Plausibility

Chapter 17

“Monica is picking you up tomorrow. You’re staying overnight with her,” Seri informed, drying her hair on a towel as she exited the only bathroom.

“Why? I don’t want to stay with her.”

“You know what, Quill? Despite the fact that Romano Chavez gave you everything you ever wanted, it doesn’t work that way. You don’t get everything you want. Try earning something for once in your life, like respect,” Seri snapped. She had enough of the spoiled little Quill too.

“You don’t know shit about what I had growing up. I never watched a movie until I was 14. I never went to a park my entire life. When I asked to go play at a park that we passed when I was six, my father had a swing set installed inside the house where I would be safe. I never stepped foot into a gymnasium, played with other kids, ate a fucking slice of pizza, don’t you fucking make assumptions that you have no clue about.”

“You can do anything you want to do now, Quill. I don’t understand why you have to be so disrespectful to your mother. She is trying, you’re not,” Seri accused, taking a joint from a small wooden box on a nearby bookshelf. She sat beside Quill on the sofa and lit it. “Stop trying to come off as a badass and accept your family,” Seri pleaded, handing her the lit joint.

Aquilla hit it and slumped back on the sofa.

They smoked almost the whole thing while Seri tried her best to get through to her.

“I still don’t want to stay at Monica’s. Why can’t I just go talk to her and come back here?”

“I don’t know. I’m not the doctor. Monica wants you to stay with her.”

“Whatever,” Aquilla pouted.

“No, Quill. It’s not whatever. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”

“Why do you keep saying shit like that? I don’t think it does. I just don’t want to be a fucking Rimmer.”

“That. That right there is why I keep saying shit like that. You are a Rimmer, Quill. That is your family, like it or not.”

“I choose not. I’m tired. Where am I sleeping?”

“I only have one bed. You’re either sleeping with me or you can have the sofa.”

“I’m not sleeping out here without you. You don’t live in the best neighborhood.”

“I can take care of myself,” Seri assured her.

“And so can I,” Aquilla retorted and left her for a shower.

Seri had no groceries at all. The two of them ate a bagel at one of the local shops, and had a salad from McDonalds for lunch. Aquilla was still complaining when Monica picked her up at six.

“Stop whining. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon,” Seri chastised.

“When am I going back to my mom’s?”

“I thought you didn’t want to go there.”

“I don’t, but I have a guy and an agenda there.”

“You’re ridiculous. Stay the fuck away from that guy.”

“Why? Because Liz thinks he’s a loser?”

Seri shook her head defeated. “Go, go talk to Monica. I have no idea what to even say to you anymore. She just texted. She’s waiting for you downstairs.

Monica’s apartment was a lot nicer than Seri’s. She had nice things, two bedrooms with their own baths, sleek designs in every room, and her living area was spacious with nice furnishings, unlike Seri’s furniture that looked to be used.

Monica made her get comfortable and drilled her for two straight hours on what had gotten into her, why she reacted the way she had, what she expected to come from her episode, and what she would try to do when she felt the urge to go off like that again.

They were just getting ready to go out to a nice restaurant when Monica got a call. She had an emergency hostage situation and had to go to work. Aquilla begged her to take her with her. She wanted to see if it was like Law and Order, but Monica refused.

She gave Quill her key to Seri’s apartment and promised that she would take her out on the town the following night.

Aquilla got out and she sped away. She looked down the sidewalks and thought about going for a walk, but decided against it. She didn’t know if Monica had called or not, maybe Seri would want to go for a walk.

Seri moaned as he devoured her mouth with his tongue. She had no idea why she loved kissing this guy. She didn’t do the kissing. She did with him. She did everything with him.

He moved his mouth to her perfect breast and sucked gently on her nipple as she sensually rocked back and forth on his waist. For whatever reason, the new fascination with this guy did a lot of things to her that she wasn’t used to. She didn’t know why she felt some sort of emotional attraction to him. She never did before, but she loved it. She loved everything about him, and loved the baffling after-sex lying in his arms thing.

