Hope you guys like this story so far. The next chapter is where we will see it take off and the action start to happen. Please read and review
"What did she do now?" Cleo asked Emily as she sat on Tool's sofa.
As she asked Emily, Cleo regretted asking but that's what good friends do. They listen to each other's problems.
"She found out that I filed the papers again. She went ballistic and threw a frying pan at my head. Luckily I ducked in time." Emily responded as she went and got a soda from Tool's personal fridge.
"Aw man that's rough. Can she do anything to stop it this time when you turn 16?"
"I don't know. She didn't say anything when she found out. She just threw the frying pan; I punched her in stomach and ran to my dad's house. Even he doesn't know what happened. He knows that I'm trying again though." Emily replied taking a gulp of 7UP.
"You gotta tell him tonight, Em." Cleo responded as she shifted to make room for Emily on the sofa.
"If you don't he'll be ambushed tomorrow when she comes looking for you or if she's waiting at his house right now for you. Your dad's always been on your side."
Emily went silent for a moment before answering Cleo.
"Urgh! I don't know. If I tell him it won't make a difference because I'm screwed no matter what happens. If she has any sense she won't fight it again this time. Your lucky you don't have to deal with this Cleo!"
As soon as Emily had said that, a look of hurt flashed across Cleo's face.
"Shit! Sorry Cleo I didn't mean it that way. I just meant… I don't know what I meant but I'm sorry." Emily replied trying to show Cleo just how sorry she was.
The problem with Emily was that she didn't always think before opening her fast talking mouth. Her words had cut through Cleo like a knife. Cleo knew what she meant but those words still hurt.
All three girls had their problems but Emily had the most shit going on.
She was the product of a friend with benefits relationship between her dad and her mom. They had both agreed to keep Emily and co parent together. It had worked really well for them. When Cleo and her mom used to visit, Emily's mom would also come with Toll Road. The two moms had become good friends and kept in contact when the men were away to organise outings with the girls. This is where Emily and Cleo's friendship had started and they got even closer after all these years.
That all changed when Emily's mom had met her new boyfriend when Emily was 9 and things went downhill fast. Her mom's new boyfriend got Emily's mom hooked on drugs and she started to neglect Emily.
By the time Emily was 14, she had 2 younger siblings but nobody had any idea who their fathers were and life at home was miserable. She and her mom only spoke when they were arguing and Emily was getting shouted at for not taking care of her siblings or just being in her mom's way. Emily knew the real reason though that her mom tolerated her and actually wanted to keep her in the house. Child support money. Toll Road sent money regularly to Emily's mom for Emily's clothes and everything else she needed. Emily's mom used it for drug money and money to live off. Emily never seen a penny of that money and when she told her dad he was furious. Instead of confronting her mom and making things worse, Toll Road set up a private bank account and gave Emily a credit card that she could use for herself. To this day, her mom still never knew about it and thought Toll only had money for child support.
Due to the shitty way Emily's mom treated her, they had no relationship. When Emily was younger she tried to forgive her mom when she shouted at her and occasionally hit her but as she got older, she couldn't do it anymore. As a result Emily now called her mom "The Bitch." When Cleo's mom used to visit New Orleans, she gave Emily the attention she needed and tried to help Emily's mom resist the drugs just like she had done with Gunner but their friendship was eventually lost over the years. Emily always considered Cleo's mom to be a second mom to her, and missed her being around to help her, just as much as Cleo did.
Toll Road had tried so many times to get full custody of Emily but every time he tried, Emily's mom managed to clean herself up enough to look like a caring mother. Her mom would also tell the judge that Toll Road worked away a lot meaning that Emily would be with her mom anyway and giving full custody to him was pointless.
Each time the Judge would agree with Emily's mom and she'd be stuck where she was. However every moment that she could, Emily spent it with Toll and actually spent most nights at his house. Emily and Toll were just as close as Cleo and Gunner were. It was another reason that Emily's mom wanted to keep Emily because it pissed her off how close Emily and Toll were.
