Chapter 70

***Chrissy***

~
I see Mom and Dad at the table for lunch, this is going to be the first time that we are eating as a family. They seem like they've waiting for this day all their lives, and they are very excited with each other—Mom is very excited, she's more like a new woman. Dayle and I glimpse at each other swiftly before turning to them. We are back from school, but do we want them home? We used to enjoy our space and now we have to adapt to their presence hovering around us.
They haven't seen us yet, they are chattering alongside Dom, and he speaks once or twice. Dayle’s face depicts disappointment already. I know that Dad would not pass on the earlier event with Dom—it must he dealt with it.
He attempts to walk off in the direction of the stairway and so I pull him back. He looks away from me, he doesn't want this but we have to try. He has to own and apologize, I know that he disrespected Dom, he always does and I don't know the actual cause of it.
“No Dayle, they are waiting to see us! Let's go... Right?!” I tell him but he gives me a tight smile, there's a sign of lack of interest on his face.
Mom veers in our direction as if she felt our presence. She springs to her feet scurrying to meet us, we start walling to her. On my part, I'm very excited about her arrival—their arrival. I've never spent a complete week without Mom, this is new and not so bad. I've had the best days of my life with Dayle despite the hurdles.
“Look at my babies...” she throws herself at us for a warm hug. We both comply, Dayle pulls away stylishly forcing a smile. I don't understand what he feels. I hug Mom again and again and she whispers how much she missed me into my ear. I giggle like a newborn.
We walk to the table. Dad is on his feet, his arms are widely spread for a hug too. We share a warm hug, it feels fatherly—I’ve never had the warmth and affection of a father but Mr. Owen makes it all up for me. He and Dayle don't share a hug of any sort. They just stare at each other blankly. Dom and I share friendly eye contact, even if his face is as stern as ever.
We are all seated at the table. Dad and Mom are debriefing us about their trip and how it went. They would laugh intermittently when the conversation peaks to a certain point. I laugh when necessary, adults' jokes aren't really funny but they know better. Dom would only smile faintly but Dayle’s face is blank. He's only eating like he's forced to, he isn't interested in lunch. The treatment he received from Dad bothers me, I hate to Dayle bothered but then his actions aren't justified.
The meal is halfway eaten, Dad wipes his mouth and focuses his attention on me. My heart starts thumping against my chest, I'm nervous. Does he know about the alcohol incident? I ask myself. I'm damn nervous. I swallow up the food and sip from the wine.
“So tell me, princess, how did things go? Your room’s decor, your closet, your skincare, and all of that... Are you comfortable with them? It matters.” he says to me, his voice is calm and deep still.
“Oh, I love everything. I have everything I need!” I tell him nicely and he nods affirmatively.
“Awesome! I was thinking... Your mother and I are planning a family vacation after your graduation. It's only a few weeks from now—what do you both think? We could start with Ibiza...” he asks.
“That’s good news, I've always wanted to go there!” my excitement overrides me. Dad gives me an impressed smile as well as Mom but doesn't say a word.
Dad shifts his gaze to Dayle. “Dayle, aren't you saying anything?”
“I don't know!” he snaps with a sought frown before drinking from the glass of water. What is wrong with him now? I ponder. Mom isn't happy about his impression but she forces a smile as well as Dad.
“What do you mean you don't know—”
“Honey, calm down!” Mom tries to tries to calm him down.
“What DO I mean?” Dayle scoffs, he's posted off too. “Anything Chrissy says is a fucking Yes for me! Don't bother asking!” he adds. I can see the fury in the eyes of the father and son, I don't know how to fix this but I have to talk to Dayle regardless —he needs to stop overreacting to every little thing.
“Don’t you speak to me now with such a damned tone? I'm your FATHER!” Dad warns yelling at him
“I know!” Dayle scowls back
“Dayle, please go to your room. Maybe we should talk things through —much later!” Mom says as calmly as possible.
“Yeah, right. I’m stuck up around here!” He snaps at Mom. He walks away making his way towards the stairway. Dayle is a jerk, why is he acting up?
“Have some respect—” Dad scolds him but Mom tells him to keep calm.
“Dom, I’m gonna need you to punch him in the face…”
“Honey, he’s got a problem. Dayle wouldn’t act up just like that, you should make out time with him to speak to him!” Mom suggests
“No darling, it's not fair. Whys is he bring so difficult and shitty? What haven't I done for Dayle? Where have I failed? She spoilt him...” Dad laments as Mom rubs his arm to help him keep calm.
Mom cups his face. “No honey, that would hurt him if hears a thing like that...” Dad attempts to speak but she doesn't let him. “No Owren, do not dig up the past, it's joy even necessary. The solution to this problem is communication. Speak with him, honey. Please!”
“Of course, sweetheart!” he calmly says
“Chriss? Go in there and speak to your brother, he'll listen!” Mom tells me.
“He listens to her better!” Dom adds, for the first time since we arrived at the table he spoke. I give an affirmative smile hearing away. They don't have to remind me, I'll speak to him anyway

*
I knock on his door but he doesn't respond, I can't hear a thing through the door, I need to know what's going on with him and why he's acting differently. I knock again but he says nothing.
“Dayle? Dayle it's me, it's Chriss. I just wanna see how you are doing! I promise!” I hear nothing still. “Dayle I—”
The door opens instantly causing me to swallow my words, he pulls me in by the wrist before slamming the door.
He pins me to the wall and starts engulfing my lips with a deep sensational kiss. I love every passion it conveys but I can't let us risk our secret affair. I try to push him away but he overpowers my hands that are pinned over my head now. He takes in my tongue like he wouldn't let me go. He proceeds to my neck, he sucks my neck passionately. I know where this can lead us, I wish that had longer options. I wish that Dayle and I didn't have to hide.
“We can't risk ourselves in this manner you know,” I whisper to him.
He rests his head on my shoulder hugging me tightly for roughly ten seconds. We pull away from each other, he kisses my knuckle before he walks over to the large bed and sits on the edge. I walk over to him slowly not sure what I should do next.
“What's going on, Dayle?” I ask him calmly as I sit next to him. “You acted about of character—to your Dad—”
“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those things to Ms. Lena! I was only being nice to me,” he calmly says to me, the sincerity in his tone explains it all.
“It would be nicer if you... te—tell it to her in person, I mean she'd be happy to hear that! Dayle.” I take his hand into mine, he places his other palm over them with a little caress. “Maybe we should talk about everything when you can, is that okay?”
He gives me a sad smile instead and a light nod. “Thank you, Chriss!” he says and I nod agreeably.
I walk to the door, I feel attached to this room, I don't want to leave just yet. I don't want to leave Dayle alone. I can't stay a moment without him. My hand rest on the door handle, and he calls my name.
“Chrissy!”
I turn to him instantly as if I've been waiting for his call. It doesn't a second, Dayle walks up to me. I'm nervous especially when he doesn't say much. He kisses my lips one last time. He's going to get us in trouble but I can't resist his kiss. Not even once.
“I love you, Chriss, I really do.”
These words sink into my heart, he's melting my heart to the extent that I'm getting soggy. I smile faintly finally leaving his room. I'm not sure I've tracked the minutes I've spent in here but I hope that it's not suspicious.