Ok so this is especially for thekeeperoftime and MsNicoleKatherine, faithful readers and reviewers who have helped me come up with a few chapters, because i said that id have this up about 2 weeks ago XD but hey, i finished the chapter right?
...
If I was honest with myself, I was glad to be back on good terms with Leland. Really, I didn't WANT to carry a grudge and I just didn't have the energy for it.
The entire Chapman family was relieved that Leland and I were speaking again too. I could literally feel the sigh of relief that went through the house after the tension that had been part of the day to day life for the last week or so.
A few days later I was home alone with Leilani, having just put hr down for her nap, and I was lying on the couch using Duane Lee's laptop to do some house hunting, when the front door slamming open interrupted me.
"- cuz I don't know Leland," Duane Lee was saying as they walked inside. "Why not just ask HER dude?"
"I have," Leland replied, "She just said it wasn't my business."
"It ISN'T your business brah, it isn't any of our businesses."
"Someone HAS to know who he is brah!"
"Ya, Kila and whoever the guy is."
Oh, so that's what they were talking about: Leland was asking about Leilani's father.
"Oh, and she probably told Toni too. But put it this way bro," Duane Lee continued, "I've known... I knew Toni for years and I've known Kila for months and neither of them ever told me ANYTHING about the guy. And why do you want to know anyway bro?" he asked. "What you gonna do, go find him and beat him up?"
Leland laughed.
"Nah brah, if she wanted that she coulda done it herself."
I could tell they were facing off in the kitchen now.
"Then what's the big deal? Why you wanna know this so bad?"
"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW, OK? It's just... this feeling I have.. I dunno how to expl-"
He was interrupted by a loud crying coming from Duane Lee's room: fuck.
"Aw shit," I heard Leland mutter, "she's home."
"Yes she IS home," I yelled as I got up and headed for the kitchen, "and YOU woke up HER daughter, so YOU, Leland Chapman," I stood in the doorway, arms crossed, "can damn well go and get her back to sleep."
I glared at both of them, Leland almost-cowering and Duane Lee smirking.
"And you wipe that smirk off your face Duane Lee, you didn't help either."
"Sorry Kila," he said.
"You better be," I sighed. He wrapped one big arm around my shoulders.
"He cares about you Kila," he said, nodding down the hall towards his brother. "Don't hate him for that." I sighed again.
"I don't hate him Duane Lee, I really don't. It's just..." I stopped and sighed again.
"What brah? You know you can tell me anything."
"I know," I said as I leaned into him. "I just can't tell you this, not yet. I'm sorry..." he shook his head.
"Don't be. It's obviously something big and knowing you brah, you've kept it quiet a long time." I nodded and smiled a bit. "But I'm here when you wanna share ya?"
"Thanks Duane Lee." He nodded and let me go after one more squeeze, turning to root in the fridge.
The crying had stopped by now, so I assumed Leland was having some success with my girl.
I walked quietly down the hall and peeked around the corner of the doorway; he was standing in the middle of the room, Leilani in his arms while he sang softly to her. She smiled sleepily at me over his shoulder and I just couldn't take it, seeing them together like that.
Tears started flowing down my cheeks and I turned to wipe them away: he must've seen me somehow cuz I heard him call my name softly as footsteps moved towards me.
I ran. Down the hall and out the front door, tears streaming down my face. I couldn't do it, I just couldn't. It wasn't fair, after so long he had to turn up now and unknowingly jump into our lives.
I kicked a tree.
I think that that's what angered me the most, that he didn't even know what he was doing. I kicked the tree again, scraping my toes and making them bleed. I didn't care. I knew it wasn't fair for me to be mad at him for something he didn't know about, because I hadn't told him, or anyone, but I was, I was pissed.
I wanted to scream and cry and run and beat something up all at the same time. So I started punching the tree I'd been abusing with my foot.
Finally I stopped and leaned against the tree, sliding to the ground and pulling my knees to my chest, hugging myself.
I don't know how long I sat there before I heard footsteps coming my way. I was expecting it to be Duane Lee but it was a tattooed arm that came into my view as Leland sat next to me.
"Wanna talk?" He asked. I shrugged.
"Dunno what to say," I mumbled.
