Unknown Forces Read online

  “We’re just worried about you. You’re having a baby. You need to make sure you’re healthy.”

  “And I am. I promise.”

  Jennifer stared into her eyes for a few moments. Kelsey didn’t look away once. Satisfied her sister was being honest, she nodded. “Good. I’m going to go have a quick shower and then I’ll cook dinner. Have you eaten yet?”

  “No, I was waiting for you to get home.”

  “Please make sure you don’t tell Riley what I said,” she pleaded. “It’s a slight attraction that will disappear the minute she opens her mouth again.”

  “She does like getting on your nerves, doesn’t she?”

  Jennifer turned and walked toward the stairs. Kelsey’s voice trailed behind her.

  “I’m telling you, it’s true love.”

  Chapter Seven

  “Are you sure you’re having a good time?” Riley asked, breathing hard. She had to crowd in close to be heard over the music.

  “Watching you making a fool out of yourself on the dance floor is all the entertainment I need,” Kelsey replied, her eyes gleaming. Kelsey was seated on one of the only spare bar stools Riley had managed to capture upon their arrival, which Kelsey had moved to a space not overly crowded with people.

  Riley frowned in mock outrage. “Hey! My dance moves are gold.”

  “If you say so.”

  Riley looked on as Kelsey tried to contain her laughter at Riley’s bad dancing. It was true, she couldn’t dance, but with her charm and wit, she managed to have her share of dance partners. Most finding her clumsy moves endearing. They had been in this club for an hour now and Riley was buzzing. The club was packed with people clustered together, dancing and having a good time. Brightly coloured lights flashed over the dance floor, casting the revelers in reds, blues, and greens.

  Work had been busy this week, and now that Friday night was here, Riley was determined to party. She would have been happy to spend the evening at Kelsey’s, but Kelsey said she wanted to go out, explaining how bored she was at home all the time now she was pregnant. With all of Jennifer’s worrying about her, Kelsey found it easier to just stay in the house. After spending the week in bed doing nothing but scrolling through social media and playing Candy Crush on her phone, she wanted to socialise. Even though she couldn’t drink, she said she was still having a great time.

  Riley gestured to Kelsey’s empty glass with her chin.

  “Do you want another Coke?”

  “Actually, a water would be good.”

  “No problem. Be right back.”

  Riley sauntered through the heavy crowd, saying hello to people she knew on the way to the bar. After getting her drinks, she walked back over to Kelsey, who was now standing, softly swaying to the thumping beat. Riley sidled up to her and started swaying her hips with Kelsey’s, pelvises touching. She held her hands out to the side, trying not to spill their drinks. Kelsey was an excellent dancer, and Riley always loved it when she danced with her. She idly wondered if Jennifer could dance as well as her sister. The thought of Jennifer wrapping her arms around her waist as they swayed to the music made her head swim.

  “How drunk are you?” Kelsey asked, then laughed.

  “I’ve been worse,” she replied.

  After a few more minutes of dancing, Kelsey’s face went serious, and Riley had an irrational fear there was something terribly wrong.

  “I have something to tell you,” Kelsey said.

  “Let’s go to the back; it’ll be quieter.” She passed Kelsey her water and then took her free hand, leading her to the back of the club, where the music wasn’t so loud. Riley put her against the wall and stood in front of her, shielding her growing baby bump from anyone who might accidently knock into her. “Is it to do with the baby?”

  Kelsey waved her hand. “No, no, everything is fine.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes. I promise.”

  “Okay.” Riley’s shoulders dropped as the tension left her body, relief washing through her. With the funny turns Kelsey had been having lately, she had mentally prepared herself for bad news. Placing her hand onto Kelsey’s shoulder she said, “So, what’s up?”

  Kelsey’s face broke out into a grin. “I have a bit of gossip for you, but you have to promise you won’t tell Jennifer.”

  “No guarantees.”

  “I mean it, Riley. She’ll kill me if she finds out I told you.”

