A new morning

Scott woke up early, his dreams had been messed up, Suzie and him doing things, then she turned into Amanda, who then turned into a vampire, turned him into a vampire as well and then he ate something that looked like a small horse? It was not a good night.

He grabbed his sweat pants and a sweat shirt and checked outside. It was wet, but not raining so he went for a run to clear his head.

Chances are he’d need to talk to someone about last night. At least the Carters, Suzie’s mom and dad needed to know what went on in case Sandra tried something.

“Shit.” Leaving the house early in the morning didn’t exactly look innocent if she caused trouble right away. He had an image of cop cars pulling up on him while he was running. He thought quick and logged into his social media account and linked his run to it.

He was panicking, and most likely overreacting, but he’d seen guys’ lives ruined over less.

“Damnit, Suzie, of course you’d have a piece of shit friend.” But Scott had to admit that in Franklin, it wasn’t easy to find someone who wasn’t screwed up, mean or just plain trash.

His run helped him relax, but not like usual, the cloud of Sandra hanging over him sucked. He loved the Carters, they were a second family to him, they had been there for him when his actual family wasn’t. But he had to wonder if staying at that house was a mistake.

Scott laughed; ‘actual family’ was an interesting concept when none of the family you were willing to talk to was related to you.

He turned back, the sun was coming up and Mr. Carter would be getting up to make coffee. He might as well go back and find out what was happening.

Sandra’s truck was gone when he returned, he couldn’t remember if it was there when he left or not. He went in the front door quietly, hoping to hear something before alerting everyone to his presence. He was not disappointed.

“I feel like such an idiot.” Came Suzie’s voice.

“Well, that’s not fully unjustified.” Mrs. Carter answered.

“Mom. . .” Suzie was crying.

“Look Suzie, we all do dumb stuff, and you pulled a doozy last night. Feeling like an idiot is part of it.”

“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?”

“I don’t think it’s that bad love.”

“Mom, I threw myself, and my friend at him, and he shot us down like we were annoying brats.”

“Frankly, you should be glad he did, Scott’s a good man, he’s not going to go for a situation like that.”

Suzie just cried.

“What I don’t understand is why you did it Suze? What made you think that was a good idea?”

“Oh mom, I. . . Have you met his family?”

“Oh, I know his family, trust me.”

“His cousin is gorgeous, his aunt is gorgeous, his mom is gorgeous, and they aren’t even related to him. And Jenn, he’s got all these beautiful women around him and I’m trying my best to compete but he just sees me as little Suzie.”

“And that’s why you pulled that stunt?”

“I just wanted him to see me as a woman, and not a little girl.”

Scott leaned against the wall of the doorway, it was shitty to stand here listening to Suzie like this, but he wanted to hear what she said, he needed to know what was going on.

The Carter women were silent for a minute before Mrs. Carter continued.

“You remember when you read Romeo and Juliet in 8th grade.”

“Yeah.”

“And what did you think of it?”

“They were dumb, they died because they overreacted to everything and didn’t trust each other.”

He could picture the look Mrs. Carter was giving Suzie, the ‘waiting for captain obvious’ look. He’d seen it before, and even had it directed at him a few times.

“Oh God, I did it didn’t I.”

“Yeah, love, you did.”

Suzie started crying even harder.

“I just wanted a chance.”

“You know he likes you, it’s obvious to all of us. But Suzie, you’re eighteen, and Scott’s a twenty-two-year-old man who has been in the military, was married for three years and he's divorced. You are at very different places in your lives. Scott knows he’s not in a good place to start a serious relationship and he’s not likely to start one with you just to have it end poorly.”

“Mom, what are you talking about?” Suzie said. “I know I’d be a rebound girlfriend for Scott, I’m planning on going to New York in four months, you think I want a long-distance boyfriend, or that I’d ask him to move to New York with me? I’m not looking for something serious, I just. . . I want to have fun with him.”

“Suzanne Carter.”

“Mom, I was crazy about him when he was a cute, sweet nerd. Now look at him.”

“I know Suzie, I have eyes.”

“I just want him to. . .”

Scott couldn’t let it go further, so he opened the door loudly and acted like he was coming in.

“Scott is that you?”

He walked into the room, Mrs. Carter was sitting at the breakfast counter, Suzie next to her, tear stains on her now bright red face, her eyes wide.

“Yeah, went for a run, is everything okay?”

“Well I hear you had quite a night.” Mrs. Carter said, leading him.

“Yeah, is Sandra okay? I think she had too much to drink.”

“Suzie told us everything, Scott, Sandra is not welcome in this house anymore, and I’m proud of you, that couldn’t have been easy to deal with.”

Scott didn’t know what to say.

“Oh my God, did she scratch you?” Mrs. Carter got up and looked at his face closely.

“Yeah, when I carried her out of my room.”

Suzie started walking over to him. “I’m so sorry Scott.”

“It’s not your fault Suzie, you aren’t responsible for her actions.”

“No Scott, I called her over, we planned that game, trying to. . . you know. . .”

“I’m going to get something for those scratches.” Mrs. Carter said and hurried off to the bathroom.

"Were you a part of her coming to my room?"

"No, I found out when she came back. She woke me up swearing."

"Then there's no problem between us."

"Are you sure?"

“Suzie, honestly, I’m flattered by the attention, but. . .”

“I’m just little Suzie, your best friend’s sister.”

Scott scowled at her. “Stop putting words in my mouth. I can see you are grown up Suzie, I’m just don’t know what I want right now, and I’m not going to start something with you only to turn around and go in a different direction.”

“Like Jenn?”

“Honestly? Yeah.”

Suzie took hold of Scott’s hand. “I don’t need all that Scott, I just want to have fun with you, ride on your bike, go to your spots, but I want to do more than just talk when we get there.”

Her mother came back in and Suzie went to her bedroom.

“You two okay?”

“I think so?”

Mrs. Carter directed Scott to a stool and started putting some kind of cream on his scrapes.

“Mrs. Carter?”

“Yes Scott?”

“Would you have a problem with me and Suzie. . . you know. . .”

“Hooking up?”

“Yeah.”

Mrs. Carter laughed. “I might get a little jealous, but I’d get over it.”

“I’m serious.”

“We trust you Scott, and Suzie’s an adult, you don’t need to ask permission.”

“Okay.”

Mrs. Carter released his face and looked at him.

“There, all done. Make me one promise, Scott?”

“What is it?”

She leaned in and whispered. “If you fuck my daughter, do it right. Give me a reason to be jealous.”

Scott looked at her, shocked.

Mrs. Carter laughed. “Oh your face Scott, it’s too much.”

Scott just shook his head, then headed to the basement.

“Wouldn’t mind a grand kid or two either.” She said, then started laughing all over again.