Aquilla unlocked the door to the empty apartment. Seri wasn’t home. Well, maybe she was. She heard her in her room. Was that a moan? She wondered and opened the door. She stood frozen, unable to get her feet to move. What the fuck. Was this real?

“Close the door, Quill!!” Seri had to yell after jumping from the guy’s waist. She didn’t bother covering herself, but her friend certainly did.

Aquilla walked back to the living room and sat dumbfounded on the sofa.

“Quill, this isn’t what it looks like,” her father tried.

Aquilla put her hands in the air to stop him. She didn’t want to hear about it. Her dad?! She was in shock and wasn’t sure how to process what she had just walked into.

“Just go, Manny. I’ll call you later,” Seri ordered.

Emmanuel didn’t know what to do, let alone what to say to her. He took Seri’s advice and got the hell out of there.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Mo?”

“She had an emergency. What is he doing here?” she retaliated.

Seri tightened the string on her robe and sat down across from her. “I don’t know, Quill,” she replied. She didn’t know what to say to her either, and she was sure that Monica would be dead once she got her hands on her. She could have at least called and warned her.

“You don’t know? You were on top of my father. You don’t know? I don’t get it, Seri. You don’t do men. You use men to fuck you and that’s it. You told me that, Seri. How did my father end up here tonight? Has he been here before?”

“Yes, Quill. He’s been here practically every night for the past couple of weeks,” Seri told her honestly. It may not have always been the best idea, but she hadn’t lied to her yet. She wasn’t going to start now.

“Why?”

Seri ran her fingers through her long hair. “I don’t know, Quill. I like him. A lot,” she added.

“You like him? I don’t get it. When did this happen?”

“I guess when we were together at your mothers.”

“You fucked him in my mom’s house?”

Shit. Now would be a good time to lie.

“Yes, Quill. Well, sort of. It was in the garage.”

Aquilla stood up and spun in a couple of circles. The one person that she was supposed to be able to count on had betrayed her. She wasn’t sure how to feel about the whole situation. Did she care? She wasn’t sure, but was sure that it bothered her for whatever reason. Maybe it was because she was ruining her image of her. She was going to be just like her. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em. She was messing everything up.

“But you don’t do this,” Quill repeated again.

“Believe me. I know this. I had no intentions of it ever happening after that night on the freezer. But, it did. I don’t know how to explain it, Quill. Your dad is not like anyone I’ve ever been with. He’s nice. He makes me feel, I don’t know, special, pretty, sexy; he makes me feel good, Quill.”

“You’re all those things without my dad. You could have anyone you wanted, and you know that.”

“I could, but right now, for whatever reason, I don’t want to be with anyone else.”

“Oh my God, Seri, are you in love with him?”

Seri groaned and ran her hand over her face, rubbing vigorously. “I don’t fucking know, Quill.”

“Wow,” Quill exclaimed in a puff of air as she sank back to the sofa.

“Quill, I am so sorry. I knew this was a bad idea. I tried to tell Manny it was a bad idea.”

“Isn’t he a little old for you?”

“I don’t really care about that. He’s 37, I just turned 27.”

“My mom will freak and then die from an asthma attack.”

“She knows, Quill.”

“Okay, maybe I will be the one to die from an asthma attack. What do you mean she knows?”

“I talked to her. I wanted to make sure she was okay with it before it went any further.”

“Fuck, Seri. You told my mom before me?”

“I’m sorry, Quill. I was going to tell you.”

“Yeah, as soon as you got caught with your pants down. I want to go back to my mom’s.”

“No, Quill. You don’t have to do that. I won’t see him while you’re here. I promise.”

Quill stood to go to the bathroom. She needed to step away from Seri. That problem that she and Monica had been talking about all day was starting to surface. “You won’t see him while I am here? What about if I don’t want you to see him, period? You were supposed to be detached from that, Seri. I don’t want to relate you to any part of my family,” Aquilla explained as she left her stunned and mute.

Seri never thought about that. She never thought about anything. What the fuck was she doing? She didn’t do this shit.