Toll was like Gunner when it came to being a father. On the job he was deadly, always focused on the target and if you didn't know him he seemed to be a dangerous man. However when it came to his little girl, he was a huge push over when Emily asked for something and he was wrapped around her finger. Being fathers also seemed to bring Gunner, Toll and Caesar closer together as friends as well as team mates.
Maybe this time would be the time that Toll Road finally got custody of Emily.
Emily's words had hurt Cleo the most because Cleo had had a mother that would do anything to make sure Cleo was safe and happy and would put Cleo first before her own needs. She had always been close with her mom and they had been best friends. Every time Emily said she wished her mom were dead or wished she wasn't her mom, it stung Cleo because she would do anything to have her mom back or even just see her again.
Cleo definitely wouldn't change places with Emily for all the money in the world but she would change places with Sam in a heartbeat.
Cleo thought Sam was the lucky one because she had the one thing Cleo had always wanted. Her family together all the time and everyone happy. Sam's dad, Hail Caesar and her mom had been married for 18 years, had Sam and her siblings and all lived together happily like a family should.
It was the only thing Cleo had always wanted in her life. Her mom and dad loved each other more than anything. She could tell it by the way they used to look at each other and the way they would greet each other when they met after weeks apart. She had grown up in 3 cities; San Diego, Houston and New Orleans but in each city the Jensen family was never complete. Her mom's job kept her in Houston and traveling to San Diego to see her family. Her dad stayed in New Orleans with the team for his job and visited them as often as he could. He had only been to San Diego when Cleo was a baby to visit her but stopped when they moved to Houston. He never came to San Diego after that with them to visit her mom's sister as her Aunt Mandy hated him and didn't even try and be civil to him.
When the three of them were together it was the best time of Cleo's life. Her mom would watch nervously as Cleo and Gunner had a soft play karate match against each other. Then Gunner would go over to her mom and wrestle her to the ground, while Cleo tickled her mom into hysterics and her mom would be begging Gunner to free her. The two of them would shake their heads at her mom and say, "It's two Jensen's V.S One Williams." Once freed, Rebecca and Gunner would then turn on Cleo and it would be her turn to tickled and laugh hysterically. They would then all collapse laughing and Gunner would take them both in his arms and say, "The Viking always protects his women." He would then growl possessively and plant a kiss on Rebecca lips and Cleo's cheek and hug them both tighter to his chest.
That was a long time ago now. She lived with her dad in New Orleans now and her mom was dead.
"Don't worry about it Em, I know what you meant by it. Hopefully this time will be the time that the judge says yes. Plus you always know if things get bad and our dads are away, you can come and crash at mine." Replied Cleo giving Emily a light punch in the shoulder.
One of the rules Gunner had given Cleo had been that she couldn't have any friends stay over without his knowledge while he was away. Emily was an exception to that rule as she was like family to him as well and was always welcome in the Jensen household. Although it was weird when Emily called him Uncle Gunner. The same went for Cleo at Toll's house and both girls were always welcome to stay at Tool's apartment when their dads were away. The same rule also applied to Sam, but she had her mom at home to look after her and keep her company.
"Thanks Cleo. What would I do without you?" Emily replied as she mockingly rubbed her arm.
"Probably be in jail or in hospital." Cleo shot back.
Emily's mouth did get her into trouble at times and if Cleo wasn't there to hold her back, she would have been in jail or in hospital for getting attacked.
"That's true." Emily replied as she hugged Cleo.
"Congrats by the way for yesterday as well.1st place and moving up a belt is huge."
"Thanks Em. She was bigger than me but I won and that's all that matters. You should have seen me walking this morning. I looked like I was 70 years old I was that stiff and sore." Cleo laughed as she showed Emily a bruise on her forearm to prove her point.
"That would have been funny to see. I take it Uncle Gunner never made it back in time again?" Emily asked Cleo as she lowered her tone.