  “Did she finally lose that stick up her ass?” She snickered.

  “She admitted she was attracted to you.”

  Riley coughed on the beer she had just taken a sip of, trying to clear her throat, tears filling her eyes. “What? She said that?”

  “Yeah.” Kelsey pounded her on the back. The only thing that achieved was bruising her ribs. “The day you helped her out with the car she came home and said she liked you.”

  “I’m not sure what to do with this.”

  “It’s what you wanted, isn’t it? You’ve been crushing on her for years.”

  “Well, yeah, but I never thought she would like me back. What should I do?”

  “Not tell her I told you, to start with. Seriously though, why don’t you start being nice to her instead of winding her up all the time? Eventually she’ll realise you’re the sweetest person ever and can be capable of mature feelings.”

  “She told you I was immature?” Her hopes at maybe having something with Jennifer were dashed just as quickly as they came. If there was one thing she was certain of, it was that Jennifer thought her juvenile.

  “Not in so many words. You can’t blame her though, can you? We’re both still a little infantile at times.”

  “We’re only twenty-seven. There’s nothing wrong with having fun.” Riley always loved playing practical jokes on people, mostly on Jennifer, and Kelsey always added to the fun. Jennifer was just that easy to wind up sometimes; she couldn’t stop herself.

  “Well, she’s looking for stability. If you were only after fun with her, I’d leave her alone. If you want an honest-to-God relationship, show her you’re capable of being a grown-up.”

  “You damn well know how grown-up I am.” Her voice came out angrier than she intended. Dealing with all the crap from her parents’ breakup saw to that. She hadn’t seen her mother since she walked out on them when Riley was ten, and since then, she’d had to deal with her dad’s alcoholism. Moving out of his house when she was seventeen was the best decision she had ever made. She slept on a mate’s floor and worked at a local garage, saving as much as she could to start her own business. Riley was proud of all she’d achieved in the ten years since she left home, never once asking her dad for anything. She might like to mess around on her downtime, but she was serious when she needed to be. She ran her own company and owned her own one-bedroom house. If that wasn’t grown-up enough for Jennifer, then she could do one.

  “I know. I guess I don’t blame you for letting off steam now and then.”

  Someone bumped into Riley’s back and Riley shot her arm out to catch herself on the wall behind Kelsey before she fell into her. “I run my own business and have basically looked after myself since Mum walked out. If that isn’t being mature, I don’t know what is.”

  “I’m sorry. I guess she just doesn’t get to see that side of you.” Kelsey placed her hand on Riley’s cheek, giving it a quick pat.

  “And who’s fault is that?” Her ire was growing. Having to defend herself wasn’t a chore she enjoyed doing. If people didn’t like her, she didn’t care. But knowing it was Jennifer who thought her immature set her off faster than a rocket.

  “She’d probably say yours.” She looked at Riley pointedly.

  Riley laughed. “Probably. I’m going to go grab another drink. Let me know when you’re ready to go.” She headed back to the bar, determined to push Kelsey’s confession from her mind. So what if Jennifer was attracted to her. She still didn’t like her, so it didn’t matter.

  An hour later they walked through the front do
or of Kelsey’s home, each with an arm slung around the other, Riley clutching a brown takeaway bag in her other hand. The night had been one of their better ones; Riley had a pleasant buzz running through her body.

  “Quiet,” Kelsey whispered. “Jen will blow a gasket if we wake her up,” she finished as she closed the door behind them.

  Jennifer switched on the living room light. “Jen is already awake.”

  “Oops.” Riley laughed as she swayed past her on the way to the kitchen, determined to eat her burger and fries. She was starving after spending hours dancing and having fun.

  “It’s two o’clock in the morning,” Jennifer said as she folded her arms across her chest. Riley didn’t miss the angry waves rolling off her and following her into the kitchen. “Where the hell have you been?” she heard her ask Kelsey.

