Plausibility

Chapter 11

Aquilla didn’t want to talk to Seri about life. She wanted to find out where Julius was. She wanted to read more about what he was telling her. She waited until she heard the water across the hall before logging back on.

Her eyes glanced to Seri’s ringing phone. She would just peak at the screen and see who it was. Monica. Hmm. Should she?

“Hello,” she answered.

“Uh… Is Sarah there?”

“No, Seri is in the shower. This is her secretary.”

Monica laughed. “Sarah was right. You are quite the card. How are you? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I am great, and I have heard a lot about you too. You know Seri doesn’t really like you, don’t you? She told me so.”

Monica laughed again. “That’s okay. I don’t really like her much either. So I guess we are going to meet in a couple of days. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, me too,” she lied, rolling her eyes. “I can’t freaking wait to sit for an hour at a time, in silence with you.”

“Are you informing me that you are going to refuse to talk to me?”

“No. I’m just notifying you ahead of time that you may get pretty bored.”

“We’ll see. Can you tell Sarah to call me?”

“Only if you stop calling her Sarah, that name really doesn’t fit her.”

“I’ll try to remember that, and I will see you on Tuesday.”

“I can’t wait.”

Aquilla cracked the door when she thought she heard yelling from downstairs.

“You have no room to judge anyone,” Liz relatively yelled.

“Just go, Elizabeth. Forget that our daughter is home after all these years. Forget that she is scared to death and doesn’t know where she fits in. Go! Go Liz. Go fuck your teacher.”

“What would you like for me to do, Manny? The girl won’t even talk to me. Or did you just plan on me staying here and fucking you?”

Seri opened the bathroom door and stared at Aquilla across the hall. Were they really doing this? Maybe Aquilla was the mature one.

“The GIRL… is your daughter. The daughter that disappeared and caused your meltdown, remember that Liz? Do you remember any of those days?”

“Fuck you, Manny. I don’t need you here for your moral support. You’re free to go.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m not here for you. I’m here for my daughter, and furthermore, I haven’t wanted to fuck you in a very long time.”

“Stop it!” Seri demanded from the kitchen door. “She can hear every word you are saying,” she scolded the two teenagers. Really?

Shit, she was wearing a towel. Manny’s wandering eyes didn’t go unnoticed by either of the women. Liz grabbed her keys from the hook by the garage door with a snort and a shake of her head.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” she said, leaving her ex-husband alone with towel lady.

Seri wasn’t about to give him time to say anything. She turned and walked back upstairs, hoping like hell her ass was covered by the towel. It was, but barely. Manny uncannily watched her towel wrapped body walk back up. Yup, there was no doubt a spasm in his jeans. That’s what he wanted, just once. Shit, he needed to stop. Holy mackerel, Batman, he needed to stop.

“Seri, I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s fine. I get it,” Aquilla assured her as she watched her drop the towel and slide on panties. She was perfect. Aquilla couldn’t help but stare at how perfect she was.

“Having a little hint of nostalgia there, Quill,” Seri smirked. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t think of the girl like a 17 year old. She was way past her age, and Seri thought a lot of her. She was a friend. She cared about her wellbeing.

“Fuck you,” Aquilla retorted, turning her eyes away from her breasts.

Seri laughed. “I’m just kidding. I didn’t get mad when you said it.”

“Whatever, either smoke some more of that with me or leave me alone.”

“I’ll leave you alone. I have to go call my boss.”

“Oh, you’re supposed to call Monica too. She called while you were in the shower.”

“You answered my phone?”

“Yeah, I wanted to see whether or not she was going to be bearable.”

“And you’re conclusion?”

“She sounded pretty annoying on the phone, and she laughs too much. I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

Seri didn’t ask what she said. She figured she would ask Monica herself. Damn, she needed clothes. She needed Monica to come now.

“I need something to wear,” Seri requested, searching through the three dirty shirts and two pair of slacks in her bag. She really didn’t want to wear the FBI shirt, walking around Aquilla’s parent’s home.

“Not really, you look better naked.”

