Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

All I Want

"He's a friend!" Autumn insisted, her swollen lip still throbbing from when the prankster kissed her.

Ace crooked a finger in the air. "Your ears are red. It turns that color when you're embarrassed about something."

Autumn glared at her brother. "Shut up."

"You shut up!" the boy fired back.

"Hey!" Abby said, silencing the bickering. She motioned to the bag. "Care to tell me what's in the bag?"

Autumn glanced at the bag hanging on her arm. "It's a dress," she said, grimacing.

Abby placed a hand on her hip.  "Okay, Autumn, what's going on?"

"Yeah, sis," the boy said, needling her. "Since when did you wear a dress?"

Autumn side-eyed her smart-aleck brother.

"It's for a dance... Nara bought it."

"Why am I just now hearing about a dance?" her mother said.

Autumn scratched her cheek, sheepishly. "I was going to tell you."

"When is this dance?" 

"In about three weeks," Autumn replied.  She walked over to the reclining chair, the soles of her shoes squeaking, and took a seat.

Her butt-cheeks aching from the compressed fabric in the upholstery, she scooted over to a more comfortable spot.

Settled, she looked up at her mother as she fidgeted with her apron. "I told Nara I would pay her back for buying the dress. It won't be a problem using funds from the campaign to pay for it, will it?"

After a long pause, her mother replied, "No."

The bag draped across her lap, Autumn untied the knot at the end and pulled out the plain dress.

"Ace, do you think you can turn this dress into something dazzling?"

The boy stared at his sister blankly. "What do you take me for?"

Autumn smiled. He reacted just the way she had hoped.

His bare feet padding across the hardwood flooring, the boy ran into the kitchen. He returned a minute later with a sketchpad in his hand.

Sitting cross leg on the floor, he began scribbling at a feverish pace. "I have just the thing in mind."

Autumn shared a knowing look with her equally smirking mother. She had just unleashed the beast.

*********

Cruising down the tree-lined streets and landscaped yards of his gated community, Maddox pulled onto the cobblestone, patterned driveway of his French Chateau Style home, or as he dubbed it, "The Castle."

His white collie, peering out the sheer white lace embroidered curtains, barked, wagging its tail.

Stepping out of his car, he rounded the flagstone walkway and opened the hand-carved arched double door.

He barely had one foot inside when the collie pounced on him, licking his face and barking.

"Hey girl," he said, petting the dog's head as the collie spun around and pounced on his again.

Chuckling, he played with the dog as it lay on its back with its paws up.

"You're finally home," a scratchy voice said, followed by thumping footsteps.

Maddox froze, his jaw tight. "Hi, Calvin."

The man clicked his tongue. "You still refuse to call me dad, huh."

Maddox's eyes slid to the man's polished Italian shoes. "Because you're not my dad!" he mumbled.

The man laughed a throaty laugh. "I'm your dad when you need a loan. Didn't you ask me for five-thousand dollars recently? You practically begged me for it."

Maddox gritted his teeth. "That's different."

"Really?" the man said, rubbing his neatly trimmed mustache. "How so?"

Maddox clamored to his feet, the dog whining. "It just is, okay." He stormed off.

"Hey! I'm talking to you—"

Maddox slammed his bedroom door, the force knocking the CDs out the stand. Turning the lock, he leaned against the door.

"Maddox!" 

The knob jiggled.      

He squeezed his eyes shut and stopped his ears to drown out the noise. He longed to be anywhere but there—-preferably with Autumn.

He waited.  The footsteps retreated after a long heart-pounding minute.

Calvin was just like Dante, a snob who thought the world revolves around him. They were both cut from the same cloth with their sense of entitlement. His mother, to his chagrin, had the same temperament.

She dated Calvin behind his father's back. Calvin flaunted his wealth. All his father could offer was love. It wasn't enough.

One morning, she shook Maddox awake. Whispering, she told him they were going on a trip. Beside her was a hastily packed small suitcase. Whimpering, he climbed out of bed.

He begged to see his father. His mother chided him, telling him that he couldn't or he'd wake him. Instructing him to tiptoe, she ushered him out of the house, discreetly closing the door after them.

He dug in his pocket for his wallet. The edges frayed, he cherished the only photograph he had of his father. According to the smudged date on the back, he was four when the picture was taken. He sat on a tricycle. His father, dressed like a schoolteacher, stood beside him.

Though he looks more like his mother, Maddox inherited his father's dark hair and toothy smile.

Maddox swallowed. He had no idea what happened to his father after they left. He didn't know if he was dead or alive. Was he searching for them? He swiped his eyes.

The collie scratched and sniffed at the door. He cracked it open.  "Is Calvin still here?" he asked. The dog barked.

He headed to the foyer looking for any signs of the man. He grabbed the dog's leash. "Let's go girl."

Attaching the leash to the collar, he exited the house and started down the walkway when his phone rang.

Checking the id, his face fell. He hit ignore and continued on his walk; the collie darting ahead of him.

His phone chirped a minute later with a text message notification.

You can ignore me all you want. That doesn't change the fact that you owe me. You better keep your end of the bargain if you want to keep your precious freedom.

Cursing under his breath, Maddox shoved the phone in his pocket.

He felt stuck.

If he told the truth, he'd go to jail. He would also lose Autumn just as they finally connected.

His other option was to let Dante do as he planned. The thought alone made his stomach churn. He couldn't allow it. He'd never forgive himself if any harm came to Autumn. He had to stop Dante. The problem is, how?