Appleberry(Completed)

Ch. 13: Dad & The Truth

Just like the other night, I had opened the window and fell asleep on the floor. This time it was the attic floor. Not my bedroom floor. I heard dad yelling through the echo halls of the house. My eyes snapped open. Shit.
I scrambled to get up. I went down the stairs and slightly opened the door. Dad was walking downstairs. "Where is she Frankie? Did she go back over to the Devlin's and not say anything?"
Franks threw her arms up. "I don't know dad. Maybe she is outside. I will go check."
When I knew it was safe, I ran to my room and shut the door. I went to the bedroom window and opened throwing the rope ladder over. Giving the affect that I had climbed in through my window. I quickly got undressed and went to the bathroom getting in the shower.
I could hear Frankie yell. "Damn it Sloane!"
If only she knew, I wasn't even out last night. I was home all night fast asleep. Just in a different part of the house. A forbidden part of the house.
The bathroom door opened. "Have a nice night?"
I poked my head out of the shower curtain. "What are you talking about?"
"The rope ladder Sloane. I thought you said you were done with stuff like that." Frankie sat on the sink counter.
I rolled my eyes, closing the curtain. I let the water run over me. "It's not what you think. I went for a run. I didn't want to wake anyone up. I took the ladder. Came back and jumped in the shower."
Frankie didn't say anything. "Is there something you need?"
"No and I think you are lying." I heard the bathroom door close.
My shoulders slumped, relaxing. I was not ready to have the talk with dad or Frankie. I knew how dad would act. That made me tense. I didn't know how Franks would act. So, it all built up to one mighty tense ball weighing me down. Making me sink to the bottom of the lake.
                              ***
I went into the kitchen to find dad cooking and Frankie sitting at the table. I was baffled. Dad hadn't even touched a cooking utensil in two years.
"Good morning." I said with a monotone.
Frankie looked at dad then to me, shrugging her shoulders. I went and took a seat beside her. We watched dad in silence. It was like the circus was in town. It was taboo to us.
Dad came over sitting French toast down in front of us. "Morning girls, I hope you are hungry?"
We looked to each other, to the food, then to dad. "We are starving dad."
He smiled. "Got any plans for today?"
He was taking his place at the table. "Actually, I need you and Frankie to come with me today."
"Where are we going?" Dad took a bite of his breakfast.
I bit the inside of my cheek. "It's just to a friend's house. His grandfather invited us over. So, we have to be there."
Dad nodded. "Okay, after we eat, we can go. If that is okay?"
I shook my head yes and started eating breakfast. Frankie and I hadn't had dad's cooking in a long time. We felt it was necessary to eat every bite on our plates. He was a great cook. Mom and him bonded over cooking. They would always be in the kitchen when we got home from school fixing up dinner. Or in the kitchen when we woke up working on breakfast.
After breakfast, Frankie and I washed up dishes. I made sure to be fast because I wanted to drive. I was afraid if dad drove, he would turn back around since it was the Alderman's we were going to go see. I couldn't have him leave on me. I needed to know. Frankie needed to know.
I rushed to get my jacket and came running back downstairs. Dad was just about to get the keys out of the bowl. I jumped over the railing and grabbed them running out the door.
"Sloane!" I could hear dad hollering behind me.
I ignored him and jumped in the truck, cranking it up. I waited for them to get in.
Frankie was fixing to get in first. "No, let dad sit in the middle."
Frankie looked at me like I was up to something. That is because I was. "Just let dad in the middle Franks."
"Okay." She backed up letting dad get in first.
When she was in, I took off. Dad turned on some music to drown out the silence. I was thankful for that. I didn't' know what to say to him right now. I just needed to get him to the guardians and we all have a talk.
I was biting at the bit to get there. "Sloane, slow down before you wreck."
"It's fine. I'm only going fifty." I looked to him then back to the road.
"Sloane, the speed limit is thirty." Dad was being stern.
We had ten minutes to go until we reached the Alderman home. "Fine, I will slow down."
                              ***
When dad looked down, I turned into the driveway. I thought I was getting away with it. "Where are we going, Sloane?"
"You will know when we get there." I was biting my lip nervously.
"Sloane, take me back home. I don't want to see the Alderman's." He was tense beside me.
"I can't do that dad." I kept driving.
