A Sister and Her Family Ch. 01

True to her word she swallowed every drop. She licked me clean then lay beside me. She pulled my arm over her slipping my finger through the loop. I pinched her nipple until she moaned then just rested it over her tit.

"I love you Buck!" She said.

Karen fell to sleep happy. Well happy for now.

I lay awake trying to understand my actions. Karen has demons, some I can control some I cannot. We all have baggage, I myself have more than most people. Karen is my oldest sibling, she is almost forty I am twenty six. She has made some poor choices, some which haunt her to this day. I too have made poor decisions, but circumstances have affected my decisions. Karen continues to choose wrong. I know this sounds like bullshit but I am all the hope she has left. Her problem is I don't give a shit about her any more than she does about herself. She understands that and accepts it. She uses me to survive I use her for pleasure. It sucks but it is just how it is.

She only has to make one right move, just one and it will all change. That is the rule, there is only one and so far she has refused to do it. Until then I am on a mission to let her find that moment where she can make the right choice. Like I said it will only get worse.

I was walking in the school, the superintendent Joy called my name.

"Yes Ms. Stuart?" I replied. She is a sharp young black woman. Medium, full figured, but toned. Great smile, good head on her shoulders. My guess is she gay, only because no one has ever seen her with a man.

"Buck how many times have I told you to call me Joy?"

"How many times have we talked?" I asked.

"Please call me Joy, I am not my mother."

"Yes Ms. Stuart."

"Buck, Marvin said you have been a bit hard on him?" She asked.

"He is a moron, why do you keep him around?" I shot back.

"Buck, you know the school board handles hiring."

"Now it all makes sense!" I rolled my eyes.

"So about the buses. What do you need?"

"All I want is automatic dryers, they keep the brakes from freezing up in the winter. The drivers just don't remember to drain the system. Someone is going to get hurt, and then the shit will hit the fan!"

"I see your point. How much?"

"$500 per truck installed." I explained.

"That is allot of money." She thought about it. "Let me see what I can do."

"Thanks." I replied. "See that was easy wasn't it?"

"Buck before you go, I see they are scheduled to be here this week. Are you prepared?" Joy questioned me.

"No."

"Will Karen be there?" Joy asked.

"Don't know." I replied truthfully.

"If you need help you can call me." She said politely.

"What do you know about kids? You're what, twenty nine and single?" I teased her.

"Well a bit older than that, but single, and no children." She cocked her head. "Maybe we could have coffee sometime?"

"You trying to seduce me?" I teased

"Would you like it if I did?" She teased back.

"I always pegged you as batting for the other team, if I may be so bold." I asked. She gave me a wicked grin. "I'll see you later Joy." I turned to walk away.

"Buck, just so you know, I play for the team that chooses me." She turned and walked in the other direction.

The dreaded day was upon me, Karen has been gone since Tuesday, no surprise there. This is part of her problem, she just can't stand to disappoint people and then all she does is disappoint them. It is a catch 22, years of rehab and talking have not changed it, if anything its worse.

Joy pulled up in the car, she was the one that facilitated the deal. Just for the record I was against it. Dead against it, but I felt I had no choice. It must be worse than I heard if the state agreed to let them come here.

Joy opened the door and I saw him first. Luis (not Louis) scanned the surroundings then looked back in the car and said something. He was all of thirteen, Karen's youngest, no one knows who his father is, except he was an illegal from Mexico. Could be a hard working good guy, but then sleeping with whores is not the average hard working anybody. He was medium height, stout, good looking young man. His fists were clenched, this would be trouble.

He closed the door and the one on the other side opened. She stepped out next, Rey Ann, but she prefers to be called Rey. She is just like her father, light chocolate skin. Just shy of fifteen she is beautiful, a real looker. She will have Karen's tits, she looks to be a 36 C already, her hips flare nicely, her legs long and athletic. According to her file she is the smart one. She could be more trouble than her brother.

Joy looked up at the house I opened the front door. I ushered them in and offered them a seat. Joy looked around at the sparse surroundings.

"Luis." I offered him my hand. He scowled at me but took it weakly. "Welcome."

"Rey Ann." I offered her my hand. She looked at Joy and chose not to take it.

"Hi."

