It had been a long time since so many people were seated at the Stein dinner table. Most nights it was usually just Leah and her daughter. With James and Emilia at the table as well the space suddenly felt full and alive, or at least it did to Libby. In a twisted way it almost felt like how she imagined a nuclear family dinner might feel.

"The food you prepared is very delicious Ms. Richardson. You must be a very good cook." Libby said, breaking a period of awkward silence. Emilia stared at her, clearly wanting to say something cruel and heartless to the girl sharing her table but finding it difficult to do so as Libby was clearly trying to be respectful.

"Seeing how you are basically just a stick I suppose you aren't used to eating anything tasty. Don't get too used to it; I'm not sure how I feel about letting you eat with us on a regular basis. Though, perhaps I should teach you how to cook a few things so you can have a useful skill."

"I'd like that." Libby said softly, trying to ignore all the insults mixed in with the suggestion.

"Good. Has your mother at least taught you how to do laundry? What about general cleaning and other housework? I'm going to keep your mother in the bookstore as much as possible so it would be nice if I can put you in charge of as many household chores as possible as soon as possible. I have more important things to do with my time then teach a little twit like you how fold clothes or scrub floors but I'll do it if I have to."

"I help with chores around the house. I'm confident I can do all of the basic things at least." Libby answered, not wanting to sound too confident or not confident enough.

"Well, I'm starting to think the $50 I spent on you wasn't a complete waste." Emilia said with a smirk, imagining how much it must hurt to know that the city of Brighton had valued her so little, "Now we just need to decide what to do with you at night."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Leah asked, noticing the menacing tone in Emilia's voice and deciding that now she might actually need to speak up.

"Well, I obviously can't expect her to stay up 24/7 so I have to decide what to do with her when no one is awake to keep an eye on her." Emilia explained.

"I… I just assumed she would be sleeping with me." Leah admitted.

"With you? Leah, how many people do you expect to fit in my bed?" Emilia asked playfully.

"What do you mean? Did I misspeak because if so I meant to say she would be sleeping with me, not you Ms."

"Oh I know what you said but I plan on keeping you as my bed warmer. And my bed only comfortably fits two." Emilia explained, "Now I noticed there is a small broom closet downstairs. If I put a lock on the outside of that and a blanket in there we can keep Libby there at night."

"OH PLEASE GOD NO!" Libby screamed, starting to hyperventilate at just the thought of being locked in the tiny closet, "I can't… I can't handle that. Please Ms., I get very claustrophobic in such tiny spaces. I'd go crazy in there. I don't think I'd make it a whole night."

"We're not going to keep you down there." James said assertively, making his mother smile, "I was thinking she could stay in my room. After all, you did say I was in charge of her. It's hard to keep an eye on her if she's not around."

"Oh really? Let me guess, next you are going to tell me you were going to let her sleep in your bed." Emilia teased.

James blushed, much as his mother had expected.

"I mean, I don't suppose why not as long as she's been good. In all fairness it was her bed yesterday."

"I don't know." Emilia pondered before turning her gaze back to Libby, "You weren't planning on seducing my son in the middle of the night were you?"

"Wh… what?" Libby whimpered.

"Mom?!" James shouted.

"Oh lighten up, I was only teasing." Emilia said with a loud chuckle, "I know Libby is nothing to be concerned about in that regard. Between the chastity belt I had her mother put on her and the fact that her mother has already told me that she didn't let Libby take any of the school's human growth and development classes I'm fairly certain she's no real threat. You can let her sleep with you, but only if she's well behaved."

"I… I actually already know about that." Libby said softly. James cast his gaze down on his plate, wanting to stay out of this portion of the conversation as both Leah and Emilia stared at Libby.

"Oh my, well this just got interesting. Seems your little angel isn't so perfect after all Leah." Emilia laughed.

"Sweetie… how… where? I know you didn't take any of the classes at school and I've never seen you read any of those kinds of books down in the store and your search history on the computer never showed anything like that. How did you learn about it?" Leah asked her daughter.

"What a nosey nelly you are Leah! Monitoring what books she reads and checking her search history? I'm surprised you didn't put a tracking chip in her so you could keep track of everywhere she went." Emilia teased.

"You don't understand Em… Ms. Richardson. You have a son, that's completely different."

"Oh what a pile of crap! Yes, fine, boys and girls are different but are you actually trying to say that you feel it's ok to treat them that differently?"

"Boys are tougher, able to handle more and sooner. I just wanted to protect her, to keep her safe."

"There is a big difference between ignorant and safe. And I suspect your fragile little girl is a lot more durable then you give her credit for."

"I didn't say she was fragile… just that she needed me to protect her. And how would you know whether she is fragile or not, you've known her less than a day."

"Because your daughter isn't the only person I know. I met a wonderful young woman today who told me a lot about your daughter, a lot more then she intended."

"What do you mean? Who did you meet that knows my Libby?"

"I met the Davenports today. Their daughter is the same age as Libby, in the same classes as well I believe. Andrea told me all about the cruel and mean spirited things that your daughter has done to her over the last few years."

"I have never once done anything cruel or mean to Andrea! I've always tried to be nice to her but she's hated me ever since 1st grade just because I mispronounced her name one time ACCIDENTIALY. And it's not even fair because I've seen her forgive people for doing that but not me. It's unfair!"

"Oh, of course she did. She used you to manipulate others just like she tried to use you to manipulate me. By making you the enemy and making everyone else hate you she was putting herself in a position of power. She was the controller of fate and likely none of them even realized it. The first few sided with her because they were afraid she might try to turn on them and once she had a few people agreeing with her it became dangerous for others to disagree with her so her support just kept growing. And let me guess, if you tried to do something to get on her good side, to apologize to her she would somehow misconstrue your actions as an insult, right?"

"Yes, wait, how did you know that?" Libby asked, confused.

"I was your age once; I know how vicious little villains work. Trying to convince me of what a rotten little monster you were was just yet another power play on her part. Being the one to tell me all about you would make her look intelligent and trustworthy to me and poison anything you said or did. She probably doesn't even consciously realize she's doing it. She is just completely used to stepping all over you. Did you know that she told me you once tried to poison her?"

"I offered her some of my chips at lunch and they were ONE day passed the expiration date. People called me garbage girl for the rest of school year because of that!" Libby shouted, starting to cry.

"She also said that you touched her inappropriately…"

"I was stretching my arms one day in a tightly packed classroom and she sat down on my hand! She told everyone I groped her. SHE sat on MY hand!"

"She even told me all about how you ruined her slumber party."

"It was 3rd grade, it was literally an accident and if anyone had a bad time because of that it was ME!" Libby whimpered, tears streaking down her face.

"Oh don't worry Libby, I knew all along that her stories were lies."

"You did?"

"Of course, she's not the first toxic little brat I've met. I knew girls just like her growing up."

"I did as well… I'm so sorry sweetie, I didn't realize you were going through all this." Leah told her daughter as tears rolled down her cheeks as well as she embraced Libby. For a moment Emilia smiled as she watched the touching scene, even ignoring the fact that Libby was only hugging her mother in an awkward one arm fashion.

"James dear, let go of Libby's hand so she can hug her mother properly." Emilia told her son, giving him a look that let him know she knew he had been holding it under the table for the whole conversation.

"I… I can't." James said meekly, causing Emilia to give him an annoyed look, "She won't let go."