Chapter 3 - Gen 2 - Tapestry

Earlier that day .........


I'm pacing impatiently around the living room a little annoyed, I have run out of people who I can phone, trying to track down Tapestry who is ignoring his phone to me.  Nobody has seen him all afternoon, he's skipping school and I haven't got the foggiest idea where he might be, although I suspect I know who he is going to be with ... that girl ... Fern.

I really should have taken him with us to Lilly's anti natal appointment, I should have known he would sneak off the minute my back was turned.  I'm stuck inside the house now, and all I can do is wait for someone to find him or for him to come home.  There is nobody around until later who can sit with Lilly so I've got to rely on somebody else to track him down and send him home.

Suddenly someone starts banging on the door really loudly, making me jump, I cringe and glance over at Lilly who is sleeping on the couch, hoping that the awful racket doesn't wake her up.  She hasn't been sleeping very well at night lately, with her achy back and the baby kicking, and she needs to get as much rest as she can.  The banging carries on continuously, who on earth would be banging down the door like that?

As I walk towards the door I can see it's Fern's father, who I've only seen once before briefly in passing at the school earlier.  He only stops banging the door when he sees me coming.  He's standing glaring at me through the glass, and has two quite menacing looking teenage boys, that I've never seen before, standing behind him, who I presume are his sons.  I really don't like the look of the expressions on all three of their faces  ...

This smells of trouble.

"Is my daughter here?"  he snaps quite sharply, as he pushes past me and barges his way inside the house without being invited in, which I think is very rude, I really don't think I am going to like this man very much.  "Fern - where is she?"

"She was here earlier with Tapestry, I found them hiding out, but I sent her home hours ago."  I notice he is staring over at Lilly who thankfully is still sleeping, but I doubt she will be for much longer if this carries on.
  
"Where is he now, is he here?"  he asked looking around

"No, he's not, he's snuck back out again, if Fern didn't go home, then I presume he's with her again, but don't ask me where, because I don't know."

"Well I'm here to warn you ..... KEEP ..... your orange and COLOURLESS son ..... AWAY from my daughter!!" he snarled at me quite nastily  "You are an orange berry, why would you even want to soil your colour??!!"

"Excuse me?!"  I'm a little irritated by the aggression in his voice and especially by the way he said the word 'colourless', people like him really have no place in this town.  I am, however, a little amused by the fact that he thinks I'm a pure orange berry - if only he knew!!!

"I think you heard me okay pal!!!!!"  he snaps learning towards me in a threatening manner  "I'm not having any colour mixing or mixed berries in my family, and especially NOT when it's one of your lot!!!"  I am a little taken aback with his attitude and the things he's saying.    Why live in this town if you apparently hate colour mixing so much and ... what the fudge does he mean by 'one of your lot'?!'  I get the feeling his insult is aimed at Lilly's lack of colour.  He needs to take a good look at himself, especially his attitude, before he goes around judging other people that he doesn't know - after all colour is only skin deep!!

"Firstly, I am not your pal, and I don't appreciate you barging your way into my home in a threatening manner and insulting my family, especially when you don't know a damn thing about us!!"  I am starting to get really angry, because this probably just all boils down to colour, something that shouldn't be happening in this town!!!  "In fact - you can GET OUT of my house NOW!!  Fern isn't here so there is no need for you to be!!"

"Oh I know a lot more than you think Pal - and I'm telling you - keep that boy of yours away from my daughter or I won't be held responsible for my actions!!"  he's raring in my face again

"You better hope he is not with her when we find her Mr, because we will leave him with no doubts about keeping away from my sister ..... and he will if he values his life!!"  One of the boys decides to join in, trying to look as menacing as his Dad, I might have known a family of thugs!!!

"Mango ........ what's all the shouting about?"  Lilly sits up stretching and rubbing her eyes, I notice all three of them have now gone quiet and are staring at her in a strange way.  They are obviously from out of town and I presume they've never seen a colourless berry before, I've seen many people look at her in the same way outside of this town, but still I don't like it, and especially not when it is in our own home!!!

"OUT NOW!!"  I started to walk towards the door to open it, thankfully they followed me without protesting or carrying on with their brutish behaviour  "And don't you worry, I wouldn't want my son hanging around the likes of your lot anyway, so I'll be keeping my son well away from your daughter!!"  I snapped at him as he walked past me  "You just make sure you keep your daughter away from my son!!" 

"If they are together right now, you wanna just hope you find him before we do!!!  You've been warned!!!"  her father said as he walked out of the door.  I slammed the door shut behind him.  They have a damn nerve!!!  Although his last threat made me feel very uncomfortable.

I walked back into the living room, Lilly is standing in the middle of the room looking worried and confused.  I tried to put her mind to rest the best I could, telling her that he thinks Tapestry is a bad influence and wants Tapestry and Fern keeping apart.  The last thing she needs right now is to get stressed out this far into her pregnancy.

I told her it was nothing to worry about, but I am, secretly and silently, very worried myself.  Fern's Father obviously wants them keeping apart because of the colour mixing, and I suspect Lilly being colourless is a big part of it.  I can't say I'm too thrilled about Tapestry being around that girl either, I don't have a very good feeling about that girl or her family.