"Kid's we should bring your things in." Joy spoke up.

They started for the door Luis with the keys. I grabbed Joy and held her back.

"Let them do it, it needs to be their choice." She seemed surprised at my request but accepted it. They did not have much so it only took one trip. They set it down I looked at Joy, she seemed confused.

"I have his." I explained.

"Oh, yes, well I should be going." She looked at them with concern on her face. Then reluctantly she left.

I went to the fridge and opened a beer. Setting at the counter I looked them over. They were checking me out as well. Luis wanted to fight, Rey wanted to leave.

"So what are your rules?" Rey asked.

"Rules?" I asked back. "Really haven't thought about that. Tell you the truth I really don't care."

"You have to have rules." Luis replied.

"Well what rules do you want?" I guzzled my beer. "Oh yeah, the beer is mine, you want any you buy your own. How is that for number one?"

"We can't drink beer. Were too young." Luis informed me.

"Ok rule number two no underage drinking." I went to the fridge and pulled out another one. "Rey your turn."

"You're fucked up!" She turned to leave.

"Oh that should be number three no swearing in the house, I do it too much and get in trouble. Best not lead you down that path." I replied smirking.

"Luis, your next." I belched.

"Where is mom, they said she is staying here." He looked around.

I pointed to the door leading to the garage.

"Look in her room, and see if she is home?" They both opened the door and stepped in the garage. Moments later they came back in, Rey looked sick. I poured the beer down the drain in front of them. I motioned them to sit down.

"I am going to say this once, and only once. Listen to me carefully. You want to live like that you can move out there with her. I don't care. What happened before today I can't change. For you, for her or for me." I glared at them both. "You probably don't want to be here anymore than I want you to be here. Get over it or leave, you can go right now. I DON'T CARE."

Luis balled his fists ready to strike me.

"Now for rules, there will be many, the more you test them the more there will be. This is my house and only my house, you will respect me, and I will respect you. You will go to school and you will learn. Failure is not an option. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir." Rey answered.

"We will eat as a family, we will shop as a family, we will go to bed as a family. There will be no smoking period, there will be no drugs, period, there will be no alcohol before you are eighteen period, then when I am present only. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir." Rey answered again. I looked at Luis.

"Yes sir."

"You are both teenagers, I understand that, I expect you to do normal teenager things, what I do not expect is to meet you at the police station. You will not go out with your friends un-chaperoned. If you need money you will work for it. You will cook and clean and learn to do laundry. If you have friends over the doors say open or I will remove them."

"Are we clear?" I asked again.

"Yes sir!" Rey almost seemed happy with what I said.

"Any questions?" I asked. Luis looked at me nervously.

"Is that really mom's room?" Luis asked. I decided before they came not to sugar coat their mother's condition. Lying just breeds distrust.

"One last rule, no lies. I can take bad news, even really bad news. I may not understand it but I can at least try to deal with it. But no lies. I would rather you just don't answer." I looked to Luis then Rey. "My sister, your mother is a whore and a drug addict. I don't like it anymore than you do. For years I have tried, so have her other siblings. She still chooses to live that life. Yes when she comes that is where she stays. She does sleep in the house if I am home. That door is always locked when I am gone."

I let it sink in. "Any more questions?"

"Where do we sleep?" Luis asked. His was the hardest question of all.

"Follow me."

I took the main hall. Taking a keychain from my pocket I handed it to Rey.

"This will be your room." She unlocked the door and opened it. It had been years since I had stayed in the room, I even paid someone to clean it and make the bed for Rey. It was the biggest bedroom and had its own bath.

"This all for me?" She glowed.

"Here is your key, you will lock it at night and open the door for no one but me or Luis. Under no circumstance will Karen be allowed in either of your rooms. Agreed?"

They looked at each other.

"Yes sir." The said together.

"Luis yours is this way."

The next room was locked as well I handed him his key. He unlocked the door. Looking in he was not as happy.

"It's a baby's nursery?" He groaned.

"You may paint it anyway you want, well within reason." He smiled at me. "I have a bed coming later today, let's go into town and have lunch and then we can go to the hardware and buy some paint."

Rey and I went through the kitchen and put a list together of supplies.

"What do you want for meals" I asked.