"No, he didn't." Cleo replied flatly.
"I'm sorry Cleo. I don't know why you let him off so easily though. I know it's only a small competition but you came in 1st place and it's like the 5th thing he's unintentionally missed this year. If it were me, I'd have said something by now." Emily replied to Cleo with a sympathetic tone in her voice.
"I know how many he's missed but at the end of the day, if he didn't do his job, then we wouldn't have any money for us to live on. I'm not a child any more and realise that adults have to make scarifies for other things. If dad doesn't make it to all my tournaments because he's working to get money, that's the way it is. The most important thing is that he came home safely again." Cleo replied.
As Cleo said it, she knew she only partly meant it. Each time she seen that her dad didn't show up to something she was disappointed and hurt. If he told her he wouldn't be able to make it, as he would defiantly not be back in time, it didn't hurt as much. Like she said to Emily, he was away a lot but it meant money for them and kept her dad focused on something but a little voice deep inside Cleo was going to expose how she really felt.
Cleo did all she was asked around the house for chores, did well in school, tried to stay out of trouble, never gave her dad any back talk and she never asked for anything. She did all of that without ever complaining and in return he couldn't show up to see her doing the things she loved to do. After every missed event Cleo took a few moments to remind herself of the reason why her dad hadn't made it and silence the voice that threatened to be appear. However lately the voice was getting stronger and was getting harder to control and very soon might rear its ugly head.
"I suppose your right. The only thing we want is for them to come home safe and alive." Emily replied as she gave Cleo a weak smile.
"Anyway how was dance practice this week? I've hardly seen you at all this week."
"Yeah it was ok. We're ready to perform on Monday morning but after that I'm not doing it anymore." Cleo replied.
"What? Why? You love dancing." Emily starred at her shocked and confused.
"I do but there's two reasons I want to leave the dance team." Cleo replied making sure Emily had her full attention.
"The first one is that I love soccer and karate more. With working on a Saturday, homework, spending time with you and Sam, chores around the house and other things, I realised that I had to give up something because it was getting too much."
Emily gave a nod in response to Cleo's first reason.
"Plus the second reason was that Leah Carter decided to join the team last week."
When Cleo finished telling Emily the other reason, Emily spat out her mouthful of soda onto the carpet in shock.
"What! Why the hell would she do that? She can't dance!" Emily said through coughing.
"I know she can't dance. I've seen her and it's painfully to watch. Remember though the queen bee of the school can get anything that she wants." Cleo replied.
"True. She does get everything that she wants at the school. Do you think she joined the team to get back at you some how? Emily asked sounding suspicious.
Leah Carter was the most popular girl in school and if she snapped her fingers she got what she wanted and when she wanted it. Emily, Cleo and Sam had challenged her more than a few times and didn't give her what she wanted. As a result, all three were targets to Leah if she wanted to humiliate someone or bully them.
The bad news was that Leah always lost, as the three girls never gave her the satisfaction that she wanted. That didn't stop Leah from trying though.
"Nah! I made the decision to leave the dance team before she even asked to be apart of it. If it was her plan she's failed again though. Dumb blonde bitch!" The anger rising in Cleo as she thought about Leah.
"I'm blonde." Emily replied flatly sounding angry with what Cleo said.
"Yeah but you're not dumb. Plus you're a fake blonde. At some point your hair was originally the same colour as mine." To prove her point, Cleo leaned over and grabbed a few strands of hair from Emily's head and could see where the natural colour still lingered underneath. A chocolate brown colour.
"Oh it's on now!" Emily lunged at Cleo and the two of them started to mockingly hit each other.
A knock at the door interrupted them and they stopped fighting to see who it was.
Without saying come in, the door opened and the mystery person stepped into the apartment.
'Excuse me ladies but Pizza will be here in 5 minutes if you want to re-join us" Toll replied with a cheesy grin on his face.
