The first thing I heard when I woke were whispers. "Mmph," I groaned, trying to rub my head. My hands wouldn't move.
"Aunt Stephanie?" whispered a voice.
"Shut up, you're going to get us in trouble," whispered another.
"Both of you, stop. Ms. Plum-"
"Shh, I think someone's coming-"
A door opened, then crashed shut loudly. Footsteps came closer and closer to me.
"Open your eyes, Stephanie," commanded a voice.
I opened them to find five very bright lights shining at me. I slammed them shut again.
Asshole.
"Now, Ms. Stephanie, I wouldn't want to have to harm you in front of your neices," the voice said. "I'm going to tell you one more time, open your eyes."
Very slowly, I opened them. My eyes adjusted very slowly, until I was looking into the eyes of Andy Martinez.
"You know," I mumbled, my voice giving away the fact that I was still very drugged, "You looked a lot better as a clown."
I saw Martinez's palm make contact with my face, but I didn't feel it until a few seconds later. "Ouch," I slurred, trying again to move my hand. "That was mean."
Martinez looked at me for a moment, then turned his head and yelled at an unseen companion, "What the hell did you give her?"
I cringed at the sudden increased level of volume. "No noise, no noise," I groaned. "Noise hurts."
"Good," Martinez said. More to himself than to me, he added, "At least that means she's feeling something." He turned back to his companion. "Get something to sober her up. Now."
"Aww," I sulked, "I don't want to be sober."
Martinez looked at me again, then back at his companion. "PRONTO!"
He turned and joined his friend, leaving me and the kids in the room.
"Geeze," I groaned, turning my eyes to the girls, "Is he always that grumpy?"
They just stared at me.
"Fine," I grunted, lying back down. "I'm taking a nap now."
Without another word, I was out.
When I came to, the first thing I saw were..
my neices!
"Angie!" I yelled. "Mary Alice, Lisa!" I was uncuffed and able to use my arms now, I discovered, as I pushed my hair out of my eyes.
"Aunt Stephanie!" the girls exclaimed, seeing that I was un-drugged. Mary Alice ran at me and immediately embraced me, wrapping her legs around my waist and holding on for dear life. Angie, who was holding Lisa, took slightly longer, but as soon as she handed me Lisa, she attached herself as well. After embracing my own family for almost five minutes, we disengaged and I turned to Tia's children.
"Hello, Ms. Stephanie," Tia's son whispered. He had his arm around his little sister, who was sucking nervously on her thumb.
"Hello, Chris," I said, remembering the little boy's name. "And Lissie." I smiled at the little girl, who held her arms out for me to pick her up.
Now, I've never been a big fan of kids at all, but the minute that baby so innocently put her trust into my hands like that, in just that little motion, made my heart melt. I decided right then that I wanted a baby.
"Hi, Stephanie," said Adriel, who stood behind Chris. I picked up Lissie and cradled her like I'd seen Valerie do with Lisa. I did the same with Lisa on the other hand. Lula would definately never believe the sight I was right then.
"Adriel," I said, knowing she would be the most aware of all, "Fill me in on everything. Have they been treating you okay?"
"We're fine. They've asked us questions about you and my dad, but we've always acted dumb. They tried to threaten me, but I acted like I didn't know, and they eventually gave up. They give us diapers for the babies, and feed us twice a day. We each took a bath last night, but that's the first time they've let us."
I was so relieved I almost fell to the floor. I had prayed that the men wouldn't abuse the children, whether it be physically or sexually, but when you're dealing with a psycho who loves to dress up as a clown, you never know what to expect.
"Here they come," Mary Alice said softly. Immediately after, the huge concrete door opened.
"Welcome back to the world, Ms. Stephanie," said Andy Martinez.
"Thanks," I said. I cringed when I remembered my clown comment.
"I'd like you to meet someone.. Eric?"
Behind Martinez entered the same companion from before.. with the features of a person that I knew very well.
My jaw dropped. "What.. what.."
"Hello, Stephanie," said Eric. "You should probably take a seat, we have a lot of talking to do."
I dimly sat down on the ground with both babies in my lap. Mary Alice, Angie, and Chris sat down beside me, while Adriel walked to the farthest corner to get away from the men.