"We don't know, what do you eat?" Rey spoke up.

"What can you cook?" I asked.

"What do you mean? I can't cook!" She announced. Just then Luis walked in.

"Can Luis"

"No, we're kids!" She protested.

"You're not kids, you're teenagers! Starting today I am promoting you both to head cook and chief bottle washer." I informed them. "Starting today the two of you are in charge of meals!"

"You can't do that!" Luis protested.

"I think I just did! Are we going back to where we left off?" I challenged him.

"You're an asshole!" Luis shot back.

"Luis!" Rey Ann scolded him.

"I may be, if so why did you come back?" I asked. "Oh and if you want to leave the door is right there, don't let it hit you in the ass on your way out!"

Rey gave him that look. "Luis you promised!" I could see the pain in her eyes.

"I still think he is an asshole." Luis turned and started to walk away.

"Young man come here!" I yelled.

"What?" He spat.

"When you call a man an asshole, have some balls! You look him in the eye and do it. Don't ever turn your back until he fights or accepts it. Do you understand?"

Luis stood for a moment and though about what I just said. He lowered his head.

"Yes sir." He replied. If he was going to change it needed to start right now.

"Good. Now say it again and mean it or don't say it." I said clearly. He kept his head down. "Luis say it!"

"You're an asshole!" He said raising his eyes to mine.

He was venting emotions that were left unsaid. I lunged at him and he hit me as I knew he would. This one is a fighter. He landed a couple of solid blows, but I outweighed him by over a hundred pounds. He kept hitting me until I wrapped him in a bear hug pinning his arms.

"You keep working on that son." I said as he stopped struggling. "You need to learn when and where you pick your fights if you are going to survive in this world."

We headed to town and did some shopping. At Walt's Hardware we bought some paint we all agreed on. I asked Walt if his son could stop by Sunday and help Luis paint the room. WJ (Walt JR) agreed to come for $10 an hour. After lunch we went grocery shopping. I returned all the stuff with sugar, and the crap full of preservatives. I told them we would be planting the garden in the spring and raise our own vegetables. They looked at each other quietly but often, as we walked the isles. Rey was a bit embarrassed as she shopped for feminine products. I stocked them up with new toiletries. The bill was over four hundred when we left, the grocery was abuzz with whispers. Sometimes small towns suck.

We headed back to the house to meet the furniture truck. Rey and Luis were putting groceries away when the truck arrived. I talked to Norm and gave him instructions. He and his helper started unloading the bed frame.

"Buck are you sure, that stuff is brand new!" Norm said as he came to get the mattress.

"Every piece, Norm, leave nothing." I replied. "Sell it, give it away, donate it, but it leaves this house."

"Ok, Buck, I understand." He replied.

Rey Ann

Ms. Stuart is a very nice lady, without her this would not have happened. Frankly I am not sure how she convinced him after what happened three years ago. My uncle Buck was in the service during Desert Storm. He was bad ass from what I heard, received a couple of medals. He was in some kind of elite unit but he never talks about it. I know he was hurt bad, he was in some hospital in Germany when his parents died.

Mom, Luis and I moved into their apartment while Buck was gone. Aunt Vicky was always worried about Buck when he was overseas. He came home for the funeral, his arm was in a sling. I knew Uncle Buck got this, his parent's house at that time. Mom even talked of moving there with them. She seemed to be in a good place for once, Luis and I started to think we could live as a family. Luis and I spent years of moving from one project to another, or from foster homes to friends. We even lived with Aunt Amanda, moms sister, and Uncle Victor her brother but each time we ended up leaving.

My dad is never around and when he is it always gets worse. Mom tries she really does but, then he finds her and the men and drugs start all over again. When Aunt Vicky died, Luis was sent to a home for boys, I was sent to another foster home. I got scared when my dad followed me home from school one day. He said he wanted me to come live with him. Then Ms. Stuart came to visit. She brought us here. No one will tell me why, but as long as Luis and I can be together we will be ok. Luis needs me, he gets angry when I am not around. I think he needs help.

