Chapter 3
Mark and John walked back inside the house to find Mandy sitting on a couch in the entrance, with her arms crossed and a pissed off look on her face.
"Mandy! You are nearly eighteen now! We don't need any of this nonsense!" John explained.
Mandy sighed annoyed, and pushed her hair back behind her ear.
"Which room Mark?" John asked giving up on her.
"Same old room upstairs, is that ok?" Mark replied.
"Yeah." John said and started heading up the stairs.
Mark turned his attention back to the little blonde in front of him.
"What?" She spat as she saw Mark staring at her.
"I suggest that ya go get ya bags out of the car now Mandy, unless ya wanna be wearing those clothes ya got on for the next two weeks, cause the snow is gonna kick in soon." Mark explained.
"Whatever." She mumbled.
Mark gave a small chuckle.
"I'm not getting them!" She spat.
"Well I'm not getting them for ya, I'm not ya slave." Mark said and walked up the stairs to see how John was going.
Mandy groaned and got up off the couch to get her bags.
"Is this room ok?" Mark asked John as he walked into one of the spare rooms in his house.
"Yes Mark this is fine, look I'm sorry about Mandy being a brat though." John replied.
"John in all honesty, I really don't care." Mark chuckled.
"Good, cause if she was getting to ya, I'd slap her a few on her behind." John explained.
"That's a good idea John. You should've done that when she was younger then she wouldn't have turned out like this." Mark said.
"Hey, this is my daughter and I raise her the way I please. You do what you want to your kids ok?" John said.
Mark didn't answer.
"Mark…." John said.
"Mark…." Said Mandy from behind.
Mark turned around and saw Mandy standing at the door with her suitcases beside her.
Mark raised her eyebrows, dignifying a response.
"Where is my room?" She asked quietly.
"Oh yeah…" Mark began. "I remember ya used to share this room with ya dad, hmmm…but seeing that you're a little older ya may want ya own room?"
"That'll be good." Mandy replied.
"Ok." Mark said and walked towards her and out of the room.
"Follow me." Mark said putting his hands in his jean pockets and started to walk down the corridor.
Mandy picked up her suitcases and started to follow him from behind.
He stopped outside a room across the other side of the house and opened the door.
Inside was a beautifully decorated room with a yellow bedspread.
"Here, it's next to my room but don't worry, ya get ya privacy." Mark said.
"Wow, this is nice." She said and walked in and placed her suitcases on the bed.
Mark nodded and shut the door behind him. "What ya want for dinner?"
Mandy looked up at him. "I dunno, I usually just eat salad for dinner."
Mark raised his eyebrows at her. "Serious? I don't eat rabbit food."
"Are you trying to be funny Mark? Cause ya not." Mandy sneered at him.
"No, all I'm saying is that for ya time here, ya gotta learn to eat real food." Mark explained.
"Really?" Mandy smirked.
"Yep." He replied.
"Mark I don't wanna gain any weight though." Mandy said.
"Mandy, take this from a man's point of view. Eat something. Men like something to grab onto." Mark explained.
"Ewwww…. Oh My God that is disgusting!" Mandy screeched.
Mark started laughing and walked out of her room.
"What was that all about? I heard Mandy screech." John said as he walked out of his room and saw Mark walking down the stairs.
"Nothing much, just telling her a fact of life from the good old book written by men." Mark replied.
"Oh ok." John said and followed Mark down to the kitchen.
"Here ya go John, drink up." Mark said handing John a beer from the fridge.
"Uhh thanks, been needing one all day." John said taking a sip.
Mandy came back down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. "Could I have a drink too Mark?"
"Ohh I don't know Mandy, I don't know if I have any rabbit drinks? Oh wait yes I do, water! Of course. Here's a cup, help yaself." He chuckled, pointing to the sink.
Mandy sneered at him. "I mean a soda or something." She replied.
"Hmmm I don't drink that shit, but I remember that you used to like this stuff when ya were younger." Mark said walking into his pantry.
John walked over to the den and started to watch the football. "The game's on Mark!" He called out.
"I'll be there in a minute!" Mark replied and walked out of the pantry with a bottle of kid's cordial.
"What the hell is that?" Mandy said as Mark placed it on the bench in front of her.
"Bubblegum flavored cordial." Mark replied.
"Ewww…how old is it?" Mandy asked looking at it.
"Beats me." Mark replied.
"Eghh…Mark I'm not a little kid anymore!" Mandy said.
"Well Mandy from the way you've acted today, you're nothing but one." Mark explained.
"Mark I don't drink this stuff anymore; I don't watch Sesame Street or believe in Santa Claus, I don't go looking around the house for Easter eggs at Easter time or put a sheet over my head for Trickle Treating anymore." Mandy explained.
Mark smirked at her. "Well prove it to me then Mandy; prove to me that ya ain't a kid anymore." Mark said.
"Fine." She replied.
Mark grabbed a beer out of the fridge and walked away to join John in the den to watch the football.