'Why. Why does everything hurt? Why do I feel like I got hit by a Mac truck? Oh, right… fuck.'
"Mac get me some water. Now." she rasped needily, wincing at the pain radiating through her head even when she wasn't moving her jaw.
"Mac?" she croaked, cracking an eye open slowly to find she was in bed alone.
'If I burn his shitshack to the ground he'll have no choice but to stay.' Startling was the fact that she didn't like that he wasn't there. 'What is wrong with me? Wasn't I just itching to get him out of my house before the bar last night?'
The sound of splashing water came through her open window making her crane her head to see what caused the noise. A yellowed nightgown caught her eye when she shakily sat up at the end of the bed.
"What the fuck, did she escape again?" Kristy muttered to herself, using various pieces of furniture to help her navigate to the bathroom.
Mid-pee she glanced down, finding the source of her the pain wracking her lower area.
"Mother of god I'm going to kill him!" she hissed inspecting the teeth indentions through the dried blood.
Finishing up she switched on the faucet to the tub. Sure she wouldn't be able to stand longer than to rinse off in the shower without falling over. She slid in, not having the patience or equilibrium to wait for the tub to fill. Bringing a brush along to work on her tangled hair. She hissed in pain when she got to the back. Reaching around she found a large knot the size of a goose egg under her scalp. Another wonderful token of Mac's affection.
She was in a hungover daze as she went through the motions of washing herself and tending to her wounds. After carefully slipping into the shortest cotton shorts she could find, so as not to upset the bandage, she added a tank top. Next feebly making her way through the house to collect a water bottle, the darkest pair of sunglasses she owned, and her cigarettes.
Staggering outside she found Devon sitting in the early morning shade. Reading a book while Regina did some form of spastic water ballet. The walk to her favorite lounge was accomplished with minimal incident, only a few stubbed toes.
"What are you doing here, you're supposed to call first." She grumbled around the cigarette hanging from her mouth, her head placed to the side as to not upset the baby goose attached to the back of her skull.
"Well good morning to you too!" Devon chimed, his chipper attitude making her want to slit his throat.
"Don't you remember what you said last night?" he questioned, raising a brow at her slumped over figure on the cushion.
"Not particularly, no." she snapped after blowing out a long trail of smoke, glaring at him from behind her shades.
"The party? Bragging about your cooking? You invited Walter, Reggie, and I over for a pool party barbecue." he informed her, watching as her mouth dropped open in shock.
"Fucking Christ on a cracker." she groaned, moving to rub her temples. "Yes, I remember now."
'What was I thinking! The last thing I want to do is spend time with these people, hungover, and cooking.' she thought darkly, moving her sunglasses down to pinch the bridge of her nose.
"Mac was pretty pissed you didn't invite him while he was sitting right next to you but I guess that's for the best, Regina would be terrified." Devon told her, moving to dogear his page.
"Mac can go suck a fat one." she growled before cracking open her water and chugging it down with a vengeance.
"Are you going to have a baby?" Regina asked from the pool's edge, smiling dreamily up at them.
"No, I was just making a mean man shit his pants with a lie." she explained flatly much to the water submerged girl's disappointment .
"So you're not really knocked up?" Devon questioned, looking at her with something akin to relief.
"Hell no." she scoffed at him. "Mac just deserves a little mental torture is all." she offered with a shrug.
Devon's laugh grated on her sensitive nerves, prompting a grimace from her. "Not so loud damn it." she scolded him, clutching her forehead.
"I'm sorry, you're just evil, you know that?" he asked through bouts of continued quiet laughter.
"Yes I know." she admitted with a small smile. "But even the devil needs little demon helpers." she told him lethargically, getting back on track and taking another drag from her cigarette, flicking the ash aside. "I'm going to need your help if I'm going to pull this bullshit party together."
"I don't know. Regina was looking forward to a day outside, I'd have to put her away." he protested, looking over at his sister in the pool.
"I'm still drunk Devon. I need you to drive and I am not going to that fucking grocery store alone to get cornered by polo prick." she growled lowly before continuing in a lighter tone. "Besides, Regina can come with us. She needs a bathing suit. Do you really want Walter seeing her snatch every time that gown billows up in the pool?"
Devon looked alarmed at that thought, equally so at Regina being out in public.
"She can't go. What if someone recognizes her? She doesn't even have anything to wear." he mumbled out, trying to make excuses.
"You're telling me you don't have any other clothes for her besides that shitty nightgown? How the fuck is that 'taking care of her' Devon?" she demanded, cutting him off before he could argue.