“Stop it, Quill,” Seri warned with a stern look.

Aquilla laughed. She couldn’t help it. She loved tantalizing her. “I was just being nice.”

“You’re too much like me to be nice. Give me a shirt and some shorts or something.”

Aquilla rummaged through her own bag to find Seri something to put on. “How do you mean, I am like you?” she asked, tossing her a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt.

“You’re a bitch.”

Aquilla laughed. She took it as a compliment.

“I’m going downstairs to make a few calls. Do you want to come down?”

“No. Why would I?” Hell no. She wasn’t going downstairs. She was going to read more. It was driving her crazy and she hoped Seri stayed down there long enough for her to see if Julius gave her any clues as how to get to him.

Seri looked out the front door. Good, the media left, for the day, anyway. She was sure they would return the following morning. She walked out and sat on the porch swing and dialed her boss.

“It’s about time,” he answered. “Any news on the whereabouts of Julius Chavez?”

Seri rolled her eyes. “No, and I told you, she doesn’t know where he is.”

“I beg to differ. Have you gotten anywhere with her yet?”

“There is nothing to get. She doesn’t know anything. It’s stupid for me to stay here and torment her and myself. SHE DOESN’T KNOW ANYTHING.”

“Maybe Monica will get somewhere with her.”

“Monica is coming to help her with the transition. She’s not coming to interrogate her.”

“If Monica can pull any helpful information from her, I’ll take it.”

“She can’t disclose that. It’s against Quills rights.”

“This isn’t your back yard shrink, Sarah. This is the real life. She’s not transitioning from mommy and daddy getting a divorce. She was involved with a major drug cartel.”

“She wasn’t involved in anything. They never told her about any of that.”

“So she says. I, myself, find it very hard to believe that she lived in the same house and knows nothing. You of all people should get that.”

Seri closed her eyes and shook her head. It was pointless. He was impossible. “Why the hell did you go and let Malone call the media. They’ve been camped out here all day.”

“What did you expect? She’s a recovered kidnapped victim. Of course it was going to get out.”

“It didn’t have to. He did it for his own glory.”

“Are you getting soft on me, Sarah?”

“No. Forget it. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Keep me posted.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Damnit, Seri came outside for a reason.

“You look like you could use this,” Manny said, sliding beside her and handing her a mixed drink. Okay. She could probably use a drink. She needed to call Monica yet. Although she was grateful that Aquilla was the same size as her, she wanted her own clothes. One more day, just one more day, she could make it.

Quill peeked out the door before logging back on to the computer. The coast was clear. She plopped to the small bed and began her awaited task.

I was so excited to be in New York. We had such a great time, and for the first time in my life, I felt like we were a family. We even stayed in the same hotel room and my parents slept in the same bed. Other than the one time when my father demanded my mother to go into the bathroom, it was great. I stayed with Quill while he did his thing with my mother in the next room. Quill sat on my lap and we watched cartoons…. really loud.

I wish you could have met my mother, Quill. She was so beautiful. She deserved so much more than my father ever gave her. It was so fucked up. She was there and then she wasn’t. Quill was there and then you replaced her. Although, I have forgiven him, I had to; it would have eaten me alive from the inside out, anyway, although I forgave him a long time ago, I can never forget it. He did things, Quill, things that would make you vomit. I’m not going to go into all of those details because I know that you love him, and I’m not going to take that away from you.

We spent four days sightseeing, eating at fancy restaurants, and just being a family. I was the happiest ten year old boy on earth. Thanksgiving morning was supposed to be our last day there. We were scheduled to leave at three that afternoon. I heard my parents argue that morning, well, I heard my father argue. My mother was never allowed to speak. She did argue that morning. She was protesting him taking us along with him. I didn’t know where he had planned on taking us, but as a young boy, I was excited. Was it a surprise? It was no surprise. We picked up the rental car in an abandoned warehouse. I remember thinking we were going to miss the parade. Quill was so excited about the parade. My father kept talking and talking to the two men in the warehouse while I waited in the car with Quill and my mother.