"Sloane, turn the truck back around, now." Dad's voice was mixed with nervousness and sternness.
I came to a sudden stop. "Dad, stop. We are going to the Alderman's. You know why. You can't stop any of it."
Dad was looking at me, but Frankie was the one to speak. "What are you two talking about?" 
Dad and I kept staring at one another. I wasn't going to let him win. Not at this. He could ground me for a month or a year. But we had to talk to the Alderman's.
His stare broke. "Fine. Let's go."
"What is going on? Sloane? Dad?" Frankie was freaking out.
"You'll find out soon enough Franks." That was all I said until we were parked in front of the Alderman home.
I looked over to dad. He was not happy with me. His eyes were burning black. His face was red. He was pissed.
I got out and noticed the fleet was there as well. I honked the horn. They were outside in a matter of seconds. The twins came up giving me a big hug.
I saw Jason standing in the doorway. He waved. I waved back. I took a deep breath. "How are you guys?"
"We are good. Excited to see you." The twins scuffed up my hair and ran.
I fixed it back to its right position. "Dad, get out."
He looked at me. "Don't try arguing your way out of it. I have the fleet and two guardians. We aren't afraid to drag you out and into the house."
Dad looked at everyone standing outside the house and then to Jason standing in the door. He got out and started to walk towards the front door. The fleet parted for him like he was royalty. I guess in the witch and warlock world he was.
Frankie and I followed him. Frankie leaned into me to whisper. "What is going on Sloane? What is the fleet and guardians?"
"You'll know soon enough Franks." I walked faster to catch up with dad.
He stopped when he was in front of Jason. Jason held his hand out to dad. "It's nice to see you again Andrew."
Dad hesitated a bit then took Jason's hand. "You too Jason. I'm taking it Sloane knows about most of everything."
Jason nodded. "Please do come in."
We all walked back to the study I was in a few days ago. It only felt like a few hours ago though. I couldn't get any of it out of my head. All I wanted was to end this.
I was about to take a seat when Bodhi pulled me back. She reached in her pocket pulling out a box. "Here, the ring that belongs to Frankie. You can give it to her after she knows or wait until she accepts it. It is up to you. I just wanted you to have it."
I opened the box to a gorgeous blue stone with white diamonds surrounding it. "It is beautiful. Thank you, Bodhi."
She nodded and took her place beside Jett. I went and sat with the twins. This was going to be one hell of a day. I could feel it.
Dad was the first to say anything. "So, I guess I know why I am here."
I crossed my arms. "You guess? You want to tell me why you kept it from us?"
Jason handed a glass of scotch to dad. "Sloane, let's give your father a chance to defend himself before you start in, shall we?"
I waved my hands for him to go ahead. He took a sip of the scotch, putting it on the end table. "I didn't tell you because I wanted to keep you safe. I wanted to keep you both safe. I didn't want you in it."
"It is our birth right. Doesn't matter if it keeps us safe or not. We had every right to know." I scooted to the end of the chair putting my elbows on my knees.
Frankie held up a hand. We all looked at her. "Birth right? For what? What is going on?"
I stared at dad. "You want to tell her? Or shall I?"
He didn't say a word nor flinch. I looked to Frankie. "We are witches Frankie. We come from a long line of witches. That's why dad never talked about his past."
I got up to pour me a glass of scotch. "There is also the fact that one of us has to marry an Appleberry to break a curse. So, you want to do the honors, or shall I?"
I turned to look at them. I could feel everyone being tense. Except Bowie, he just grinned from ear to ear. I think Bowie like the drama.
Frankie stood up and looked from dad to me. I stared down dad. "It's true. What she is saying is true?"
Dad's head snapped to Frankie. Through gritted teeth. "Yes."
"Why didn't you say anything? Sloane is right. You should have told us. We had every right to know." Frankie stomped off to lean against one of the bookshelves.
Jason moved in his seat from his left side to his right. "Andrew, you should tell them the rest."
I shot my head to Jason. "You mean there is more? You have to be flipping kidding me?"
"No, Sloane, I am telling the truth. Go ahead, tell her." He didn't take his eyes off my dad.
Dad got up walking over to the desk slamming his hands down. Zeke went to come over, but Jason grabbed his arm. He looked from his grandfather to my dad.