Aquilla closed the bathroom door and splashed cool water on her face. She sat on the toilet and did something she never thought she would do.

“Hey, baby,” Liz answered.

“Come and get me,” Aquilla requested in a sob. Shit. She didn’t want to cry. Why the fuck was she crying?

“What’s wrong, sweetie?”

“I just want to come home,” Aquilla said, trying to pull herself together.

“Okay. I’m on my way. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Liz promised.

Aquilla hung out in the bathroom for as long as Seri would leave her alone, knowing it would take her mother an hour and a half to get there.

“Quill, please come out and talk to me.”

Quill opened the door and went to Seri’s room and started throwing clothes in her bag.

“Quill, please don’t leave like this.”

“It smells like sex in here,” Quill stated, ignoring her.

“It does not. Let’s go burn one and talk.”

“Does my dad know that you do that with me?”

“Fuck, no. Are you crazy?”

“Does he know that you do it?”

“Yes, he does know that.”

“Does he do it with you?”

“Quill.”

Quill snorted and shook her head. Nothing in her entire existence seemed plausible anymore. Not one goddamned thing. Nobody was who she thought they were. The one person that she knew would always be there for her wasn’t. Hell, she wasn’t even who she presumed her to be. Whatever, it didn’t matter. She didn’t need any of them, not even Seri.

“I’m going to wait outside.”

“Quill, wait.”

“I’ll see ya around, Sarah,” Aquilla said, putting her in her rightful existence.

Aquilla sat outside on the stoop, waiting for her mother. She couldn’t get there quick enough.

“Quill, I’m sorry about what happened yesterday. I know you’re fighting a difficult battle, and I want to help you,” Liz finally spoke after fifteen minutes.

Aquilla only smiled over at her with a sad weak smile.

“What do you want, Quill? How can I help?” Liz asked, sincerely.

“Find Julius for me,” Aquilla answered in a monotonous voice, staring back to the guardrail along the highway.

Liz didn’t speak. She didn’t know what to say. She drove in silence until Aquilla finally spoke an hour later.

“How can you be okay with her doing your husband?” she asked, turning to her mother with constricted eyes.

“Quill, he’s not my husband. We’ve been divorced for over 12 years. I’m fine with him seeing Seri.”

“Her name’s Sarah,” Aquilla proclaimed.

“I’m actually glad that he is dating someone. He hasn’t really been in a relationship since we divorced,” Liz stated, ignoring her remark about Seri. She knew she was just angry with her. “And I kind of like Seri. I think she is capable of pulling the need to work out of him. She’s a lot more exciting, I’m sure, than I ever was.”

“She’s not who you think she is. She’s done things,” Aquilla assured her.

“Like what?”

Aquilla was so close to telling her about their little sexual encounter, her smoking weed with her, and revealing her secret about fucking men for her own pleasure. She didn’t. She was still a Chavez even if she was furious with her. She would be loyal because she said she would.

“Never mind,” Aquilla deflated. “Can I see Patch tonight?”

Liz took a deep breath. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like it one bit. “Yes, Quill.”

“Where’s Reese?” Quill wanted to know when she opened the door to the empty house.

“With Lil, I dropped her there when you called for me to come and get you.”

“She could have come. I’m not mad at her. I’m not mad at anyone. I just, I don’t know. I overreacted,” she admitted.

Liz smiled at her. “I’m glad you called me,” she said, wanting to walk to her and give her a hug. She didn’t. She knew Quill didn’t work that way and refrained.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Quill informed and walked away.

She sat on her bed and called Patch.

“I thought you were going to call me last night?” he answered.

“I got busy. I’m back. Pick me up before the race.”

“That was a quick trip. I thought you were going to be gone for a couple of days.”

“Yeah well, I’m back. You picking me up or what? I need to grab a shower.”

“Just text me when you’re ready. I’m already at the track. I’ll come get you.”

“Okay. See you in a little while.”

“Quill! I’m going to run after your sister. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Liz called upstairs.

“Okay!” she called back.

