oOo

     Aubrey's hand twitched to pick up the silverware which lay beside her plate of steaming food. She couldn't force herself to drop the staring game she had with Natalia as she seemed to have no issues with eating her food amidst her small audience of one.

   "Aubrey. You should eat." Antonio watched as she hesitantly reached for her fork, bringing the tiniest bite to her mouth as possible as she chewed it slowly. Aubrey could feel all six eyes on her, watching her every move. Antonio was the only one who seemed to be used to her presence; this being the second meal that they had shared in the past forty eight hours.

      Though her stomach worked against her in protest to her refusal to indulge, she was able to make it seem as if her eyes wandered casually around the house. When they landed on Mary, she found her to be staring with no apologies.

    A smile lightened the older woman's face, but Aubrey was unable to return it.

   "So, you are...Aubrey." Her hands moved animatedly as she waved them in her direction.

  "That's me." Twirling the fork between her fingers, Aubrey looked to Antonio to be saved.

   "That's a beautiful name. It's very becoming of you. Aubrey." Mary's words were silvery, her best effort put forth to dispel the atmosphere in the room.

   "It's just...a name."

   "Yes well, I haven't heard it very often. It's refreshing to say the least." Aubrey saw the slight uneasiness that overcame her.

   She couldn't bring herself to apologize for her stiff answers, and before she could stop her lips from moving, she had started talking.

   "Ruler of elves."

    "Pardon me?" Mary hadn't quite caught her words as she spoke with her head down.

    "It means ruler of elves. Aubrey..." Cheeks burning from her impulsive talk, Aubrey gathered a large spoonful of pasta and stuffed her cheeks full. There was a glint in Antonio's eyes as he cleared his throat. He and his mother exchanged looks, she with raised brows.

   "I need an explanation. This instant." Natalia had enough watching her mother and brother seemingly fawning over the intruder across from her. Just how had the kid she was ready to put in jail was sitting at her mother's dinner table was beyond her.

   Watching Natalia with steady eyes, Aubrey controlled the urge to regurgitate the food she swallowed after the realization that the woman was technically her aunt.

   "Natalia, please. Let's just get through dinner and then we can get to know each other afterwards." Mary pointedly spoke to her daughter, hoping that now wasn't the time that she would go about things her own way.

    "So, do you have some scandal to hold against us? Do you want our money? We have enough to spare but I promise you'll never get to it."

   "What?" Holding her fork tightly, Aubrey tilted her head in response to Natalia's ignoring of Mary's warning.

    "I'm starting to think that yesterday wasn't as much of a coincidence as you want it to seem. You're contriving something." Picking up her glass of wine, Natalia eyed the young girl over it as she saw her shift in her seat, thinking that she had spoiled whatever plan Aubrey had held.

   Throwing her hands in mock guilt, Aubrey scooted back from the table," I admit it. You got me. I must commend you on figuring out that I was doing ....absolutely nothing."

   Widened eyes gaped at her as she prepared a retort.

    "Natalia, stop trying to instigate things. " Antonio felt himself becoming fed up with her continuous behavior.

   "He's right you know. You should try to be a little more accommodating. Help her to feel more comfortable in our home." Though Mary spoke in hushed tones, it was easy to know what had been exchanged as Natalia scoffed at the suggestion.

    "Why should that hood rat feel comfortable here? Antonio has brought her into our home, mom. That is more than pushing the boundaries." The way she talked about Aubrey, you would think she had THREAT tattoed across her forehead in bold letters. The constant name calling was fast approaching the level where tolerance transformed into intolerance.

   "She is a welcomed guest in this house."

   "She doesn't belong here." The vigorous appetite she had to suppress earlier dwindled as she listened to the bickering back and forth concerning her presence. Below the table, she saw Antonio's leg begin to bounce up and down in frustration as he reeled in his temper. His hands were now balled beneath his chin, and Aubrey watched as his eyes took on a deadly glare towards Natalia.

   "You're going to have to get used to her, I'm afraid." His voice came out gruff, on the break of a growl as a muscle in his jaw tensed.

   "Excuse me?" Putting down her glass, she crossed her legs and turned her attention to her younger brother. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're fucking underaged girls now Tony?"  A blonde eyebrow rose, taunting him. Fortunately, he wasn't the one to show their anger at the statement.

