We were overwhelmed with the response from the fourth chapter! Thank you all so much for taking the time to tell us what you think.Welike to know that we are doing a good job, and your commentsreally do help.We're posting this so soon afterFour because we just couldn't wait! :) We're like kids at Christmas, really. So, please,read and let us know what you think.
Thanks,
JF&KMA
5
I'm never having children, Neela thought wearily as they left the fourth clothing store. In each hand, she carried at least three bags and the weight was dragging at her arms. If this didn't end soon, she was going to collapse. Emily, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying herself. Of course she is, Neela grumbled to herself. She has her own pack mule. The girl had enough energy to power Chicago into the next millennium. Neela wished she could have borrowed that energy when she had gone to med school.
"Why don't we stop for a while," she said, breaking in on Emily's nonstop chatter about the clothes she had bought.
"Sounds good. I'm starving."
Neela swallowed back what she had been about to say, and nodded toward a café.
"Why don't we go in there and grab a bite," she said instead.
Emily raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. The place was a favorite of Ray's with checked tablecloths that had seen better days and stools at the counter. He swore that the place put something in the milkshakes that was addictive. Neela wouldn't have gone that far, but she had to admit the food was good. When they entered, a bell over the door jingled merrily and a few patrons glanced without interest in their direction before returning to their plates. They found a booth near the window, and Neela slid gratefully across the faded red seat, dropping the packages at her feet.
Emily's eyes were everywhere in wide-eyed fascination. She stared at the tablecloths. She exclaimed over the stools and the fact that they had ketchup on the table. The smell of frying hamburgers was awesome. Neela couldn't help but smile at her.
"Haven't you ever been in a café?" she asked.
"Are you kidding? Dad would die before he came to a place like this," she said with satisfaction. "He'd say that this was a home for trash."
Neela glanced around hoping that no one had heard her. All she needed was for someone to take her words the wrong way and get them kicked out.
"Why would he say that?" she asked.
Emily shrugged and snatched up a laminated menu.
"He says that anyone in his position needs to project an image," she said flatly as she scanned the offerings. Neela frowned. It had the sound of a well-rehearsed speech.
"And what position is that?"
"Ray didn't tell you?" Emily said, glancing up from the menu. "Our father is a big shot lawyer in Philadelphia." She snorted and went back to reading. "Big shot my butt," she muttered.
Neela sat back and stared at her. A lawyer. A big shot lawyer. No wonder nothing had ever been done about him. He knew how to manipulate the system, see that things didn't get out. She felt tears come to her eyes and looked out the window, thinking of Ray growing up in that environment. The frustration he would have been forced to endure because nobody would believe what he said.
"Aren't you hungry?" Emily asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Neela forced a smile and pulled another menu from the rack. No, she wasn't hungry anymore. In fact, she was a little nauseated. And she had thought that her parents were a nightmare. Her family was sunshine and roses compared to Ray's family.
The waitress came by the table and in a bored tone, took their orders. Neela waited until she was gone before she turned back to Emily.
"Tell me, Emily, why don't you want to call your mother?"
The words were out of her mouth before she even realized what she was going to say. For a moment, she wished that she could take them back. Emily's face went still as stone, before she rested her chin in her hand and looked out the window.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry…"
"Its ok," the girl said, her expression suddenly gloomy. She glanced at Neela out of the corner of her eye. "Ray didn't tell you anything about us did he?"
"No, he hasn't," Neela had to admit. "But things have changed. I know enough to fill in most of the blanks."
Emily nodded and looked away.
"The last thing I remember about Ray, is how he tried to take me with him when he left," she said softly before giving a short laugh. "I was so scared that night. I was so scared to leave that I fought him. Is that wrong? That I was scared?"
Neela shook her head, her throat tight.
"No," she finally said. "Children are often frightened of leaving their homes, even if it is a bad place for them."
Emily murmured something and continued to stare out the window.
"He was always so…cocky," she said finally. "I always wished that I could be like that and not cry when dad got mad. Ray never did. I remember mom crying about it. About Ray trying to take me. I remember her crying and telling him to just leave." She looked at Neela then, and the resentment in her eyes burned as brightly as a bonfire. "I hated her for that. Hated her as much as I hated him. She sent my brother away because she couldn't live without dad's money. That's why I don't want to talk to her, Neela."
Neela could only stare at her and hope that the horror she felt did not show in her face. Bloody hell! It was bad enough that their father had beaten them, but their mother had abandoned them as well. She thought of her own mother. Sure she was nosey, overly critical, and always wanted more than Neela was willing to give, but she did those things out of love. No matter how much she griped about her family she knew that deep down. It crushed her to think that neither Ray nor Emily had ever known that kind of love.
"I'm sorry, Emily," she said softly.
"It's ok," she said with a shrug. "It's not like you did that stuff. But now you know why I can't go back."
Neela nodded and followed her gaze out the sunlit window. Thankfully, the snow had cleared sometime in the night and the sun was shining weakly from the pale blue winter sky. Now she knew, but the knowledge offered her no comfort. Instead it made her sad and ashamed. All the times she had complained to Ray about her family, and he'd not once said a word. She wondered what he had thought of her petty complaints, and felt her cheeks burn. At that moment, she wanted to take back every word she'd ever uttered about her parents.
