Wingless Book Series (book 1) (14 page)

“
Almost,” Gray said under his
breath, looking over at Evan.

“
Okay. Well, I
wanted to let you and Mom know that I want to live with Evan. Well,
I’m moving in with him.” I stared at my dad
as
his expression changed, his whole
face dropped.

My Mother let go of her fork, it
clinked against the plate. Gray’s mouth dropped. Devan looked
nauseated and my sister hid a smirk almost instantaneously. Mark
totally stopped what he was doing with the baby to turn his
attention to me as well.

I looked over at Evan, his
face was calm. He was eyeing my dad who was only two seats away
from him, so I figured he probably was pondering a quick escape if
he grabbed him. My mother
on the other
hand, was sitting next to him, so I was sure he felt
uncomfortable.

“
What are you
talking about, Eve?” my mother
asked,
irritated.

“
I’m moving in with him,” I said
short.

“
Why? I don’t understand, “my dad
said with a look of concern. My mom was just upset.

“
I’m eighteen, I’ll be nineteen
soon. It’s my choice. I thought I would be respectful and tell you
instead of just doing it, but clearly it doesn’t matter because
either way it’s upsetting to you. A choice I want to make like
usual!” I yelled. I was just annoyed. No matter what I did or
didn’t do, I was wrong.

“
You barely know
Evan. It just doesn’t make much sense to me. Gray’s not living with
Devan, and they have been together for almost two years,” my
dad
said, getting agitated. I could tell
because he was all red and puffy looking.

“
And what do you
think about this? Obviously you’re okay with it. You came with her
to break the news to her family,” my mother
snapped angrily at Evan.

Evan shifted in his chair,
fumbling for words. “I’m happy to have her,” he shrugged, looking
helpless.

“
She is
eighteen, you’re how old? Twenty-one? What is the big deal that you
need to have her living with you?” my mother
griped, looking at my dad.

“
Actually I’m twenty-two. I like
your daughter and it’s something we both were okay with doing.” He
didn’t look pleased with how this was going.

“
You’re
twenty-two, probably had a ton of relationships, you’re dating my
eighteen year old daughter, and you have convinced her to leave her
home to move in with you.” My Mother
stood
up with her plate, heading to the kitchen. She tossed it with into
the sink with such rage, I was sure she broke it. Everyone was
alarmed. It took a great deal to make her upset. Evan pursed his
lips shifting in his chair again.

“
Well I’m not
happy with this at all, and if you weren’t eighteen, it wouldn’t be
happening. But what can I do?” she looked at my dad
hoping he had a solution. She sighed, walking out
of the room. Hannah took off after her.

“
Eve, like she
said, you’re old enough to make your own choices, but we are not
happy about this at all,” my dad
said,
looking at me and then at Evan. “You’re not pregnant are
you?”

I almost choked. Evan was not far
behind me with that reaction. “God no!” I yelled.

“
No she’s not. We haven’t even,
uh… No, she’s not,” Evan stumbled for words, shutting up
again.

“
Evan, we haven’t even met your
family or gotten to know you. I’m sure you understand this is a bit
fast and out of the blue for us.”

“
Yes, sir. And I apologize for
that. My father is a busy man, but I’m sure we can arrange
something.”

My dad
nodded. “Well I don’t know what to say, I’m very upset you
guys.” He looked at Evan this time. Maybe he was hoping for Evan to
give up. Evan didn’t respond.

My mother
came blowing back in standing in front of us all.
“What is your last name?” she practically yelled. “Give me that
much. I want to know if my daughter is leaving with some
criminal.”

“
Mom!” I yelled, getting out of my
chair.

“
Its fine Eve, settle down,” Evan
told me, standing up reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out
his wallet, handing over his license. I sighed, ready to blow
up.

“
Evan Carlo,” my
mother
read out loud. “Why does that sound
familiar to me?” she asked, not to anyone particular. My heart sunk
thinking she was catching on. “Carlo.”

Gray cleared his throat, “Carlo.
It’s the name you always see in the newspaper and all over the
news,” he offered up.

“
What do you mean on the news,
Gray?” Hannah asked.

“
They’re like the Sopranos. Well,
that’s what the news seems to let on.” Gray leaned back in his
chair eyeing Evan. Evan kept calm. I could tell he was ready to hit
him.

“
Gray, come on,” Hannah said with
a dry laugh. Evan looked around the room.

“
You tell me right now what you
want with my daughter!” my mother shrieked.

“
Mom! Do you honestly believe
that? So what, Gray heard Carlo on the news. Doesn’t mean it has
anything to do with Evan. I’m done talking about this.” I started
out the room until Gray opened his mouth.

“
I wasn’t going to say anything,
Eve, but I’m not keeping my mouth shut now.” I glared at Gray. It
did nothing. “The bruises and my eye, it wasn’t a fall. It was
Evan. Ace. Whatever he is calling himself today.”

My mother
lost it, sobbing hysterically. My dad
got up, grabbing hold of her, looking at
Evan.

“
You put your hands on my son?” he
asked.

“
Yeah, I did. Out of respect for
your daughter. And I’d do it again.” Evan stood up, getting away
from the table and Gray. Everyone was quiet. My mother sobbing
muffled sobs into my dad’s shirt.

Gray stood up, heading toward
Evan.

“
Gray, take it
easy!” my dad
yelled. Gray stopped
short.

“
Yeah, we have seen who won the
last one,” I said in disgust at the whole situation.

