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Chapter 4

I woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon and found Dad and Seth in the kitchen eating.

"Smells good, Dad," I mumbled fixing a plate.

"Hmm-mm," he nodded.

"Do you live here Seth?" I mumbled as he piled more pancakes onto his plate.

"We always have someone from the – uh, yes I do," he swallowed.

"Oh my god, this tastes amazing," I chewed, afraid to ask where Jake was. Had he and Dad gotten into it like him and me?

"Thank you. You're welcome," Paul walked in from the back door, shirtless and sweaty.

"Do you even own a shirt?" I sneered.

"Do you own a hair brush?" he shot back with a smirk.

I stayed silent as he picked up empty plates and started the sink. I finally moved when he turned his back and I caught Dad staring at Paul with the same look Seth had last night.

"Just so you know, I'm taking a shower so I'll be in the bathroom," I announced, placing my empty plate on the counter. Paul stared at me as I backed away, and I couldn't read his expression. It bothered me a lot.

I practically ran out of the kitchen and grabbed my Tahitian moonflower body wash. When I saw the shiny new doorknob in the bathroom door, I felt like an idiot. Still I double checked the lock…

When I got out of the shower, I found Paul in my old bedroom on the floor digging for something under my bed.

"Um hello," I stood by the door afraid to move any closer.

"Sorry," he glanced at me. "I'm just getting all of my stuff out of here for you."

"Oh, you don't have to, really. I won't be here for too long…"

"In the house? Or the rez?" he asked, sitting up to look at me.

"Well I'm not…" I bit my lip, unsure. I didn't know what I was going to do.

"You should stick around. It'll be good for Billy. Rebecca's in Hawaii and Jake's at Dartmouth. He's got no-"

"Jake's where?" My stomach dropped.

"His girlfriend goes to Dartmouth and he's living over there, working in a garage."

"Oh… they're that serious?"

"He's going to marry her," he shrugged.

"Wow…" Rebecca had been keeping me somewhat up to date, but I hadn't known any of this. I had no idea who Jacob even was now.

"Hey I think Billy needs you in the kitchen," he smiled, standing up with a pile of clothes in his arms. I stared at him for a moment before turning around. I'd never seen him smile before. I mean I must have before – a long time ago. Though from what I remembered, he wasn't really a happy kid.

"Okay okay, what's 7 + 3?" Dad asked in a light voice. I turned into the kitchen to see him talking to a laptop and it responded in a squeaky voice.

"Ten! That one was easy Grandpa. Gimme a hard one!"

"Okay here's a tough one… 1 + 3 + 5…"

"What? Three numbers? You can't do that!"

"1 + 3 + 5… you can do it Joey."

I watched as Dad stared at the small screen with careful patience and amazement, and I edged my way to peek at the little boy on the screen.

"One… four… nine," he muttered. "Nine! It's nine! Mom?" he looked at me, I hadn't realized that I was in view of the web cam. "Wait no…. Aunt Rachel!"

"Hey Joe, how's it going?"

"It's going commendably!" he smiled.

"Oh commendably? Still enjoying that word of the day subscription I signed you up for."

"Yeah today's word was mu-muss-sitate," he stammered.

"And what does that mean?"

"It means when you move your lips to sound like lip singing," he explained.

"Joseph, why are you yelling? What are you doing on the computer?" My voice sounded from the speakers, but it wasn't me.

"Mom, it's Aunt Rachel. She's at Grandpa's house."

"What?" Rebecca bent down to look at the screen. "Oh… hey…"

"Hey…" I glared at her.

"Ooooh, she's mad at you," Joey laughed.

"What?" Dad asked, reminding me he was there.

"That's what Momma looks like when she's mad at Daddy," he giggled.

"Joey, go play outside."

"But it's still dark out…"

"Then you should stop waking up so early."

"Stop making me go to bed so early," he argued.

"Just go," she moved him out of the chair. "I swear that boy…"

"Reminds me a lot of someone…" Dad laughed.

"I never was like that."

"No, Rachel was…"

"Oh please don't say that…" she sighed.

"Hey, watch it," I interjected.

"Well, look at the two of you…. Still alive and not yelling," Rebecca tried.

"Considering we have a common interest now, we get along," I rolled my eyes at her.

"You do?"

"We hate Doug," Dad answered.

"Oh, so how long are you staying there?" she asked the million dollar question.

"I – I don't know. I have to find a job and a place and a -"

"She's staying as long as she wants to," Dad nodded.

"But I rather just start a new life as quick as I can…" I wanted this part of my life to be over as soon as possible.

"Rachel, it's been less than a week, you, what? Have been home for a day. Take a break, relax and – Dad cover your ears."

"What"

"Cover your ears," she ordered and Dad complied sighing. "And go to Port Angeles and get laid," her voice dropped.

"Rebecca!"

"Trust me, you need to get some release. When -"

"What are you-" Dad questioned, putting his hands down.

"was the last time you had sex?"

"Oh! I need to leave," he pushed away from the table. "I know a guy Girlie-girl…"

"Dad!" I gasped. I did not need my father getting me laid.

"I meant real estate! I'll tell him you're looking for a place," he yelled going out the front porch.

"Dad you don't have to…" I tried, as he wheeled out of the house.

"Girlie girl?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh boy, you guys talk and make up?"

"Sort of, if you call falling onto his lap and crying myself into a coma… And there's this guy – this guy just rubs me the wrong way. He's sooo… smug and annoying and arrogant," I ranted.

"Oh… well maybe you don't have to go to Port Angeles…"

"What?"

"Maybe he could rub you the right way."

"What!"

"Just ask him. He'll do it. We're very attractive."

"Rebecca, you don't even know who I'm talking about."

"Who is it?" she asked excited.

"Seth Clearwater," I deadpanned.

"Oh little Seth? You're having problems with him? But you have an itch and he can certainly scratch it."

"Ew no! It's not even him, Becca. It's Paul Lahote. Paul Lahote! He is so ugh, and then he was really… nice to me this morning… Ugh."

"You're right. You should just stay away from Paul Lahote," she agreed quickly.

"I should?" I looked at her confused. "I should though."

Right, I should stay away from Paul Lahote.

AN: slowly getting there

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