  “We went to a couple of clubs, Mum,” Kelsey said as she flopped back onto the couch.

  Riley tried not to listen to the argument, but it was hard not to hear every word, as the kitchen and lounge were basically one big room separated by an archway. She concentrated on getting her food out of the bag without dropping any of it. It was a herculean task considering she had drunk her own bodyweight in shots and beers.

  “Really?” Jennifer ragged. “Kelsey, you’re nearly six months pregnant. Do you really think clubbing is the wisest thing to be doing?”

  “Chill out, will you? I spent most of the night watching Riley dance. Just because I’m having a baby doesn’t mean I have to become a recluse.”

  Wanting to defuse the situation before it got out of hand, Riley slurred, “Hey, do you want any of this burger?” She held it out towards them. She imagined she looked like she was re-enacting the scene from The Lion King when Simba was held out over the rock before the adoring kingdom. She laughed at the visual.

  Jennifer glared at her, and Kelsey said, “No thanks. I’m going to grab you something to sleep in. Try not to drop mayo all over the floor.”

  “Will do,” Riley replied, watching as Kelsey headed up the stairs, knowing it was now her turn to be told off like a five-year-old.

  “What do you think you’re playing at?” Jennifer asked, her cheeks burning red.

  Yep, didn’t take her long.

  “Dragging her out partying all night?” she continued as she marched into the kitchen.

  “It was her idea. Stop trying to ruin her fun.” Riley spread mayonnaise over her burger and took a massive bite, the combined flavour of the beef and bun making her groan.

  “It’s all a game to you, isn’t it? Can you ever be serious?”

  Riley turned around, wiping her hand over her mouth to remove any leftover grease, and moved to stand right in Jennifer’s personal space, Kelsey’s earlier admission playing in her mind. “I’m serious right now.” Jennifer looked sexy as hell in her boy shorts and tank top, her breathing deep as anger rolled off her. Riley may be drunk, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate Jennifer’s womanly figure. The fire in her eyes turned Riley on more than she had ever been in her life. Of course, it could have also been the alcohol, lowering her inhibitions and making her hormones race more than usual. She lifted her hand and gently placed it on Jennifer’s cheek.

  “Your skin is so soft.”

  Jennifer’s pupils dilated, her nostrils flaring slightly. Riley knew the effect she was having on Jennifer and loved it. “Your eyes are like a bright summer sky.” She was pushing her luck, but she couldn’t stop herself, the booze giving her far more confidence than was legal. “How about you give me a kiss?”

  “She told you, didn’t she?” Jennifer’s voice was barely a whisper and it sent Riley’s pulse racing.

  “About your attraction to me? Yes. But it’s okay, because I’m attracted to you too.”

  “You’re attracted to everyone.”

  “Not true, not everyone. And no one compares to you.”

  “You’re drunk.”

  “Not so drunk to not know how much I want you. Shit, my burger!” She had lifted her other hand to grasp Jennifer’s waist but forgot about the bun in her hand. She bent down to grab it off the floor.

  “Whatever you think I might feel for you, forget it. You’re a mess and I would be crazy to ever think about getting involved with you.”

  The words stung, but Jennifer was right. Who in their right mind would want to go out with someone like herself? She couldn’t even hold on to a burger, let alone a relationship.

  “Here you go,” Kelsey said as she came into the kitchen. She placed a pair of men’s pajamas on the counter, probably her late father’s, laughing as Riley frantically wiped mayo off the floor.

  “That is the last time I tell you anything,” Jennifer roared at Kelsey.

  Riley hated that she was the cause of any problems between the sisters. She always managed to be the main source of tension in their relationship. As usual, she couldn’t do anything right. She stood and looked at Kelsey, who was also seething. She and Jennifer both stood there, arms folded over their breasts, twin looks of anger on their faces.

  “You told her I told you?” Kelsey asked.

  “Come on.” Riley shrugged. “You knew I would.”