It's all well and good me telling Tapestry, but he rarely listens to anything anyone has to tell him, if he wants to do something he will go and do it regardless - if he wants something there is no stopping him.  If he doesn't listen, I'm scared of what might happen, they look like a family of thugs, and I'm scared they might actually carry out their threats and Tapestry might get hurt.

My phone starts ringing I answer it quickly.  "I've found Tapestry, he's is in the Bowling Alley, I've told him to come home."   Prelude, he said he would have a scout around town looking for Tapestry before he went to work.  I'm relieved now more than ever, after Fern's Father's visit,  that Prelude has found him!!!

Before he gave me a chance to speak he quickly spoke again  "Mango ........"  he says my name then there is a long uncomfortable pause,  "You are really not going to like this!!".

"What Prelude?"

 "I think we have a problem ......... the girl he's with ............"

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It looks like a scene from a movie, Police cars everywhere with flashing lights and police officers standing around in groups on the pavement talking.  They all stop talking and look in my direction as I'm helped out of the police car that I've just travelled home in.   My hands are released straight away from the handcuffs and I'm rubbing my wrists as I am looking around trying to take in the scene outside our house.  Still the police officer is not saying anything and I can't even begin to imagine what is going on anymore.

I start to walk down the steps, a little unsteadily, I'm feeling the alcohol swirling round in my head making me a little dizzy.  As I reach halfway down the steps that's when I start to hear what sounds like shouting.  I stop walking, hold onto the handrail and stand watching,  Dad and Prelude are standing outside the front door arguing with each other.

"You are over reacting!!"  Prelude shouts at Dad

"I'll show you over reacting if anything has happened to my son!!"  Dad yelled back at him  "Talking of which, shouldn't you be worrying about your own two sons right now and how this is going to affect them - you do realize you are going to have to tell them everything now!!"

"I'm not stupid, I do know, but there is nothing I can do until they get back from the game."

"You wanna hope they get back in one piece, you didn't see them around here threatening - Freeze and two of HER evil brats ..... they are a family of thugs, which shouldn't surprize me really!!!"

"Mango I still think you are over reacting ... just because they are her kids, it doesn't mean they are going to be exactly the same, look at my two, one of them is even softer than you!!"

"Well I'm not taking that risk - you should have grabbed Tapestry the minute you realised who he was with, but work is more important to you isn't it - your loyalties have ALWAYS lay in the wrong place haven't they!!!!"

"That's not fair ... and you know it!!!!!

"Like it's not fair that Lilly is in there breaking her heart right now because of what we have  had to tell her Prelude ......... all made ten times worse by you being with that horrible green evil vindictive bitch ...." 

"Don't you dare ... she has a name ... use it!!!"  Prelude leans towards Dad  "You wouldn't like me calling Lilly names  ...."

Then I saw something I never thought I'd ever see in a million years - Dad swung for Prelude punching him full force straight in the face - I didn't even know he had it in him, especially not when it comes to Prelude who can be a nasty piece of work when he wants to be, he would be the last person that I'd have the nerve to start a fight with.

"You .... are .... unreal ...." Dad yelled at him as his fist made contact with his face.

"BERRY HOLE!!!"  Prelude doubles up holding his face for a moment, then he looks up and starts spitting blood onto the floor with an evil glint in his eye  "Well I hope that made you feel better ..... I'll let you off with that one Mango ...... because I know you're upset ..... but I'm warning you DON'T do that again!!"   They are both just stood there glaring at each other.

"I told you this was going to blow up in our face eventually .... I should never have helped you cover up your sordid mess .... I should have washed my hands of you a long time ago!!!

I ran down the last few steps worried that if Dad carries on that Prelude might go for him, and I doubt Dad would stand a chance against him. 

"DAD!!"  I yelled at him because they hadn't seen or heard me coming, too busy arguing and glaring at each other.  "WHAT IS GOING ON??!!"   Dad span round and just threw himself at me, he didn't answer my question.

"OH THANK BERRY!!!"  He throws his arms around me and he's squeazing me so tight I can hardly breath.  "Where have you been?  You are not hurt are you?"  I didn't get a chance to speak because the police officer standing behind me started speaking for me.

"Mango we found them both in Seth's dive bar, him and the girl."  Dad let go of me suddenly, but kept his hands on me holding me at a distance while he studies my face, I know exactly what he is looking for, signs of me being drunk.   "He is a little intoxicated so I'm afraid we had to cuff him, they both were a handful, but there seems to be no harm done and luckily we found them first which is the main thing!!"

Dad thanked the police officer who said he would phone Dad tomorrow about the other stuff, and that a car would pass by regularly just to make sure everything is okay.  Dad smiled and thanked him again, the police officer said goodnight and left.

This just adds a little more to my confusion, why do adults talk in riddles, why don't they ever just say it straight, better still they could just tell me what is going on!!  After the police officer left, Dad then turns his attention straight back to me.

