Chapter 4: Meanwhile, Back At The RanchI arrive home at about 4:40 PM, putting the key to the lock on the door and opening it. Dad was already home, laying splayed out on the couch, asleep. The TV was off, but the living room computer was on, with several windows opened on certain documents involving his work with the schools and the federal agency he is involved with. The on-line connection has been severed from his end. I go to my room, putting my bookbag on my bed, and step back out to the kitchen. Opening one of the two dual door refrigerators we have, I look inside, finding carefully wrapped left overs, mostly frozen over food. Reaching inside, I take two small Tupperware bowls and put them into the microwave, set to defrost and then to warm over; at most 15 minutes of waiting. Heading back to the room, I change into my home/play clothes- taking off my school clothes and putting on a t-shirt and jeans. 'It is nice to be out of the school uniform', I think to myself, as I start to brush my hair in front of the mirror. Adding a scrunchie to it, I secure a pony tail to the back, and twist my head about, making it flop back and fourth. Inside my bookbag are my regular pair of glasses- if at least one thing I did inherited from mom was her extreme near-sightedness. I step back out into the kitchen, where the microwave has just cycled from defrost to warm over; with little as 4 minutes left before I can eat. *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* Somebody is at the front door, but as I step out into the connecting hallway, the sounds of a key being inserted into the door can be slightly heard- the lock being undone was much louder. Very few would knock on a door and then use a key, most of the time it is the opposite- use key, then if there is trouble with the lock, knock on door. In my mind, I think someone's trying to break in, and I step back inside the kitchen for the moment, trying to remember where mom and dad's guns are. As I think and try to remember where the guns are stored, I realize that daddy's on the couch, asleep. The door opens, and somebody says from the door way with a southern accent, "Hello? Anybody here?" It also sounds like they are dragging in something heavy. But in the least, it sounded non-threatening. I slowly step into the hallway to see who it could be, finding my Aunt Jaunita-Gloria at the door struggling with a large plastic bag that wont fit through the door. I had to hold in my laughter, seeing such a sight, and then, the bell on the microwave oven rang. She stops pulling on the bag, but remains tethered to it and turns around, seeing me standing in the hallway. "Why you aint here helping me with this here bag, Miss?", Jaunita almost yells out at me. I tried to get her to keep quiet and hold my finger to my lips and point to the living room where dad was sleeping. She gives me a strange like that she does not understand, but lets go of the bag and walks into the living room, finding my father asleep on the couch. "I swear, this man would sleep through a disaster if it were to fell on him...", Jaunita said aloud as she stood behind the couch. "Girl, git your butt here and help me with this...", as she continued. I walk to the entrance of the living room, "What you're gonna do?", I asked. "Come help me flip this couch potatoe on his ass, and maybe that will wake him up.", Jaunita said with an almost evil smile growing on her face. "But that might hurt him, and I ....", I protested. "I seen him get hit by a truck on Flatbush, and that only got him mad to get back up and beat the shit out of the driver, 1 couch aint going to hurt him none. Now you gonna help me or not?", she saids. "I really don't know...", I complained, but then- the microwave oven bell rang 3 times as a reminder that the food inside was ready. "MY LUNCH!", I squealed as I ran back into the kitchen. There was a short growling noise in the living room, followed by Aunt Jaunita complaining again, "Oh sure, this house can drop on ya and you would not move, but hear the sound of food coming and you make an effort to show that you're alive... Men, I swear!", as she stammers out from behind the couch and towards the kitchen where I was putting my lunch onto a plate. Macoroni with cheese and beef, a small pork chop and mixed vegetables on the side, neatly arranged on the plate, waiting for me to take it to either the dining area or my room as I go through the other refrigerator for something to drink. I pull out a can of Cherry Pepsi, and shake it as I walk to serving area where the plate of food was at. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, GIRL!", Junaita yells at me as she sees me shake the can vigoriously. "You want some?", as I point the top of the can at her. "NO! WAIT! DONT OPEN IT!!!", she yells. I put the can of soda on the table and give it two hard taps with my finger nail by plucking at its top where the pull tab is rivetted to the can. Holding it tightly with one hand, I pull the tab with the other, seeing that Jaunita had just ran out of the room. Nothing happens, other than me reaching for a glass and pouring out the soda into it. Obviously, she does not know about that trick. "What the fuck is all this shit!!", I can hear another voice at the door. It was mom, with my brother James, who does not seem happy right now. For all intents and purposes, that was my cue to take my food into my room and lock the door, and I do. Aunt Jaunita runs to the door and start pulling on the bag, but it wont fit through the door. "Figures it would be you...", I can hear mom yelling, "...take it to the garage cause it aint fitting through the door! And You- Help your auntie out and then go to your room- NO TV, NO COMPUTERS, NO VIDEO GAMES, JUST SIT IN THE DAMN DARK UNTIL I CALL YOU FOR DINNER!" Mom walks through the house and into the kitchen, where she opens the circuit breaker box and shuts the electricity off to James' room. I dont know what he did, but it must have been good for mom to blow her stack like that. Aunt Jaunita and James reenter the house through the garage's side entrance which brings them into the living room through the other side. Mom walks out of the kitchen and back into the living room, where she yells at James some more. He stomps his way through out the house until he goes into his room and slams the door, followed by some loud cursing since he probably just discovered that his electricity has been turned off. Mom walks to the dinning roon and sits by the table. Jaunita follows behind her and sits next to mom. "What happened with the boy?", Jaunita asks. "He got busted playing hookie with a group of other boys today and was dragged into the police station where he was being held.", Cathy (mom) tells her in digust. "Well, boys will be boys...", Jaunita saids. "The other boys were members of the Blood's Gang...", Cathy added with a very cold tone. Aunt Jaunita remained silent for a while, thinking and finally saying, "But, he's almost 18- aint he too old to be joining a gang?" "I really dont care, that is my son and for what ever reason he got caught, it aint going to happen again, I promise you that...", Cathy says. At about the sametime, there was a loud thud in the living room area and both women look to where it came from, finding the couch being empty and dad on the floor. I step out of my room and walk to the kitchen with an empty plate, pretending not to know anything. "SAMANTHA!", mom yells at me. I just stop in my tracks just before putting the plate into the sink, holding it as it hovers above it. "Yes, mom?", I asked very meekishly. "Come on Cathy, the girl aint done nothing...", Aunt Jaunita saids in my defense. "She aint ready for her birthday party...", Cathy saids. I stare at mom for a moment before realizing I almost for about the party my parents have for me. I almost drop the plate, putting it down in the sink kind of loudly before running into my room, locking the door behind me. "What about 'Mr. Laying In State' over there?", Jaunita asks as she points to my dad who is still sleeping on the floor. "You go wake him up...", Cathy saids. "Why me?", Jaunita asks. "Why not- he'll probably wake up all horny and bothered and pounce on you, probably thinking you're me... then again, he'd probably know its you, so its no difference to me; just do him lovely so I can be left alone for a while as I change.", Cathy tells her as she slowly gets up before walking to their bedroom and locking the door behind her to change. "But... oh dear... Cathy I swear.", Jaunita tries to protest but ends up talking to herself instead. She gets up and walks to the living room and sits on the recliner that by the wall next to the couch. She sits there looking at dad for a while, not knowing that Meeshie the IV has been hiding behind the recliner for most of the time. Meeshie pounced her way up the top of the headrest on the recliner and then jumps on Jaunita's lap. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", Jaunita shrieks at the top her lungs, waking up dad and having everyone else run out their rooms. Meeshie runs through out the house looking like a frightened puffed ball of fur doing mach 3, into my room and under my bed. Dad somehow jumped over the couch from his laying down position, and onto the other side, looking over the edge to see if it was safe. "What the hell happened?", Cathy yells at the both of them. "That... damned... cat... tried... to... attack... me...", Jaunita saids between breathes as she pants for air. "Jesus Christ, woman.", dad said from behind the couch. Jaunita sits back against the recliner, gasping for air. Mom did not know if she wanted to laugh or yell at the both of them or at the cat, but in turning around, she sees James out of his room and yells at him. "Didn't I tell you go stay in your room?", Cathy yells at James. I took that as my cue to