I was so mad at him when he finally moved into the driver’s seat. We had to go drop the car before we could attend the festivities. We were running out of time and still had to be at the airport by three. I sat in the backseat with Quill, staring out the window with crossed arms and a scowl. He told me to be a man and stop pouting. He pulled the car over to the side of the road and told my mother to get in the back with Quill. He needed to teach his son a lesson or two about business. I knew my mother wanted to protest. I could see it in her face. She didn’t. She got out and traded places.

He talked and talked about the importance of deadlines, limits, targets, and I have no idea what else. I had no idea what the hell he was even talking about. I just nodded as he spoke. I was ten for Gods’ sake. I didn’t care. I wanted to go to the parade.

“Rum and coke,” Seri smiled over to Manny, savoring her drink. He smiled back. Fuck. He needed to go back to New York.

“My favorite,” he admitted with the same stupid ass sexy grin.

Seri quickly turned her eyes from his and made some sort of get your shit together moan from deep in her throat.

“What?” he asked, catching it too.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“But, you were thinking it. What were you thinking?”

“I don’t sugarcoat anything, Manny.” She warned. She didn’t. She spoke it like it was. She always had. If you didn’t like what Seri had to say, tough shit, she didn’t care.

“I don’t need to be pacified.”

Seri snorted and shook her head. UNBELIVABLE. “How long you going to be here?”

“I’m staying until I meet this Monica that is coming to fix my daughter, and then I am heading out. Why?”

“She’s not coming to fix your daughter. She’s coming to help her deal with everything that has happened to her. She is a very good friend of mine. Quill will be in good hands.”

“Okay????”

She snorted again. Why the hell did she keep doing that? “I need you to be far, far away from me.”

Manny smiled. He knew where this was going, right where he wanted it to go. “Why?” he asked in a low husky voice.

“No sugarcoating,” she warned again.

“Don’t need it sweetened.”

Seri looked straight into his eyes. “I have a very strong urge to want to fuck your brains out.”

“I don’t need brains.” Shit. That sounded stupid.

She laughed. “We need to stay away from each other. You think I haven’t noticed the looks all day?”

“You think I haven’t?”

Shit. Was she that obvious?

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“No. I don’t do relationships”

“What do you do?”

“I fuck.”

Shit, his hard on was out of his control. “I like to do that.” Stupid, again, what the hell?

“I’m going to hang out with Quill and let you take care of that problem you’ve got going on there,” she said, nodding toward his crotch. She gave him her empty glass with ice and walked away. She had to. She was ready to straddle him right there on the swing.

Goddamnit, why can’t she go away? Aquilla closed the laptop…AGAIN.

“What are you doing on that thing?” Seri asked, plopping to her bed next to Quills.

“Playing Solitaire. Why can’t you leave me alone for five minutes?”

“I did leave you alone for five minutes.”

Aquilla groaned and slid out of her shorts. She crawled into her tiny little bed made for munchkins and snuggled under the homemade quilt. For a little bed, it felt amazing. She hadn’t realized how tired she was. She was emotionally drained. Her muscles instantly relaxed.

“The press left,” Seri said, crawling into her own bed.

“Do you think they will stay left?”

“No. They’ll be back tomorrow. I’m sure of it. Guess who called them?”

“Who?”

“Agent Dick Face.”

“Imagine that, stupid fucker.”

“Is your own shower broken?” Manny asked, sitting at the table when Liz came in right at eleven with wet hair.

“Is your house broken?” she retaliated. Why the hell couldn’t he have been in bed, better yet, why the hell couldn’t he go HOME??!!!

“What’s up with you and this guy?”

“We’ve been divorced for almost 12 years. I don’t think that is any of your business.”

“It is when my girls are living in the same house.”

“Not really, Manny. Maybe if you didn’t work 80 hours a week, and you actually honored your weekends with Reese, but you don’t. It’s none of your business who I am with or when I am with them. Reese isn’t three. She’s old enough to know what adults do.” Who the hell did he think he was?

