexi might not understand what was going on with her brothers. He had taken custody of them to try and keep them out of trouble and keep them on a straight and narrow path. Well, that and give them better chances of making it into a good college. Because the way they were both going before he stepped in was not good at all.
He loved his mother but she was so lost in her own problems she let them just do whatever they wanted, he refused to let them throw their young lives away. Especially after they both had started getting into trouble with the school and the law. He took a deep breath in and then exhaled. When he opened his eyes, he looked over to Dalton. He could see that same troubled look on his face that he knew was reflecting his own.
"Alexis, love, that is not true...not true at all." He began, "I took your brothers because I needed to make sure they stayed out of trouble. And, well, Mom just wasn't doing a good job of making sure they didn't get into trouble. And you, being a good girl and all, I didn't think I needed to uproot you and take you away from friends and school, at least not at that time." He paused watching her face, trying to gage her emotions. He continued, "This had nothing to do with not wanting you. I promise." He said trying to sound as sincere as he could.
Lexi sat there still twisting, then untwisting, her makeshift Kleenex paper towels, still refusing to look at Dameon.
"Then why did you just dump me off with Aunt Julie when mom died?" She asked, this time she did cast him glance. It was a very sad, pitiful glance. It really almost broke his heart.
Again he wanted to kick himself, just now realizing he probably should have tried to explain that situation better to her also. He thought they had when she did go there, but now he's understanding they didn't.
"Alexis, I didn't just "dump you off". He snapped. He didn't mean to snap, or sound defensive but even he had to admit both sounded that way to his ears. He paused then started again, his tone calmer this time.
"After the funeral, Julie and I were talking about, well about a lot of things that day and at some point, I don't really remember when, she mentioned to me she had been thinking about having you come stay with her. So, you see it was actually her idea that you come live with her."
Dameon paused there, making sure that everything he was saying, Lexi was actually hearing. He continued on, "I believe she thought, with Josh being deployed, that maybe you would like to come stay with her and could maybe be of some help with the kids. She also, thought that it might be a good idea to be around another female, at least for a while."
Now Lexi felt bad, she didn't know Julie had actually wanted her there. This whole time she had been fighting it. Angry because she felt pushed away. But then again, how was she supposed to know if no one tells her anything. All of this was not her fault, she decided.
Dameon watched the emotions flash across Alexis's eyes. He could see them literally shifting from despondent, to guilty, to angry in a matter of seconds. He also noticed they didn't move once they landed on angry.
"So, now do you understand?" Dameon asked, still keeping a close eye on her, and his arms firmly around her waist.
Lexi didn't know what to say, so she said nothing.
Dameon cast a disgruntled look towards Dalton. Dalton cleared his throat and leaned up in his chair, mimicking Dameon's previous exact posture. Leaning his arms on his thighs, his fingers interlacing in his hands, he attempted to see if he could help his brother out in this situation.
"Lexi, it is important to Dameon, to me...to all of us, that you understand that we didn't mean to hurt you. No one, least of all Dameon was trying to leave you behind, or shove you off onto someone else. I think we can we see now we should probably explained things to you, for that I am sorry. We're sorry."
Tyler cut a glance over to Chandler, he couldn't help but notice that he had the same expression on his face as Tyler did...confusion mixed with a little bit of surprise. He had no idea Lexi felt the way that she did but then why would he. Since he moved in with Dameon, he didn't see her as much or talk with her. They had been close, really close up till he left home. Now, well now he felt bad for not staying in touch with her. In a way, he thought to himself, they all really did kind of abandoned her. The guilt was beginning to way heavy on him.
Lexi listened to what Dalton was saying and she wanted to believe him. However, she still wasn't sure he meant all that. She shrugged. Dalton shook his head, indicating he was tossing this conversation back over to Dameon.
"Well, Alexis, I can't make you believe what we say I can only hope you will." Dameon said his voice sounding resigned and a little tired. They all sat there for several moments in silence. Then Dameon continued on.
"Alexis," he began. Now there was that shift in his tone from compassionate to authoritative. Lexi briefly wondered if this is what he sounded like when he was in front of his class teaching. She decided it probably was. "We still need to discuss what happened last night," He continued on cutting a quick glance back over to Dalton.
When she didn't say anything he continued on.
"What you did last night, the sneaking out, the defiantly disobeying your Aunt like that...it is unacceptable. And if you remember the last time we had a conversation about you doing these things, disobeying, sneaking out, there would be consequences. Remember?" He asked expecting only one answer to come from it.
Lexi's eye's darted over to Dameon's face frantically searching for the meaning behind what he was saying. Oh, without a doubt she absolutely, with complete clarity, recalled their last get together. And everything that was said, or should she say, was threatened. She felt her heart starting to pound faster in her chest.
His chin dropped as he looked at her, his eyes widening, "I see that you do." He said his tone now even more serious, "Alexis I meant every word of it."
Alexis started squirming on Dameon's lap. Her heart rate rapidly increasing. She needed to think quickly, she needed to find a way to convince him that she was sorry for what she did and she wouldn't do it ever again. She needed to do or say whatever she could to keep Dameon from making good on his threat...anything. She started with pleading.
