Clichéd [COMPLETE]

Episode 19: Play House

"One big happy family, one big happy family." Rick constantly repeated under his breath, smiling to himself and playing with his fingers, his hands always moving under his tattered dirtied mittens as Cynthia and I stayed seated at the small table in his basement.

"Happy, happy, happy family." He said in an almost child-like voice, wobbling around as if not knowing what to do with himself before he brought out the plastic cups, using an actual toy kitchen set instead of real ceramic sets as he placed two pink cups in front of Cynthia and I, awkwardly patting my head when he moved passed me making my body stiffen, my gaze flickering down to the gun tucked at the side of his pants for a brief moment.

Cynthia had told me everything during the ride to Rick's place.

How she was mostly absent from my life due to the fact that she was trying to ward off and protect me from Rick, my real biological druggie of a father.

It was a lot to take in.

I understood Rick, from someone who was mentally unstable I understood his intentions but the thing was...

He could never really be a dad to me... He never was and never will be because that name and right was reserved to Harry, the man who raised me and was there for me ever since I was born.

It just hurt knowing the only reason he did it was because he was tricked into thinking I was his biological daughter.

I felt so bad.

All this time, he could've been happy with Nat, he could've focused on his real son Haz.

And Haz, he wouldn't have had to deal with his terrible step father Aaron thinking they were related.

A rough hand suddenly crept up my arm, making me snap out of my thoughts and jolt slightly in my chair in surprise when Rick towered over me.

"Beautiful," He murmured as he gazed down at me, tears actually brimming his watery pale green eyes as he gently stroked my cheek while I forced myself not to cringe, feeling Cynthia's intense and fearful gaze trained on the two of us before he took his own seat at the table.

"How was school Talie?" Rick asked, fidgeting in his chair and taking his own cup as I exchanged brief wide eyed looks with my mom across the table.

He was trying to pretend we were all a family, like what I used to do when I was a kid.

Playing house.

"It was good- dad... It was fun." I swallowed, smiling and nodding my head at him in a nervous manner as my eyes shifted to the weapon on him again.

Rick beamed at the name I had used, smiling and looking between Cynthia and I with a dimpled yellow toothed grin that was borderline maniac as he fisted his holey shirt in excitement.

"Rick..." Cynthia began, swallowing nervously as her chest rose and fell rapidly while she tried to maintain her calm demeanor.

"Yes honey, oh- how about some food? You two must be hungry after such a long day." He noted, clasping his hands together in realization as he stood to his feet while I absentmindedly played with the ring on my finger under the table.

"No Rick. What we need is for you to let the two of us go." She insisted in a slow stern voice, making Rick blink at her for a few moments before his whole face contorted into a fit of rage.

"No!" He snapped in anger, his loud overpowering voice bouncing off the concrete walls as Cynthia and I jumped in our seats at his outburst, his fists slamming against the rattling table as he glared at her.

"This is our fucking family now Cynthia! This is my family!" He screamed at her in a threateningly dangerous voice, the veins in his neck portruding as he pointed at her while she shrunk back in her chair in fear.