   "Why! Why is that the first thing you think? You really are as dumb as you freaking look, aren't you? That's just...disgusting."Aubrey slouched in her seat as the second accusation of Antonio ‘s relationship to her was brought up.

    "What's disgusting is that I have to look at a sight like you while I should be enjoying my vacation with my family."

    "There's no way any moment is enjoyable with you."

    "Wait around little girl, and I'll make tonight worth your while."

    If it wasn't for the respectful manner Sandra had raised Aubrey with, she would have let her tongue lash out, but instead she held it. Her blood boiled at the sound of Natalia's searing voice. It held just enough contempt and displeasure to remind Aubrey just how she felt about her.

   Mary reached for the half empty wine bottle, not bothering to ask for someone else to fill it as she filled her glass with enough liquid to soothe the friction she felt building in her body.

    "Jesus Mother, I have barely had a chance to finish my glass." Taking the bottle from Mary's hands, Natalia shook its remaining contents, emphasizing the lack thereof the wine.

    "What would you need it for? You come in here causing this chaos...you should have brought me another bottle out of courtesy." Mary's inebriated state slowly came to light as her eyelids dropped to a droopy flutter.

    "You'll have to excuse me dear as I unwind." Reaching across the table, Mary's hand touched Aubrey's fingertips, but were brought back just as quickly as the glass at her lips disappeared.

   "That's enough for one night, mom." Antonio put her elixir out of reach as he saw the night would be coming to an end before it barely began.

   "I think Aubrey and I are going to take our leave now." Mary began to protest her son's leaving as he stood. She just wanted one night-just one-to sit down and have a peaceful dinner. As the days went on she was easily convinced that would never happen. After an entire day making demands to people all too willing to meet them, she came home to a house where no one seemed to cooperate with her in the least bit.

     Aubrey watched in silence at the scene before her. Mary nearly stood with her arms and legs outstretched trying to stop him from leaving. Natalia gave her two cents in to the small argument, telling her mother to just let Antonio and his little pet go on their way.

   Deciding that her food had sat for long enough, Aubrey began to finish as much of her plate as she could before she gladly took her exit. Cold pasta was better than no pasta.

   She had managed to tune everything out, and was so caught up in her meal that she hadn't heard the silent entrance of Stefan Russo as he stood in the kitchen doorway, watching with the scene with a smirk.

   Rolling her eyes at the white noise, she took a sip from her water glass. Silently and swiftly, Stefan had made his way to her side, and as she glanced over, she stopped chewing as he watched her over the edge of his nose.

   "You seem to be the only sane one in my home tonight. Might I ask how you got entangled with this wild bunch of mine?"

    Eyeing him from head to toe Aubrey took in his slewed demeanor. The stance all but screamed importance as his suit jacket was thrown over an open arm. Aubrey could see hints of Antonio in his face, and connected the dots. Before she could form a proper thought, she felt herself being pulled up and away just as he began to take a seat beside her.

    "We're leaving. Now." Antonio's voice was constricted, and his sentence short as he moved to get he and Aubrey out of the house. Stefan placed his arm across of Aubrey's now empty seat, letting out a soft laugh.

   "That's no way to introduce our guest, Antonio."

   "She's not a guest if she's no longer in the house, now is she?" He had just been about to give in to his mother's soon to be sobs of the little time they spent together, and her pleads for just a moment as one that night until the hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention.

    When he had seen the way his father's eyes had narrowed and locked on Aubrey, he could only describe himself as seeing red.

   Defend.

    Protect.

   Fight.

    Those instinctual emotions overrode him.

   It didn't take much to know that his father's internal meter was hiked up far on the charming devil side.  He was an old man, and yet he still saw anything young and pretty as fair game.

    Antonio had learned to ignore his father's wandering eye throughout the years, but when he saw his daughter-Stefan's own blood-on the receiving end, he couldn't look past it. Mentally he thanked his gut last night by not bringing Aubrey to his parents'.