"Please Dameon, please. I'm sorry, I really am." She said in the most sorrowful tone she could find. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears, "I really didn't mean to hurt Aunt Julie like that, I really didn't and I promise I will never, ever do anything like that again...ever." She vowed letting a few tears slip down her cheeks.
"Well, I am glad to hear it." Dameon replied, though not nearly moved enough by her sorrowful vow as she would have liked. "Because let me make something perfectly clear to you Alexis Rose. You will be living here now and you pull a stunt like that, or anything remotely similar, and your consequences will be double everything you get here today." He stated firmly, emotionlessly as he locked those brown eyes onto her eyes.
Lexi's face fell. What?! He still planned on punishing her? Now she was mad, this wasn't fair, not fair at all!
"This isn't fair!" She proclaimed half whining the other half huffing.
Dameon's right eyebrow arched up, "Excuse me."
"She never let me do anything and all I wanted to do was go stay with my friend while her sister had her party. I don't see why it was such a problem." She continued to whine, her arms now crossed over her chest.
"Of course you don't," Chandler muttered, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear. Dalton looked over at him and gave him the better-shut-up-yourself look...he did.
"Then answer me this Lexi...did you drink alcohol last night?" Dalton asked, his face stoic like Dameon's, his eyes too, now locked onto hers.
Tyler put his hand over his mouth and started quietly mumbling, "Don't lie, don't lie, don't lie." Under his breath. He, like Chandler, was learning, the hard way, not to try and pull the shit they did with their mom with their older brothers. It didn't work. They knew to much, not to mention Dalton was a cop.
Lexi scoffed at Dalton and throwing her nose up in the air turned away from him. She wasn't even going to dignify that with an answer...as if.
"Alexis, you do remember I am a cop. I can smell it a mile away and you, my dear little sister, reeked of it this morning." He finished, casting Dameon an apologizing glance. He hadn't had a chance to fill him in on that part yet, so this was news to Dameon too. Apparently, not good news.
She actually feel Dameon's whole body stiffen the instant Dalton finished saying that. She didn't dare look at him, not right then. She could feel his anger beginning to radiate off of him. What the hell Dalton...she thought to herself?! She tried to maintain an air of indignant offense at such a question but her bravado was slowly ebbing.
The room once again feel into a tense silence. Lexi reached up and pushed some of her long brown hair back behind her left ear. She waited, preferring to looking at her hands and the knotted up paper towel in them than at anything or anyone else.
"Alexis, you need to go on up to your room and wait for me." Dameon finally said, his deep voice calm but firm. "Find a corner and stand there till I come up."
Lexi's stomach dropped as her eyes flew to find Dameon just staring at her. He wasn't looking angry and weird thing was he didn't even sound it. It was worse in a way, the way he sounded so calm. It was an unnatural calmness about it and it made Lexi feel even sicker to her stomach, if that was possible.
There was no way he was serious...no way! She didn't move. She was torn between crying or yelling...she couldn't decided which way to go. He lifted her off his lap and put her feet on the floor, she was still standing between his legs in front of him. Her eyes quickly dropped to the floor.
"Now go on, I'll be up there shortly." He prompted.
Lexi looked up, her eyes wet with tears threating to spill over. Dameon's chin was set, his lips tight and drawn, his eyes narrowing. She felt nervous, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't believe that Dameon had plans to go through with his threat to punish her. She just couldn't!
"Please Dameon," she just had to try again, she thought to herself as she stood there looking up at him, "please, I've never been spanked before." She tried to argue and plead with him.
His eyes soften for a second as he looked in her face. He felt bad for her, he truly did. His mother's lack of discipline, of controlling her all these years, of letting her just do whatever she wanted, whenever without any consequences was going to be a very difficult adjustment for her and he knew it. But he wasn't going to budge on this. That is all his mom ever did was make vain, empty threats...that will not be his mistake. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders as he looked her directly into those emerald green eyes of hers.
"I know Alexis...and I'm truly sorry." He said his tone slightly more gentle as he paused for a moment.
Lexi looked back up at him, feeling grateful that he seemed to understand.
"However," he continued, "you should have been." He finished.
Lexi's mouth fell open, she was shocked, how could he say something like that!
"Now, last time I am going to tell you to go to your room before I start adding to your punishment." He simply stated his whole countenance now reverting back to his previous cold, determined self.
Lexi wanted to stand there and argue but no words would come out. She was flabbergasted. He actually planned to spank her!
"Alexis," Dameon said, his tone heavily implying last warning.
Lexi's face knotted up, as did her fists, suddenly with an over exaggerated groan she whirled around and started towards the stairs. Making a deliberate effort to stomp up each one as aggressively and loudly as she possibly could. Slamming her door to her room once she got to the top.
No one was really startled by the slam of the door, Dameon just closed his eyes for a second, then with a heavy sigh opened them.
All four of the brothers sat there looking at each other, each lost in their own thoughts. Tyler, feeling bad for his little sister. Chandler, thinking how she had a lot to learn in the coming months ahead. Dalton, knowing now more than ever the decision he was about to make was the right one. And Dameon...well, Dameon was thinking how these next few years where probably going to be very interesting...interesting indeed.
~*~*~