"Who.." I drifted off, staring at the man. "Who are you?"
"Eric Manoso," Eric said.
"Manoso?" I had a dreaded feeling in my stomach.
"Manoso," said Adriel from the far corner. I turned to face her, to find her glaring at Eric with disgust. "Can you believe this asshole is my uncle? Some uncle, huh."
"Uncle.." I turned back to Eric. "You're Ranger's brother?"
Eric Manoso nodded.
"I thought.." I thought back to when I had first met Carla.
He flashed me a full on grin. "Dinner with my family won't kill you, Babe."
Oh yeah? One Ranger is scary enough.
I wonder if they're are any more guys..
"I have two sisters and three brothers," he said calmly.
I looked at Eric. "Two sisters and three brothers."
He nodded. "Carla, me, Diego, Ric, Tia, Tony. Carla was always the bitch of the family, so it's really no wonder that she's a lawyer now. Diego and I were best friends, Ric was the badass wanna-be that never missed an episode of GI Joe, Tia was the ballerina pink-loving prep, and Tony was.." he drifted off. "Tony was just there. I'm surprised Ricky ever even admitted that he had three brothers. They tend to forget to send me invitations to all the family reunions, it seems.." Eric shot me a grin. "So now you know who I am. Any other questions?"
"Why are you doing this to your family?"
Eric's eyes narrowed. "Because they deserve it," he hissed. "You see, I hate my family, and I have every reason in the world to."
"But.. why?"
I struggled to understand this man's logic.. what had they done to make him so mad?
"I was born," Adriel said from behind me. I turned to find that she had been walking closer to us the entire conversation.
"Exactly," growled Eric. "She-" he pointed at Adriel "Was born."
I looked from Eric, to Adriel, to Martinez, who seemed bored with the entire thing. "You see," he said to me whilst examining his cuticles nonchalantly, "Adriel's mother, Rina, was Eric's fiancee when Adriel was born."
It took a few minutes to settle in, but when it did, my eyes widened.
"Yep," Eric said, his eyes narrowed, "my brother, my flesh and blood brother had been fucking my fiancee the entire time. And what's more.. I was more than willing to be Adriel's surrogate father.. but no, Rina had to throw five years down the drain and marry my brother because he was the father of a baby that should never have been there in the FIRST PLACE!"
At the last part, Eric slammed his fist into the wall.
The act strongly reminded me of Ranger's reaction when he found out Martinez was back in town.
"Wait a minute.." I said softly, thinking back.
"He knows I have a daughter," he said finally. "And it's too coincidental that he happens to show up here the same day as my daughter does."
My eyes widened. The fucker wanted Adriel.
"Why does he want to get to you so bad?" I asked.
This time, Ranger shook his head. "I can't tell you that," he said.
"The way Ranger talked, it sounded like it was Martinez that wanted Adriel.. but that wasn't it at all.." I turned from Eric, to Martinez, back to Eric. "You're the one that wanted Adriel."
Both men nodded. "So why are you here?" I asked Martinez. "What does Adriel have to do with you?"
Martinez smiled. "I was waiting on you to ask that. You see, I have no business with Adriel. My business is with Mr. Diego Manoso, myself. When Eric approached me telling me that he was after a Manoso, I figured I would join in. Two together are stronger than indivudals."
Diego? "Why are you after Diego?"
Martinez's phony smile disappeared. "That's a story for another day," he said. He and Eric glanced at each other, and I began to get an icky feeling in my stomach.
"Ms. Stephanie," Martinez said, his voice soft and full of danger, "You see, believe it or not, Eric and I have certain morals that we won't cross. We will not hurt children, that's one of our morals. However.." as he stopped talking I felt a strong hand grasp my upper arm. I began to struggle as he moved closer to me. "However," he continued, "You are a different story."
"No," I yelled, but it was hopeless. Eric alone could control me with one hand, both men had me completely overpowered. I gave the yelling, screaming, and crying kids a comforting look, but as I was rushed out of the room, I couldn't help the fear that spread quicker than wildfire.
Last chapter for now.. I'm working on the other, though, so don't hurt me yet..
-Amber-
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