Page 3 of Forbidden

Chapter Two

Rosalie

As soon asmy dad honked the horn, I ran out of my bedroom and down the steps to the front door. I never liked being at home and it seemed the older I got, the more my mother and stepfather did things to make me uncomfortable. Especially my stepfather.

My parents divorced when I was five. My father was heartbroken and would give me poems and music to give to my mother, but she wanted nothing to do with him. She had already found someone else. That someone else moved in soon after the divorce was final, and later became my stepfather Jim. All of it left me confused and feeling like I was in the middle.

I loved my dad and remembered doing so many things with him when I was little. But after they divorced, I hardly saw him. He wasn’t allowed to call and my mother said so many bad things about him, I didn’t know what to believe. It wasn’t until the past year that my dad and I started spending a little more time together, but it still wasn’t much. I didn’t feel like I really knew him.

“Where are you going?” Jim barked as I reached for the door.

“Dinner with my dad.”

“You don’t go anywhere without my permission.”

“I told Mom,” I said as I opened the door and waved to my dad as he sat in the car.

“She should have said something to me,” Jim said.

Then take it up with her, I thought. I wished I could say something like that, but I didn’t dare. I looked at my dad smiling at me from his car, then back to Jim with his scowl. I was frozen at the doorway, unsure of what to do. What was I afraid of? I had plans with my father, there was nothing wrong with that.

“I’ll see you later,” I said as I stepped out the door.

“Where’s my kiss?” Jim said.

My stomach twisted and dropped, making me feel sick. I hate this, I thought.

I stepped back into the house, where Jim was now standing by the door. He stooped down to my height, and I quickly kissed him, but kept my lips from touching his rough cheek.

“That didn’t count,” he said. “Do it again.”

I looked down at the floor to hide my frustration. I knew any reaction of mine would only make things worse. Swallowing hard, I pursed my lips again and kissed his cheek quickly, making sure my lips touched his skin even if it was only for a second. I held my breath as I waited for his verdict.

“Better,” he said. “Since you’re just going out for dinner, I’ll expect you home in two hours.”

“But I’m going out with my dad,” I said, forcing myself to keep any emotion in check.

“Two hours is enough time for dinner no matter who you’re with.”

I closed the door behind me and sucked in some of the cold night air. My body was in knots like it always was after talking to Jim. As I got into my dad’s car, he nodded his head towards the house.

“Everything okay?” Dad asked.

Looking towards the house, I saw Jim standing in the doorway. The porch light reflected against his bald head and I imagined smashing a two-by-four into it. As I smiled at the thought, I turned back to my dad.

“Everything’s fine,” I said as I waved in Jim’s direction.

The farther Dad drove down the street, the more I relaxed. The knots in my body loosened up and I breathed easier.

“Where’s Joanna?” I asked. “I thought the three of us were going out to dinner.”

“It’s going to be four of us. She had to drive to her ex’s to pick up his son. They’ll be meeting us at the restaurant.”

“Son? I had no idea she had kids. How old is he?”

“Well he’s not her son, but she feels responsible for him even though they never got married.” He paused for a moment, and I could tell he was thinking. “His age? Hmm, I don’t know. I think he’s around your age. She doesn’t talk about him much. He lives with his father, and she takes him out every so often.”

“That’s a little weird,” I said.

---