"I'll loan her something to wear so we can go into town. And don't give me the 'What if someone's looking for her.' bullshit. You've had her here for how many months now and no one has ever come to investigate?" she continued, watching as he hung his head in shame and defeat.
"Fine." he relented, looking away in submission.
If only his brother were that easy to get under her sway things would go a lot smoother.
"I'm going to get ready. Get Regina out of the pool in ten minutes to dry off." she ordered, slowly rising from the lounge to shuffle towards the house.
After a nauseous stint in the vanity chair her hair was perfectly curled, pulled back off her face in a half updo. Features painted up nice and pretty. She chose a 50's style strapless pink and white floral sundress along with some wedges for her happy hostess facade. After looking down at the sweetheart neckline she added some coverup to the Mac marks peppering her cleavage.
Unless they were there last night no one would be any the wiser that she had been swigging straight from liquor bottles all night. Aside from her bloodshot eyes she looked like a perfect little Stepford wife.
"Eat your heart out June Cleaver." she mocked at the mirror, swaying a bit in her platforms.
She'd be using Devon for support until there was a shopping cart for her to clutch.
Once again using sturdy objects when needed to get to her destination she emerged onto the patio. With the purple chiffon maxi dress she'd selected for Regina hidden behind her back.
"So pretty!" Regina squealed, clapping her hands in excitement, eyes glazing over like she was a shiny object when she saw Kristy approaching.
Devon looked her over quickly not wanting to get caught, thinking to himself how undeserving his brother was.
"Thank you Reggie, do you want to look pretty too?" she asked, revealing the dress from behind her, holding it out for Regina to see.
The girl in question gasped at the sight of new clothing, hopping up and down like an excited child.
'She's got to have some major head trauma, this can't just be drugs.' she thought to herself as she watched Regina turn to Devon, looking for his nod of approval.
When he gave it Regina ran to her, taking the flowy material in her hands.
"Regina, I have another surprise for you." she told her slowly, trying to get the damaged girl's attention back on her. "We're going shopping today, and if you're good while we're out you can keep the dress." she bribed her, getting another screech from Regina and a tight hug she wasn't too inclined to receive, stiffening at her touch.
"Get her in the dress before I barf all over mine." she commanded Devon, wrenching herself from Regina's hold before moving to sit in the shade and smoke.
She found her mind wandering to Mac while she waited, wondering where he was, what he was doing. 'Stop. You're being fucking pathetic, if he knew you were thinking about him like this he would be laughing in your face. He's probably sinuses deep in a tin of crank.'
Regina burst through the door, twirling around, sending the violet material flying out around her.
"Well don't you look like a princess." Kristy commented, noting her bare feet as she twirled past.
"Please tell me she has shoes?" she lamely asked Devon.
He shrugged, taking a seat across from her. She threw her hands up in the air with a sputter of disbelief.
"Down right neglectful." she hissed, precariously stepping into the house to grab her purse and Regina some flip flops.
"Lets get a move on!" she stormed, dropping the shoes for Regina to slip on while handing Devon the keys.
"Stay close so I don't fall on my ass." she demanded once they reached the gravel of the driveway.
One step and she was already about to fall over, digging her nails into Devon's shoulder, making him yelp like a little bitch and Regina giggle.
"Oh shut up and get me to the door." she drawled at him.
When they were all situated inside the Denali a burp escaped from down in the twisted mess that was her stomach.
"Jesus did you have a pint for breakfast?" Devon gagged, waving the toxic liquor smell from the air.
"I wasn't kidding when I said I was still drunk." she muttered from behind her hand.
Swimsuit shopping was a quick affair. Devon found a one piece with a little skirt attached for Regina. Kristy thought it was sickeningly kiddie looking and equally sickening that he was the one picking it out. But kept her opinion stuffed inside, selecting a simple red two piece for herself. Next came the errand she was dreading the most. Grocery shopping. Sure enough when they pulled in the lot an ugly pinto was sitting outside.
"Go on and get me a cart so I can walk without holding onto you." she ordered Devon, finishing off her fourth water bottle.
"Why not just get you a wheel chair?" he half joked, stopping mid laugh when he saw her stony un-amused expression.
"Can I have watermelon?" Regina asked timidly from the back seat which was now glass free thanks to her brother.
"It's on the list." she answered as she hauled herself out of the passengers seat at Devon's approach.
"Pork ribs, not beef." she dictated at his back.