"Hey! Isn't that Ray's friend?" Emily said, thankfully interrupting her downward spiral of self-pity.
Neela looked where she pointed in time to see Brett crossing the street to the café. He had his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his green fatigue jacket. The hood of the black sweatshirt he wore under it was pulled up over his head, but Neela recognized him instantly. It was hard not to. In this neighborhood, he stuck out like a sore thumb. Especially with the darkened bruise and split lip she could see as he neared. They watched as he yanked open the door to the restaurant and stomped inside. No one even glanced up as he stood just inside the door and scanned the seats, pushing the hood from his head. He froze when he saw Neela and his expression darkened further when he saw Emily across from her. Without a word, he spun on his heel and beat a hasty retreat from the café.
"Stay here," Neela said quickly as she slid from the booth.
"But…"
"Just wait here for our order. I'll be right back."
Without waiting for a reply, Neela chased him out of restaurant. She called his name but he didn't acknowledge her. When she finally caught up with him, she grabbed his arm to make him look at her.
"Just wait a minute," she said quickly when he jerked his arm away and began to walk away.
"Whatever you have to say," he threw over his shoulder, "I don't want to hear it."
"You don't understand…" she began, keeping pace with him.
"No, I don't," he shot back, turning finally to face her. "All I know is that my best friend is acting like a psycho. What happened last night isn't any different than we've done any other given night. He was out of line."
"Perhaps a little," Neela admitted, "But he had his reasons."
"He hit me! That was just…"
"She's his sister," Neela said suddenly, cutting him off.
His face went slack with shock and he looked back at the café as if he could see Emily through the walls.
"His little sister," she said, emphasizing "little". "But then, you buggers should have know that she was too young to be doing what you were encouraging."
He actually cringed when he looked at her.
"How 'little' are we talking?" he asked carefully.
"Fourteen."
He dropped his head to stare at his shoes and groaned. He ran both hands through his hair and paced away with his hands jammed deep in his pockets.
"Fourteen?" he asked, his face suddenly pale.
"Yes. But then, you should have seen that."
He blew out a breath and gave her a sheepish look.
"We were drinking," he said, remorse coloring every syllable. "She just showed up…we thought she was a fan…"
"Drinking is only an excuse, and you very well know it," she said sharply. "You didn't even think to ask her name? Her age?"
He shook his head.
"No. No, we didn't." He touched his lip gingerly and winced. "Christ, what a mess."
"Yes, it is, but it can be fixed."
He shook his head, looking at everything but her.
"I'm not so sure about that."
"He was angry," Neela said slowly, leaning to look him in the eye. "What would you feel if you came home and found your friends slobbering over your baby sister?"
His face turned to stone, before he laughed nervously.
"I'd kill 'em," he said ruefully.
"Now do you understand?" Neela asked more kindly. She and Brett had butted heads from time to time, but she knew that he was Ray's best friend. She wouldn't get in the way of that. From what she could see, Ray needed all the friends he could get. And deep down, Brett wasn't such a bad sort. He was just a pain in the neck occasionally.
"Yeah, I get it," he said. "But I'm not so sure that Ray will be overjoyed to see me again."
"Why don't you have lunch with us?" she said. "Then come back to the apartment and wait for him. Perhaps then you can both stop acting like children and apologize."
He made a face. "Do you always have to give me a hard time?"
"Only when necessary." She smiled. "Just talk to him, Brett. What harm can it do?"
He looked at the sky then back at her.
"If he hits me again, I'm blaming you."
"Just keep your hands off his sister and all will be forgiven I'm sure."
He shook his head and fell into step beside her as she walked back to the café.
"I didn't even know he had a sister," he said. "Hell, I wasn't even sure that he had family. He's so weird about his past."
"What did he tell you?"
"It varies depending on his mood," he said with a snort. "We just got used to not knowing. One day he's from Philly, the next his mom's in Florida." He pulled the door open for her. "I stopped asking, because it's not that big a deal."
Neela glanced at him and nodded. She knew exactly what he was saying. Ray was just…Ray. Until last night, his past had not been an issue. He could keep his secrets and still just be himself. But the more she discovered, the more she came to care for him. His strength amazed her. Many would have buckled under the pressures he had faced in childhood. Ray, however had taken what he'd been given and made a life for himself in spite of his beginnings.
"I understand," she said. He followed her as she made her way to the table where Emily waited. The food had come while she was gone, and Emily was enthusiastically munching on fries loaded with ketchup.
"You remember Brett don't you, Emily?"
Emily's face went red and she swallowed hard.
"Hi," she said hesitantly.
"How's it going?" he answered, sliding into the booth beside Neela. The look he gave her made Neela smile, and she hid it behind her hand. She knew what he was thinking. Are you sure this is Ray's sister?
"Fine." Emily frowned. "What happened to your face?"
Brett gave Neela a dark look from the corner of his eye, and she quickly looked elsewhere.
"I wasn't watching what I was doing," he said reaching over tosnag a menu. "Ran into a door."
"Good job there, genius," she said, and turned her attention back to her food.
The look on his face was priceless, and Neela couldn't hold it in anymore. Brett scowled at her as she giggled
"She's Ray's sister all right," he said dryly and began to read the menu.
"It's frightening, isn't it?"