“Why do you keep saying Reese? What about Shelby? You have two girls, and furthermore, who kept Reese while you moved away and left her?”

“Fuck you, Manny. You don’t have the right to judge me during that time. I let my daughter be taken. I couldn’t take care of myself.” Shit. Where the hell did the tears come from? She didn’t want to have those emotions with Manny. Why couldn’t they have manifested with Connor?

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” Manny admitted, standing and holding her in his arms. “I’ve always hated to see you cry. Please don’t cry.”

Liz couldn’t help it. She cried. She really cried. She cried for her little girl that came home, the little girl that she didn’t know. Would Shelby ever see her as her mother? Everything was so hazy and scary. Was she going to be able to handle this?

“Do you want a drink?” Manny asked, kissing the top of her head.

“Normally I would say no, but yeah, I think maybe I do.”

“Let’s go out back,” Manny offered after mixing them both a mixed drink.

Liz felt better about her ex-husband after the hour long conversation without arguing than she had in years. They shared their fears about their daughter, and talked until after midnight about what to do and where to go from there. Manny promised to be more involved and to cut back on some of his hours. He needed to do that. He knew that. He hadn’t been there for Reese as much as he should have, and he knew it. He was going to try. It wasn’t like he couldn’t be there in less than two hours. He needed to be there, not only for his daughters, but for Liz as well.

“Are you seeing anyone back in New York?” Liz asked before saying goodnight.

“No. Why?” He asked. They didn’t really talk about things like that. He would have never known about Connor had he not been there. They argued enough without adding to it.

“Just curious, I’m not an idiot, I see the way you look at Sarah, Seri, whatever the hell her name is.”

Manny snorted. “Yeah, well, she is kind of beautiful.”

“Thanks. That just shot my self-esteem right out the roof.”

“I didn’t mean it that way. You know you’re hot. I just don’t see you that way anymore. It’s been too long, and you make me madder than anyone on earth sometimes. I’d probably hurt you,” he teased.

Liz laughed. “I doubt that.”

“Are you jealous? Is that why you’re asking?’

“Don’t flatter yourself. No. I’m not jealous. I was just asking. She was giving you the eye too, you know. I can’t believe she came down here in a towel.”

“Well, we were being pretty stupid.”

“Yes, we were. I probably would have beat the shit out of you had she took the time to dress first.”

“I’m glad she stopped you,” he teased, bumping her shoulder with his.

“She shouldn’t look like that. It’s not fair that she gets it all in one package. I mean come on, the hair, the eyes, the lips, the breasts, the ass, and the legs. I bet that girl has men crawling all over her. I wonder if she’s in a relationship.”

“Hmm, I don’t know,” he lied. He wasn’t about to relay the information that she didn’t do relationships. She fucked. Nope, Liz didn’t need to hear that. “You don’t like her, do you?” he asked instead.

“I don’t know. It’s not that I don’t like her. I don’t like Shelby liking her as much as she does. I want her to want to be with me like she does her.”

“She will, Liz. Seri will leave, and things will fall into place. Try not to expect so much so fast.”

“That’s exactly what Connor just told me.”

“How long have you been seeing Connor?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure you would call what Connor and I do seeing each other.”

“He doesn’t want to be in a relationship?”

“No. It’s not him. He does. I don’t want it to be more than what it is.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, Manny. I’m just not ready for that. I like the way things are.”

“Do you want my opinion?”

“Probably not, am I going to start screaming at you?”

“I hope the hell not. I think that you have spent so many years trying to conceal happiness that you’ve forgotten how to be happy. I think that you have tried everything in your power to keep anything happy out of your life for fear of betraying Shelby. You have felt this great sense of guiltiness over your own happiness that you forgot that you still had other people in your life that need you to be happy.”

“I’m a very good faker, but you’re right. I have always felt like I lost that right when I lost Shelby.”

“You didn’t lose that right, Liz. Are you in love with Connor?”

“Really, Manny? We’re going to talk about this?”

“Why not?”

“You’re my ex-husband. I doubt that it’s appropriate for ex-spouses to discuss their sex lives.”

