TWO

Adeline

Walking back to my car, I awkwardly wedge my phone between my cheek and my shoulders, digging through my bag for my keys.

“So it went alright? You like the position?” Wesley, my boyfriend asked.

Position. What position?

“Uh..yeah.” I reply, adjusting the strap of my bag across my chest and unlocking the car door.

“Thank God babe. I was worried sick about you. I know you don't do well with certain people.”

Opening the door, I slide into the seat and wince at the slight pain I felt. I need a soak at the new place Wesley got.

“Text me the new address, Wes. I'll be coming home soon.”

“Okay I get it. You must be tired. I'll run you a bath.” He said. “But there's a bit of an issue.”

I check the screen, seeing Markie’s text come through.

Was the dick good?

Leave it to Markie to be on dick patrol. It's as if she timed it.

“But till you come back. Shuffling with online classes and your current job sounds insane but I know you can handle it.”

“Yeah whatever. I'll be home soon.” I waved him off and hung up the phone. The guilt pressed through my chest. I shouldn't have lied to Wesley about my job. I feel awful at my decision but I had no choice.

We needed money and a place to stay. It's really nice Wesley happened to secure a place for us to stay for a while. I sighed. Croix didn't say anything else. I wonder if I got in. Or not.

My father, Phil is the guy I refused to call Dad. He left my sick mother because, and I quote, ‘it just wasn't working out for me anymore’. Asshole.

Now that Mom is dead and I have no one to turn to, Phil has been trying to occupy that void like it never happened. His push for me to move here to get a job was good but I wasn't going to succumb easily.

I pull up to the address, my car engine sputtering sick sound coughs through the rusty exhaust, barely making it to my destination as I park.

Rechecking my phone to make sure it's the right address, I eye the single story home that line the block.

A large black dog with pointy ears and a studded collar stands on the dry grass, the hair on his haunches raised, barking in my direction. This can't be the place.

My phone vibrates in my lap.

Markie: Better than Wesley? How's that gonna work? When are you gonna tell him? I thought you gave that up.

The guilt I feel is unmatched yet this is nothing more than work for me. There is a definitive separation between my relationship and side gig.

Besides, Wesley likes me. Croix is just someone I'm working for to get some spare change. And for my job I stopped, the reason I did that will remain with me till eternity.

Adeline: Cross that bridge when I get to it, or on my deathbed. Whichever comes first.

I don't plan on telling Wesley anything yet.

Markie: Well, I only want dick details after you meet with the sexy step bro. So many dicks, very little time.

If I know anything, Phil's wife, Kathy has a dweeb for a son. Apparently our parents met at a Christian seminar and drove out of town to not feel guilty about it then a shotgun wedding happened.

Weird but all I know is that here I am, at the suburbs ready to make a home out of this stranger's house.

I scroll up my phone to find my sperm donor's number to confirm if I'm in the right place when his car pulled up in the driveway.

He parks his new shiny SUV and jogs across the street to mine in his brown slacks. “I know what you're thinking.” He says. “It's only a few blocks from the company and you'll be in good company here.”

I couldn't hide my distaste for the situation. But it's better than my previous state when I was with mom who was living in a drug induced state.

“Besides you wouldn't want to stay with just Kathy and me. We're old and boring.”

That's his nice way of saying ‘I don't want my filthy daughter to stain my beautiful bride with her dirtiness.’

It was his way of pawning me off to someone to take care of me while keeping his reputation.

“Hi to you too, Phil.” I forced a smile then shoved him aside to walk towards the door.

“Sorry. Hi.” He forced a smile too. “And you can call me Dad, you know.”

My face contours into a look of revulsion and his smile deteriorates.

“But seriously you can play your cello without disrupting anyone and this is a perfect opportunity to connect with your stepbrother.”

I nearly shiver in disgust at the thought. From what Phil told me, he is a few older than me but has a great head on his shoulders.

Either way, I'm not comfortable sharing my space with someone else.

We approach the black dog with pointy ears who kept barking and flashing its canine at Phil.

“Rocco down.” he demands but the dog continues barking. “I said down boy.”

Rolling my eyes, I dig my hands into my purse and took out a jerky stick then bit the packaging to open it. I wave it around the rough looking mutt and his nose twitches.

“Work smarter not harder, Phil.” I say, casually tossing the stick to the mutt.

“Could have told me he has a dog. I'm more of a fish person myself.” I mutter, stepping into the house.

It smells like weed, stale beer and yesterday's sex in here. But overall, the kitchen is clean.

“Hello?” Phil calls out, quickly tossing an old burger wrapper into the red trash can beside him.

Rocco burst through the doggy door burrowing his way towards the kitchen where a man stands casually against the threshold leading into the kitchen.

My spine stiffens as ice trickle its way through my bloodstream.

It's him.