Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One
When I wake up the sun is already out, oh well, he’s probably long gone.
It’s that smelly stuff they made me drink, it knocked me out completely. What to do today? Oh yah, I have to update the sibling. He says I don’t call him as much now that I have a man.
I never told him about the man beating me up though, I never told anyone. It’s what abused women do I know, they don’t tell.
Scott is hysterical when I tell him about what happened last night, a bit too dramatic I feel. I can’t deal! The conversation is short. He’ll call me when he’s composed. But first I make him promise not to tell the girlfriend of the week. I can’t help but think that maybe he’s spiraling out of control.
I put on my robe and make my way to the kitchen only to bump into Catl in the hallway.
“Are you feeling better?” he asks.
“Yeah I think,” I say.
“I made you breakfast,” he says.
I don’t even want to know what I’ll be dealing with but I smile my thanks.
My phone rings.
“Hello.”
He doesn’t move, he’s looking at me as I speak on the phone. It’s rude but I don’t think he knows how not to be rude.
Let me just tell him.
“It’s the insurance company. It won’t pay the whole amount so I have to pay it myself, which is crazy because all the damage the restaurant sustained was from a third party,” I say.
“But why won’t yyou insurance pay?” he asks.
“I took the cheapest,” I say.
I don’t like the look he’s giving me now.
“What do you mean you couldn’t afford it? How am I supposed to feel about that?” he’s angry. How has this suddenly become about him?
“Why didn’t you tell me about this? About you not affording things. First you refuse to let me pay The Eats rent and now I find out you’re on some useless nsurance. It’s insulting,” he says. I ’m not going to say anything, I’ll let him rant all he wants.
“How much do they want?” he asks.
“Thirty thousand.”
“You can’t afford thirty thousand?” he asks with a disgusted look on his face.
I know thirty thousand is nothing to him, but he's being a jerk right now.
I don’t answer, I’m offended more than anything really.
“We’ll go pay it when you’re done with everything,” he says and leaves me standing there.
I’ve lost my appetite, but I eat the freakin’ burnt scrambled eggs and tomatoes. Nx!
He takes a shower while I eat. I’d join him but I hate him right now. He comes out as I enter the bedroom and make the bed. I also need to take a shower so I undress and I’m left only in my underwear.
“Those witches,” I hear him saying behind me. “I’ll burn them all. All five if them.”
He inspects the back of my thighs and legs without touching them. This is the first time he sees the bruises. I haven ’t seen them at all.
“Is it painful?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say, not that it’s really painful but I just want an excuse to be emotional after that hallway rant of his.
“I ’m going to shower and take the pills afterwards,” I say.
Maybe he’ll notice that I’m angry, most likely not. I wonder how he was with his past girlfriends.
He’s already dressed and looking rather handsome when I come out. Although bare foot.
“I have to go somewhere,” he says, looking a bit anxious.
“Where?” I ask. He gives me a look I don’t understand.
“They’ve gathered the witches, I’ll be back before you know it,” and with that he leaves.
I hear the dragon taking off, and I guess tonight I’m adding five more heads under my bed.
What am I going to do in this house all alone. I have clothes that I keep here so I dress up. I need to do some shopping also, winter is almost over.
I take my pain killers.
---
I’m woken by the sound of a car outside. I must have dozed off on the couch. Geez! It’s been two hours already.
First in is a Pinocchio nosed toddler, followed by a taller one and another taller one all carrying backpacks. They stand next to the door, looking at me like I should be saying something instead of standing here looking confused.
The little one, he must be three or so, wears this mischievous smile on his face. Again, they are identical. Nothing shocks me anymore with these people.
Carl walks in followed by another person who also looks exactly like him but is slightly thinner I observe.
He walks past me and straight to the bedroom and the other man, whom I immediately conclude is the Alpha stays behind to greet me. He introduces himself as Jackson, the Alpha.
I can’t help but drop my eyes when eye contact happens, he is nothing like that chaotic lot I met in hospital. You respect him without being told to. He is the type that will humble you while at the same time making you feel awkward.
The rascals are now all sitting squashed on a single couch, all three of them. The older one, about 10-years -old has his arm around the two, kind of a protective gesture, and they have their eyes glued to me.
“I ’m sorry about what happened yesterday,” he says.
“Thank you,” that is all I can say.
My mind tells me to run to the bedroom to find Carl but then I remember what I have to do.
“I ’ll make you something to drink,” I say as I make my way to the kitchen.
“That won’t be necessary Danielle, we have to leave now,” Carl’s voice says behind me.
I ’d ask to where but I’m scared to even speak in front of the Alpha.
He’s carrying a bag. I hope it’s the witch.
He walks out the door, the Alpha following him. He tosses the bag inside the boot of that AMG as I stand on the doorstep with my jaw dropped.
The Alpha gets on the passenger seat.
Carl comes to me. Pulls me inside the house.
“We have to go somewhere now, we’ll be back hopefully tomorrow or by Sunday,” he says.
Huh?
I turn around to look at the rascals still squashed on the couch.
“We’re going to leave the boys with you,” he says.
“Boys, you’ll stay with your mother for now, we’ll be back,” he says to the kids.
Mother?
And with that, he leaves.
What am I going to do with three kids for the whole weekend? And whose kids are they?
It’s obvious they are True kids but who is their father?

The little one is restless now, probably already bored with looking at this woman he doesn’t know. The middle one doesn’t even seem to know what’s going on, he’s missing front teeth so he’s probably six-years-old and needs a high dose of Ritalin
“Hello boys,” I say. I have to start somewhere.
They don’t respond. Okay.
“Take your bags to the bedroom,” I say
They all stand up at once and run to the spare bedroom. I see they’ve been here before, they’re familiar with the house.
A text message comes in.
“Under the sink, bathroom, I want it all used up when I come back. I love you”
I immediately know it’s money.
“where are you going?”
“Pack stuff, we’re all going. Just take care please, use a cab when going out” Like I even know how to fly a dragon.
“You’re getting me worried, I won’t ask further but please be careful. All of you. I’ll take care of the kids, Love you more.”
I choose not to ask whose the kids are. I decide to trust that he’d have told me if he had three kids, or even one.
By the time I finish writing the text the little one is standing in front of me, his face raised up to mine and his hands on his back. He has the most adorable smile. And he looks exactly like Carl and the other Pinocchios.
The older one seems a bit reserved. I get the feeling he’s used to taking care of the other two. Where’s their mother? Or mothers and who’s their father? Or fathers.
What does one do with kids?