“I’m your friend, and I didn’t ask about your sex life. I asked if you were in love with him.”

Humph. “I don’t know. I think a lot of him. I love being with him. He makes me smile. Would I call it love? I’m not sure. I need to focus on Shelby right now. I don’t have the time or the endurance to do that right now.”

“I think that’s a dodge. You rationalize things that you are afraid of by withdrawing from anything that will stir feelings or emotions in you. You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

“Yeah, thanks for the reminder. It’s late. Let’s go to bed,” Liz suggested. That was enough serious talk with her ex. She needed to process what he was saying. Did she evade Connor because she was terrified of her own feelings? Maybe she was the one that needed to talk to this Monica girl.

Aquilla was acting like a three year old, waiting for Monica to arrive. She didn’t want to talk to a shrink. She wasn’t going to talk to a shrink. She was wasting her time.

“Quill, stop it. You’re acting like a spoiled little brat,” Seri scolded at breakfast.

“I’m not the one with the problem. It’s everyone else,” she was sure.

“You’re not getting out of it, so you may as well embrace it.”

“Embrace this,” Aquilla pouted.

Reese laughed. She couldn’t help it. She had never met anyone like Quill. She was so outspoken, and seemed to always speak her mind. She was confused about her manners though. Quill was the politest person she had ever met, and yet she could turn on a dime and spit out the most incongruous, funny things ever. She was sure she wasn’t trying to be funny, nonetheless, she was.

“Reese,” Manny cautioned.

“Sorry,” she snickered. Quill smiled at her. Reese felt that they had just shared something between them. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt like it was something.

“Shouldn’t you be packing?” Manny asked.

“I’m going. Mom, you said you would let me know this morning whether or not Lil could come with us.”

“I really wished she didn’t, Reese. She can come the next time.”

“She can go. I don’t mind,” Aquilla offered. She didn’t mind. It wasn’t like she was going to be the cool big sister anyway. She didn’t want to be the sister period. She was going to try her best to read and find out where the hell Julius was so she could get out of the Cleaver house.

“Mom?” Reese questioned with pleading eyes. She would be bored out of her mind if Lil didn’t get to go to the lake with them.

“I suppose,” she replied, giving in.

“Yes!!! Thank you. What time are we picking her up?”

“Quill has an appointment at one. As soon as she is done, we’ll head out.”

“We could just head out now,” Aquilla offered, although she really had no desire whatsoever to go to this lake house. She wanted to read what Julius had written to her. That was the only thing she cared about.

“Quill!” Seri warned. Geesh, this girl just wasn’t going to let it go.

“How far away is this lake, and am I going to be able to go outside? I’m going to go crazy if the press don’t leave me alone soon so that I can walk outside.”

“Yes. You will be able to walk outside. Our house is on the west end. It’s very secluded, other than your grandparent’s house. Your grandmother is beside herself, waiting to see you.”

SHIT. Quill forgot about the “REST” of the family that she had to meet yet. Let’s see. There was Grandma Joyce, Grandpa Lee, Aunt Kerri, Uncle Jake, or was that Uncle Jim? Oh, who cares?

Aquilla got up and walked out to the living room where, of course, she could still see a whole street of news reporters through the crack of the curtain. This was absurd. Three days now, they were pretty much camped from daylight till dark. They even had food delivered. Crazy, that’s what it was.

“Quill’s on TV,” Reese exclaimed, running back to the kitchen, taking two steps at a time.

“Fuck. Shit, I mean, sorry,” Seri tried apologizing for the language as she ran to the front door where Aquilla stood on the front lawn.

Seri walked beside of her. “What the hell are you doing?” she whispered through gritted teeth.

“I’m getting rid of these people, once and for all.”

“Shelby, how does it feel to be back at home with your family?” someone yelled, and then the shouting started. She couldn’t understand what any of them were saying. They spoke so loud and on top of one another.

Aquilla raised her hands in a stop notion. Her eyes darted around, counting only the people holding microphones, there were nine of them all together.