stay in my room and finish getting dressed. But once locking myself into my room , I decide to sit on the bed, and bend over the side to check on Meeshie. There she was, a little quivering ball of fur, hiding in the innermost part of the bed next to the wall. I stick my arm slowly under the bed and draw it near her, she stays still until I'm at her paw's length to her. She puts her paw against my hand and tried to push it away gently. That gave me enough room to scoop her up from underneath her chest and shoulders and slowly drag her out from under the bed. Taking it easy not to scare her further, I lift her up and sit cross-legged on the bed, putting Meeshie on my lap and start stroking her behind her ears. She starts to ball up on my lap and purrs. "What's wrong, girl?", I start talking to the cat. She just relaxes and purrs herself to sleep. I gently take her off my lap and put her on my bed, thinking, 'That's easy for you to do, I got things to do and responsibilities to take care of.' I get out of the bed, walking about my room, selecting what clothes to wear. A former dinner and either a movie or a play later on. Doubt my brother will be going there, but if what is said is true, he better not try to do anything stupid again. With Jaunita in the house- that makes the number of telepaths to 3, though her and dad are too busy running around each in other's minds, together they augment their power by a lot. Though I nowhere near their abilities, they have taught me a few things here and there. In a sense, it has kept my brother in check when he has had those nasty thoughts about girls and I was able to put him in check with it. A black mini dress, matching pumps, nude-colour pantyhose, and the most comfortable underwear I have. A medium thick gold necklace with the letter "F" in fancy script, above another one of a gold crucifix is placed next to them. I start taking off my clothes and begin putting on my underwear. Sitting on the bed, I start to slowly put on my pantyhose. Mom knocks on the door, before opening it and walking in. She closes the door behind her and walks around my room, eyeing everything within and giving the dress a longer glance than I am comfortable with. She stops and stand before me, holding something behind her back, and she gives Meeshie an evil look. "What did she do now?", I ask her. "You know, your father spoils you too much.", Cathy says, before she carefully sits down making sure not to disturb the sleeping cat. "Why you say that?", I ask her. "Well, I don't have to be a telepath to know that...", she says with a smile, "Consider that I call you Samantha, but he calls you Francesca. And for some reason, you don't find that odd. But as my daughter, it does not matter which name you go by, as long as you can say that you are from me... Understand what I'm trying to say?" "No, but eventually- I will.", I tell her. "What I'm trying to say is that one day, you may fall in love and perhaps do things that might get you in trouble.", she says. "There are not that many boys out there that I like mom... not enough to have sex, loose my virginity, and maybe get pregnant or worse get some disease, even HIV... besides...", I began to explain to her. "I know- you can read their minds and know what they are thinking.", she tells me. "Its kinda hard though. I mean...", I tried to explain. "If I knew what was exactly on men's minds, things would have been different. Who knows... I would have found your father first. So I understand how hard it must be for you, though I don't know. Want to talk with Auntie Jaunita?", she explains. "Not really.", I tell her. "Well, Samantha... we don't have much time.", as she slowly takes a package from behind her and gives it to me. "Open it.", she says. I open the package, finding a small black patent leather pocket book purse inside. "Mom?", I ask her. "Its a Valdali handmade original, but, open it...", she saids. Inside I find a black leather DayRunner Planning book, and a small jewelry box. I take the small box into my hands, opening it. Inside are 2 small diamond stud earrings. "Mom?", I ask her, a bit worried about the answer. "I know- we're going to have to get your ears pierced for you to wear them.", she tells me, taking one of them and putting it by my earlobe, "But, open the plan book." I take the plan book and undo its zippered enclosure. The pages open randomly around the middle, and mom puts a finger behind them and puts them to one side, revealing a series of pockets for ID cards and other documents. All are empty, except for two. I remove the upper card and examine it, finding it to be a CitiBank ATM card, with my name embossed on the bottom: 'Francesca Samantha Gutierrez'. "It has 10-grand in, but...", she reaches inside and pulls out the other card. Its a CitiBank MasterCard credit card, with my name on it. "...its for emergency use only. Its not a real credit card, its a Debit card, meaning that the