Chapter 1

“What are YOU doing here? I thought we’d finally seen the last of you!”

Ann and Brian had finally found time to visit Ann’s brother, a drunk who lived with his girlfriend of a half dozen years. The brother’s girlfriend was more than 10 years younger than him and Ann did not approve of her lifestyle - or her brother’s of course, but that made her feel good in a way.

She could revel in her superiority with her brother - better house, better car, better clothes and of course Brian had a good job whereas Duncan worked bit-jobs whenever he wasn’t too hungover to pull himself out of bed.

To visit them was like a trip to the fun park for Ann. It just made her feel good to rub his nose in his failure and her success despite the fact that his girlfriend was pretty. In Ann’s opinion, she WAS just trash, after all, even though they were officially in a common law marriage now. Ann was quietly ashamed of her brother, but very vocally ashamed of her daughter!

“Hi mom, great to see you again too,” Amanda said with a smirk, her words heavy with sarcasm.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you, sis. Amanda and Emily just turned up. What was I supposed to do?”

“I recall you saying you were really and truly done with them after the last time my daughter ripped you off, Duncan.”

“Yeah but they’re family and Amanda says she’s turned over a new leaf. You saw her truck outside? She’s got to be doing something right for a change.

“So you’re back local again now or just visiting? What happened to Virginia? Thought you and that stringy-haired creep were going there to make a fresh start?”

“I married that stringy-haired creep. He runs a chain of banks now. People call him sir.” Amanda replied, enjoying her mother’s expression of disbelief.

“So ... ahhh ... you really, you know, got it together at last? Well that’s wonderful! So when can I expect to be paid back? You still owe me for bailing you out with your last car, with rent, with utilities, God knows what else.

Amanda desperately wanted to string her mom along, make her think they were now well off and maybe scam her a little, but she’d already come to Uncle Dunk, hat in hand, claiming a bad relationship that had left her homeless, penniless and with bruises to prove it.

Duncan’s de facto wife, Dalia, was a little on the slow side, in Amanda’s opinion. Nice, but kind of living in a world of her own and Amanda knew she didn’t know how to lie. She saw Dalia cock her head to one side as if trying to process Amanda’s lie. In moments, Amanda knew, her mouth would open and crap she didn’t want her mom knowing, would spew out.

“I’m just kidding, mom. The truth is that uncle Dunk offered us a place to stay for a few days.” Amanda admitted.

Even the admission was a lie.They’d arrived a few weeks earlier and once she’d talked her and Emily’s way into his home, had just made herself comfortable. She saw her uncle look hard at her then decide to let it go.

“So would it be fairer to say that you’re between homes again?” Brian asked.

“Well yeah, but that’s just because we only got back in-state a few days ago and I need to get a job so I can get my own place.”

“Did Duncan specifically say you could stay here or were you just making yourself at home?” Brian asked, putting Amanda on the spot.

“It’s really none of your business, Brian. Just because you married my mom, doesn’t make you my dad. I would appreciate it if you stayed out of this,” Amanda told Brian coolly.

“Up to you, Amanda. I was just thinking that if you needed a place where you weren’t mooching...”

“I’m not a mooch!” Amanda said angrily, then realized that Brian had an idea that she needed to hear.

“Not that I care or anything, but what were you thinking?” Amanda asked in a somewhat more pleasant tone of voice.

“Butting out, per your request, Amanda.” Brian replied.

“Don’t be an asswipe, Brian. Just tell me.” Amanda insisted.

“You tell me what I can and cannot do, you treat me like a five year old then insult me. Remind me, why would I throw you a life preserver if you were drowning?” Brian asked cordially.

“Look, sorry. I was out of line. And I’m sorry for treating you like a kid. You were obviously about to make a suggestion and I shot you down without even hearing you out. Please will you share your thought?” Amanda said.

Brian noticed her fists were clenched and she had a little twitch as if apologizing was extremely difficult for her. He decided to give her a break. Duncan had, so he should too.

“In exchange for the answer to the question I asked first, young lady.” Brian insisted.

Amanda had already forgotten the question he’d asked. That’s how important he was in her world. “Which question was that, Brian?” She tried to ask sweetly.

“It’s not a difficult question, Amanda. The deal is simple too. You remember the question I asked, you answer it truthfully and I share the thought I had. The deal is not negotiable.” Brian said, visibly dismissing Amanda.

“Hey Duncan, how’s work? You still at that grain place?” He asked, turning his focus to his brother in law.

Amanda was angry. She did NOT like being dismissed. She liked it as much as her mother, which was not at all.

“Okay, okay. You win,” Amanda interrupted Duncan’s answer. “I was either not listening or I didn’t want to hear you. Either way, I just don’t know what your question was, so I can’t answer it. But I would like to hear your suggestion. Please?”

Brian thought about her response. It sounded just like Amanda so he had no problem believing her. She’d even been particularly polite which was very UNLIKE her. But just as importantly, she didn’t think to wait politely until he’d at least received an answer from Duncan.

“Duncan, I apologize. It would seem that Amanda has yet to learn basic manners. How you survived for multiple days with her and Emily here, I’ll never know.”

“Hey! I’m just along for the ride! What did I do to put a carrot up YOUR ass about me?” Emily said with a smirk. She knew very well that she was winding Brian up even though he stayed outwardly calm.

