To say the walls were thin in this house would be a lie. I tried my best to eavesdrop on Dasha and Her date but had no such luck. They had been holed up in her room for the last two hours and I couldn't tell if they were talking or fucking but my money was on the latter.
"Damn it!" I cried as I hit my elbow on my headboard. "Shit!" I hopped off my bed and left my room to get ice from the freezer as I felt my elbow swelling up. I tiptoed across the floor because the floors were abnormally cold and I didn't want to make any noise and bug my sister.
I grabbed a plastic bag from the drawer and filled it with ice and placed it on my elbow as I heard the door of my sister's room creak open. I started to panic and tried to look busy as my sister appeared in front of me.
"Hey D." I smiled.
"What happened?" She pointed at my arm.
"Banged my elbow against my headboard." I shrugged and smiled. "You look ravished."
She laughed and pulled open the fridge and grabbed two beers. "Be careful. Don't need you landing in the ER just yet."
"You be careful." I smiled as she walked back to her room, and I held my breath until I heard the door close behind her.
I sat on the sofa and turned the TV on and tried to find something to watch that wasn't cartoons or infomercials. I had no such luck so I picked reruns of south park to keep my attention while I tried not to break down and cry.
"Or just cry." I said to myself as I felt the tears roll down my cheeks. "Get it all out." I turned off the TV and went to the bathroom, turning the shower on and adjusting the water until it was the perfect temperature. I stripped off my clothes and stepped in.
I frowned as I heard my phone start ringing and I reached out of the shower to grab it from my shorts.
"Hello." I spoke, my head still outside the shower.
"It's your dad, I'm on my way over." He said.
"Wait, I thought you weren't going to come over until tomorrow night?" I shut off the water.
"Change of plans, the run was postponed, one of our main guys couldn't make it." He said. "You guys already throwing a party?"
"No, no. We haven't made friends that quick." I laughed.
"I'll see you in twenty then." He hung up and I hopped out the shower and pulled my clothes on, not even bothering to dry off.
I pounded on my sister's bedroom door until it opened and her guy friend poked his head out and frowned down at me. "Can I help you?" He asked, his voice sent shivers down my spine and I suddenly felt terrified of his presence.
"Dasha dad will be here in twenty minutes maybe sooner!" I yelled under his arm and I heard her scramble from the bed.
"What?" She pulled open the door further. "Seriously?"
"He just called." I looked between the both of them and shifted awkwardly in the water puddle pooling at my feet. "Don't judge me, he called while I was in the shower." I turned around and disappeared into the bathroom and grabbed a towel and dropped it on the puddle.
"You should go." She said to her guy friend. "Our dad's over protective and shit."
"Got it." He smiled at her and leaned down for a kiss. "I'll call you later."
"Alright." She smiled at him. "Bye."
"Unfuckingbelievable." I mumbled as I poked the various red bite marks on her neck. "How you gonna explain those to dad?"
She shrugged. "None of his business, I'm grown." She shut her bedroom door in my face and I stalked off into my room to dry off and change into my pajamas.
SOASOASOA
I still couldn't believe my daughters were in Tacoma. I couldn't believe I had managed to keep them tucked away from this part of my life for so long. I knew it was only matter of time until they would venture into the outlaw side, but I hoped it would be on better terms. Not because they're mother died in a house fire that she probably caused herself.
I pulled in front of the house I was renting for them. Malia's car was parked awkwardly in the driveway and Dasha's still sat perfectly in front of the house. I shook my head at the cars, they represented each of them exactly. Dasha's mustang was strong and classic with a pop of color and Malia's Supra was loud and flashy.
I let myself in and found Malia laying across the sofa and Dasha wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Hey baby girl." I said as I appeared over my youngest daughter. "How's your night?"
She opened her eyes, they were blue just like mine. "It has been boring."
"Where's your sister? I know she's not sleep this early." I sat down on the coffee table.
"In her room." She sat up. "She went on a date."
"What the fuck?" I ran a hand over my face. "To think I was worried 'bout you going out and getting in trouble."
"First time for everything." She shrugged. "She had fun though. He brought her back early."
"Good." I sat on the sofa and put my feet on the table. "Dasha!"
I heard a door open followed by light footsteps as my oldest approached.
"Yeah?" She stood off to the side with her arms crossed.
"Heard you had a date." I smiled as I watched her face grow bright red with embarrassment.
"You told him?" She sneered at her sister.
"Didn't think it was a big deal!" Malia shouted. "I thought he'd want to know."