   "I'm sure this fine young woman can speak for herself. Isn't that right honey?" Stefan's voice dripped with the sweet poison he had perfected; it never failed to lure his targets in. When he had come home to see the usual scene of disunity amongst his family, his eyes had spotted the fresh face. For a moment, he tried to remember if he had hired another maid in the past few weeks that he hadn't properly acquainted his self with. But from her attire and place at the table, he instantly knew that she wasn't one of his employees, and made no qualms with approaching her.

    "I'm afraid not." Antonio stopped Aubrey's response as she opened her mouth to speak. "We are leaving now."

   Aubrey was whisked towards the foyer of the house, almost being thrown off balance by Antonio's tight hold.

   "Wait! Antonio, please don't leave!" Mary's voice carried all the way down the stairs. Antonio was stuffing Aubrey into the passenger seat when he saw his mother rushing towards them in her high heels. Her hands were in the air, waving him down for his attention. He nearly smacked his teeth at the sight. Knowing that she had showed promising signs of being a good host and listener for his situation.

    Her hands grabbed at his arms, holding him in place once she reached him.

    "Honey, you don't have to go so soon-you haven't even finished dinner yet. You know how your sister is. I'll make her be on her best behavior, is that okay? Will you stay if I make her promise to be civil?" The pleading look in Mary's reddened eyes bore into Antonio's. She saw his chest heave as he drew her near, and she was quick to let her face rest against her son's chest. He kissed the top of her head as he spoke in a hushed voice.

    "You couldn't pay Natalia to be on her best behavior, mom. We're going to go, it's been a long day, and I don't feel like fighting tonight. " He pulled her back to gauge her reaction, and it was one of disappoint just as he had expected.

   "But Antonio-"

   "I'm sorry mom.If I stay any longer, I may do something I'll regret later." Mary's head lowered, knowing that his decision wouldn't be easily changed.

   " I just want us all to have one evening together, just one."

   "I know mom. I promise you I'll make this up to you, okay?" Accepting his offer, Mary looked past him and caught the eyes of the young girl behind his windshield.

   He saw the question in her eyes before her lips even spoke the words.

     "I don't want you to say a word of any of this to them. Not yet at least."

    "Is this really happening? I mean, this just can't be, right?" Mary didn't know of any possible explanation to the news he had bared with her. Looking at the round brown face, the girl looked like none of the girls Antonio had dated in his youth.

    "Antonio, be sensible. There's no possible way she's your...daughter. You two, you're completely different. She's-"

   "Mom." He cut her off before she got herself into an awkward position." I realize that, and I'm sure she does too."

   "Well, who is...who is the child's mother?" Mary's voice lowered as she inquired Aubrey's parentage. The way that her clear eyes captivated her nearly convinced Mary that she could hear every word that was said even if she was behind the safety of the closed car doors.

    Aubrey heard nothing but the silence of the enclosed space, but she was good a reading lips. She followed their conversation the best that she could until Antonio would purposely block her view of his mother. She was easy to read, with her every emotion and thought playing out on her older features. Aubrey noted that Mary was certainly an aged beauty from the contours of her matured face. The way she had downed the wine at dinner, Aubrey knew that those looks which could be graceful would only end up wasted as her face would soon take on the look of a haggard old woman. She had her fair share of encounters with drunks in her time, and she knew that even the littlest bit of alcohol could set off a drinker. Their tolerance became low, and it didn't take much to get them to an out of body state.

    Aubrey wouldn't be surprised if Mary downed every expensive and bitter liquor in her house when she had the chance to. The wine had to be a front for company; to make it seem that she was a casual drinker.

    It didn't fool her.

    The puffiness beneath her eyes that made its debut the minute she got a little liquid in her system told a story that even the best makeup couldn't hide.

     In the midst of her thoughts, Aubrey hadn't realized that she had company as Mary stood right outside her door. So she wouldn't be seen, she slowly raised her hand to the automatic lock of the door, but her plans to cut off contact were soiled as the door was slowly drawn open.

    With a sweeping look, Aubrey waited for the woman to strike out any moment as she stood clutching and unclutching her fists at her sides. With measured care, Mary came to a crouch in front of Aubrey. Her face was contorted as she remained wordlessly staring at the girl.

