CHAPTER 11
I hear her talkin' loud
But she ain't saying nothing
What up with all the frontin'?
Come on and show me somethin'
-Nelly featuring Justin Timberlake (of 'N Sync), "Work It"
"You talked to Alison today, Rafe? Alison Barrington?"
Livvie's voice rose both in volume and pitch as she lashed out at her companion.
"Well..."
Livvie sighed, threading her fingers through her dark hair.
"Now I know why you've been acting so strangely. Alison Barrington, everyone's favorite angel, swooped in to save the day.
"What did she tell you, Rafe? Did she say that there's a 'darkness' in me and that you should stay away? Did she say there was a 'darkness' in my father, so that's why she killed him? Do you want to know where the 'darkness' is, Rafe? It's in her!"
Finally, Rafe had had enough.
"Be quiet!" he bellowed. "Livvie, just listen to yourself. Can you hear what you're saying? Every other conversation we have is about how Alison killed your father. I understand that you're upset by that, and you have every right to be, but you cannot let it control your life!"
Livvie opened her mouth to speak, but he wouldn't let her.
"No, listen to me, Livvie! I never met my father; he died before I was even born. Every day I remember that, and every day I live my life as best I can because I realize that that day could be my last. My father left a woman who loved him and his unborn son because someone thought it was his time."
"Rafe, it was not my father's time!" screamed Livvie.
"I didn't say that it was!" he yelled back. "I was trying to show you that life isn't fair. The things some people take for granted are the things others would give their souls for. That's just the way it is. There's nothing you or I, any of us, can do about it."
"No," said Livvie defiantly. "I don't have to listen to this."
She snatched her purse off the couch and headed toward the door.
Unfortunately, Rafe grabbed her wrist before she had the chance to leave.
"Livvie, don't do anything stupid," he advised her. "Let the courts handle Alison like you said they would. Let your father rest in peace."
"Let go of me, Rafe," hissed Livvie through clenched teeth. "Let go!"
Rafe reluctantly obeyed.
He shook his head gently as he watched her exit the house, slamming the front door behind her. Something inside him told him that would not be the last he heard of Livvie Locke...
I hear her talkin' loud
But she ain't saying nothing
What up with all the frontin'?
Come on and show me somethin'
-Nelly featuring Justin Timberlake (of 'N Sync), "Work It"
"You talked to Alison today, Rafe? Alison Barrington?"
Livvie's voice rose both in volume and pitch as she lashed out at her companion.
"Well..."
Livvie sighed, threading her fingers through her dark hair.
"Now I know why you've been acting so strangely. Alison Barrington, everyone's favorite angel, swooped in to save the day.
"What did she tell you, Rafe? Did she say that there's a 'darkness' in me and that you should stay away? Did she say there was a 'darkness' in my father, so that's why she killed him? Do you want to know where the 'darkness' is, Rafe? It's in her!"
Finally, Rafe had had enough.
"Be quiet!" he bellowed. "Livvie, just listen to yourself. Can you hear what you're saying? Every other conversation we have is about how Alison killed your father. I understand that you're upset by that, and you have every right to be, but you cannot let it control your life!"
Livvie opened her mouth to speak, but he wouldn't let her.
"No, listen to me, Livvie! I never met my father; he died before I was even born. Every day I remember that, and every day I live my life as best I can because I realize that that day could be my last. My father left a woman who loved him and his unborn son because someone thought it was his time."
"Rafe, it was not my father's time!" screamed Livvie.
"I didn't say that it was!" he yelled back. "I was trying to show you that life isn't fair. The things some people take for granted are the things others would give their souls for. That's just the way it is. There's nothing you or I, any of us, can do about it."
"No," said Livvie defiantly. "I don't have to listen to this."
She snatched her purse off the couch and headed toward the door.
Unfortunately, Rafe grabbed her wrist before she had the chance to leave.
"Livvie, don't do anything stupid," he advised her. "Let the courts handle Alison like you said they would. Let your father rest in peace."
"Let go of me, Rafe," hissed Livvie through clenched teeth. "Let go!"
Rafe reluctantly obeyed.
He shook his head gently as he watched her exit the house, slamming the front door behind her. Something inside him told him that would not be the last he heard of Livvie Locke...