“I’m going to answer one question from each of the reporters, IF you leave as soon as your question is answered. As soon as your question is answered, I need you to get in your vehicle and leave us alone,” she explained.

The reporters all started yelling out their questions again. She did the same hand motion, silencing them once again.

Seri smiled at the power that Quill thought she carried. She kind of did. They were listening to her.

Aquilla pointed to one lady.

“Shelby, did you ever try to find a way to escape your abductor?” she asked.

“No. I was raised as his daughter. I never knew I was taken from any family.” She couldn’t say her family. Her father and Julius were her family.

“What was your reaction when you found out?” the lady asked.

“You had your one question. You need to leave now,” Aquilla demanded.

No way. This was breaking news. She wasn’t going anywhere, not until Aquilla crossed her arms and refused to say another word, anyway. The rest of the reporters started yelling at her to leave so that she would continue to answer their questions.

“How did you feel when you found out that the father you were raised by was shot and killed?” a guy called after she pointed to him. Seri sensed her stiffened posture. She slid her arm over her shoulder in a supporting manner.

Aquilla felt a feeling of aporia, a crazy emptiness like when you realize that something you believed isn’t actually true. And then things feel even more weird when you realize that actually, the thing you believed might be true and might not — and you’ll never really know. She knew now. She knew more than she ever cared to know.

“How would you feel if your father was shot and killed?” she asked. “You can go now,” she said, dismissing the dumbass.

Seri dropped her arm as Liz walked to the other side of Aquilla. Aquilla wanted to step away from her when she felt Seri’s arm being replaced with her mother’s. She didn’t want her to touch her.

Aquilla continued to answer the disturbing questions, and watched one by one as the reporters left. Seri was not only gratified by Quill’s ability to hold it together and answer the tough questions that she knew were destroying her inside, but was also amazed. She couldn’t believe how she nervily walked out to that yard, tackling the mob head on, and getting them to do what she wanted them to do. She held the upper hand, she led the questions, answered how she felt compelled, and dismissed them, one by one.

It took only 25 minutes and the flock was gone. Three days of camping outside was put to rest in 25 short minutes.

Aquilla stepped away from her mother’s hold and walked back to the house. She needed a moment. She needed to be alone and sort out the confusing feelings. Her dad smiled a reassuring smile as she passed. Reese patted her back as she stepped through the door.

Seri wanted to go to her, but didn’t want to step on her mother’s toes.

“Do you want to go to her?” she asked. Somebody needed to, whether it was her or Seri. Somebody needed to make sure she was okay.

“I don’t know what to say to her,” Liz admitted.

Seri smiled. “Just let her know that you are there for her,” she explained.

Aquilla tried. Where the hell were these tears coming from? They were really starting to piss her off. She quickly wiped them away when she heard the tap on the door. It wasn’t Seri. Seri wouldn’t knock. What the hell? Couldn’t they just leave her alone?

“What!?!” she yelled.

Liz opened the door and sat on Seri’s bed. She wasn’t sure what to say. She could tell that she was crying. She wished she could wrap her in her arms and tell her that it was all going to be okay. Had it been Reese, she would have done just that. She couldn’t do that with Aquilla. Aquilla would push her away.

“I am so proud of you. Where the hell did you learn to demand that much respect? I need you to come and help me with my second graders,” she decided.

Aquilla smiled a warm smile. She knew none of this was her fault. She knew that her mother felt as though all of her years were robbed from her. They were, and no matter how much Aquilla didn’t want to be there, none of it was the fault of her first family. They were the victims in this fucked up mess.

“I was raised around a lot of power,” she admitted.

Liz didn’t respond. No response was needed. She knew she was there for her and that was her main goal. She wasn’t going to push her. She was going to try her best to let her do the walking (baby steps) while she prayed that she would be okay. She stood, kissed Aquilla on top of the head and left her.

Seri too left her alone for almost an hour before going to talk to her.

“Hey,” she said, moving her feet from the foot of her bed.

“Geesh, sit on your own bed,” Aquilla demanded, sitting up