money you have in the account, is the money you can spend." "Why?", I asked, trying to hold back the tears. "Because you're our daughter and are worth it. The earrings are 1 karat in size, on a platium- worth about as much as what you have on the credit card.", she explains. "10 grand?", I ask, almost squealing. "No, silly...", she says, "2 grand." "But you said...", I try to explain. "I know what I said- the ATM card has 10 grand on it. But the credit card has 2 grand, it being on a separate account, so you have to be careful and balance them, and not to put the full 10 grand on the credit card or you loose interest on it. Remember- its for emergency use only...", she explains. "Like if my date gets me stuck with the dinner bill?", I said, wanting to laugh. "Well, only if he walks out on you... if not, he can do the dishes.", she saids. "They don't have dishes in Mikey Dee's.", I tell her. "Then unless he's that special, he not worth dating then.", she says, almost wanting to laugh. "You mean, like dad?", I ask. She stops to look at me sternly, and then switches her mood, "Yes, like dad. But seriously Samantha, if you get stuck somewhere, the money is there, but also this too.", as she hands me another package, which she starts to open. Its a cell phone. "Your dad wanted to give you a gun, but I would not allow it...", she explains. "I know- when I'm 18, along with the car.", I tell her, almost expecting it. "Cut that out...", she saids like every time she thinks I'm in her mind. "I'm not doing it.", I tell her. "Well, its getting late, and we ladies are going out first before meeting up with dad.", she saids as she gets up. "Where we're going?", I ask. "First- get your ears pierced for the earrings...", she says as she eyes the dress, "... you know, I have to dress up now, thanks to you." "Its...", I tried to explain. "Never mind, Sam. Just get dressed, and we'll see each other later.", she saids as she walks to the door. She pauses for a second at the door and smiles before leaving and walking out, closing it behind her. I can hear her walk into James' room and starts yelling at him. I try to ignore it, and gather the day planner and the cell phone, putting them inside the purse. I sit down and sigh as I put down the purse. I think about this day, though as funny as it has been, its the rest of my young adult life- as father and I used to have these talks. One of them is that in being a telepath- you must shut out the rest of the world around you or go crazy as everyone's thoughts comes crashing in from all sides into your brain. The conclusion being a reality of living a very cold and silent world where you can hide within your own thoughts and not within the thoughts of other- like everyone else does, but everyone does because they have no choice in the matter and you do. The unanswered part is what happens when I fall into a situation that dad and Auntie Jaunita fell into; that of meeting somebody who has that 1 in multi-trillion chance of matching my own brain wave frequencies and brain wave patterns. With them- they see each other's reality and perceptions; but behave so differently to the same situations and yet share a bond where thought, emotions, dreams and realities are shared. There are no secrets between them, and yet they are not in a relationship that would jeopardize dad's marriage to mom. Stranger, Jauntia is mom's best friend since pre-school and the three of them have been together since high school; its as if some things were meant to be. Sometimes I think too much and get a headache, like dad always complains about. I finish putting on the dress, adding the shoes, and the necklaces, before I get up and sit in front of the dresser is with the mirror, brush and make up is at. It seems that the yelling in James' room has subsided for now. I only put on enough make up to enhance my appearance, not to cover up what I have, as dad would say. But my hair, I just don't know what to do with it, so I leave it in its usual fluffy pony tail and bangs. The glasses I leave behind and put on the contacts, that dad hates to see me to wear. "...one mistake with those things, and the least of your problems will be a major eye infection, at best- you can go blind because of those things.", I can hear him echo in my mind. I stand in front of the mirror, taking in a final look at myself, before taking a step outside. I grab the purse mom just gave me and take it out to the dinning room area. Auntie Jaunita notices, and saids nothing. Dad does not notice, or care to notice, but is still happy to see me anyways. Telepathically, I can sense them almost about to begin one of their silent arguements, this time about me. But I forgive daddy- for I know that he was blind for sometime in his youth and beauty to him is not based by appearence but by what's in a person's heart, for that reason he believes me to be one of most most georgeous girls in the world, other than