Page 72 of Lucy
“Lucy!” Abel boomed.
“Leave her alone, Abel,” I sighed. “She’s right. Lauren was being a cunt.”
“What?” She gasped like the word cunt could have never come out of my mouth. She should have known that twins are twins no matter what. Just because there’s a good one and a bad one doesn’t mean they’re not still alike.
“You heard her. You’re being an uppity fucking cunt. Nobody asked you to be here but like a bird, you show up where there’s food.”
“Lucy,” Chase called quietly. She moved his hand off her knee under the table and stood.
“Lauren, we need to talk,” Abel said, standing to his feet.
“Let him save you from an ass whooping before it’s too late. You already know I’m about that life, bird.”
“You’re so immature. Fighting doesn’t make you brave.”
“When she’s fighting for someone she loves it does,” Chase spoke up and folded his arms.
“Lauren. Let me talk to you. Now.” Abel’s voice left no room for disobedience. I noticed Lucy fidget a bit at his tone. I guess it had a weird big brother effect on her.
Once Lauren and Abel were upstairs, Chase exhaled and pulled Lucy on his lap. Was it bad that I wanted to watch his huge, bulky body doing disgusting things to my sister? I wanted Chase to have a brother.
“I can’t be around her.” Lucy was still buzzing from the close encounter with Lauren. She was seconds away from beating her ass and I felt it.
“I don’t think Abel should have let her stay,” I said.
“I don’t think Abel should be with her.”
“You’re right about that.” We all paused to listen to them arguing upstairs and when Lucy popped out of Chase’s lap. He yanked her right back down.
“Let them fight.”
“No, I’m not letting her talk to Abel any kind of way while I’m sitting here.”
“He’s yourbrother…let him handle himself.” One of Chase’s hands held down both of her thighs.
“Well, I’m not going to sit here as long as she’s in this house. If I do, I’m going to end up bashing her face in.”
“Let me go talk to Abel, Luce. Sit.” I knew if she went upstairs to say goodbye it wouldn’t come out diplomatically at all. I was the logical twin. Logic wasn’t Lucy’s strong suit.
I paused in front of Abel’s bedroom and knocked a few times. The voices inside quieted down and he opened the door. “Hey, we’re gonna leave. Luce doesn’t feel comfortable around…” I glanced inside so I didn’t have to say her name. She really was becoming a strain on our family. I didn’t know how long it was going to take Abel to get her out of his system but I wished he’d hurry up.
“Are you serious? So everyone is going to leave in the middle of dinner?”
“We can go back to my place and whenever you have time, you can come by.” I looked inside at Lauren again and Abel hung his head.
“Nora, please don’t leave. I don’t want you guys to leave. We were having a great time until…”
“Until your girlfriend decided it would be a good idea to show up uninvited and then insult Hush. Listen, Abel, we love you but this is going to start pushing us away from you. Maybe it’s time for some self-evaluation. Come over if you can get away.”
“Nora…” He called as I turned away. I didn’t stop because I knew Abel’s sad eyes would be looking back at me. I went back downstairs and started putting the food away from dinner.
“What did Abel say?” Lucy asked.
“He doesn’t want us to go but at this point, I’m tired of you having to fight with Lauren around every corner. It’s stupid. You were well within your right to stand up for Chase but it’s exhausting and eventually, I’m going to have to step in and…”
“It’ll be a Lucy and Nora beat down like when we were little,” Lucy remembered fondly.
“I bet you two have some stories,” Chase took the food from my hands and started putting it away.
