New Step Family

Since it was way too late in the night already, April couldn't get a cab home. Partly, she really didn't want to use the money she earned tonight, and also, she would like to shake off her confusing feelings, so, she just decided to walk home.

She took her time on her stroll home. It was a nice, clear-skied night anyway. So, the walk was definitely a good decision for her. Although she was tired physically already, walking gave her some time to ponder upon the events that took place this evening.

Why was Vincent unto her now?

After a few blocks, April came upon a hotdog stand. The scent of the hot meat made her realize that she hadn't taken any dinner. So, with her growling stomach, she bought a pair of hotdog sandwiches. After paying, she continued her walk while she gobbled the hotdog sandwiches in a flash.

In her mind, she kept playing over and over again what went on.

April knew her instinct to run away from Vincent was logical. But the physical attraction she felt when she saw him half-naked was rather irrational. She should not get worked up by Vincent that way anymore! But why?

April sighed deeply, knowing she would never fathom how her childish imaginations could ever resurface after all these years, and after all, she had gone through in life.

What bothered her now was; why was Vincent stalking her? Yes, she had hidden away from him for so many years but that didn't give him any right to meddle with her life anymore! She's a grown woman now, and not some teenager who needed anyone's care.

Vincent had been out of her life and she would like very much to keep it that way. But then, their paths crossed tonight. Obviously, Vincent knew by now where she lived. Should she run away again? But why would she do that? She didn't do anything wrong. Yes, she was selling sex toys and stuff but there's nothing illegal in that. Besides, Vincent was the one who should be watching himself. He's a Mafia, owning a few illegal business beneath the CEO part for legal ones! That thought brought shivers down her spine once more.

In her musings, she didn't realize she had reached her apartment already.

April sighed to herself again. Another concern entered her mind. She recognized why her subconscious was stopping her from using the extra money she earned tonight. Sally would be nagging her about the apartment rent again!

April's life had made a complete turn about when she left Atlantic City. However, it was not an easy one. When she got here to Washington, she didn't know anyone, which was the very motivation that made her decide to take up residence here, after her tragic past. Here, she was taken in by Sally, a doting mother to her daughter, Kathy. 

Sally's in her middle age but still single, and her daughter Kathy, was the same age as April. Kathy wanted to be an actress but the talent needed for that was immensely lacking in her. Just the same, Sally, her mom, kept supporting her ambitious daughter in her lost cause to be a professional actress.

April walked up the stairs towards their apartment floor. She did so in a very slow-paced manner. Almost every day she got home, she had an encounter with her sister Kathy and stepmother Sally. A new stepfamily, which turned out to be a nightmare as well. 

When she entered their apartment, she saw Kathy on the sofa, filing her nails, while curlers thrive all over her blonde hair.

"Oh, it's you."

Kathy exclaimed, with exasperation in her tone, which she didn't care to hide.

"What are you still doing up this late?"

April asked rhetorically, like a greeting. In truth, she really didn't care to know what Kathy was really up to. It was just that, she was caught off-guard that her stepsister was not blabbering on her phone this evening. That was what she automatically thought of saying, obligated to acknowledge Kathy's presence in their small living space.

"What do you care? Mom, April is here!"

Kathy replied, then hollered towards the direction of her mother's room. She sounded as if a spoiled brat tattle-tailing on her stepsister, who had done a very wrong thing, worth scolding.

The door of Sally's bedroom opened quickly. April's stepmother stepped out immediately with her arms over her chest and an annoyed expression on her face.

"April, where is the money for our rent this month?"

Sally quickly, demanded authoritatively.

April sighed, then dug in her backpack pocket, to retrieve her earnings from tonight. 

"Here, Sally."

April replied, handing over the money to her stepmother, in a defeated tone.

Her stepmother, grabbed the money, without even a word of gratitude. But then, April never expected any of that anyway.

Instead, April went into her small bedroom, then closed the door behind her.

Finally, some peace.

April knew her situation here was not good, with her step-family way too uncaring to be considered as a family. However, when she arrived in Washington, with no money and not even an ounce of self-worth, this mother and daughter tandem, somehow, miraculously took her in like some lost puppy, without any question. All they needed then from her was to be some sort of free maid to order around. Although when April got back to her old self, she was able to find odd jobs. Therefore, paying for the rent of the apartment became a forced obligation Sally and Kathy imposed on her. 

This worked perfectly for these two, considering that Kathy wasn't bothered to find a steady monthly job, due to her star complex. Sally, on the other hand, kept her waitress job at one of the restaurants nearby.

April took a quick shower and brushed her teeth. She wore her tattered pajamas and then slipped under her thin blanket to finally catch some sleep.

Somehow, April couldn't help imagining her past life was back when she was a little girl.

April sighed once more, remembering when she was little in the Johnson house. Her life then was like a fairytale. The Johnson family treated her gently. Well, that's how she recalled it then anyway. Vincent was especially very fond of her.

Vincent...

There it went again. He crossed her mind again. With exasperation towards herself, April stood up to retrieve her phone from her backpack.

She saw that it was blinking, warning her that she had an unread message.

April checked hurriedly and saw her lady boss' message. She was asking for a new story from her. She stared at the message for a while, then with a nod to herself, she sent the picture she took of Vincent early this evening.

Afterward, she crept back to her bed to really get some sleep this time.