Moving Through The Waves

Thirteen

Zander

To say that I was 'in shit' was putting it fucking lightly!
Bailey's pregnant.
Kaylah's appeared out of nowhere, claiming she's about to pop out my Kid!
I completely fucked the Comp in Queensland, not even making it into the Finals.
My Sponsor's were fuming!
And...
"Look at this place!"
An awed voice commented from the back seat.
Before we left Queensland, Darwin arranged for one of the Boy's to drive a car to the airport, leave it there for us and drive his Ute home.
I half turned around in the front passenger seat.
Raddix, with her flaming red hair, just about opaque skin and big blue eyes, stared out at the seemingly endless expanse of land, containing stables, arena's, paddock's and much more, that belonged to the Mason's.
She looked even younger than her declared fifteen, being well over a foot shorter than both Darwin and I, but she'd shown us her School ID Card, proving her age.
I was ninety nine point nine, nine, nine, nine, nine percent sure my Brother was about to have his arse handed to him by his Girlfriend.
Even worse?
We'd probably both be going to jail.
"Do you like Horses?"
I asked.
"The only time I've seen them in real life is out in field's, or Police Horses."
Raddix answered.
"But they seem absolutely stunning..."
She whispered, sounding wistful.
"I know someone who might be able to give you some in person contact."
I told her.
I knew two people, but of course my mind first went straight to Bailey.
Raddix tore her awed gaze off our surroundings to look at me, jaw slack.
"No way?"
I couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah."
Raddix looked anxiously at the empty driver's seat and back to me.
"What's Darwin doing?"
She whispered, clearly trying not to give away her fear.
It was on the tip of my tongue to say 'getting his arse handed to him by his girlfriend', but I couldn't exactly say that to her.
"He's just... checking in with his Girlfriend."
I told her.
Her eyes grew wide all over again!
What the hell did I do?!
"Is he telling her about Me?!"
She asked, voice shrill.
Cringing, I covered my ear's.
Pre Jodie, I most definitely could have said 'no'.
But that Woman is fucken scary when she want's to be and it seems even Darwin has noticed!
"She's his Girlfriend."
I muttered, instead of choosing an answer.
If he was telling her, she could be furious and that was another person who knew — Darwin, Me and Raddix being the only others — and could put my Brother and I behind bar's!
But if he didn't tell her...
I dreaded to think.
"She's gonna hate me, isn't she!"
Eyes wide, Raddix had her fingertips pressed over her mouth.
Jodie would most definitely rip Darwin a new one...
But hate Raddix?
I didn't think so.
"She's really nice."
I explained.
"She won't hate you."
Instead of replying, she raked both hand's into her long red hair, her face and eyes tight.
She seemed to do that when she felt stressed.
I propped my right elbow on the back of the passenger seat.
"You've known Darwin and I for three day's. I've known my Brother my whole life."
I explained.
"No matter what goes on with him and Jodie, make no mistakes, he'll make sure you're safe."
Tear's glistening in her eyes, she sank back into the passenger seat.

Jodie

In a state of shock, I ran my left hand into my hair.
Darwin and Zander brought a fifteen year old Foster Child home with them?!
My Boyfriend opened his mouth.
"Don't!"
I warned, holding my hand out, palm forward in a halting gesture.
He pressed his lip's together.
Closing my eyes, I turned away from him.
What the fuck was wrong with him?!
Kidnapping a Kid?
He was going back to jail for sure!
"I couldn't just leave her there to live on the street, or go back to that house."
Darwin insisted.
I popped my eyes open and whipped back around to face him.
"Then you take her to the Hospital or to the Police! You don't buy her a fucking plane ticket and lead her home!"
I shouted.
If I'd thought he was nut's when he'd called me Thursday, telling me he was waiting for a plane to go to Queensland with Zander, it was nothing on the insanity of now!
"I've done some research."
Darwin explained, spreading his hand's in a smoothing gesture.
I wanted to laugh!
"Because of my record, I can't apply to be her Foster Guardian."
He stated.
Folding my arm's across my chest, I raised a questioning brow.
Well at least he understood that part!
"But you can."
He insisted.
What the fuck?!
I laughed, stunned!
"Are you crazy?"
He opened his mouth.
I held my hand's up, palm's forward.
"I already know the answer!"
"I'm not crazy."
He denied.
"She's scared and need's looking out for."
"There are thousands of Teen's that fit such a title!"
I threw my hand's into the air.
"You just brought yourself a ticket straight back to jail! Not to mention your legal aged Brother will be joining you!"
Darwin shook his head.
"I'll get Kade to talk to Mariah. We'll work it out."
Doesn't this just keep getting better and better?!
"She's a Cop!"
I reminded him.
"She might be sleeping with your Brother, but She's not gonna just turn a blind eye!"
He stepped back, holding up his hand's.
"Sorry I thought to include you. She need's help. I'm not about to turn my back on her."
He turned on his heel, heading out of my kitchen.
"So you're gonna turn your back on Me?!"
I demanded, balling my hand's into tight fist's.
Half way between the kitchen and the door, he turned around.
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
He asked, looking confused.
I stormed around the end of the kitchen island, my heart hammering.
"I fucking love you and what do I get? You perfectly willing to just walk on back into jail!"
I yelled, pointing behind myself, in no particular direction.
I wasn't even sure where the hell the Jail's of our State were located.
He quickly closed the space between us and cupped my face between his hand's.
"I love you too."
He all but whispered.
I pulled my head away from his hand's and pushed his chest.
He actually stepped back.
"You don't get to say that when you're dangling an invitation to a Jail sentence over your head!"
I raged.
Looking determined, he stepped forward and grabbed my wrist's.
"We will get it sorted. I've got no plan's of goin' back to Prison."
He insisted, voice low.
"And yet you've Kidnapped someone!"
I retorted, angry at the tear's streaming down my cheek's.
Slowly, his grip on my wrist's loosened.
"For the tenth fucking time."
He gritted, jaw clenched tight.
"I didn't Kidnap her! She's fifteen. She asked to come!"
"She's fifteen, in the Foster Care system and you've taken her interstate without her Foster Parents' permission!"
I retorted.
How the fuck did he not see it?
His eyes flashed with anger.
"Like I already told you. Her Foster Father raped her! In no fucking universe would I leave her there to go through it again."
He thought I didn't understand the severity of the situation?
In my mind, I had a hell of a lot tighter grip on it than he did!
I slid my wrist's out of his now loose hold.
"You still should have let the Authorities deal with it!"
I insisted.