Chapter Eight
Dallas walks down the corridor, moving quickly. She reaches Julia's room, and walks in, tapping on the door as she enters.
"Yo, babygirl... you awake?"
"Of course, I am, silly. I just called you, didn't I?" Julia rolls her eyes. "Jeeze, I didn't think you were ever gonna get here." Julia smiles and holds her hands out.
Dallas moves over to her sister's bedside and hugs her carefully. She steps back and sits down, just looking at Julia. She shakes her head.
"You don't know how happy I am to see you awake, and talking to me, Julia! I think last night was the longest damn night of my life!"
Julia smiles up at her sister. "The night didn't do much for me, either." She takes a deep breath, and winces in pain.
"You okay?" Dallas asks anxiously.
Julia nods, and relaxes against her pillow. "Just hurts if I breathe too deep."
Dallas takes her sister's hand and squeezes it softly. "I love you, Babygirl... I'm so sorry. I should have been there."
"Dallas, you always do that!"
"Do what?"
"You try to make things your fault that aren't your fault! You had no way of knowing that Letty would do this to me..." Julia says quietly.
Dallas clenches her jaw, and her expression darkens. 'Letty is a dead bitch!' She feels her heart grow icy as a hot rush of anger rises in her. She clenches her free hand into a tight fist, wishing it was Letty's throat it was closing around. Her eyes close, and she slows her breathing, regaining her focus. 'Keep it calm, Dallas... Don't freak Julia.' She opens her eyes and grins at her sister.
"Yeah, well... you know me, babygirl... I have a strong sense of responsibility where you're concerned." She shrugs. "Can't seem to help it."
Julia just looks at Dallas for a long moment. "Dallas... promise me you aren't going to do anything stupid."
Dallas shakes her head, still grinning. "I don't do stupid shit anymore, remember? Before we came here, I promised you I'd stay out of trouble."
"I know... but sometimes I think we have different definitions of *trouble*."
Dallas opens her mouth to reply, but pauses as the door opens.
A nurse walks in. "Hello again, Julia! Ready for your tests?"
Dallas frowns. "Tests? What tests? I thought all the tests were finished last night."
"Wilma, this is my sister, Dallas... Dallas, this is Wilma, one of the nurses here. And she's taking very good care of me, so please don't give her a hard time."
Wilma smiles at Dallas. "Yes, she did have a full battery of tests last night, but Dr. Greene has ordered a second CAT scan. It's just a precaution, I am sure."
Dallas glances at her sister. "You sure you're doing okay?"
Julia smiles reassuringly at her sister. "I'm gonna be fine, Dallas... you heard her. It's just a precaution."
"You want me to wait here?"
"No, that's okay." Julia looks at the nurse. "You said it would take about an hour, right?"
Wilma nods. "That's right."
Dallas leans down and kisses her sister on the forehead. "You take care then, and I will come back later. Want me to bring you anything?"
Julia thinks for a moment and a slow smile spreads across her face. "Yeah... I want a Heathbar Blizzard from Dairy Queen."
Dallas grins. "You got it, babygirl. I'll see you later." She turns to leave, her expression changing before she even gets to the door. 'You are so dead, Letty!'
Dallas pulls her car to a stop in front of the Toretto home. "Thanks, Hector. I found it," and she closes her cellphone. She takes a deep breath and gets out of the car.
She hears music coming from the back of the house and heads up the driveway. 'Remember your promise, girl... don't kill the bitch, at least, not yet.' She can see Dom bent over the engine of a car, and notices V coming out of the house.
"Yo, Dominic... we got company," Vince calls out.
Dom stands up, and wipes his hands off on a towel. He walks forward to meet Dallas halfway. "Dallas! What's up? Julia ok?"
"Yeah, no thanks to Letty. Where is the bitch?"
Dom rolls his eyes. "Come on, Dallas... are we back to that again? Letty already..."
"I just talked to my sister, Dom. She has a real clear recollection of what happened last night... and who did it to her. Now, where the fuck is Letty?"
When he hears that, Vince turns and heads back into the house.
"She ain't here, Dallas... and I wouldn't tell you if she was. Now, why don't we go in the house, have a beer and talk about this?"
Dallas just looks steadily at him, and sighs.
"Dom... despite the incident at the hospital, I respect you. You have been nothing but nice to Jules and I... but you can't smooth this over. Letty hurt my sister, and Letty's gonna pay the price."
"Look, Dallas... I understand what you're saying... I know how I would feel if someone did that to Mia. But you got me caught in the middle here. I like Julia... I truly do. She's a good kid. But Letty is my woman. And what kind of man would I be if I just stepped back and let you hurt her?"