"Well," he said, "what was that about?" I just shook my head. He sighed, and, as he glanced down, he noticed my hands.
"Kila, you're bleeding," he told me. I nodded. He grabbed my hands and stared at them. "Fuck brah, what did you do?"
"Punched the tree," I told him.
"Why?"
"Felt like it." Apparently I had a thing for 3 words answers right now.
He sighed as he got to his feet.
"You're crazy, you know that brah?"
I shrugged.
Life pretty much carried on as usual from there. I was still living with the Chapmans, still looking for a place of my own in Honolulu, still trying to get my life back together.
I was out of the house more now, house hunting or at work. I'd gotten a job at the Honolulu branch of Surfer's Paradise and I was working 2-3 nights a week, leaving Leilani with the Chapmans or a sitter if they were all busy, which wasn't often.
Another month or so passed like this, work, life, Leilani, Chapmans. Leland and I worked out together, sometimes going to the gym to spar, sometimes just at home in the garage. Once in a while Duane Lee or someone else would join us, but mostly it was just the two of us and I really started looking forward to that time alone with him; honestly, I was really starting to like him.
Everything was going pretty good. Beth and Dog were more than happy to house me till I found a place, even though that meant I was still rooming with Duane Lee; he didn't mind but I started feeling a little weird about as I started liking Leland. But other than that, things were going well: I was happy here. Funny how it had come to be home to me...
The only problem was Lyssa. Still giving me the cold shoulder, she pretty much refused to speak to me and was just constantly sending me death glares, and I had no idea what I'd done. Duane Lee couldn't tell me, Leland just shrugged, even Beth couldn't shed any light on it for me when I asked her. According to Lyssa, it was time I was gone.
I was puttering around the kitchen one day, trying to figure out what to make for dinner, as I'd just been informed by Beth, with oh so much warning, that the entire Chapman clan, families and friends were all coming for dinner. Crap. What can you cook in less than 6 hours for about, ohhh I dunno, 30 some odd people?
I was smacking my head against a cupboard when Leland walked in.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I asked him, resting my head against the cupboard.
"Nah brah, had to pick my boys up from their mom's," he said. He stared at me, head tilted to the side, that half grin on his face. "But hey," he continued, " if you really WANT me to go to work then I guess I can leave my boys here and-"
"NO!" I cried. "Don't leave. Please. Help me." he laughed at me.
"Who alls coming tonight brah?" I shook my head.
"Oh I don't know, maybe jut EVERYONE?" I groaned.
"Calm down brah, we'll make stew."
"Stew?" I asked.
"Sure," he said, "don't take about of work and feeds a lot of people. We got time and I know there's a ton of beef and vegetables somewhere around this place."
"Sounds good," I muttered.
We made stew. Lots of stew.
He was right, stew feeds a lot of people, but even so I think we had to make a triple batch to feed everyone.
Beth and Dog were the first home after work. I was up to my elbows in gravy and chopped meat while Leland was across the kitchen surrounded by diced potatoes and carrots.
"Oh, Kila, thanks for doing his girl," Beth started but I cut her off:
"Don't Beth. You've been housing me for months, the least I can do is some cooking and babysitting. Although, a little more notice would be nice if I'm cooking for 30 people." we laughed and hugged and she ran off to shower and change.
People really started arriving after that. Everyone was there that night. And I mean everyone.
First came Duane Lee and his ex wife Theresa and their kids Jodi and Dylan, and Dog's son Wesley. They were followed through the door by Lyssa, her husband Bo and their two girls, Lyssa's daughter Abbie and Bo's daughter Serena. Then came Tim and his 4 kids, Summer, Autumn, Thunder and Storm, followed by Beth's friend Moon and her son Justin.
Soon after, Cecily, Bonnie and Gary came in with another family friend Kili (THAT wasn't confusing at all) and they were followed by Dog's son-in-law Travis and Travis Jr., Wesley from the office and Saren and her boyfriend Jay.
Holy crap was I glad that I hadn't had to cook for all these people alone.
...
and again i just want to point out that, except for the ages of the chapman kids (grown up and little kids) im not really paying the greatest attention to dates because, ya know, this is FICTION, so it can work however i want/need it to ^^ hope you liked it!
