Declaration

Anger's a weird concept. Like, think about it, it's really just making yourself ill in retaliation for something someone did to you. It doesn't resolve anything, it doesn't mean anything, it's just our brain hammering home how much we don't like something. You know the really weird thing about anger? It's entirely social. it's a signal that we're displeased for others. Anger in isolation is meaningless, trees falling in the woods and all that. Besides, without other people what would there be to be angry about? The rest of the world works on logic, it's people that frustrate it. I know this. Everyone knows this deep down. So why is the feeling so overwhelming?

My feelings are apparently shared, as before I can say anything, the sound of a slap across my father's face rings out through the room.

Elise's face has changed instantly, the joy she had in her eyes replaced with righteous fury. Hi there, old friend, it's been a while. She lowers her hand following her strike, but the venom exuding from her definitely hits just as hard. Ashley strokes his cheek while my mother's hands zoom to her face to cover her shock. It was a pretty instantaneous response, I'm guessing my girlfriend has been wanting to do that for a while.

"And you are?" Ashley asks nonchalantly.

"None of your business, you son of a bitch." I growl in response. What the Hell is he doing here?

"Scarlet!" My mother yells pleadingly, her face looks desperate for me to listen. Fine, I'll listen, for her, not for him. "I know... You must be upset, and you must have a lot of questions, but your father has told me he's moving back here, and... Well, you're an adult, I can't force you not to see him-"

I scoff at the thought. Why on Earth would I want to see him? "No worries there, only one question, when are you leaving?" I spit at the man.

"Sweetheart, please. I understand you're angry, but don't hate him just because I do, what he did to me isn't to do with you." Mum interjects.

She says she hates him but she's pleading his case. As ever, putting other people's needs before her own, even when she can't stand them. She wants me to form my own opinion, not just parrot hers. Here's the thing though, I hated him before I ever even knew who he was. Him cheating on my mother is just another reason to add to the pile.

"I don't know this man. I don't want to either. That's my decision. I think I speak for the others when I say that too." I state. When he'd shown up before we'd agreed not to tell Mum about it, we only told her about Jenny as something Jasper had uncovered, all involvement of the man himself was erased form the story. That's apparently something I should have kept in mind as I hear the next words from my mother's mouth.

"...How would you know what they think of him?" She asks, her tone full of suspicion.

Shit.

Because they're my siblings, I know them, that makes sense, right? I know they'd hate him because I do.

Ashley doesn't give me a chance to come up with an excuse before sighing and looking back to her. "Because... This isn't the first time we've met. We ran into each other at Hallowe'en, I tried to apologise but they wouldn't hear it, ordered me to leave." He explains. Yeah, you're the victim here. "I would have thought they'd have told you, but when I got here you were so shocked... I didn't want to reveal their secret, it wasn't my place, but it looks like the jig is up."

Well, I see where Rouge gets her manipulative talents from. Only, in his case, it makes me sick. I look to my Mum, the mixed emotions all over her face, the confusion, the betrayal, the sadness... We shouldn't have lied. It's the same thing he's doing now, twisting the truth to suit ourselves. We should've trusted her...

"I think it's time for you to leave, Ashley." Mum's voice growls. All of us turn to her in surprise, the one she's angry at is him? What? "You heard me. My children don't need to tell me everything, I trust their judgement, but they bend the truth to protect me, you twist it to make yourself look better. So get out of my house, stay away from my family, and leave us all out of your pathetic games." She orders loudly.

Ashley's expression turns to sheepishness as he stands and slowly makes his exit from the room, and then the house as I hear the door shut behind him. Elise and I look at Mum, awaiting our punishment.

"I'm sorry for hitting him." Elise blurts out. That's probably not helping, Moon, but it's a good attempt either way.

"Don't be, wish I'd done that decades ago." Mum groans, taking a seat in Jasper's chair. We follow suit and take our places on the sofa. "That man's always been nothing but trouble, I liked that when I was young, I thought it made me special. I was stupid back then, I'm smarter now." She explains. I guess that makes sense, if anyone could see through his act, it'd be Mum.

"So... There's a little bit more I need to tell you about..." I say quietly. I still need to explain everything about work...

This should be fun.

*

Mum takes the news surprisingly well, Elise looks a little conflicted, I assume she realised the reason I didn't mention this was because of all the drama yesterday. I reassure her by taking her hand. As much as I can't stand Ashley, I love her more, she'll always take priority in my mind. The rest of our afternoon is taken up by preparing dinner, but not just for us. See, it turns out the new parents had received some news of their own, Sienna had been cleared to come home. If that doesn't call form a celebratory feast then I don't know what does.

The kitchen's abuzz with Mum and Elise trading jobs back and forth while I... Help? Sort of? I mostly just wash dishes, I've not come as far with my cooking as I have with my French. I guess because cooking doesn't make Elise as horny... I think... Maybe I should practise more, just in case.

"Any news on if your sister's joining us?" Mum asks, continuing to chop vegetables.

That's a good point, I haven't heard from her all day. "I'll send her a text, but she said she was busy earlier." I reply, reaching for my phone and sending the message along. We continue with our work, and it's looking like we may have even made too much, but still no news from Rouge. Okay, now this is getting worrying. "I'm gonna call her." I announce.

I exit the kitchen and raise the phone to my ear, awaiting the response. I'm being dumb, if she's not answering texts why would she answer the-

"Hey Sis!" A cheery voice greets me.

Or she'll answer this for some reason, why not?

"Hey, I sent you a text, did you get it?" I ask. Why does she seem so chipper? Actually, probably better not to know. With those two it'll probably involve some kind of sexual manoeuvre that'll haunt my nightmares.

"My phone's been off, I haven't gone through my messages yet, what's up?" Rouge responds. Oh, okay, that makes sense. Wait, no it doesn't, what kind of committed sexual act requires your phone to be off for hours? Again, better not to know. I sigh and fill her in on the news about Sienna. "Oh, fuck yeah! We'll be there, might be a bit late, but we'll make it." She confirms.

What on Earth are they doing that could make them that late? And why do I keep asking internal questions that I don't want the answer to?

"Great, I'll tell Mum, just... have a shower first?" I request, ending the call.