Aquilla showered, blow dried her hair, added makeup and lip gloss and dressed in black skinny jeans, Black boots with big silver buckles and a white shirt on top of a red camisole. She looked hot without looking too over dressed for the tracks. The boots helped.

“I’ll see ya later,” Quill told her mother after texting Patch.

“Are you seriously letting her go out after yesterday?” Reese yelled. “I would be grounded for a month for acting like that.”

“Hey, Reese,” Quill said as Liz held her breath waiting for the storm. “I am sorry about all of that. I thought a lot about it last night after I went to bed. I’ve never thought about you in all of this mess. I’m sure me coming here has had a major impact on your life as well. I shouldn’t have gone off on you like I did, and if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here. I’ve learned some really stupid tricks from Monica these past few weeks,” she teased with a crooked grin.

Liz breathed a sigh of relief, settling the wheeze in her lungs.

“Thanks.” Reese replied, a little taken aback. She wasn’t expecting an apology.

“What time will you be home, Quill?” Liz asked.

“Is there a certain time you prefer I be home?” she asked.

Liz was shocked. “Midnight?”

“What? I have to be home by ten; that’s not fair,” Lil moaned.

“You’re still 15. You’re curfew is ten. We’ll rehash that in about three more years. I thought you wanted pizza,” Liz said, happy. She really felt happy for the first time in weeks that night.

“I can do midnight. See ya later,” Quill called as she saw the white truck pull into the drive.

“You expect me to take you in the pits looking like that?” Patch asked as he walked around to open the door for Quill.

“Why? Am I overdressed?”

“Yeah, I have a sweatshirt you can throw over you, and you look way too hot for me to have to pass you every lap. I’ll lose for sure,” he teased, waved at her mother standing at the door and moved behind the wheel. He was so happy that Quill didn’t make him go to the door like she had said he had to do. He didn’t do well meeting parents.

Quill stood close to Patch as they watched the first couple of races from the pits. She leaned into his front and he wrapped his arms around her, taking in her scent and the softness of her blonde hair. Aquilla was feeling overheated and didn’t want to watch the race anymore. She secretly wished Patch’s car would break down or something.

“What do you want to do now?” Patch asked as he drove them from the track toward the main road.

“I have two hours before I have to be home, but I kind of have a confession,” she announced, moving to the middle of the bench seat.

“You do?” Patch asked, feeling overly sensitive to her being so close to him.

“Yeah, it was my fault you blew a head gasket in the second lap.”

He laughed. “It was, eh?”

“Yeah, I was secretly wishing you would break down so that we could get out of there.”

“I knew you were trouble,” he teased. “Do you want to go to my place for a while?”

“Yes,” she rasped in a low tone as her hand met the inside of his leg.

“Quill, you’re still only 17,” Patch reminded her.

“I told you, Quill’s 18. Shelby Rimmer is 17. Do you really care? Are you going to turn down a night of fucking with me because of a few months?”

“Girl, why you gotta talk like that? Were you abused when you were abducted?”

Aquilla snickered. “You think because I like to fuck it automatically makes me a product of a sex slave or something?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never met anyone like you. Not even the girls my age are as blunt about it as you are. I’m kind of afraid of you.”

Quill moved close to him and kissed just in front of his ear. “You should be afraid,” she whispered hot words. “And…No, I was a virgin up until a few months ago.

Patch couldn’t get home fast enough. He had been sporting a hard on for three hours. He would be afraid. He didn’t mind at all.

He held her hand and fumbled with the keys, trying to get the damn thing to go in the hole. She laughed at him.

“It’s not funny. You’ve got me so fucking flustered, I can’t find the hole.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you find the hole.”

“You’re fucking evil. I think I’m in love with you.”

“No you’re not. You’re in lust with me. I’ll take care of that too,” she said as the door finally popped open.

“I’ve got to grab a shower. You want something to drink?”

“Sure.”

“I have milk and beer,” he smiled an apologetic smile.

“Beer.”

“Your mother will smell it on you,” he worried.