"Good cos I am starving!" Cleo said as she jumped off the sofa and towards the door.
Cleo was starving and would literally kill for food. All she had eaten was breakfast before work and a candy bar at the shop while she was working.
As Cleo reached the door where Toll was standing, she realised that Emily hadn't followed her and was still sitting on the sofa.
"You not hungry sweetheart?" Toll asked Emily. Normally if someone mentioned food, she was the first one up like Cleo had just done.
"Dad there's something I need to tell you." Emily replied looking scared and avoiding eye contact with Toll.
"I'll meet you guys downstairs." Cleo quickly said sensing that Emily was going to tell Toll what had happened earlier with her mom.
Cleo closed the door as Toll rushed over and sat beside Emily so she could tell him what had happened.
Cleo could tell the next month was going to be filled with phone calls and texts about what was happening with the custody case. Even though they had been down this road before, Cleo was ready to hear it all again and be a good friend to Emily and help her. She was going to need it.
Taking a deep breath, Cleo walked down the stairs to re join the rest of the crew. As she walked back over to them, her eyes met her dads and he winked at her. She winked back as a sigh that everything was ok and sat down beside Barney and Lee.
"Anyone want another beer?" Tool shouted from the kitchen that was opposite the area they used to chill and spent time together in.
Lee, Caesar and Gunner shouted yes to Tool's question.
"I'll take another diet soda please." Cleo shouted to Tool.
"You've got legs. Use em." Tool shouted back at Cleo from the kitchen.
"What? That's rude. You offered everyone else and you're already where the soda is!" A look of disbelief crossed her face as she shouted back. All the other guys we're trying to hide their laughter at what was happening behind Cleo and Tool.
"Yeah but these guys don't attack me and your meant to be the young fit one. So that's why."
Tool had never been like this before to Cleo and she was shocked. Normally he would say yes to her request but tonight she didn't know what to say. Tool walked back into the room with 4 beers.
"Oh chill Cleo. I was messing with you. Here's your soda." Tool said with a grin on his face and tossed a can of soda at Cleo.
"Du Menar Gamla jävel!" Cleo replied to Tool as she opened her soda. "You mean old bastard"
"I don't speak Swedish but I'm guessing that wasn't a good thing she said?" Tool asked as he turned to Gunner who was shocked at what Cleo just said.
"No it wasn't. Cleo what did we say about that the other day?" Gunner asked her.
"Jag är inte tillåtet att svära på svenska eller engelska. Jag är ledsen pappa. Jag är ledsen Tool." Cleo replied knowing her dad was annoyed at her because he used her full first name and didn't call her Cle or princess like he always did. "I must not swear in Swedish or English. I'm sorry dad. I'm sorry Tool."
Ever since the day Cleo was born, Gunner talked to her in Swedish and English, meaning she was bilingual in Swedish and English. It came in handy when she and Gunner wanted to talk privately with each other and other people were around. It also used to make her mom paranoid, as she had no idea what the two of them were saying. Her aunty Mandy hated it when Cleo talked in Swedish and would remind her that she was American and not Swedish. Although Cleo did speak Swedish around her aunt just to annoy her sometimes. Cleo and Gunner also tried to visit his sister in Sweden at least once a year and it helped Cleo to speak to her younger cousins who had very little English skills.
Gunner gave her a nod that said, "Ok but don't do it again" and turned back to Tool.
'She says she's sorry."
"That's great but can we all go back to speaking English so we can understand each other?" Lee asked taking a swig of his beer.
'Lee, you're the one who barley speaks English." Cleo shot back.
"Ok that does it!" Lee lunged at Cleo and had her in a headlock.
"I'm actually English unlike you, you little Swedish speaking American teenager. Want to take that back?" Lee asked Cleo while she was still in a headlock.
"Owe! Ok I'm sorry now let me go." Grunted Cleo as she tried to get Lee's arm off her neck and head.