   Aubrey knew that she had only been there for a few seconds, but it seemed as if she was under her scrutiny for much longer. Her defenses were up as she tried her best to hold the menacing look on her face to let the woman know that she wasn't going to stand for anything she said if she was half as bad Natalia.

   "Hi." Breaking out into a partial sob and smile, Mary through Aubrey off as she greeted her.

    Sub consciously, her eyes darted to Antonio who stood watching the interaction, sending him signals with her eyes to get Mary back before she began to cry in her lap.

    Keeping her mouth shut, Aubrey's brain failed to come up with a witty remark that could drive Mary away as her hand shakily wiped at tears that made their way down her cheeks.

   Aubrey stuck to her guns when it came to knocking someone down.

    Tears were a deal breaker.

    She wasn't fond of them when she cried, so having someone else who seemed innocent enough crying before her was a perfect way to make her uncomfortable.

    "You're a very beautiful girl, Aubrey." Mary complimented her and helped to ease the harsh frown that was on Aubrey's face.

   "Hopefully, Anto-your father can bring you by again at a better time." Mary corrected her addressing of Antonio as she looked up to him, finding him a tad flustered from the title. Aubrey grimaced, the foreign name for Antonio doing something to her insides as she listened to the older woman speak.

     "I would really like to get to know you." Mary's shoulders drooped as she gave her best laugh. "I didn't know that I have another granddaughter."

   Oh my God.

  "You would be my oldest. Natalia's daughter is seven. Brittany is her name. And then she has a son, named Joshua, he's four. I know that they would love to meet you--"

   Please stop.

   "Mom." Aubrey let out a breath of relief as Antonio finally interjected. He could see Aubrey's eyes begin to bulge as Mary was her usual self and tried to bring comfort to the situation the best way that she knew how. Taking his hint, Mary shook her head, and wiped her face of any residue of her tears.

    "It was nice seeing you." A hand went to Aubrey's knee, gripping it slightly as she stood once again. Crossing her arms before her chest, Mary waited for Antonio to enter the driver's seat, and for the car doors to shut. Standing in front of headlights, she watched as he put the car in drive, and slowly made his way around the circular driveway.

    She knew that he watched her in his rearview mirror, and so she made sure to wave until he disappeared.

       " Why the hell is Antonio hanging around with that thing? Is she leeching off of him?"

    Mary was barely inside the house before Natalia began bombarding her with questions. She had watched from the front door at the exchanges, completely flabbergasted at how buddy buddy they all seemed to be.

    "Who the hell is she? What gives her the right to be at our house?Mom!" Natalia trailed behind Mary as she continued her walk through the house, deflecting the questions with a look of disinterest. When she felt her shoulder being tugged backwards, she held up her hands, shaking her head at her daughter.

   "Natalia, not tonight honey. I'm just too tired to argue with you."

   "I'm not trying to argue right now. I deserve to know why someone who has given me hell shows up in the places I am at. That girl is bad news, who knows what kind of things she is caught up in. Make sure Antonio never makes the mistake of bringing her around here again." Tucking her hair behind her ear, Natalia left her mother with her low murmur.

    One breath shook Mary's body as she listened to Natalia's heels on the hardwood floors.

    "You know, after a long day of doing what I do best, it's always wonderful to come home to such a beautiful dysfunctional family." Jumping, Mary pulled away from her husband's halfhearted embrace as he leaned into the side of her neck. His scotch laced breath left a warm breeze on her cheek as he kissed her face.

   "Get your hands off of me." With a rigid stance, Mary kindly rejected her husband's advances. "Since I see you are home earlier than usual, I'll leave you to do whatever it is that interests you for the rest of the night." Preparing to call it a night, Mary walked past him, not even concerned with the cold plate that still rested in her place at the table which she never got to touch.

   "Mary Sue there you go again. You're telling me you would rather go off and mope in your room when your husband is home, with much quality time to spare?" Standing at the foot of the stairs, Stefan held his arms out in mock dismay. The small smirk at the corner of his lips gave away his callous attitude as Mary stopped midflight.

    "Seeing as how all of the nice young maids have already returned home for the night, and the only other thing left in the house with a vagina is our seventy five year old cook-considering that your daughter would naturally be off limits-I'm sure you would rather conjure up so more exciting plans to rest for the evening."

