"Dad" Logan said his heart pounding a lot differently then in the closet with Veronica.
Aaron Echolls held his stern look yet was not in full attack mode which is what scared Logan the most. He could feel Veronica hold on to his hand behind his back and squeeze lightly, as if apologizing.
"Veronica why don't you get a ride with Duncan and Lilly's driver" he said in a sweet tone that sent a rush of horror through Logan.
She walked past and flashed a apologetic smile toward Logan and he returned a small smile of his own that was swiped off when he glanced back at his dad. All the rest of the kids left and now there were the Echolls.
Gabby was shaking slightly in the living room; her face was pale, probably from the shock of their parents coming home early. They could already hear the clicking of ice in a high roller glass. The faint scent of rum filling their nostrils.
Aaron stocked the room towards Logan as he backed up putting his arms to his sides and blocking Gabby from the ferocious monster that was being unleashed in the skin of their father. She slipped past him and walked up to her father knocking off Logan's grasping hands.
"It wasn't Logan daddy, I was the one who had the party, Logan was at his friend Dick's house until the very end." She said, thinking on her feet.
"Gabby" he yelled watching as his father's neck craned to watch him.
Logan and Gabby had learned two things since the monster first showed his face. One was never talk back, and two was never lie. She knew what she was doing she knew that Logan would never throw further into the fire.
"Logan is this true?" Aaron asked.
He thought for a second but the look on Gabby's face that pleading look made him relent "Yes" he croaked out tears beginning to stream down his face.
"Logan go outside for a moment," he demanded. Logan turned around and sent a look towards Gabby; it said everything he wished he could say, I'm sorry, I love you, and what the hell are you doing?
He walked out the door and fell into a chair by the pool, looking out into the blue water. And in the distance a faint sound of cracking, the sound of leather coming in contact with smooth tan skin.
That night Logan snuck into his sister's room and crawled into bed with her making sure not to touch her swollen back. His mother had been in their earlier dressing and bandaging the spots where the belt at cut into the skin.
She was sobbing silently laying on her stomach, tears drenching her pillow as air rush against her mutilated back. He pulled up the pack of the shirt to assess the damage, no matter how many times they have done this his breath always caught in his throat at the sight of what that man could and would do.
"Why did you do it?" he asked in a whisper while inspecting the new marks.
"Better me then you, he doesn't go as far with me…. Remember the last time" she said crying again.
He did, he had slipped in an interview and let out that his dad drank a lot, that night Aaron got so angry he nearly killed Logan. Their mom took him to the ER and told the doctor some sob story about him falling out his 2nd story window and into a huge bush. The doctor believed every word because in Neptune, or in that matter anywhere, everyone believed that Aaron could do no wrong.
"I'm so sorry" he choked out his eyes welling with tears as he thought about his sister taking a beating for him. She turned around and wrapped her arms around him, being sure not to let him see her wincing from the pain.
"One day this will end" she whispered.
They fell asleep, their dreams consisting of their futures, lives away from Neptune, but more importantly lives away from Aaron and the monster that lives inside.
Two days later Veronica, Lilly, and Duncan were at the door, ready for their trip to the Family Fun Center. A day that was to be filled with Mini-Golf, Go-karts and Bumper Boats.
"Hey you guys ready, Celeste is in the car" Lilly said, she felt so grown up when she called her mom by her first name.
"Gabby is sick and I don't want to leave her." He said looking back into the living room at his sister who was laying on the couch with a pillow and blanket watching TV, making sure not to touch her back to the back of the couch.
"We will just stay here go another time" Duncan announced.
"Nah man, you guys go we will see ya later" Logan said with a small smile.
"Alright… Bye Gabs" Lilly yelled past his shoulder and into the living room.
"Have fun get a hole in one for me" she yelled back.
They left back to the now irritated Celeste in the car, Logan closed the door walking back into the room. He made his way to the conjoining kitchen and grabbed a large ice pack from the freezer, lightly placing it on his sisters back.
Just then the doorbell rang, Logan ran to open the door. As he did he was pushed out of the way as his friends walked past him and into the house, Celeste was gone. "So what movie we watching?" Veronica asked with a giggle, Logan smiled he couldn't believe that he had so many caring friends.
"Why is there ice on your back?" Duncan asked confused.
"Some ancient Chinese remedy mom picked up on from her yoga instructor, supposedly it captures all the toxins from the body" she lied, she and Logan had become experts on making up stories spontaneously.
"Ahh" they believed every word, why shouldn't they, none of them had become privy to a world of abuse, they probably didn't even realize that parents would do that.
"Hello everyone" Lynn said entering the living room in a nice navy suit.
"Hello Mrs. Echolls you look very pretty" Veronica said with a innocent smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Echolls and I are going to a luncheon with the Casablancas's" she said trying to clasp her bracelet as Aaron entered the room with some nice slacks and navy polo shirt.
"Hi kids" he said with his award winning smile, the one he shined to distract people from the real Aaron Echolls.
"Hi" they replied.
"Logan look after your sister" he said pointing to Logan, and shined him a smile.
Logan smirked seeing right through this man but keeping him mouth closed, and just nodded his head.
"Bye pumpkin" he said kissing Gabby on the forehead. If the others had been paying attention they would have seen Gabby flinch. That is if they were paying attention.
Their parents left, the sound of Aarons car in the distance. They turned on the movie and settled down.
"You guys have such a great dad" Lilly swooned, he eyes glazed over in admiration.
"Yeah" Logan lied, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes.
"Great" Gabby finished her back throbbing.