“Will you stop worrying about my mother? We don’t have that kind of relationship.”

“Okay, you can have beer. I’ll hurry,” he said, rushing off to shower away the grease and grime from working on his car all afternoon.

Aquilla removed his too big sweatshirt and looked around his house. It was an old house. The kitchen still had metal cabinets. She had no idea what era it was from, but was sure it was old. The kitchen table had some sort of laminate over it with chairs covered in an orange vinyl.

He had newer living room furniture and a nice flat screen television. She laughed when she saw the X-box console with at least 50 games. It caused her to think about Julius. She was sure he never played a video game in his life. Her father would never let them have anything like that. He said it was unhealthy. She snorted thinking about it. It was unhealthy for them to play video games, but was perfectly conducive to raise his son to run drugs and train chattels.

Aquilla chugged her beer, trying not to lose her nerve. She could do this. She could keep up the cool courtesan act. She knew she didn’t want to fuck this guy. She wanted Julius. That wasn’t going to happen. She could go home and take care of it herself or let this guy take care of it for her. She chose the latter.

Patch walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she gazed at the photo of his family, two boys, a mom, dad and a big dog. He kissed the back of her neck waiting for her to ask about them. She didn’t. She didn’t care. She wasn’t there to get to know him. She took a step away from him and asked. “Do you have any weed?”

“I’m not smoking weed with you,” he demanded.

“You won’t smoke a joint with me, but you’ll fuck me?” Aquilla asked, tilting her head and studying him.

“Fine, I’ll get you high,” he cracked, walking back to his bedroom and bringing back a joint. Aquilla was hoping that it would help with the nerves. It did. She felt relaxed and ready to take control.

Patch leaned over and tried to kiss her on the sofa. She stood up, towering over him.

“What?” he asked confused. Did she change her mind?

Aquilla removed her over shirt. “Did I say you could kiss me?”

“Um, do I have to ask?”

“No. I’ll tell you what to do. We clear on that?” she asked, toeing off her boots.

“You think you have to tell me what to do? I’ve been around the block a time or two, little girl. I’m pretty sure I know what to do,” he offered. Was this girl for real? Did she really think she was going to teach him something? What the hell?

Aquilla ignored him and continued to remove her clothing. “I didn’t say that you didn’t know what to do. I was just stating the fact that we’re doing this on my terms,” she insisted, slipping her camisole over her head. Patch was speechless, never had he ever. He watched her remove her clothes while his mouth lay agape. He couldn’t do shit. She was controlling his mind or some shit. His body wouldn’t seem to do what his mind was telling him to do.

Aquilla stood naked in front of him as his eyes went to her bare pussy. “You want to touch me, don’t you Patch?” she asked in some sort of enticing voice.

“Uh-huh,” he managed, staring between her legs.

“Go ahead,” she beckoned.

Patch slid his middle finger through the slit of her wet pussy with a moan. Fuck, she was wet. She was fucking searing hot.

“You like my pussy, Patch?” she asked, tousling his hair.

“Fuck, Quill,” he moaned, looking up to her.

She smiled a deviant grin. “Lick it, Patch,” she ordered, placing her foot beside his leg, spreading herself for him.

He moved closer to her with his mouth, closing his eyes with a whimper as he tasted her.

“Don’t close your eyes, Patch,” she ordered. His eyes instantly darted open. No wonder Julius loved his job. Her adrenalin surge had been replaced with a form of euphoria that thrilled her. She loved controlling his strings. The stupid boy would have done anything she asked at that moment. She fucking loved it.

Aquilla pulled away and sat on the sofa, spreading her legs, inviting him to continue. He couldn’t move. He stared over at her dazed.

“Get on your knees Patch,” she directed. He did. She moaned as he stroked his tongue up her pleats. Fuck. She didn’t want to come yet. She was enjoying her little game and the power she was dangling over his head.

“Right here, Patch,” she ordered spreading her lips with her fingers. He abided and teased her throbbing nub, sucking lightly until she was writhing and calling out in ecstasy.