Buck is different now, he is unhappy, I can tell. Something is wrong here. The master bedroom does not look like it has been lived in for years. The spare room is decorated as a baby nursery. The house is spotless but when we went to where mom lives it almost made me sick. It is nothing but an old garage. In some places you can see outside where there are cracks in the wall. His old Mustang is on the far side covered in dust. Along the back wall is a toilet with no walls, a sink and a garden hose hanging from the ceiling.

There is an old couch that looks gross and a mattress that has no sheets. It smells really bad, he says mom stays there, but we have not seen her. When he called her a whore and a drug addict, it hurt bad. Luis and I knew she was, I knew my dad made her do it. She divorced him years ago and he still won't leave her alone. She always goes back...

Buck told us there would be rules, Luis hates rules, but I knew as soon as he told us them we would be staying. Why make rules if we were not going to live here? I just need to make sure Luis does not get in trouble.

Buck

The bed was set up, everything in the room was removed and taken away. Rey helped Luis slip on the sheets and covers. The new dresser and a small desk was delivered, as well as a book case.

Rey Ann moved her stuff in the master bedroom. It was time for dinner. I left a cook book on the counter. They tried, well at least I think they did. I ate it without complaint. Her salad was good.

Well this is one way to lose weight.

Sunday WJ came over and with Luis's help they painted the room in a soft blue with white accents. Luis did all the detail work once WJ showed him how. The room looked great.

Dinner not so much.

I explained that we would be leaving by six in the morning. Breakfast was better if you call burnt toast breakfast.

I had a little talk with them on the way to start my route, I knew how new kids were treated especially when they come in well after the start of school. I explained that I expected their best behavior, and to let me know if there were any issues.

The first few days went ok, I stopped in to see Joy.

"Buck I am glad to see you! What brings you here?"

"I need some help and thought I would ask you first." I explained.

"What kind of help?" Joy asked.

"Can you cook?" I looked at her smugly.

"Yes, I think so, why?"

I explained the situation, my stubbornness would not allow me to cave in.

"So is this a date where you ask me to cook for you?" She teased.

"Well it would make sure the buses keep running!"

"I'll be there, what time?" She asked.

"Well if it is a date then I will pick you up at five."

"I will look forward to meeting you then."

Rey and Luis were surprised when I told them not to start dinner until I got back. They were even more surprised when Joy returned with me.

Rey lit up when Joy told her why she had come. Luis was asked to join them and after about an hour we sat down to the best meal I have eaten in months. I alone cleaned the tables and loaded the dishwasher. Joy stayed and talked while the kids did their homework. I drove her back about eight.

"I enjoyed that, let me know if you need me again." She said as I opened her door.

"Are you busy tomorrow night?" I teased.

"Five o'clock" She asked.

"I'll be here, if you will!" I said as I left her at the door.

"I don't get a kiss good night?" She frowned.

"I never kiss on the first date, too presumptuous." I waved as I walked back to the truck.

"Buck you are a strange man." She yelled back.

I have been told that before, I thought to myself.

Wednesday night was as good as the night before, I did give her a kiss on the cheek before I left however.

Something was bothering Luis, Thursday night Joy had a meeting, so dinner was with just the kids. After a decent meal I cleaned up the dishes.

"Luis, Rey we need to talk." They joined me at the table. "Luis what is bothering you?"

I saw him clench his hands and take the defensive posture even at that simple question.

"Nothing!" He said too strongly.

"Luis, you can help me help you or you can leave." I challenged him. "I told you before I will not tolerate lies. You decide, you have five minutes!"

Rey looked at me and then him.

"Luis tell him!" He looked at her then at me with fire in his eyes.

"Mathew Polk called my mom a whore and me a worthless spick!" I could see the hate well up in him. Rey Ann cringed to hear him repeat it.

"Are you?" The room got deathly quiet. "Well are you a spick, a Mexican?" I needed him to react to help him. He has lived with this and always will until he decides to be Luis, and just Luis.

"You know I am, everyone knows my father was a Mexican!" I hoped he would start here.

"Is your mom a whore?" Rey looked at Luis to see if he would strike out.

"My mom is..."

"Luis, mom is a whore. It's ok you can say it." Rey cut in. The silence was deafening.

"Yes, she is a whore." The tension in the room fluttered into thin air.

"Are you worthless?" I asked before he sunk too low. He looked at Rey she shook her head.

"No, I am not worthless." He whispered.