He swallowed hard. "Don't be leaving marks in the desk. It's an antique."
The twins laughed, I shot them a look. They put their hands over their mouths shutting up. "What else is there dad?"
He closed his eyes taking a deep breath. He turned around leaning against the desk. "You aren't just a witch. You are more powerful than that."
I was standing behind the couch dad was sitting on with Franks, Bodhi, and Jett. "What are you talking about?"
"You..." Dad rubbed his hands over his face.
He started to pace. "Dad, stop. Tell us what the rest of it is."
He stopped looking at me. "You aren't just a witch. You are part of the fleet too."
I couldn't say anything. There was nothing I could even put into words to say. "Your great great great and so forth grandmother ran away with a Barlow."
I was trying to think back to what Jason had said and then I remembered. The fleet, the Barlow's. "We have wolf blood."
Dad shook his head yes. "You more so than your sister."
Frankie came over and sat down on the couch. "Why does she have more?"
"First born always has more. Another curse, which makes them more stubborn and hot headed. The ones you can't control." Dad took a seat.
Dad looked at Frankie. "You can choose. Sloane can't."
Franks looked at me and frowned then back to dad. "Choose what?"
Dad downed the scotch. "You can choose to change into one of the fleet or you can choose not to. Unlike Sloane, she feels it coursing through her veins, she would have no choice to turn. It's all part of one big curse. A slap in the face."
"I have more control of everything. Meaning what my body does, how I get mad, turning, and all of it." Frankie got up again walking to the desk and turning to face me.
Dad downed another glass of scotch. "Yep."
Frankie and I locked eyes. "I am sorry Sloane. I know it's hard for you and now it will just be worse."
Frankie ran out of the room crying. "Frankie."
Zeke got up. "I will check on her."
I glared at him. "Zeke."
"Don't worry wolch. I won't try anything." Zeke hurried out of the room.
I looked at Bodhi. "Wolch?"
Bodhi rolled her eyes. "Wolf and witch mixed together."
I laughed. "That is why he made the milk joke the day I first meet him. What an ass."
I walked over sitting between the twins again. I looked at the Barlow's and Hardy's. "So, who is the alpha of the group?"
Ozzi chuckled. "Who do you think?"
"Me." I groan angrily.
They all shook their heads. "Great, I am just eighteen. You all expect me to change all of this. How am I supposed to do that?"
The twins in unison. "With our help."
I laughed again. "This has to be some kind of bullshit."
"No bullshit here." Jason was stern.
I looked at Bodhi. "I'm sorry Sloane. It is all true."
"What about you dad? Got any input?" I greeted my teeth.
"Sloane, don't start. I have done nothing but try to protect you from all of this. I never thought we had to move back." He got up slamming his glass so hard, it broke.
It was like a growl coming through my throat. "Protect us? You lied. You had so many chances to say something. You moved back because you couldn't handle mom being gone. How the hell do you think Frankie and I felt?"
"Sloane, stop." Frankie was in the doorway.
I hadn't noticed but the twins were holding me back. I was furious. Frankie came over to me. She put her hands on either side of my face. "Sloane. It's okay."
I kept my eyes locked on dad. "Sloane, look at me."
I wouldn't. Frankie was stern this time. "Sloane, look at me now."
My eyes shifted to her. Her face was peaceful. She looked just like mom did. Everything melted. The only person to ever keep me calm was mom. After she died, I thought I wouldn't have anyone to keep me calm. Then Frankie started looking like her increasingly day by day. Then it was Frankie, she kept me calm to a certain degree.
The twins let me go. "It's okay Sloane. He was just doing what he thought was right. I'm okay. You are going to be okay. I promise."
I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I was calmer. "Okay. I just didn't want it to hurt you."
"It doesn't. I think I knew all along. I never felt lost. I am sorry you had to feel it." Franks kissed my forehead.
She was a peacekeeper. She was not only a witch and wolf. She was also a guardian. Which made her just as powerful as me.
I smiled. "You're a peacekeeper."
Her eyebrows came together. "What?"
"You are a guardian. Just like Zeke and his family." I put my forehead to hers.
She smiled. "We can do this. As long as we have us and them. We can do it."
I hugged her. She was my sister. We were always close. But knowing what we were. Everything was starting to come together. Making us stronger than any of us could possibly know.