  “Maybe.” She smiled. “I just want you two to—”

  “No, no more,” Jennifer said. “I’ve had enough of you playing matchmaker and Riley being a jerk.”

  “Ouch.” Now that hurt. One thing Riley wasn’t, was a jerk. She might get a kick out of winding Jennifer up, but she never did anything intentionally to hurt her. At least, she didn’t think so.

  Jennifer shook her head. “I’m going to bed. Try and keep the noise down.”

  After she had left, Riley looked at Kelsey. “Well I guess that proves your point about her thinking I’m juvenile.”

  “I told you.”

  She lifted her now-cold burger toward Kelsey. “Are you sure don’t want any of my burger?”

  “It’s been on the floor, so no thanks.”

  “Suit yourself,” she said, then took a giant bite, grinning around the food in her mouth.

  “That’s gross.”

  Riley could always make Kelsey laugh. It was one of the things that made them great friends. She just wished she could do the same with Jennifer.

  Chapter Eight

  Riley pulled up outside her father’s house, shaking her head at the overgrown hedges lining the three-bedroom property on the outskirts of the city centre. He always used to take pride in his home, not wanting the neighbours to think he couldn’t look after his family or house. He liked to say that a tidy home was a tidy family. God knows what the neighbours would think now.

  She got out of her truck, and after taking a deep breath, walked up the pathway. Using her key, she opened the front door. The stench of stale cigarettes hit the back of her throat and she coughed harshly.

  “Dad? You here?” she called as she shut the door behind her and hung up her leather jacket on the coat hook just inside the door.

  “In the living room,” he called back.

  She kicked the pile of unopened mail to the side and found him reclining in his armchair, a bottle of rum in his hands. “Jesus, it stinks in here.” She went to the windows, intent on opening them and clearing out some of the pungent air.

  “Don’t open the curtains.”

  She turned and looked at her father. He had weeks of beard growth and his skin was tinged yellow. “When was the last time you had a wash?”

  “Does it matter?” he asked wearily, shoving a grimy hand through his thinning hair.

  “Well, you look like shit,” she said unnecessarily.

  “Thanks.”

  He had yet to look at her, just staring at the local news on the television.

  “What’s up?” she asked. “You’re more sullen than usual.”

  He was quiet for a while, then glanced at her. His eyes were bloodshot, and Riley was shocked at how ill he looked. She hadn’t seen him for a few weeks, and the last time she had, he hadn’t looked this bad. He h
adn’t been able to maintain his job at a local factory due to his drinking and had spent the last seven months on government handouts. The three-bedroom house had been paid off years before, but Riley wondered how much longer he could keep his head above water.

  Her father took a breath, then let it out slowly. “I’ve been passing blood in my urine. The doctor said I have kidney and liver failure. Unless I give up drinking, they’re not prepared to offer treatment.”

  She wasn’t surprised. Twenty years of constant abuse to your body would eventually make it fall apart. She cleared a pile of dirty clothes off the sofa and sat, grimacing when something sticky soaked through her jeans. Fighting the urge to shift in her seat, so as not to offend her dad, she asked, “When did you find out?”

  “About two months ago.”

  “And you never told me?” She was shocked how her father could keep this from her. They might not be close but surely she deserved to know?

  “What’s the point?” His gaze went back to the television. “You’d only want me to quit drinking, and let’s be honest, I ain’t gonna do that.”

  She briefly closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I’ve given up trying to help you.”

  “Good. We both know I can’t change. How’s the garage?” he asked, surprising her. He rarely ever enquired after her.

  “It’s good, profits are up.”

  “Good.” He took a sip of his rum and ran his dirty hand through his unkempt hair again. He glanced at her. “I don’t say it often, but I am proud of you, Riley.”

  “Thanks, Dad, I know.” He had never told her that before, but she had always known. He was stuck in his own personal hell; however, every now and then, a spark of her old dad peeked through. She missed him.

  “I’m sorry about everything you went through growing up. I just couldn’t stop drinking.”