Happy that she had apologised, Lee released her and then playfully gave her a one armed hug as she fixed her hair. Everyone one in the room was so focused on Lee and Cleo that no one noticed Emily and Toll coming back into the room. As Lee released Cleo and hugged her, Emily came up behind him and rubbed his big bald head causing his arms to fly up to his head in protective manner.
"Hey! Not the head, Em!"
"Sorry but I thought if I rubbed it I'd get good luck." Emily replied as she pulled up a chair and sat between Barney and Yang.
"Oh ha-ha! That joke never gets out." Lee replied mockingly laughing at Emily.
"I think there should be a new rule around here." Tool announced and everyone turned to look at him.
"Cleo and Emily are not allowed attack or beat any of us up. Insults are fine but no attacking. Also Cleo can't talk in Swedish unless it's to Gunner. Everyone agreed?"
"Agreed!" All of the expendables agreed at once with amusement on their faces.
"You guys take all the fun out of it." Emily said shouting upset.
"Plus now that Cleo's a brown belt, she can easily take any of you on."
"Wait I thought you were only a purple belt Cleo?" Barney asked confused.
"I was but as I won that competition last night, I got moved up to a brown belt." A triumphant look on her face as she explained how she moved up a belt.
All the expendables let our cheers and gave Cleo their congratulations. As everyone was saying their congratulations to Cleo, no one noticed the look of sorrow, shame and guilt that Gunner had on his face.
Going up a belt in karate was a big thing for a person to do and he hadn't been there to see it. He was a good father in the respect that he made sure Cleo had food to eat, a bed to sleep in, clothes to wear, and a good education and did his best to make sure she was safe. However Gunner felt he was a bad father in the respect that he wasn't there to see her win her tournaments that she took part in and how well she was progressing in the activities she did. He missed her do her first dance solo at her new school. He missed the day she scored her first goal in her new soccer team and the day she was named MVP. Last night was just another big thing he had missed.
Each time he apologised, Cleo would say that it was ok and that his work was more important as it kept money coming in for them. However each time Gunner could see how she really felt, as the upset showed in her eyes. Next time he would have to not promise her he would be there or just surprise her. He knew even if he didn't make it she would still be upset but at least she wouldn't get her hopes up. They had a very close father and daughter relationship and it would kill Gunner if he were the reason that relationship fell apart. If that happened he would also be breaking one of the many promises he made to the love of his life the night before they had put her in the ground.
Realising that with the amount of beer he had had, his emotions started to play up as he started to think of Rebecca. He quickly thought about the mission they had just been on to get his mind back on track and join the current conversation that the rest of the guys were having before anyone questioned his behaviour.
"Toll, you said food was going to be here soon. I'm starving!" Cleo said rubbing her tummy as it grumbled.
"Relax Miss Hungry, it will be here soon." Toll replied lowering his hands in a "calm down" motion.
"If I don't get fed soon, this monster's going to erupt." Cleo laughed as she pointed to her stomach, which grumbled again in response.
Tool looked like he was going to say something but a knock at the door interrupted them. Tool reluctantly got off his seat and went to see who it was.
Cleo was silently hoping it was the pizza and not some random person wanting a tattoo at this time of night and interrupting their family time.
Luckily it was the pizza guy and Tool wandered back into the room carrying at least half a dozen large pizza boxes.
"Already, ladies first." Tool replied as he set the pizzas down and let Cleo and Emily get the first slices.
"What ladies? There aren't any here!" Lee declared as the girls started to demolish their slices of pizza.
It was just after one in the morning when Cleo and Gunner walked through their front door.
The night had been a blast! After stuffing their faces with pizza, the rest of the night was spent reminiscing about memories, teasing each other and eventually a knife throwing contest which even Cleo and Emily took part in. Yang had been so drunk when he tried it, that he almost struck Barney but luckily Barney ducked in time. Cleo managed to get her knife right in the middle of the board and proudly yelled "Bull's-eye!" The whole team was shocked; especially Gunner but Lee had a different look. He had been secretly showing Cleo how to properly handle and throw a knife and tonight he felt so proud of his adopted niece.