    "Keep my side warm for me dear." Stefan's voice lost all of its playfulness, and was replaced with malice as Mary stalked up the stairs, making sure to slam the heavy door to their master bedroom in the distance.

  Tilting back his whiskey, Stefan finished off his drink and sauntered back into the dining room where his daughter still remained.

      "An old man can still dream that his daughter loves him enough to give him a proper welcoming home..." Leaning against the doorjamb, Stefan took note of the simmering fury that sat on Natalia's face as she was lost in her own thoughts.

   Looking up to her company, her features softened.

   "Hello Daddy." She greeted quietly as he came to her side, kissing the top of her head as he passed her by to sit at his designated seat.

   "How was your day?"

   "Everything was everything. I signed a few things, made some phone calls. It wasn't one of the most rigorous of days." He answered. A plate was placed before him without any instruction as he began to eat his own dinner.

     "I wish I could say the same. After the hell I had yesterday, I had to come back here to have all of the serenity of my day stepped on." With a sigh, Natalia sat back in her seat, rolling her head on the back of her chair as Stefan watched with a raised eyebrow.

    "Would you mind telling me who Antonio's guest was tonight? I'm afraid we had a very...abrupt meeting." Stefan thought back to the young woman who had sat at his table earlier. He laughed at a personal joke when he first laid eyes on her, thinking that his son had gone down to the rougher parts of the city and found him a diamond in the rough to spend some time with. Stefan and Antonio rarely spoke of endeavors like women; their bond weakly forged that could welcome such conversation.

    She had appeared as if she was still wet behind the ears; possibly still a young girl barely into college, but Stefan passed no judgment thinking of his own past with younger women.

     "Daddy, I swear if I have to even think about that person I may get a migraine." Rubbing at her temples, Natalia waited for the question to be pushed more so that she could have someone to complain to.

"She was the one who attacked me yesterday." She snapped. Insulted that he wasn't able to catch on.

   "Attacked? When did this happen?"

   "Yesterday, daddy! I told you about it yesterday, remember?" Exasperated, Natalia scoffed at Stefan's expression.

    "Antonio was there when it all happened, and yet he would betray me by going and making nice with that fucking kid and even daring to bring her here."

    "Well, she didn't attack him. Now did she?" Stefan fought the urge to sigh at his daughters complaints as he chewed his food slowly.

    Natalia could feel a facial tick at her father's behavior.

    Gathering herself, she stood to her feet.

    "I've had my fill of this family tonight."Her words were grave as she could see that if she remained any longer, she would just further irritate herself.

  "You're leaving so soon?" Stefan was ready for her to leave and didn't care to hide it either.

   "At this rate I won't even be able to last in this place until Saturday."  Speaking to herself, she ignored her father's last jab as she walked out of the house.

    "Drive safely."

   When Natalia made it to her car, she sat at the steering wheel in silence. Her mind was going into overdrive trying to think of any possible reason that Antonio and the little bitch from hell would be together after their initial encounter.

   She never saw this coming when she left her brother at the Police station to fend for himself. Starting her car, she began to drive the memorized route that would lead her to Antonio's home.

   If she wanted answers, then it would be best to ask the source himself. Maybe she could talk some sense in to him to never allow something like this to happen again.

oOo

     "So,where are we off to now James?" Aubrey popped her gum as she sarcastically looked to the man who had been shuffling her around all day. " Any other wacky adventures you have planned before sunrise?"

    "I was thinking of calling Lillian again and seeing if you could crash there one more night. "

   "That woman from this morning? Oh, no. If you're thinking about dropping me off just wherever you please than I would rather you take me to a bus station or something. I can do well on my own if that's all you have planned."

    "Aubrey, I think you will be the most comfortable there. Lillian is fine, she won't bother you if you don't bother her. It will just be until the morning until I come back to get you."

   "And then what? You're going to take me for another bring your kid to work day?" Aubrey sneered.

   "I don't have many options left now. I'm just trying to make sure I get you somewhere that's safe and reliable." Antonio's voice never changed from his calm volume as he came to a red light.

