Page 20 of Wicked Nasty

I steal one last glance at Becca before jumping back into my car and speeding home. The image of her sleeping in her car haunts me as I drive towards home…

Withascreechoftires, I pull into the driveway and leap out of my car, racing towards the front door. As I burst through, I see my mom sitting on the couch, her face streaked with tears, while my dad stands beside her, trying to offer comfort.

"Where did she go? Is she using drugs too?!"

My heart clenches in fear as I approach them.

I kneel down in front of my mom, taking her trembling hands in mine. "What's going on?"

"Your sister is missing! Why do they want to take all my babies from me?!" Her voice wavers with emotion and pain, making my own eyes well up.

My dad sighs heavily, his shoulders slumping. He has seen this before and knows there's no easy way to help her. It feels like we're almost helpless against it.

Suddenly, I stand up and start looking around the room. Something catches my eye - my sister's keys, purse, and phone all lying abandoned on the coffee table. A sense of relief washes over me.

"She's not missing, Mom."

She glares up at me, her eyes red and puffy. "Yes, she is! She left everything!"

I kneel back down and take her hands again, feeling the warmth and strength in them. "No, Mom. Del just needed a break. She loves you, but sometimes she needs some space to process things. And I know where she is right now."

My dad pulls my mom into his arms, grateful for the reassurance. He turns to me with a relieved smile. "Thank you."

I give him a small nod. "No worries. You handle things here."

I step out into the crisp, cool air of the backyard and make my way down the winding path through the woods. The trees tower above me, their leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. As I approach our old treehouse, built by my dad when we were kids, memories come flooding back. I climb up the creaky ladder and find my sister sprawled out on her back.

"Yo. Mom thinks you're missing," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

She turns her head to look at me with a weary expression. "Of course she does. Because it's all about mom."

Letting out a sigh, I lay down next to her. "Del..."

"She's suffocating me. I have a life, but she wants me to drop everything and move back home. She wants constant updates on every second of my day."

"Don't let it get to you. Mom needs to learn to let go."

Delilah turns to me with deep sadness in her eyes. "But how do I tell her that, Danny? She doesn't even see me anymore. It's always Daisy."

"It's not your responsibility. Look, I know I could have said that more tactfully, but I'm just exhausted. What we need is our mom back. The one who made everything fun and bright. But she's gone now and we have to move forward at some point."

Del nods in understanding. "Dad thinks we should go to family therapy. Mom refuses."

"That might actually be a good idea. Dad has been our rock through all of this."

"He really has been amazing. I know he's been taking medication and seeing a therapist..."

We both fall into a comfortable silence, listening to the sounds of nature around us from our haven in the treehouse.

But inside my mind, there is chaos. Thoughts and emotions swirl around like a tornado, making it hard to focus on anything else. And the loudest thought of all... it's not about me or my family.

It's about Becca.

That wildly entrancing, gorgeous butterfly.

There’s this rare blue butterfly out in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. They’re tiny, yet just this gorgeous, lush blue. Fender’s blue butterfly. They catch your eye as soon as you see them. You can’t get them out of your mind. You don’t see one very often, so when you do, it sticks. You want more. How could you not want to see that gorgeous butterfly every day? That’s what Becca is doing to me.

I despise Becca with every fiber of my being, but I can't seem to get her out of my head. She's like a haunting blue butterfly, fluttering through my thoughts day and night. The mere thought of her sends shivers down my spine and ignites a fire within me. It's maddening how much I want her, with her piercing blue eyes, dark tresses, and luscious lips.

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