She glanced back at me. “Yeah!” She cheered with her hand up in the air. “Fuck him!”
I didn’t falter. “Fuck you too, Mom.”
Slightly wincing, she shrugged. “At least you called me Mom.”
I regretted it instantly. “You know what, you’re right,Melody.”
“Kraven,” she stressed. “That’s enough!”
Not surprisingly in the least, Julius bit out, “It’s not nearly enough!”
He made his way into the kitchen with Isla not far behind him. Relief quickly washed over her expression. Isla was dressed in his sweats, but in my hoodie. It was the same black one she’d gotten all bloody.
Reading my mind, or maybe I made a face, she mumbled, “I need to catch up on laundry.”
“Is that my influence?” I whispered back.
She smirked. “More like consequence.”
“Of you keeping my hoodie?” I teased, needing to take a break from the bullshit we were currently living.
All in front of the woman who abandoned us and was now back, acting as if it had never happened, pretending she’d been there this entire time.
Winking at her, I rasped, “Looks better on you anyway.”
Isla hid a smile while Julius bellowed, “What the hell are you doing, Melody?”
She grimaced.
It was the first time I’d ever heard him call her that. He must have been eavesdropping on our conversation. Waiting for what, who knew…
It didn’t stop her audacity to run over to him and hug him. “Please, don’t be angry…”
He stood firm on his stance, not batting an eye. This wasn’t our first rodeo with her in situations when we were pissed or disappointed in her. At that point, it was part of our family dynamic.
Family...
It rolled off my mind so damn easily.
Julius was always strong. Aside from anger, he was never one to show much emotion, except for Isla. Kind of like Joe was with Melody, only she had the power to ruin him, and trust me, she did it more often than not.
This was the game she played. She was a melody that was somewhere between heaven and hell, especially to the people who loved her.
With his hands clenching into fists at his sides, he reminded her, “Was slamming the door in your face yesterday not enough of a warning to stay away from this house?”
“But look,” she let him go, gesturing to me. “Look who I got out.”
“I told you,” he stated. “We didn’t need your help.”
“Wait a second,” I chimed in. “You didn’t?—”
“No.” Julius cut me off.
I pointed at her. “Then how did you know?”
“Kraven, Julius,” she enticed. “I just want to help. It’s what moms do.”
“You want to help?” Julius moved at the speed of light, rushing to the garage door to open it. In one solid breath, he ordered, “You can start by leaving and going to hell.”