    "Do you not have a house of your own? Or wait, maybe you are secretly married with kids and don't want me to interfere or something. No?" Aubrey began to notice that after all of his big talking, he hadn't once suggested to take her to where he stayed, and because of some reason she became irate. Her imagination ran wild, thinking that he didn't feel comfortable with letting her in to his private life even though he seemed to have no shame with butting into hers.

     "Are you embarrassed of me or something? Still not so sure about me?" Aubrey's fingernails clawed at the soft material of her seat as she casted a scathing look in his direction.

   At a loss of words, Antonio stared back with a slightly stunned expression as the car behind him honked their horn.

   "Why would I be embarrassed of you?" When he was met with silence, he glanced over to find the small hurt that had once been on Aubrey's face disappear as she sucked in air.

   "Whatever. Just forget I said anything and dump me off somewhere."

   "Aubrey, I'm not married. I have family, no kids-well except for you now."

    "No, you were right the first time."

    "And even if I did, I wouldn't do that to you. I wouldn't be embarrassed to introduce you to them." Antonio needed her to understand if she didn't get it already that even though she was intent on fighting him the whole way, he wanted to make it clear just where she stood with him.

   She was his daughter, his own blood. And if he had known about her before this week, he would have wanted to see her, and meet her just as badly.

    "Don't think that just because you want to push me away and keep me at a distance that I'll do the same to you. I get what you're feeling, what you're going through, Aubrey. You're scared-terrified even-of what may come out of this."

    "I never said anything like that. Don't put words in my mouth."

   "You don't have to be afraid."

    " What's there to be afraid of?" She shot back now wishing that he would go back to driving in silence.

   "Tell me, why would you go through all of this if you were just going to have an I don't give a fuck attitude about it? What's your reasoning, your motive? Huh? Could you at least tell me that much because I've just about had it with this act Aubrey."

   His patience was tried when they arrived in front of his home. His blood had begun to boil as he showed a slight hint of his control slipping.

     " I want to know why after all of these years, some kid turns up telling me that she is mine. Why is she here if she keeps acting like this is the last place on Earth that she wants to be? Are you holding something against me? Are you angry with me? My God, Aubrey. You have to believe that I've been in the dark about this entire thing just as much as you are. Sandra's kept you a secret from me, and I don't understand what the hell she could have been thinking. Your mom-"

    "My mom is dead."

    Antonio's blood pumping rampage ran cold as her words processed. The look of anguish and hurt on her face as Aubrey began to shake didn't register fully.

    "Sandra?..."

    "She's dead, and I'm here. Are you fucking done with asking? Are you fucking done with trying to make something out of nothing now?  Those letters, I honestly just thought you should have them. I wanted them gone; I wanted to have nothing that would tell me about you. I couldn't keep them around me." Aubrey found truth in her lies as she began to get lost in her emotions.

    The hot tears burned their marks down her face as she felt word after word bubbling out of her chest.

    "You think I want something from you? I don't. I'm not some little kid; I'm not looking for daddy to come and fix everything. I don't need that! So stop making it seem like all of this is more important than what it actually is. I'm doing fine-have been doing fine all of my life without worrying about you. My mama is gone and all I wanted to do was to at least know your name, to know your face because it's the only one I've never been able to place after all of these years."  Aubrey felt her head pound as she found her spoken thoughts taking a turn south. No longer was she spitting mad at him.

   "I needed some kind of answer to you. She never said anything about you, like it would never matter! It didn't, not when she was still alive, but what am I supposed to do now? You didn't exist or matter until a week ago because I had my mama. She was all I needed. She was all I had and she just left me like this. How could she leave me alone like this when I need her?" Aubrey's breath caught in her throat as she leaned forward, clutching her fists to her chest.

   "Where was I supposed to go? What if she never planned to tell me about you? What would she have expected me to do all by myself...I wouldn't be able to stand it." Antonio's pallor grimace remained fixed on the crying girl, bile had risen in his throat, burning its walls.

  "I wish I never found that box. I wish I never saw those letters so that I wouldn't want you to want me as much as I do because ..." Aubrey's voice became small in the car as she raised her head, suspending both her and Antonio as the words waited to be said.

    "I want that from you." One would think that Aubrey had just made a gruesome confession of a deplorable sin with the way she pulled at the hair on her temples as depressing sounds trembled throughout her body.