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THERE was a pounding knock on the door. Eddie looked up, startled by it, although he knew exactly who it was.
"Eddie? Get your ass over here and please open the door," Hanna says from the other side. Riley stands behind her, cringing at her father's tardiness to open the door. She knows how this night will probably end- in arguing and stubborn, awkward silence.
Eddie sighs, pulling himself towards the door of doom. He unlocks it, pulling it open to reveal an exasperated Hanna and a shy looking Riley.
Hanna wastes no time as she storms in, throwing her purse on the countertop nearby. She stops abruptly in the middle of the smaller apartment, her head moving from one side to the other slowly.
Eddie knows what she's doing-- observing. She's seeing if there's something out of place. He rolls his eyes, exasperated. Riley watches all of this as she stands next to her father, crossing her arms.
"You. Had. One. Job." She whispers to her dad, and he looks her way. His face pinches, knowing she's right.
He whispers back, "I know, I know, it definitely counts towards your points."
Hanna sighs, then glides over and plops herself over onto the couch. Eddie scratches the back of his head in await of what she'll say now. Riley keeps a straight face, preparing herself for the worst already.
Whenever her parents fight, it's awkward, deep, and ballsy. I mean there's awkward silences, the words hit deep, and both parents are ballsy enough to say what they think fit the situation. Riley doesn't prefer it because that usually means she's stuck to watch it or she's pulled into the middle.
But yet again, she knows she's inevitably in the middle of everything, based on the fact that she's half her father and half her mother.
"So why don't we sit down and order some dinner, shall we? Oh, wait, we're not at a restaurant," Hanna goes straight for it, cutthroat as always, and Eddie's brows to furrow in anger, tongue licking his lips. Riley sees it as a sign of nervousness masked behind anger or irritation.
"Hanna, look, I can't do anything about it and you know that, the staff called me and-"
"The staff called you, right. Bullshit."
"Mom!"
"Oh and here we go! Making me the bad guy, always pulling my own daughter to- !"
"Guys! Can we just eat dinner?! I'm hungry, like right now, and I don't really care what we get," Riley interrupts, head tilted towards her mother. "Please?"
Hanna sighs, as Eddie gives her a look. He knows the tone of Riley's voice is dangerous, as it's best to leave her alone if she gets this way, but now he knows he can't. He can't leave his kid alone to cool her temper down because Hanna will critique his every choice as a parent.
Personally that's just his way, he'll leave Riley alone to calm herself if she needs to, them come back to her and talk it through later. Riley follows that pattern with him whenever she gets truly upset or angry.
And that's what works for the father and daughter duo. Riley with her mother, on the other hand, well that's a different story. With Hanna, she'll confront Riley immediately about what's bothering her with the same demeanor Riley had reacted with, inevitably leading to a tense standoff or silence between the mother and daughter.
Neither goes back to apologize, it just withers away after one leaves the room and doesn't get brought back up again.
But anyways, Hanna's parenting style and skills are different from Eddie's, and everyone in the room knows it. It just shows more times than others. And right now, Eddie recognizes the voice as the one similar to Hanna's when she's really pissed; of which this situation isn't ideal to have either woman using that tone, especially if in the same vicinity.
If they both use the same tone, well then you're going to hell. Those two, in Eddie's perspective, are a force to be reckoned with when their tempers flare.
So he just lightens his glare for a moment, then shifting it to the floor. He inhales, as Hanna speaks up.
"You know what? I think I'm just going to make this quick, since neither of you seem to care. Riley," Hanna gets up, quickly making her way to the countertop to grab her purse. "I'm just going to head out. It's going to be a long night for me and I've still got work to go to, okay?"
Riley stands still for a moment, her anger suddenly cirlcing around in her chest, wanting out. She frowns, blinking.
Her mother was just going to leave? Now? Without having dinner? And why does she think that neither of them care?
"Riley?" Hanna asks sharply now, as Riley hasn't said a word. She doesn't know what to say. She's speechless- her mother has never done this before, and she doesn't know how to react.
She doesn't know why her mom is reacting so strongly, when they simply could just go get dinner at a fast food place. I mean, it's San Francisco goddamnit.
"O-okay," is all the girl gets out. Hanna's eyes widen slightly, but she quickly slits them, giving a bitter smile to them both, and swiftly and suddenly rushing out the door. Riley's mouth opens more, as Eddie rubs his hand over his face in exasperation.
"Always were the reactive one," he mutters to himself, as Riley blinks, hearing the door slam loudly. And then it seems as if her brain works again, and she spins on her heel, suddenly following her mom's footsteps and rushing to the door as well.
"Hey, no-- Riley stay here," Eddie brings his hand now, hearing his daughter move. He faces her back and crosses his arms comfortably.
"Dad, she just left, like- !" Riley turns to him from the door.
"I know,"
"You know? That- what? That's all you have to say?" She doesn't know why, but she becomes protective, or defensive for her mother. And yet moments ago she was predominantly against her.
"Riley, just let her leave. She won't leave for another day, you know that, and she just needs to cool off," he pauses, as Riley sighs quickly, breathing out a huff of irritation. At her mother or father she doesn't know. Maybe both.
"But hey, you said you were hungry right? You wanna go out somewhere?" Eddie knows it's a bad idea to start this conversation, but he hates silences and still wants to cheer his daughter up a little.
Eddie was right. Riley just gets more riled up for a moment, and stutters angrily, her brain moving too quickly for her mouth to catch up. Upset at herself now, Riley throws her hands in the air, slapping them at her sides a moment later, going silent. Eddie watches, and tries something to lighten the mood.
"Slow down there little rascal," he keeps it quieter, as his confidence in his try lessens by the word. Riley looks him dead in the eyes now, a frown on her face. She opens her mouth again, but nothing comes out. Eddie tightens his arms.
"I'm not hungry, Dad, I'm-," She stops, trying to collect herself. Taking a moment, Eddie relaxes his grip on himself. "I think I'm just gonna go and settle in. You're right, I guess, Mom won't leave until tomorrow."
"Exactly, and we can think of something better to surprise her with before she leaves, right?" Eddie asks, a smile popping onto his face. It's contagious-- Riley smiles just like him.
"Yeah. We got this," She walks towards him, hand up, and he uncrosses his. They high five, and Riley heads past him to the extra room she's claimed hers.
