Chapter 39 - Introductions

The next morning, Vicky woke up at six o'clock, to loud music. Vicky tried to cover her ears with her pillow, someone started knocking on her room door.

"Wake up. I've made breakfast," Vicky's grandmother yelled from outside the door.

"This is a nightmare," Vicky mumbled to herself, as her grandmother kept knocking, and shouting from outside the door. Vicky walked to the door, and opened it, staring at her grandmother like a zombie.

"Why so grumpy? Wake up I made breakfast," Vicky's grandmother said. Vicky slammed the door shut, and went to the bathroom. Vicky's grandmother walked towards the captain's room.

Vicky closed the door to the bathroom, and looked at herself in the mirror. She held her gunshot wound, in pain. She raised her t-shirt, and removed the bandage on the wound. The wound had got festered.

"Just what I needed," Vicky mumbled and left the bathroom.

Meanwhile, the captain had already woken up due to the loud music. He had a gun on the nightstand. The captain had already got dressed, and was wearing a tank top, and black trousers. He heard a knock on the door, the captain grabbed his gun, pointed it at the door, and opened it. Vicky's grandmother stood outside, staring at the captain. The captain held the gun behind the door, pointing out the door, while keeping the door partially open.

"I… I made breakfast," Vicky's grandmother said, staring at the captain. The captain's tank top was tight, showing off his sleek muscles.

"I'll be there," the captain replied, trying to close the door.

"I haven't properly introduced myself to you," Vicky's grandmother said, holding the door, and continued "My name is Cordelia."

"Nice to meet you," the captain said, and tried to close the door again.

"What's your name?" Cordelia asked.

"Max," the captain replied.

Vicky walked towards the captain's room, and heard their conversation.

"Max what?" Cordelia asked.

"Just Max," the captain replied.

"Captain!" Vicky said, looking at her grandmother and the captain.

"Can you not see that we are having a conversation here?" Cordelia asked looking at Vicky.

"We need to talk," Vicky said looking at the captain, ignoring her grandmother. The captain told her to come in.

"Give us a moment," the captain said looking at Cordelia.

"I'll see you at breakfast," Cordelia said walking away.

Vicky, walked into the captain's room, and he closed the door.

"Is that a gun?" Vicky asked, noticing the gun in the captain's hand.

"Yes," the captain said, putting it away.

"I've got some bad news… so… Sarah told me to use this cream," Vicky said showing a cream.

"And you didn't use it. Now the wound's festered" the captain said.

"Yes… How'd you know?" Vicky asked.

"Not the first time someone has not followed medical advice," the captain replied, and continued "Sit down, let's take a look at it."

Vicky sat on the bed, where the captain asked her to. The captain walked to closet, and took out a first aid kit. He laid it on the bed, and started cleaning Vicky's wound.

"It think my grandma likes you," Vicky said, with a smirk, and continued "Ouch! You did that on purpose." The captain smirked.

"Don't you think I already figured that out," the captain replied.

"Of course you did. You're old, so it makes sense you figured it out faster than I did," Vicky said.

"It's not a great idea to make me angry, while I'm cleaning your wounds," the captain replied.

"Are you threatening me?" Vicky asked.

"Am I?" the captain asked back. Vicky smiled, and looked at her wound.

"How long is it going to take to heal?" Vicky asked.

"A month or two," the captain replied, and continued "If you don't forget to put the cream." The two of them were silent for a few minutes. The captain cleaned the wound, and bandaged it again. He put the medicine into the first aid kit.

"Can I asked you something?" Vicky asked looking at the captain.

"Sure," the captain replied.

"Why is growing up so… useless? Everything you dream of is crushed. It's like nothing they say about being an adult, when you're a kid it true. It's like a total lie," Vicky said.

"Being an adult is not useless. It's just about taking responsibility for your actions," the captain replied putting the first aid kit back in the closet.

"But nothing is as black and white as it used to be. People sometimes do the wrong things for the right reasons, and vice versa," Vicky said. The captain turned to Vicky.

"Whatever you do, just remember that there are consequences for your actions, and you should take responsibility for them," the captain said.

"Why do I have a feeling that you have no idea what you are talking about?" Vicky asked.