“You share your mother’s penchant for interrupting, for one,” Brian supplied without emotion.

“I don’t know what pendant you’re talking about but I don’t share jewelry with mom. She sells it and I never see it again,” Emily replied with a straight face.

Brian was tempted to correct her then thought better of it. She was merely trying to add fuel to the fire, he suspected.

“Emily, shut your yap. Amanda, thank you for the apology. It was unexpected. Now wait while I catch up with Duncan and I’ll get back to you. So Duncan? The grain place?”

“That was only temporary. Right now I’m painting. Except that the weather hasn’t been right, lately so...”

“So you’re unemployed. Again. Typical Duncan. When are you going to grow up and take responsibility?” Ann asked, interrupting Brian like she usually did.

Ann, please! I’m trying to teach your daughter some manners and you act as poorly as her!” Brian said in exasperation.

“I don’t need you to teach me anything, Brian. And you CAN’T teach Amanda anything. She’s a wasted cause,” Ann proclaimed, just reinforcing the idea that Brian had been considering.

Amanda, wisely and atypically, didn’t defend herself.

“Well Dunk, if you’re happy and Dalia’s happy, isn’t that the most important thing? As for what I asked you earlier, Amanda. I wondered if you were specifically invited to stay here or if you just went ahead and made yourself at home.” Brian asked again.

Amanda took a second to reply even though it wasn’t a difficult question. That surprised Brian until she said, “Well he didn’t actually offer. We just kind of, well, you probably knew already, right?”

“Brian could tell she was being honest and THAT’S what surprised him. Amanda lied just to be lying, even if she hadn’t done anything wrong, so to hear her admit she’d just moved in, was the surprise.

“Wow, will wonders never cease? You apologize AND you told the truth? There’s hope for you after all!” Brian said, his tone truly astounded.

“Yeah, whatevs. About your idea?” Amanda pressed, feeling really weird all of a sudden. She really had apologized and told the truth. It hadn’t been easy, but she’d kind of felt compelled to, for some reason, which made her think about Aaron for the first time in months. She had to get a grip on herself, she thought as she asked.

“I was considering the idea of you and Emily staying with us. Of course ther...”

“HELL NO!” Ann jumped in, once again cutting Brian off. “What the hell are you thinking? Neither she NOR her daughter are setting foot in my house!” Ann laid down the law.

“Ann! Quiet! People with manners are talking!”

“You? You think you have manners? That’ll be the day! Stop telling me what to do! I’m done with this visit. I cannot be in the same house as Amanda another instant!” Ann raged, moving to get up from the chair she’d commandeered.

“Sit down, be quiet and open your ears not your mouth, Ann! Or you’d better start walking now. I am NOT finished here.”

Brian fully expected Ann to stalk out of the house and down the drive in an anger fueled decision to walk home as he’d suggested. Instead she slumped back in her seat. Brian did a mental doubletake. Maybe there was something in the air today, he wondered.

Then he really thought about it. Usually he just ignored Ann’s outbursts and rudeness. Today though, it had been like the straw that had broken the camel’s back for him. Ann had been a royal pain the whole car ride there and then talking to her brother so condescendingly like that had made him angry.

Duncan wasn’t rich or anything, but he was good people. Brian liked him a lot. He decided to run with his impetuous decision. He really couldn’t get in any more ‘trouble’ with Ann than he already was in and his mood was helping him with Amanda too.

“Now Amanda. I was suggesting a place to stay but there would be rules. More than you’re used to. Should I waste the breath to continue or do you want to just decline now?”

“It’ll never happen, Brian. Look at mom. If she doesn’t blow off steam soon, she’ll implode!” Amanda said, a little giggle in her voice, but at the same time, Brian detected disappointment.

It’ll only happen if I say it’ll happen. It’s our house but I pay the bills. If Ann doesn’t like it, she’s free to stay with Dunk until you get your own place.”

“She is not going to be alone in my house! I’d set fire to it before I let her out of my sight in there. We wouldn’t have a slice of stale bread left if she was set free inside. And she’d probably find a way to sell that too!” Ann broke her silence to rage.

“I’m not going to tell you again, Ann. Let me deal with this. Amanda might decline our kind offer.”

Ann pissed and moaned a little but quite quickly tapered off with little more than a stern look from Brian. In a way, her attitude was really helping him stay on the boil.

“Rules, Amanda. Want to hear them?” Brian reiterated in case she’d already forgotten.

“Let me guess. No coming and going at all hours of the night. No midnight snacks or cooking. No smoking in bed. No pets, no pool, no alcohol,” she added, quoting an old Roger Miller song called King of the Road that Brian happened to love but was surprised Amanda knew.

“Those rules are a given, Amanda. I’m talking about special rules. The first has to do with your attitude. It’s been mentioned before.”

“My attitude is part of me. How the fuck am I supposed to leave that at the door?” Amanda joked.

“You fold it neatly and set it right next to your clothes. You and Emily both.”

“What, we roll around your pad in our underwear? Not fuckimg likely!”

Amanda wasn’t actually angry at her step-father’s perverted ‘rule’, just a little surprised that he’d come out and demanded it right in front of her mom. She knew Brian was a pervert from seeing the stuff he had saved on his computer. He just had no idea she knew.