being his daughter. And I have to agree with him on that. Mom steps out of their room as I begin to sit down by the dinning room table, wearing a simillar dress to mine except that is in blue with bright red heels. Auntie Jaunita just stares at her, almost unbelieving at what she sees. "What's wrong?", Cathy asks. "You in competition with your daughter or something?", Jaunita asks. "If I were, she'd loose.", Cathy says in a boastful yet seductive tone, as she walks towards us and stands behind me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "But....", Jaunita tried to interject. "Oh shut up, and get into my room so we can do you.", Cathy says to her as she taps on my shoulder and signals me to go into the parent's bedroom. I silently obey her. "What for?", Jaunita complains. "For a telepath- you sure are dumb...", Cathy says, "Now get into my room or do I have to drag your ass in there..." "OK, OK, OK.... I'm going...", Jaunita says as she gets up and starts walking to the bed room. Mom follows her close behind and close the door behind her. I sit by the edge of the bed, waiting for the next thing to happen. Jaunita sits down next to me, a bit nervous and wondering what is goign to happen to her next. Mom steps into her closet, pulling out a red mini dress and tosses it to the bed. We just watch it as it flies through the air and lands next to Auntie Jaunita. We just stare it it for a while. "Well, are you going to strip and try it on, or do I have to get Samantha to hold you down while I rip your clothes of...!", Cathy yells from inside the closet. Upon finishing her statement, a pair of medium heel pumps flies out from the closet and land near the bed. She steps out of the closet, eyeing her still sitting next to me and still in her clothes. Jaunita starts to unbotton her blouse, and stops half way down. "Come on woman- get dressed and lets see if it fits.", Cathy almost yells at her. "But Cathy- you know... Samantha's here.", Jaunita said, almost silently complaining. "You aint got nothing that she's gonna be jealous off...", Cathy saids. "Mom!!!", I complained out loud. "Well, its true... if anything, she can be jealous of you for being bigger and yet younger than she is.", Cathy says, almost wanting to laugh. We just look at each other for a second and pass a few telepathic messages to each other. We finally agree that it would be OK for her to dress while I'm in the room with them. Auntie Jaunita lets out a sigh and saids to herself, "Yeah, she's Fernando's wife alright." 'What do you mean by that?', I send a telepathic message to her. For what seems like minutes, actually lasts seconds in this realm of reality. 'Nothing... just that she's been around him long enough to block out her thoughts from me, so I dont know what her next move is going to be, and that worries me.', she sends back a reply. 'I can sense her thoughts, but yours is locked as with daddy's.', I reply back to her, asking, 'Why?' 'Uh?', she turns to give me a quick look. "Will the two of you stop sending messages back and fourth to each other...", Cathy yells at us. "But...", I try to remain innocent. "No buts girl... when telepaths become quiet they will start to comminicate on that level we normal people dont understand... so cut it out!!!", Cathy explains sternly to me. I just bow my head as if I was caught doing something I was not supposed to do. "There's no reason to be harsh with the girl.", Jaunita says for my defense. "And this is coming from a woman who's mind is locked onto my husband's like lovers who has not seen each other in months...", Cathy now turns her attention to her. Jaunita just bows her head down and closes her eyes for a moment, saying, "You know somethings can't be helped." "Oh really...", Cathy says to her, stepping up to her and getting face to face to her. She smiles at her for a second. She puts her arms on Jaunita's shoulders and pushes her flat on the bed, pinning her down. "Now, who's the helpless one here...?", Cathy asks her in a strange threatening tone. I slowly slide my butt away from them until there was no more bed for me to slide from. "Cathy, what's with you?", Jaunita says in a scared tone. "Well, first we're going to take your clothes off, then if you dont fight back too much perhaps a little love match between the two of us like in the old days...", Cathy tells her in an evil seductive tone, reach down lower to finish unbottoning her blouse. "MOM!... you're making her nervous...", I say loudly to mom. "Cathy, please stop, you're scaring me...", Jaunita saids. "Sam- you know you can in join anytime you want.", Cathy saids before going back to Jaunita, "There's nothing to be scared about, just the two of us, perhaps three if Samantha joins us..." "MOM!!! STOP IT!", I yell at mom, almost wanting to run out of the room. She turns to face me with the most evil look I have ever seen outside of father taking on a group of muggers trying to make