"It's none of his business." She said as her arms dropped to her sides.
"Knock it the fuck off!" I stood up. "You two sound like whiney little bitches."
"Sorry." They said together both of their heads hanging down in shame.
"Get your shit together. Mom's not here to referee your petty bullshit fights." I walked to Dasha. "You don't get mad at your sister for telling me shit."
"Yes, sir." She looked me in the eyes. Her brown eyes always threw me for a loop.
"You better tell that guy you went out with not to bite you anymore." I shook my head at the angry red marks on her neck.
"I will sir." She backed away from me and walked to sit on the sofa with her sister.
"Tomorrow. I have the run, so I won't be back until the day after." I spoke and they stared blankly at me. "You think you'll be alive when I get back? Malia? Dasha?"
"Yeah we will be." Malia responded. "Promise."
"Good, I want you two to play nice. So stick together. I don't want to keep repeating myself." I crossed my arms. "I love you girls."
"Love you too." They said as they stood up and enveloped me in a hug. They both smelled like cigarettes.
"Why do you smell like smoke?" I held Dasha away from me.
"The guy I was with smokes, I haven't gotten a shower in yet dad."
"Alright, do that and go to bed." I kissed her forehead and watch her disappear down the hall and her door shut.
"You, watch your sister. I know she's older but she has issues, so don't be mean to her." I ran a hand through her gorgeous blonde curls. "Love her and buy her books and coffee."
"I will look after her like always. I'm going to look for a job though. As soon as possible." She smiled at me. "I hate being cooped up all day."
"Same here, I hope you get job, use me as a reference, say my name is Henry Smith and put down my number and I'll give you a good ass review baby girl." I laughed and she shook her head vigorously.
"You're terrible." She laughed. "I'll do that if needed."
"I'm going to sleep." I stood up and walked to the guestroom. Taking off my boots and clothes I climbed into bed and smiled. I finally had my girls close to me. No more two day rides to see them, now I just had to figure out how to keep them out of the club, or find out if it's better to introduce them to the guys.
SOASOASOA
"Dasha!" I shook my sister's sleeping form. "Dasha! Wake up!"
"What?" She opened her eyes and stared at me groggily.
"It's a snow day!" I smacked her thighs. "Get up! Get up!"
"Bawse!" She sat up with a jolt.
"Dad pulled him in the garage already." I shrugged and pulled her off her bed and let her hit the floor with a thump. "Let's go play in the snow!"
"Let me just pull on my snow gear. Oh wait don't have any!" She stood up.
"Let's go, wear what you got on." I smiled as I dragged her behind me. "Snow angels."
"I'm going to make a snow demon." She ran past me and flung open the front door.
"Wait up!" I ran after her with our sneakers in my arms.
#
"I'm fucking dying right now." I sighed as I tossed my hair over my shoulder. "Dad takes this weather like it's a walk in the park."
"Dad's got more experience with it I guess." She sank lower in the tub causing the hot water to slosh around.
"That guy you hooked up with, think he'll call?" I watched her splash her face with water and slowly nod yes. "Really?"
"Yeah, we didn't even have sex, we made out like middle schoolers and talked about shit."
"All those bite marks are just from making out! Omg imagine what you'll look like after sex!" I splashed the water in her direction. "I'm going job hunting today, you want to come?"
She covered her mouth and started to snicker. "Yeah, I definitely want to come." She smiled.
"Such a one track mind." I shook my head. "I'll get a job, you won't because of your hair."
"I still might strip, maybe go over to Seattle or whatever. It's easy money." She dunked her head back and straightened back up, her hair stuck to her face, giving her the appearance of a wet rat.
"This is a chance for a new start Dasha, we can put that type of shit behind us. It's not needed anymore, mom is gone." I felt my eyes well up.
"I know, old habits die hard." She stood up. "I just don't know what I'm good at other than dancing, getting naked, sex, and cars."
"You have a bachelor's degree bitch." I stood up and grabbed a towel off the hook. "You could probably use it here, be one of those nerds who sit in coffee shops with their laptops and write and shit. Dad would be proud if you wrote a book about him."
"The Killer Koziks." She whispered. "I don't think it'd paint us in the right light.I don't even have money for a laptop yet!"
"At home with the Koziks!" I trilled. "Just wait out the insurance money or whatever."
"If we even get it, I'm sure mom started that fire, that ruined our old lives." She walked out of her bathroom and I followed. "She wasn't stable at the end."