Caesar was the first to leave, followed by Lee, and then Yang. Both Toll and Gunner could have stayed longer but Cleo and Emily were both nearly asleep on the couch and they decided to call it a night, leaving just Barney and Tool at the shop.
Cleo woke up enough to say goodbye to the remaining men and Emily and drive the truck home safely. Also seeing what stage Gunner was at made her wake up her up quicker.
Even though Gunner had given up the drugs, he still enjoyed drinking but never went on a bender like he did when her mom died. As a result Cleo had made a list of stages at how drunk Gunner was.
Stage 1 – Relaxed and calm
Stage 2 – giggly and laughing all the time
Stage 3 – Slurred words and emotional
Stage 4 – Losing the ability to think clearly
Stage 5 – complete loss of control of body and mind. In this stage no one could stop him from doing whatever it was he wanted to do. Not even Cleo.
Luckily for Cleo, tonight he was a stage 3. The stage she could handle.
"Ok, I'm going straight to bed, I can barley keep my eyes open." Cleo half said and half yawned as she leaned against the breakfast bar in the kitchen.
"Night dad."
With another yawn, Cleo pushed off the kitchen counter and turned to head up stairs to bed. However as she turned, Gunner grabbed her gently by her wrist, pulled her back and crushed her to his chest in a big bear hug.
After the initial shock of being spun around and crushed into her dad's chest, she wrapped her arms around his torso and relaxed in his arms as he rested his cheek on the top of her head.
"You are the joint best thing that's ever happened to me. I love you so much but I have no idea why you love me. I'll try and be a better father. I love you my little princess." Gunner murmured as he still held her tightly in his arms.
"I do love you dad and I always will. You're the best dad already and I wouldn't change you in any way." Cleo replied with a shaky breath and trying to not let her emotions show now. She knew that her dad loved her and he knew she loved him but the alcohol was making him get emotional tonight.
It always hurt Cleo when Gunner said he was a bad father or said he would be a better father. In her eyes, he was a great father. If she needed something important, she got it, she had a roof over her head, clothes on her back, she knew the responsibilities of chores and he was there to give her emotional support when she needed it. Also due to their close relationship, if Cleo ever felt down or upset, a hug from her dad always seemed to be what she needed to feel better.
"No I'm not." Gunner mumbled as he kissed the top of her head.
Cleo broke the hug and looked up at Gunner.
"Dad you are. It's just the booze talking. Now this time I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Night." Cleo said in a serious tone. She knew that it was mostly the booze talking and he would be fine in the morning.
"Night princess." Gunner replied as Cleo reached the stairs.
Before climbing the stairs, Cleo quickly tuned back to face him and gave him a smile and then headed upstairs.
After giving her teeth a brush and using the bathroom, she made her way to her room and was finally looking forward to sleep and not having to set her alarm. As she passed Gunner's room there was no sound coming from it, meaning he was downstairs having a final drinking before going to bed. It was something he did after they came home from Tool's or sometimes after returning from a job. It was like he needed some alone time before going to bed to think about whatever was on his mind. She guessed it had something to do with her mom or that he had missed her tournament on Friday. Either way, Cleo was just happy he was home safe and sound from his latest job.
Once in her room, Cleo changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. Finally content and relaxed for the first time since Gunner had left on his latest job.
"Thanks for bringing him home safely to me again mom. Please make sure he's ok. He just seems a bit off lately." Cleo said slightly to herself and pretending that her mom could hear her.
Each time Gunner came home safely, Cleo would thank her mom for watching over him and making sure he came home. She knew her dad could defend himself but she liked to think that her mom was watching over them and making sure that they both still had each.
With a final deep breath, Cleo closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep, knowing tomorrow was a new day.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Hope you like chapter 2. please follow and leave a review. Chapter 3 next