Chapter 17 #3
“Me, too.” Erin shook her head, still in shock that her own family would take advantage of her like that.
The most disturbing thing was the fact that her father seemed to be part of it.
“I’m done, Vic. Done. And I’m going to make sure that you are properly compensated for their idiocy.
I mean, what the fuck? Donny tased you? And, what the fuck?
How could they do this to me, their little sister?
I trusted them. All of them. Did my mom know what they were up to? ”
Victoria simply shrugged.
“I would never have known if it hadn’t been for you, Vic. They might have let me take the fall if they got caught, you know?”
“Yeah, I know all about that,” Victoria said. “First hand.”
“I know you do.” Erin shook her head again.
Robby burst through the door with takeout bags of food.
“What?” Victoria said, a smile lit her face. “No way.” She opened the bag from Rose’s Diner and pulled out a still-hot, drippy grilled cheese. Her stomach growled. She was in ecstasy after one bite. Well, as much as someone can be in ecstasy after getting tased.
After they ate, Erin and Robby headed off to Erin’s bedroom.
Victoria’s heart broke when she heard her cousin start sobbing and asking the universe why her brothers and father had done that.
To give Erin some semblance of privacy, Victoria hobbled like an old woman to the bathroom to get ready for bed.
She’d love to take a shower, but didn’t have the strength.
Once settled back on the couch and finally alone, her brain wouldn’t shut off. She was so wired. Sleep would come eventually; she knew that, but for now she’d check in on Kinks. A message from Juicy_Babe would put her in good spirits.
Victoria’s heart swelled when she saw the message that had come in earlier that evening. A weird sort of calm overcame her.
Juicy_Babe: Hi. I took a break from all things Internet. Looks like you did as well. Everything okay?
“You’re so sweet for asking. So mindful of other people,” Victoria whispered out loud.
Daddy_Vic: There’s a lot going on here, actually. I need to fill you in on some things that’ve been on my mind.
And with that, Victoria left several messages.
She started with her stupidity in Denton Heights, all of it, every last selfish and insensitive thing she’d done to Bernadette.
She laid it all out there and ended that thread, saying she was trying to make it right but didn’t quite know how.
She didn’t out-and-out ask Juicy_Babe for help but left it open in case she offered.
The next thread gave a very brief account of her adventures, including being tased and breaking up an illegal fencing ring for stolen goods.
She downplayed it, hoping Juicy_Babe didn’t think she was painting herself as some glamorous hero or something.
She wasn’t. She had simply been protecting Erin.
And the last message to Juicy_Babe was simple.
Daddy_Vic: I’m going to be honest. I look forward to our chats.
In this one week away, I missed our banter and exchange of ideas.
I’d like to consider you a friend. Would that be all right?
If it’s okay, I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to.
I need an update on the big work project and…
everything. But if you prefer not to know me after learning about what I did back home, then I’ll accept that.
She sent it before she could change her mind. It was late, after midnight, so Juicy_Babe would get it in the morning or whenever she checked Kinks next.
Regret about sharing so much with Juicy_Babe crept in immediately, so she distracted herself by messaging Madison.
Daddy Vic: Hey, Squirt. How was the Halloween party? Scary? Fun? Did you get to eat candy?
little_peanut: Hi, hi, Daddy Vic!
Oh, shit. Madison was online. It was so late. Victoria’s heart swelled. She hadn’t realized how lonely she’d been until right that second.
little_peanut: 1. We’re, like, never on at the same time.
2. Mistress says, ‘hi!’ 3. The haunted house at Miss Rowena and Minjung’s house was amazing.
So scary. Things jumped out at you, and I got to have candy!
Yay. 4. Jessica is really nice. She’s a friend of Miss Marta’s or something.
She let all of us littles hang around and harass her.
That’s how Mistress phrased it later: HARASS.
We didn’t harass her. She’s nice. And she said she’s a teacher, so she’s used to people like us or whatever.
little_peanut: 5. Come home, please. There’s always something missing. Like at the parties. And the coffee shop. And all the time. Can you visit? Mistress says we can’t visit you because you’re homeless. Don’t be homeless. Your home is here.
Victoria’s face scrunched as tears started. “C’mon, kid,” she pleaded to the universe.
Daddy Vic: I’m not homeless, Squirt. I’m staying with my cousin for a while until I figure some stuff out. I made a new friend, too. His name is Brian. He’s nice. You’d like him, I think.
Daddy Vic: Tell me about the bird bash. The counting thing.
And then the messages rolled in, unnumbered, as Madison described the process of doing an official bird count.
Apparently, the birds didn’t line up and take a number like at the deli.
The bird-counting leader set a timer for ten minutes, and everyone wrote down the birds they saw and heard, then compared notes.
Madison loved it and wanted to sign Victoria up to do the Christmas bird count in December with her.
As Madison’s messages rambled on, Victoria had the thought that she should just call and talk to her, but she didn’t trust herself. Without a doubt, she’d get choked up the second she heard Madison’s voice.
Daddy Vic: So was Miss Jaleesa over the moon about finally seeing her bucket list bird? What was it again, some kind of woodpecker?
little_peanut: Yes, it was a pileated woodpecker. They’re so big. She said she could die a happy woman now. But I told her she wasn’t going to die any time soon.
Daddy Vic: Good call, Squirt.
Madison excused herself, saying that a certain mistress whose name was Miss Shasti was tapping her foot about being up so late.
Apparently, Madison had a Physics test first thing in the morning.
They said their goodbyes, and Victoria got choked up again.
Maybe she should go back to Denton Heights, just for a short visit.
She could get some more of her stuff from Rowena’s.
Of course, she had no idea where she’d end up now that Erin had announced she’d be moving to Colorado with Robby.
Maybe the three of them could move out there together.
Victoria let her phone fall to her chest. No.
She didn’t want to be a third wheel in Erin and Robby’s relationship, and honestly had no clue what her next steps were going to be.
She decided that she didn’t have to decide anything right then and picked her phone back up. She sent a quick text to Rowena asking about the date of the December masquerade ball. She powered off her phone quickly; she didn’t have the strength to take on Rowena at the moment.
Exhaustion finally overtook her, and sleep came quickly.