"Yeah, but life insurance should be good right?" I frowned as I watched her get dressed and toss clothes just anywhere around her room. Not even here a full day and her room was a mess.
"I guess, dad is dealing with all that shit, technically they were still you know."
"Married." I shrugged. "You're nothing like her if that's what you're worried about D."
"I don't know." She stood in front of me and pouted. "I'm crazy Mali."
"Only when off your meds." I grabbed her hands. "On them you're as normal as one can be."
"Define normal."
I stood up and walked to my room and she followed behind. "Normal is what you did last night, hang out with a guy you found attractive and made out."
"Phenomenal with his mouth." She smiled wryly.
"I didn't need to know that." I scrunched up my face at her as I pulled on my clothes.
"I don't think it's fair that you got all dad's best features." She ran her hands through my hair and let it flutter from her fingers. "Blonde hair blue eyes and I'm the moussy one with brown hair and brown eyes."
"You're gorgeous. You look like mom from when she was in high school."
"Great, got her looks and her mental issues. Lucky me." She sprayed my perfume and walked through it.
"No pity party." I poked her forehead. "Take your meds and let's go find jobs or whatever."
She chuckled. "Or whatever. Think dad would be pissed if I got a sugar daddy?"
"I'd kill you if you did." His voice came out of nowhere.
"We thought you left." I looked at him.
"Oh, I did but I'm glad I came back. You're not getting a sugar daddy, if you need money you ask me or you work." He stared down at Dasha and she moved back.
"OK, sir." She rattled off. "I need two thousand dollars for a new laptop and shit."
"Well it'll have to wait until I come back. I'm broke right now." He smiled. "I put chains for your tires in the garage, so put them in the trunks just in case."
"Thanks dad." I smiled at him.
"Both of you behave, and Dasha no more random hook ups! That guy could have killed you!"
"Alright." She shrugged. "No more."
"I'm heading back out, call if you have an emergency." He smiled and pulled the both of us into a huge bear hug. "Love you little shits."
"Love you too." We said as he pushed us away.
"Don't get killed." Dasha said.
"Never do." He smiled and turned to leave.
"How does he even do that? Like sneak in without making noise? I need to learn that, I would kill everyone I hate with that tactic. I knew I should have went to the military." Dasha looked at me with a devious smile.
"I think it's best you don't know how." I smiled.
#
"I saw your help sign and I would love to apply." I smiled at the older woman behind the counter.
"You have experience darling?" She asked me with a warm smile.
"Yes, I do actually." I gave her a big smile. "Worked in a book store back home with my sister."
"Is that her?" She asked and I followed her gaze to Dasha, who had a growing pile of books at her feet.
I nodded. "She's a voracious reader. Went to college and everything."
"Here, take two applications, fill them out and give them back. I'll hire you both, I'm in dire need of the help." She slid the applications to me and handed me pens.
"Alright, I appreciate this so much!" I shook her hand and walked off to Dasha so she could fill her application out.
"D, fill this out and we have jobs here." I handed her a pen.
"Seriously?" She smiled. "Finally! This is like the twelfth place we hit up."
"How are you going to pay for those books?" I pointed at the stack she dropped on the table.
"I have a money in my account. I can buy books. Books are the homies. Don't judge, I see your eyes judging me. You ain't judge Judy, you cannot judge me." She laughed.
"Just fill it out." I tapped her application.
#
"She's cute." I whispered to Dasha as we watched a girl walk past us for the tenth time.
"Real cute." She didn't even hide the fact she was watching the girl's ass. "You better get her number or I will."
"You can't I called dibs, I'm the lesbian,you're not." I laughed.
"I don't need to be a lesbian to appreciate and worship the female form." She smiled. "I'm going to the bathroom, you get her number. Be brave young one."
I watched her walk off towards the bathroom and let out a sigh of relief. I loved her to death but she was killing me and my personality with her huge one.
"Hey." The girl stopped at my sister's empty chair.
"Hi." I said shyly.
"I just came over to see if you'd want to hang out some time." She smiled. "I'm Paola."
"Malia." I shook her hand. "I'd like that." I slid my phone towards her and watched her put in her number.
"Your girlfriend won't mind?" She asked.
"Oh, ew, no. That's my sister." I laughed.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed." She frowned.
"It's a common mistake." I smiled.
"I'll see you around." She gave a tiny wave and walked off. I sent her a text and she responded quickly. I smiled at my phone, not caring if I looked like an idiot. Tacoma was working out so far and I hoped nothing would change that.