Chapter 7

• Before Ann could say anything, Maria who was now standing next to Lee spoke in a low angry voice.
• “First of all, shut up! I’m getting sick and tired of your stupid constant tantrums. We are in public. Did dogs raise you? Have some manners. Second of all, if Lee wasn’t…in like with you, I would have helped Ann throw you out a very long time ago. All you do is reap from our hard work, Lee’s father’s hard work. You are just a leech! For once, be a man and get a bloody job!”
• All three of them stared at her, shocked. This was a first. Maria had always been very patient even with the most infuriating people. Ann was starting to rub off on her.
• “Yeah! That goes a hundred times for me. Good job, Maria!” Ann was punching her fist in the air, excited by the new victory. Maria was inches away from the end of her martyrdom.
• She turned to Lee, her face apologetic, completely ignoring Ann and her cheers. “I’m sorry, but my patience has run out.” She turned and left to serve a couple that had walked in, apologizing to the customers as she walked the couple to an empty table.
• Steve was infuriated. Steam was coming out of his ears. He looked down at Lee, his eyes were red and the blood vessels in them were visible, “Them or me. Choose. Now!”
• Ann stopped her cheers and stared at her, Maria had also turned and Lee could feel her gaze on her back. They knew the answer before she did. Lee was still a minor, they loved and raised her, and she couldn’t trade that for him. As much as she didn’t want to, she couldn’t hang onto a self-centered guy like Steve, but she also didn’t want to lose him. She had lost enough people.
• The ultimatum was weighing heavily on her chest. Lee bent her head and closed her eyes not daring to speak.
• She felt two palms slip into hers. She looked up to see Maria and Ann, each at her side.
• Ann looked at Lee; her eyes were sad but yet understanding. She turned and looked up at Steve.
• “She can’t choose. So you and I are going to try and meet half way…”
• With a tight squeeze Lee stopped her before she brokered a deal with the annoying demon.
• “Yes I can.” She cleared her throat before she continued. Then she looked up at Steve, somber. With a firm voice, she uttered one word that shocked all four of them, “Them.”
• “What!” He was stunned. This was not what he had expected. His hold on Lee was so tight even she thought she would choose him. He had played on her fears to get what he wanted for too long. This was long overdue. Lee had to get the leech out of her life.
• “You have capitalized on my fears for over a year now. Its time I listened to my sisters. They love and care for me. To you I was just your personal piggy bank, a willing money fountain. Come get your stuff tonight, I want you out of our home and out of my life.”
• “Fine! I’ll just go to my other girlfriend’s house. Your depression and insecurities were weighing me down anyway!” He had a smug look on his face.
• He made it sound like he was being freed from ironclad chains with Lee’s baggage attached to the end of them.
• “Hey, bum!” Ann called out at him.
• “What!”
• “Give your other girlfriend a message for me.”
• He lifted his brow, and waited for whatever cynic remark she had.
• “Thank you for taking the trash away, and our condolence. Oh and, bum, watch out for the sharks!”
• He left in a huff, banging the deli door behind him.
• Lee wiped the tears from her cheeks. She turned to meet several eyes on her, some with approval others with pity.
• Great. Now everyone is watching me cry over a self-centered cheating ass! This is just great! She turned to Ann, a bit confused. She cleared her throat before she asked, “Sharks?”
• Maria and Ann burst out laughing. They hugged her, and went to the counter. Maria placed the couples order, and Ann picked up her tray.
• “I don’t get it, what’s the joke with the sharks?”
• In a chorus Ann and Maria turned to her, “We love you sis!”
• Lee felt like a weight had been lifted. It has always been the three of them, and it would stay that way, no more intruders. Steve was a lesson learned. She rubbed her cheeks, drying them as much as she could before she turned to her audience with a big fake smile.
• ****
• Good riddance! I thought that lazy ass would never leave. It was about time Maria spoke up, thank God for Ann. Merilee my dear, you’ll get over it, with time, and you have two wonderful friends to help you. One thing’s for sure, if he had stayed a week longer, they would be putting his face on milk cartons!
• I hope you’ll leave a bit early today, it’s not safe at night, and anyway you need to rest…and I need to feed, the humans are looking more tempting with each hour. If Ash gets suspicious he might call me on it or try to find out on his own, and I can’t have him finding you. You need to stay safe, especially from his kind…my kind.