us their next victim. Auntie Jaunita sends a telepathic message for me to get dad, as I get off the bed and back step toward the door. "Stop right there missy...", Cathy hisses out at me. I freeze in my tracks, just barely a step away from the bed. And she begins to laugh. Auntie Jaunita puts her hands on mom's shoulders and pushes against them but does not budge her. Cathy looks at her for a second, saying quietly, "Oh alright...", before rolling off her and sitting next to her. She begins to laugh, silently at first, then getting louder. We just stare at her for the moment as she gets up, still laughing. "You... dumb... mind...reader!...", Cathy says between the laughter and begins to trail off on the laughing, "You could not get into my mind because you go too caught up in the excitement..." Auntie Jaunita and I stare at each other. "You actually think I would do something to you?", Cathy asks. We go back to staring at Cathy. "...with my own daughter included?", Cathy adds. "Well...", Jaunita started to say. "I'm not that much of a freak, like Denise", Cathy said in an angry tone. "I may look like a freak to some, but I aint no freak.", I said to myself as I turn to open the door and leave. "I heard that, missy, and dont think of leaving.", Cathy saids loudly in an angry motherly tone. "But mom...", I whine at her. "But mom nothing... ", Cathy saids to me, holding back the yelling in her voice, "...you may have some of your father's gifts, but that does not make you invulernable. Being able to read minds, lift cars, or bend steel does not protect you from becoming a victim. If anything, it makes it worse; because if you dare to fight back and think you can run away- you're dead. All because the idiots who think they can get over, no longer are the fights fair." "But mom... I know that...", I try to tell her. "What makes you think that you do? Just as easily as I pounced on Jaunita- someone can pounce on you. And though I was just being nice- you and Jaunita froze. If this would have been the real thing, they would have been nice with a brick to the head, a knife to the breast or a bullet to the back of the head. And last I checked, not even your father was bullet proof.", Cathy continued, putting a message of fear into me that I alread knew about from my training with dad. But coming from her, it seemed more real and more deadly. "Uhm... Fernando is bulletproof... to an extent...", Auntie Jaunita tried to interject a message of hope, but is quickly shot down. "Oh- you hush up!", Cathy said to her, almost not wanting to turn and face her as she walk back into the closet. Mom continues to go through closet, and steps back out in front of Jaunita and eyes her from head to toe. "Figures...", she saids to her herself. "What!", Jaunita answers her. "It would figures that both you and Samantha are about the same size, well, she's maybe a little taller than you, but...", Cathy starts telling her before turning to me, "Well, dont you have anything she can use; shoes, stockings, anything?" "Mom!!!", I protested. "Alright then... jeeze, I must do everything myself.", Cathy complains, trailing down into silence, "Lucky for you we still have a few items for those times you stayed over." Jaunita looks towards me for a brief second, injecting a single thought into my mind, 'Its nothing like that.' 'Why you telling me that?', I send back to her. 'Just letting you know.', she replies back in thought. 'But I already know...', I send back to her. "The both of you's sending nessages to each other again?", Cathy turns to us and almost yells. We both turn to face her. "Samantha- leave.", mom tells me, "Go make sure your father is getting ready." "Mom...", I tried to complain to her. "Just go, girl...", she orders me. I quietly leave and step into the living room. Dad was in the bathroom while I sat down on the couch, feeling the warmth in the cushions he had left behind. I leaned against the armrest of the couch and waited. He walks out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around him. I remain on the couch in a very relaxed state of mind, shutting out the thoughts of everyone around me, almost wanting to go to sleep if I wasn't dressed up. He walks into the their bedroom door, openning it and sticking his head inside, only to have it yelled at by both mom and auntie Jaunita. Their loud voices in unison echoing through the walls, apparently auntie Jaunita might not have been dressed, although in the past they have been naked together. I think the word decency comes into play at this point, as daddy steps away from the door as it gets slammed shut in his face. He walks towards me, actually towards to the couch and sits on it when he gets there. "Honey, would you do you father a favor?", he turns to me and ask. "Anything, what?", I tell him. "Go into our bedroom and get my clothes out from the closet...", he said in a quiet tone. "OK.", I reply for the simple request. |