Aquilla was done. She was satisfied and didn’t need to go any further with him. Could she get away with that? Doubtful, she had been tormenting him all night.

Aquilla lay naked beneath him as he thrust in and out of her. She felt distant, detached from what was going on. She stared at the ceiling, waiting for it to be over. It didn’t feel like it did when Julius’s body lay naked on top of hers. There were no emotions involved, and she found herself wondering if she was creating her own array of shields to keep from feeling anything. She just wanted him to be done.

Patch was surprised by her sudden demeanor. He was expecting a wild ride after her powerful persona before. Nothing, she just laid there. No motion, no noises, and she didn’t even touch him. Her hands remained above her head as he thrust in and out of her.

Finally, after five whole minutes that seemed like a hundred, he broke, filling the condom with his load. Aquilla breathed a sigh of relief, happy that it was over as he grunted and shoved deep into her.

“I have to go,” she abruptly stated, sliding herself from beneath him.

“Why? You still have an hour before you have to be home,” he asked, not understanding where she had gone. She wasn’t the same girl that he brought into his house just an hour before.

“I’m just ready to go. I can call my mom if you don’t want to take me.”

“No. I’ll take you,” he, confusingly, offered. She dressed in record time and slid the boots on, omitting the buckles and leaving them dangling from the side.

Aquilla got out of his truck quickly. “I’ll see ya around,” she said, not looking at him.

“Quill,” he called, stopping her. She looked up. He raised his hands animated in a question. “What the hell? You’ll see me around? Are you coming to the track tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. I’ll text you,” she replied, closing the door.

Patch backed out of the drive, bewildered. What the fuck? That girl was psycho.

Aquilla opened the door to her mother and Connor on the sofa. Thank god they were clothed, although Liz did quickly sit up and pull her shirt down.

“Hey,” Aquilla said, speedily walking toward the stairs.

“Hi, you’re early, everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m going to bed,” she stated without looking back.

“I should go talk to her,” Liz warmly smiled at Connor.

“Okay,” he agreed, kissing her. “Call me before you go to bed.”

“I will,” she replied, walking him to the door.

“Call me if you need me,” he said, pulling her into a hug and kissing her forehead.

Aquilla went right to the shower. She adjusted the water as hot as she could stand it, trying to wash away the filth. How did Seri use men like that? It didn’t work for her. She felt disgusted, nauseated, and abominably repulsive. She was sure she wouldn’t be hanging out at the track anymore. Ugh!!! She couldn’t stand the creepy feeling. Maybe she didn’t want to be just like Seri.

Liz waited forever on the top step for her to get out. What the hell was she doing in there?

“Are you crying, Quill?” Liz asked as she walked from the bathroom to her room, wrapped in a big fluffy towel.

“No,” Quill snapped. Liz followed.

“Do you want to talk?”

“No, I’m fine,” Quill lied. She wasn’t fine. She just wanted Julius. She ignored her mother and unbiasedly removed the towel, pulled on clean panties and a t-shirt.

Liz sat on the other bed and watched as she crawled into her twin size bed.

“We really should get you a bigger bed,” Liz spoke, trying to break the barrier. Quill only smiled, wanting her to leave. She didn’t want to be sociable with her. She didn’t even want her to be her mother. Why couldn’t she just leave her alone?

“Quill, what can I do to make this easier for you?” Liz quietly spoke. It broke her heart to see her going through this. She would do anything to take it away from her.

“I’ve already told you what I want. Nobody can get that for me. I’m fine,” Aquilla replied and rolled away from her mother.

Liz stood to leave her. “Goodnight, baby,” she said, kissing her head and brushing her wet hair from her face. Liz grabbed the wet towel on the floor and left without a word from Quill.

As soon as she was gone, Quill covered head and let the tears fall. She wasn’t even sure why she was crying. It wasn’t going to help anything. If only her tears could magically reach Julius. He wouldn’t let he cry. He would come for her. Her Patch distraction sure as hell didn’t work. Now what? She fought the urge to text Seri. She didn’t need her either.