"You'd be a just man, Dom. That's all I want - justice."
Dom folds his arms across his chest, tilts his head to one side and looks at her for a moment. "Funny... I thought you were talking about revenge." He holds his hand up as Dallas starts to speak. "Look... Let me talk to Letty first."
Dallas shakes her head. "Dom..."
"Let me try. Maybe we can work this out without anyone else getting hurt. And maybe... just maybe... you might think a little more about what your sister wants, and a little less about what you want. Agreed?"
Dallas just cannot bring herself to admit that Dom might be right. She rolls her eyes, shaking her head. "Alright... I'll think about it... that's all you're getting. And I'm also outta here..." She turns to leave, then pauses and looks back. "One more thing... will you give Letty a message for me? Tell her that she better thank God she has you... because she definitely doesn't deserve you." Dallas turns and walks towards her car.
Dom watches for a moment, and shakes his head. He walks towards the house and in to the kitchen.
Dallas steps up to her car, and reaches for the door. She pauses when she sees Letty's car rolling up the street.
Letty pulls to a stop nose to nose with Dallas's car, and hops out. She walks over to Dallas.
"Yo, bitch... whaddaya doin' here?"
"Step aside, Letty... You got a reprieve, so don't push your luck." She turns and reaches for the doorhandle.
Letty grabs Dallas by the arm, and turns her back around.
"Oh hell no. You don't come into my territory, and then brush me aside..."
Dallas looks down at the hand on her arm, like it is some insect. Words begin to repeat in her mind like a mantra: 'Keep it cool...keep it cool...keep it cool...'
"Letty...Take. Your Hand. Off. Of Me."
Letty pulls Dallas in close, growling. "Make me."
Dallas sighs, and looks at Letty... then leans in and plants a kiss right on her lips.
Letty drops her hand and backs away from Dallas in shock. "What the fuck was that?"
Dallas grins, "Made you let go, didn't I?"
"What the fuck ever, Dallas. Just stay away from Dom. He's mine, you got it?"
Dallas smiles, but it doesn't come close to her eyes. "Whatever, Letty..."
Letty rolls her eyes and starts to walk away.
"Oh, Letty... "
Letty stops and sighs. "What now?"
Dallas' smile disappears, and her eyes grow ice cold. "Did I mention that I talked with my sister this morning? Had a nice little chat." She shakes her head. "And there are a couple of things you need to know."
Letty puts her hands on her hips, and fakes a yawn.
"Number one? You went after the wrong sister."
"Could you get to the point? You are really starting to bore me."
Dallas walks closer, keeping her hands in plain sight.
Letty narrows her eyes, and tenses, but she holds her ground as Dallas approaches.
"Here's my point, Letty," and she smiles in genuine pleasure. "If I have my way... You're gonna die screaming." Her voices drops to a whisper, and she makes a motion with her hand, like she's trying to start a car. "click...click... Boom!"
As Letty flinches and takes a step back, Dallas laughs softly.
"We'll see about that, Dallas. We'll just fucking see about that."
The front door to the house opens, and Vince steps out on the porch. "Yo... Letty... You okay?"
Letty never takes her eyes off Dallas. "Everything's fine, bro... Just an uninvited guest... and she was just leaving."
Dallas smiles at Vince, completely relaxed and genuine. "Hey Vince!"
Vince nods to Dallas. "Dallas... problems?"
She shakes her head. "Not anymore... Like Letty just said... I'm leaving." Dallas smiles at Letty and waves with her fingertips. "Seeya around, Letty..."
Letty watches Dallas like a hawk, never letting her eyes leave the other woman. "Not if I see you first."
Dallas laughs and turns full circle, arms outspread. "Hell, Letty... with any luck at all... I'll see you all over the place." She waves to Vince. "Bye!" She gets in her car, and start the engine, pulling slowly away from the curb.
Letty mutters to herself, "Bitch."
Vince walks down, and stands by Letty. He watches Dallas leave, then turns to her. "Ok... what the hell was that all about?"
Letty waits until Dallas has driven out of sight, and then turns to Vince, smiling a bit. "Nothin', bro. It's cool... Relax. I got it under control."
"You sure?"
Letty looks down at her cast, rotating her hand and flexing her fingers. "Yeah... I'm sure."
"Maybe you should tell Dom about..."
"No!... It's okay, Vince. I'll deal with it. Dom has enough to worry about."
Vince shakes his head. "Okay.. if you say so. You just remember... I got your back."
He smiles and slips his arm around Letty's shoulders, and together they walk into the house.