"Because I don't. There's no manual on how to be an adult. Each person is different. Each person's experience as an adult is different. Just learn all the lessons you can from your surroundings, and hope for the best," the captain said.

"Is that what you do?" Vicky asked.

"Yes," the captain said, and changed into a t-shirt.

"But how do you know if you're doing the right or wrong thing?" Vicky asked.

"Just go with your gut feeling. And right now my gut says it's hungry. So let's go eat," the captain replied.

Vicky followed the captain, down to the kitchen.

"Good morning. Have a seat, and tell me how good the food is," Cordelia said.

The doorbell rang, Vicky and the captain turned their gaze to the door.

"You expecting someone?" the captain asked looking at Vicky.

"No," Vicky replied.

The captain walked to the door, and cautiously opened the door. Miles was standing out of the door.

"Hey," Miles said.

"Didn't I tell you to call before you come?" the captain asked, opening the door for Miles to walk in.

"Didn't you promised me that you'll help me with the decorations for Sky's birthday," Miles said, walking into the house. He saw Vicky and continued "Hey!"

"Hey!" Vicky replied.

"Isn't her birthday tomorrow?" the captain asked.

"Today is tomorrow," Miles replied, and continued "I told you about the party yesterday."

"It's in the night, we have enough time. Vicky can take the girls out, we'll have enough time to arrange everything," the captain said.

"Another handsome guest," Cordelia said. Miles looked at the captain and raised his eyebrows.

"Miles, this is Vicky's grandmother Cordelia. Cordelia, this is my brother Miles," the captain said introducing them to each other.

"So the good looks run in the family," Cordelia said.

"You know what. You guys have your... brother talk, or whatever. I'm going to yard," Vicky said walking out the back door. She walked over to her car. It was much cleaner than when she found it in the shed.

Vicky had the keys to her car in her pocket, and opened the door to the car, getting into it. She looked around the interior of the car.

Max and Miles came out of the back door to the yard too. Vicky looked at the two of them through the rearview mirror.

"Isn't that Connor's car?" Miles asked looking at Vicky's car.

"Yeah! It survived the fire, it was in a shed away from the house," the captain replied. The two of them walked towards the car.

"What's up?" Vicky asked, getting out of the car.

"Cool car," Miles said.

"Thanks. It belonged to my dad," Vicky replied.

"Can you do us a favour?" Miles asked, looking at Vicky.

"What?" Vicky asked looking at Miles and then at the captain.

"It's my daughter's birthday today. I need you to take all three of my daughters out, and bring them at back to the house at three," Miles replied.

"Anything I should not do?" Vicky asked.

"No playing the game with them," Miles replied.

"Why do you want me to take them?" Vicky asked.

"I think you could use the break too. After what happened yesterday, I think you should spend some time having some actual fun," the captain replied.

"And playing a video game is not fun?" Vicky asked.

"It's a stressful video game," the captain replied.

"Can you help us or not?" Miles asked.

"I'll help. Just tell me everything I need to know before I get myself into something I'll regret," Vicky replied.

"Nothing you'll regret. Just lots of fun," Miles replied.

"I hope you can handle fun," the captain added.

"Oh! I can handle fun… grandpa," Vicky said. Miles smirked.

"Don't you have any other ways of getting me back, other than using different vocabulary call me old?" the captain asked. Vicky smiled.

"Why didn't you guys tell me you were brothers?" Vicky asked, after a brief moment of silence

"Why didn't you tell us about your father?" Miles asked.

"How was I supposed to know that you guys knew my father," Vicky replied.

"Likewise, you'll know what you need to know," the captain said.

"Really? Are you guys picking on me?" Vicky asked. The captain, and Miles looked at each other.

"You started it," Miles replied.

"Where's my backup when I need him," Vicky said, and kept her head on her hands. Her hands were holding the top of the car.

"You okay?" the captain asked.

"Yeah! I'm going to get you guys back for this," Vicky said looking at Miles, and the captain.

"How about we get going? We have a lot of work to do," Miles said looking at the captain, and then at Vicky.

"Okay," Vicky said.

After a few minutes, the three of them left the captain's house in their own vehicles.