The Last Laugh

Chapter 4 - An Odd Turn

***

I turned over in my bed as sunlight shown bright into the room. I felt the softness of something that I

was holding tight against my chest. A teddy bear. Peppermint. Heather. I smiled and slowly opened my

eyes.

"Aaaah!" a short yell escaped my mouth when I saw Sawyer's frowning little face by the bed.

I turned to see if my dad was still on the bed but he wasn't. He'd probably taken a bath and gone

downstairs already.

"What are you- You scared me!" I exclaimed, sitting up.

"I'm telling mom." she stated dryly.

"Telling her what?" I asked confused.

"That you slept with Heather's teddy." she smirked.

"Can't you be cool for once? Why are you so unfriendly?" I asked, annoyed.

She looked at me for a while and I thought she would give up. Wrong.

"MOMMY!!" she screamed all of a sudden and ran out of the room.

I rolled my eyes and got out of bed.

Quickly, I went to their room to keep the teddy. Luckily, Heather was in. I gave it to her quickly.

"Act like you never gave it to me. Sawyer went to report.

She nodded. I left the room quickly and returned to my dad's so I could take a bath and get ready for

breakfast.

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Sawyer's wicked plan hadn't succeeded as aunt Christina was in a bad mood about something and

didn't want to listen to her foolish reports.

We had breakfast altogether as usual. The day went on well. I played with Heather and even tried to

play with Sawyer but she sent me strolling and preferred to play with her dolls all by herself. If that was

her will, then who was I to stop her.

But who was I to minimise her too. While I played with Heather in the fields, aunt Christina appeared

from no where angrily, Sawyer with her.

She pulled Heather away from me with a hand. I looked at her confused.

"I don't ever want to see you around Heather. You hear me??" she said. I looked at her, unable to

realise what she'd just said.

"What?"

"You heard me, you little idiot! Because of you, Sawyer feels left out. Don't you speak to her again

throughout your stay here." she frowned. I was shocked. Heather too. She looked at her mother in

confusion.

"But mommy-"

"Shut up, Heather!" she turned to me, "And you, find an excuse to give your dad if he ever asks you

why you don't play with Heather anymore. Understood?"

I was speechless. Scared. Intimidated. My eyes began to water. Did aunty Christina hate me? She

always pretended to like me when her husband or my dad was around. I knew better not to tell them

about her real face with me.

"Didn't I ask you something, you dummy??"

"Uh, okay."

"Good." she held both her daughters' hands and left.

I felt humiliated and horrible. I sat on the grass, my head resting on my bended knees, and sobbed.

And I had to pretend that she'd never spoken to me. All of a sudden I realised I couldn't cope. I wanted

to leave High Meadows. The week wasn't over yet but with aunt Christina and Sawyer, everything

could go wrong. I would miss Heather but I wanted to leave. I stood up with a made up mind. I was

going to tell my dad.

Neither did I know that my life would change from that night.

***

I was moody for the rest of the day until evening.

My dad and uncle ken returned in time for dinner. But uncle ken was too tired and decided to go to bed

directly. Meanwhile, dad joined us.

We all had dinner. I avoided to look gloomy but I failed.

"You don't look okay, Sheridan. What is it?" he asked while we ate. I looked up at Heather. She had a

gloomy look on too. I turned to aunt Christina who gave me a quick menacing look.

"Um, nothing dad. I'm gloomy because I had a headache throughout the day which prevented me from

having fun with my friends." I lied .

"A headache? Did you take any medicine?" he asked worried.

"Yes, dad."

"Okay. Don't worry. You need a good rest too."

After dinner, I went upstairs and waited for my dad to join me, but he stayed downstairs to watch TV. I

could go meet him but the thing was, aunt Christina was washing dishes in the kitchen. So, I waited for

him to be alone.

--

The more I waited, the more I got impatient. I assumed that aunt Christina had finished the dishes and

had retired to her room, and that the reason why my dad wasn't with me yet was surely because he'd

slept off on the couch. That was typical of him.

Gathering some courage, I quietly left the room and tiptoed my way down the stairs to the living room.

I hid in the corridor and peeped into the living room. Luckily, my dad was still up and watching his

favorite show. I smiled and just when I was about to approach him, bam! The witch came into the living

room from the kitchen.

"Finally finished my dishes." she said relieved and joined my dad on the couch. He laughed.

"I told Ken to buy y'all a dishwasher or to employ a maid. It'll make less work for you."

"You know Ken is quite stubborn."

"Hahahaha. Yeah, sort of."

I was still standing there because I hoped she would leave soon. But she didn't.

While my dad watched his show, I noticed how aunt Christina gave him a side glance. An odd one. She

looked at him from head to toe.

"I really like you being here." she said.

"Well thanks, I'm flattered." my dad joked, his focus on his show. I noticed aunt Christina frowned, then

she put a hand on my father's lap.

"Paul, I'm serious."

My dad looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?"

She smirked at him and bit her bottom lip, then put her hand on his chest. My dad looked at her in

wonder.

"You know what I mean, Paul. Don't act innocent."

My dad stood up, shocked, and looked down at her.

"Christina, what are you doing??"

"You know what I'm doing, Paul. I want you. I can't resist you any longer."

I put a hand over my mouth in shock.

My dad looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?? Christina what has come over you??"

"Oh cmon, Paul. Don't play that game. I know you noticed all the little advances I made to you."

"I noticed nothing! You've gone crazy!" my dad tried to leave but aunt Christina caught him by the jeans

from were she was sitting.

"Please, Paul. I can't resist you. I've had the dirtiest thoughts about you and I need you now. "

"Christina, you-"

"Paul, I know that you've never been intimate with anyone else after your wife's death. Baby, I'll make

you live again. Kenneth won't know. You're so hot." she bit her bottom lip and began to fondle with my

dad's belt.

"Stop this!" he angrily pushed her away, " May God have mercy on you."

My father angrily left the living room through a different door. I ran as fast as possible to reach the room

before him. But I was late. By the time I reached the top of the stairs, my dad was in front of the

bedroom door and turned to me, surprised.

"Sher- Sheridan?" he looked at me.

I stared back silently. He knew I'd seen everything.

"Let's go in." he said softly and opened the door to let me in.