Freaky Cousins and Past Wounds (B)

I was so thankful when we pulled into my Dad's house. Dad stopped the car at the entrance and turned to me.

"James believes you spent the night at your Uncle's because you missed Tyler. Nick dropped by with the stuff you got from..." He didn't finish that statement and turned to Antonio instead. "Lucy's here, she knows about yesterday. What did you see?" Antonio quickly put up a hand to his cheek, looking down.

"She's in a bad mood, I'll definitely get slapped."

"Then I guess I'll try to slow her down while you make a run for it." Dad said with a grin. I was like, totally confused. What were they talking about?

"Too late, she's coming." I looked up at the entrance and Aunt Luciana was really coming towards us; James was behind her. That wasn't important; what I wanted to understand was, how could Antonio know that when he's been looking down?!

"Seriously, Claire, not now." He snapped at me. Uhm, excuse me?

"I didn't even say anything." He turned to give me a bored look.

"You know you don't have to."

"I..."

"Claire! Get down already." James swung open my door and was already pulling me out of the car. I got down and picked him up for a hug, blowing raspberries on his neck that got him squealing in laughter.

"Did you miss me?"

"Not much. Abigail stayed with me the whole time! I had so much fun; she even let me stay a little past my bedtime and she..." I zoned out. What's that woman's problem? Why wouldn't she just leave my family alone?

"How's Jane?"

"She's..."

"James, let's go call Abby." Dad interrupted, taking James from me. His eyes kept darting to Aunt Luciana and I understood; he didn't want James to see Antonio get hit. That's if Antonio could see the future and know his Mom would hit him.

"Okay!" Dad left with James, stopping only to whisper something to Aunt Luciana. She came to me first. Antonio was still in the car.

"Claire, how are you? Are you hurt?"

"Strangely, no. But I could swear my arm was broken yesterday." She didn't bat an eyelash.

"I'm glad you're okay." Hello? Didn't she hear what I just said? She just gave me a quick hug and headed for the car, literally dragging Antonio out.

"What did you see?" She asked, finally showing her anger. Why do they keep asking that anyway?

"That I'll get slapped?"

"Exactly! But I won't do it. It's enough that you know just how upset and disappointed I am in you." Antonio didn't respond, he looked away at nothing in particular.

"Antonio, this isn't a game. Your cousin could have gotten badly hurt. I entrusted you with looking after her, so did your Uncle and... My point is, you could have done better. You have the advantage of knowing what would happen before..."

"No, I don't. Jacey obviously saw it but she didn't say anything to me. I handled it how best I could at the moment. She's fine now, isn't she?" Antonio was annoyed, I could tell. But I had no idea what they were talking about. Sure it was about the incident at Frank's, but I couldn't read between the lines. I just stood there, feeling like a big lunatic. My family is clearly messed up.

"Yes, but what about next time? If something like this..."

"It won't happen again and even if it does, I won't be responsible because I give up. Why don't you entrust it to Jacey? She's obviously the advanced one." He made to walk away but his Mom stopped him.

"You're older than them and you're a boy; It should be you. Come on, I know Claire means a lot to you too and you're trying your best. I'm not trying to make you give up, I just want you to do more." Did they forget I was standing right there?

"I'm sorry, I'll do better next time." He said and turned to me, finally acknowledging that I exist.

"You're one funny person." He said with a smile, then he turned back to his Mom. "Why didn't you answer?"

"Because your Dad is the last person I want to ever talk to." Uhm, what now?

"Until everything is final, you can't ignore his calls." Antonio exhaled. "Don't worry, I'll call him. Uncle Matt's off the phone now, you can go talk to him."

"Oh!" She touched his cheek and with one last smile to me, she walked back into the house. I was left alone with my freaky cousin.

"It's more than that." He muttered, searching through his phone.

"Wha...?" The loud grumbling of my stomach caught me off.

"You should get some breakfast, you haven't eaten since your last breakfast." Oh, that's right.

"Yeah, it is." He replied to my thoughts. Oddly, I was getting used to it. That earned me a smile from him.

"I'll make bacon and eggs. You're in, right?"

"Yeah, but I'd like more bread than any other thing." He put the phone to his ear. That was my cue to leave.

"No problem."

I heard him say "Dad" before I entered the house.

I first made my way to the kitchen to make breakfast. I had to plead with the cook so much that I had to promise that I'll be very careful before she could let me make breakfast myself. She stood aside for a while as I fried the bacon but when she saw I was being extra careful, she gave up and left.

I was almost done making enough bacon and eggs for Antonio and I when Jacey came into the kitchen, still in her PJs and looking very sleepy.

"Could you make more of those for me?" She said breathlessly as she jumped on a stool.

"Of course! After you were so kind as to heal my burnt palms, this is the least I can do for you." I said, taunting. She just gave me a bored look.

"You'd have to do way better than that if you're trying to pry for answers." I began making more food for her.

"I don't know how you did it, but thank you." She didn't say anything; her eyes were half closed, as if she was totally concentrating on something. I shrugged and focused on my task. My cousins were freaky, I just had to accept it.

"We're not freaky, stop saying that." Antonio said as he came into the kitchen. He didn't even say anything to Jacey, rather he took a stool opposite hers and turned a dark gaze to me, waiting for my answer.

"It's not my fault you can read my mind. If you don't want to get hurt, then don't read my mind!"

"You don't get it. If you think we're freaks, then you're one too. You're our family, remember?"

"But I'm not like you. You healed my broken arm, Jacey healed my burnt hands and you two can read minds." Antonio opened his mouth ready to answer me, but then he shut his mouth and looked away from me. What?! Just when I'm so close to getting answers.

"What did Thomas say?" Jacey asked him. He ignored her. I dished the food in plates and gave them theirs; then I sat down to mine.

"I asked, what did Thomas say?" Antonio ignored her totally. I didn't know who Thomas was but if she was referring to who he spoke to on the phone, then it should be their Dad. Was Jacey calling their Dad by his first name?

"Will you stop it?" Antonio snapped at her for no reason. Jacey had a little satisfied smirk on her face. I didn't even know what was going on; as far as I could tell, she didn't do anything to him. Oh! Maybe he was reading her mind.

"What did Thomas say?" She asked again.

"Maybe if you put it more respectfully, I might answer it."

"What did our dear Thomas say?" Jacey said, batting her eyelashes like a comic character.

"Dad!... Said that we need to come home as soon as possible to get everything over with and he's upset you and Mom won't take his calls."

"He'd better not call me anymore or I'd say..."

"He's still your Dad." Antonio interrupted.

"My Dad? I would rather be an orphan than..."

"Jacey!" Antonio snapped angrily.

"I hate him! He's going to let that tramp throw us out into the streets and you...! You're no different from him. I hate you more!" Blinking back her tears, Jacey turned around and stormed out of the kitchen, her food was untouched.

Okay, that happened.