"You've been drinking?!  On your medications - what have I told you!!  Are you ever going to listen Tapestry?!"  now he is looking pretty mad again  "  So while we have been worrying ourselves sick over your whereabouts all afternoon and night, you've been sitting in that bar getting hammered!!!!"   he points in the direction of the house quite angrily "Just get to your room ....."

"Not until you tell me what is going on!!!"

"NOW TAPESTRY!!"

"NO!!!!"  I yelled in his face, demanding to know what they had just been arguing about and why he had phoned the police on us.   What had we done so wrong for him to have me and Fern dragged out of the dive bar like a pair of criminals?  I'm confused, angry and I'm not getting any answers, he is just treating me like an idiot again, like a naughty child sending me off to my room and I'm sick of it!!!

Suddenly my Mother appeared from nowhere, I've never seen her so angry before and I can see she has been crying because she has mascara runs all down her face, and her eyes are all smudged with the stuff, even though she is not crying right now, I can tell that is some serious crying that she has been doing.

I watched her explode in front of me.  She says she's sick of all my back chatting, why can't I just do as I'm told for once in my life.  I'm not sure if she's talking about me sneaking out earlier or me refusing to go to my room, probably both by the way she is carrying on.   I am listening to her, and I'm starting to get confused again, she's ranting on but not all of it applies, I don't think, to me.   She's sick of me not listening and putting them through so much worry all the time, going off and doing as I please without caring how it's affecting everyone else ........ yes that's me ........ but then her ranting changes to something I totally don't understand.

The secrets .... the lies .... the cover up .... Why has it taken this long for it all to come out?  Why is she only just finding out about all these things now?  She thinks everyone has been laughing at her the whole time!?  Why can she still not remember any of this?!  Suddenly I am no better than Prelude??!!  What is this crazy shit??!!!  What is my Mom going on about??  I can see the tears streaming down her face again.  I know I struggle to keep up with most conversations, but this is something else, and it's way over my head.

She's turned away from me now, but only because Dad is trying to calm her down because she is pregnant and she shouldn't be getting herself so stressed out.  Prelude tells her she's shouting at the wrong person shouting at me then says "All of the kids ... they don't know anything ... not even mine!!"   Mom went straight for him, telling him he should leave, she's not sure she can even look at him right now.

She's totally lost the plot hurling a load of insults at Prelude that are making my toes curl, I've never heard my Mother swearing before, she managed to hold her tongue when she was just shouting at me, but she is really letting it fly at Prelude.

Dad tries to calm her down again, he's worried over her getting herself so upset, but that just makes her start on him again for keeping secrets.  What the fudge is all this?!  What don't us kids not know?!  What has Prelude done?  What secrets has Dad been keeping?  Why is my Mom so angry and upset?!  I've never even seen my parents exchange a bad look or cross word with each other before.  I'm sent into a state of shock watching them now yelling and tearing strips off each other.

Everything happened so quickly.  Suddenly she cry's out as I watch her double over holding her stomach like she's in pain.  Dad and Prelude rush towards her  "Mango ...... it hurts!!"  I watch a little dazed as she virtually collapses into his arms moaning and holding her stomach, as she starts to panic.  Dad is holding her trying to calm her down, reassuring her everything is going to be okay, he's got his hand on her stomach and he's pulling worried faces at Prelude that my Mom can't see.  I think I know already what is wrong with her - but isn't it too early?!

"Prelude can you grab my car keys off the hall table .... its the baby, I need to get her to the hospital"  my Dad shouts at him.  I watch Mom double up again as Prelude shot into the house returning seconds later and handed Dad his keys.  He swung Mom up into his arms and starts carrying her up the steps, telling Prelude not to let me out of his sight for a second until he gets back.  I am just standing there in a daze. 

I can't help but keep thinking that the baby is coming too early.  I'm the way I am because I was early and too small.  Is the new baby going to be like me?  And if she is, is it going to be my fault?   I can feel myself going, I've already got too many things swimming around in my head with the alcohol, without this.

I still don't know why I was pulled out of the dive bar by the police and I haven't a clue what Prelude and Dads, or my parents argument had been about, I'm not even sure if any of it is even connected.  I really can't cope with what is going on in my head everything is just a jumbled mess that I really can't make any sense of, and it's starting to annoy me.

"Tapestry come on inside, It's getting cold!!"  Prelude puts his hand on my shoulder but I ignore him still standing there staring up the garden steps even though my parents are now out of sight.  I am panicking inside, lost in thought, on the verge of running like I do sometimes when I can't cope and I feel like my head is about to explode.

Just as I start to bolt, Prelude grabs me by my arms, and holds onto me stopping me from legging it. He must have sensed it might be coming, he's seen me do it plenty of times before.  "Oh No you don't Tap!!  You know I'll catch you, you haven't out run me yet!!!"  He pulls me towards him "Come on, don't worry, she's going to be fine and so will the baby!!"  he didn't even raise his voice to me, how can he be so calm after everything that has just been happening??

"The baby ... It's too early!!"  I said looking at him  "Is all this my fault?"

"No it's not your fault .......... you'll probably find it's mostly mine!!"

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