“
Eve, I’m not
leaving,”
Evan said. “I am going outside,
I can’t be around him. I apologize to everyone. I’ll be outside.”
He headed out the kitchen door.

I’d had enough. I went
upstairs to my room, shoving all my clothes and anything that would
fit into three suitcases. I flung the first two suitcases down the
stairs- they skidded to the bottom- and carried the third in my
hand. My mother
was at the bottom blotting
her eyes.

“
You don’t need to do this, Eve. I
think I know who his father is, and if it is who I think it is
that’s an awful thing.”

“
I met his father already. I’m not
concerned with his father. And keep believing everything you hear,
whatever makes you sleep better at night.”

“
No. You’re my daughter; I want
the best for you!” She started the waterworks all over
again.

“
If you want the best for me, just
let me go. I can’t take this anymore.”

“
Take what?” she asked, touching
my hair.

“
I can’t take any of it. The only
person who ever understood me is dead. And if he was here, he would
be gone away from all of you. And I’m sorry if that hurts you, but
everyone here wants to be perfect and play the perfect role. No one
is doing a good job! Don’t judge Evan, he did nothing to you. I did
nothing to you. I’m done trying and I’m done worrying whether or
not I can make you happy enough. I don’t care about enough
anymore!”

That was that. She had
nothing more to say to me and that was how I wanted it. I
truly
was not bothered if she ever talked
to me again. The Mob was more real than anything about my family
was. The Mob, even if Evan said it didn’t exist, was real
enough.

I came out on the porch, tossing
each suitcase one by one. Evan jumped up, helping me. He set the
suitcases at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at me with a
somber expression. He started to speak, then stopped, thinking,
then started again.

“
You don’t have to do this. I want
the best for you and if this is making your family this upset, I
can leave you here. I care enough about you to not be
selfish.”

“
I’m going, Evan,” I said,
bringing my hands to my hips.

“
Eve, look at what’s going on!” he
exclaimed.

“
I don’t care.
I’m done caring about what any one of them think. I want to be with
you so please help me with my things. Help me be with you,” I
pleaded. He sighed, taking my suitcases to the truck as my
dad
came out on the
porch.

“
You are leaving?”

“
Uh, yeah, I think we all said
what we needed to say.” I had no more to say. Family was something
that meant fighting and making up, and if they were how they
thought, they would learn to live with it. Maybe not accept it, but
they would find a way to mold it into something suitable when they
talked at their parties and meetings.

“
What about school?” he asked me,
looking at Evan load my suitcases.

“
I don’t know. And really does it
matter at this point? Have you really thought I cared?” I asked.
“It was you guys who cared, not me. I love you, Dad.” I kissed his
cheek.

He touched mine, staring into my
eyes. “You know what, Eve? I just wish you the best, and I think
Evan is a good guy. It’s not what I would do at eighteen, but hey,
maybe things would be different for me if I was freer like
you.”

“
You never know,” I said, heading
down the steps.

“
You call me every once in a
while. And if you ever need to talk or anything, you let me know.
I’ll get your mom to come around one way or another.” He went in,
closing the door.

Hannah came out as fast as he went
in. “Hey, I just wanted to tell you goodbye. Me and Mark are going
on vacation so I won’t be over for a couple weeks. But I’m sure
I’ll see you around here sometime right?”

“
I’m sure. Sooner or later,” I
said, shrugging.

“
They may be very judgmental, but
give them a little slack. After Marcus, it’s hard to trust anyone.
They do love you, and you know I am proud of you. And sort of
envious.” She looked away, tearing up.

“
Proud of me?” I asked in
awe.

“
Yeah, you’re so much like Marcus.
You both have this freeness about life, and sometimes, I wish I
could have, like, an ounce of that. I could never let go like that
though, it’s not in me. But take care!” She hugged me, running back
in the house.

They acted as if it was the end of
me, it was like a beginning. I stood up for myself and I made a
choice that I wanted for once. And it was feeling good.

Chapter 15

Idle time

Conforming or becoming comfortable
with anything takes time. Moving in with Evan was becoming
comfortable, it was new and I liked it. Evan was away quite a bit
since I had moved in; he said I probably didn’t notice before
‘cause I wasn’t living there.

On the days when he had
something to do for his dad
I kept myself
as busy as I could. One day, I rearranged his whole wall of CD’s in
alphabetical order. The next day, I pulled weeds outside. I’d never
cared about weeds before, but when you’re bored you will learn to
like just about anything. When Evan came home it was the best part
of the day, he was always happy to see me and he always let me know
that.

That afternoon it was so nice
outside I decided to go lay out. Heading to the back door I ran
into Kenny and Ari. I was not aware they were even home. Kenny shot
me a look, a wave, and headed out the door. Ari started cleaning up
the kitchen.

“
Are you going to lie out?” she
called over her shoulder.

“
Yeah, you want to join me?” I
said, welcoming the company.

“
Yeah, sure, let me
change.”

I laid my towel on the grass,
sitting down with a sigh. It was hot. The summer breeze was like
someone blowing a hot blow dryer on your skin. Ari came out in a
tiny black bikini, her skin already plenty tan. As she walked
closer, I noticed several bruises on her legs, arms, and ribcage.
She didn’t seem to be bothered, and happily threw a towel down next
to me.

“
I don’t think since the two of
them lived here I have seen them in the pool more the twice,” she
laughed.

“
Yeah, I barely knew it was there,
it’s always covered.” I put on my sunglasses down lying
down.

Birds chirped in the yard. Besides
that, it was quiet.

Ari sighed loudly, breaking my
calm, almost sleep-like state.