Devon essentially fetched the items with Regina twirling in circles behind him while Kristy stood waiting at the end of each isle. Focusing on not falling over or projectile vomiting.
She figured they were a sight to see. Her decked out like she was going to a garden party with Ray-Bans to minimize the blinding light. Devon in his respectable button down jumping to her command. And Regina…well, being Regina.
"Look at you. No one would ever know." came an amazed scoff from behind her, causing her knuckles to whiten on the cart, her grip intensifying.
"Leave me be boy, I have a wicked hangover." she snapped, not turning around to face him.
"And a wicked attitude to match." he jested with a lighthearted grin, coming around to her front with his hands shoved in his pockets.
Apparently he was over being tossed aside for a degenerate, being far too friendly for her liking.
"Your boyfriend is a real piece of work." he continued when she only glared at him from behind her shades.
"He's not my boyfriend." she growled, looking over to find Devon watching them, only to quickly snap his eyes back to the meat and study it longer than necessary, stalling to give Adam more time.
"Well he certainly looked real smug carrying you out of the bar last night." he commented, raising his golden brows at her.
Her own ebony ones shot up in surprise. 'He carried me? Well that's interesting. I'd expect him to drag me out by my hair.'
"It's complicated." she muttered, taken aback by this new information. "Devon move it, they're right in front of your face!" she hollered down the isle, anxious to get the hell out of there.
"You've got a knack for getting men by the balls, don't you?" he noted with an ivory smile as Devon hopped to.
"That would explain why you're still trying to get my attention after I assaulted you for another man." she shot back, wishing Devon would walk faster.
"I suppose it would. You've got a mean right hook by the way." he complemented her, good humor still sickeningly present.
She couldn't help the upward twitch the corners of her mouth gave at the bruise he was lightly rubbing along his jaw as Devon and Regina finally reached the cart.
"Vegetables and fruit next." Kristy grumbled, taking off as soon as the slabs of ribs were dropped in the cart.
When she reached the produce section she was not pleased to see that all of them followed. Devon and Adam striking up a conversation about sports. Regina skipping along close behind her.
"Watermelon?" Reggie asked excitedly, skipping merrily to the green melons.
It seemed everyone was just in the best of moods and Kristy was just barely holding back from murdering them all with their positive attitudes.
"Yes Regina, pick one out." she ground out through clenched teeth, half wishing she was in the sweltering cave cooking up a batch with Mac on her shoulder instead of in her current situation.
A chorus of male laughter coming up behind her made her eye twitch maddeningly.
"Devon here was kind enough to invite me to this little party you all are having." Adam announced as they reached her.
"Oh did he?" she hissed, whipping off her sunglasses so Devon could fully grasp the level of rage she was at.
If looks could kill. He visibly flinched.
"Devon go get the fucking food." she snarled, smacking the list onto his chest with all her might, making a wheezed breath leave his lungs before he scurried off to find the items.
"I'm sorry to inform you it's a private affair, one Devon has no right to invite anyone to." she enlightened him through a clenched smile, tone dripping with false regret and apology.
"I'm sorry to inform you I'll be party crashing then." he told her with a cheshire cat worthy grin as he walked away, an announcement over the store speakers saving his ass from her wrath.
Devon on the other hand would not be so lucky. She was deathly silent all through the rest of gathering the food. Even when she indulged Regina with pool toys and floats from the summer section of the store. And through the check out line. Her lips remained closed in a firm grim line.
Devon watched from the open hatchback while he loaded their bags into the rear as Kristy slipped into her seat, slamming the door behind her, making Regina jump. He walked as slow as possible while returning the cart to it's corral across the lot. Unknowingly making it much worse for himself as her anger simmered over with each delayed step. He paused a couple seconds outside the driver's door to look at her rigid posture as she sat staring straight ahead out the windshield, fists clenched in her lap.
The door closing behind him set her off like a rabid dog. Fists and curses flying at him in a flurry of hostile violence. She even bit the arm that flailed too close to her face when he jumped from being startled at her initial scream. He curled up trying to protect his face, letting out pleas for her to stop. Regina was huddled in the back wide eyed and silent as she watched her brother get the shit beaten out of him.
Kristy stopped only when bile from her rapid movements threatened to come surging up her throat.
"Drive before I fucking castrate you." she choked out threateningly, trying to keep it down with deep breaths and sips of water.
"Stop at the first liquor store you see." she demanded, roughly shoving her sunglasses back in place.
"If I'm going to make it through today without committing a homicide I'm going to need booze." she sneered darkly, shaking her head at him in disbelief.