Who We Are

Dad came home soon enough and groaned when he realized that he had three kids to take home. I didn't tell him about Gwendolyn's behavior until after he got back, not wanting to embarrass her in front of Dean, Jaime, and Emily.

When Dad did get home he yelled at Gwen and told her about how dangerous it was out there, even at the neighbor's house. Dad usually wasn't one to judge but I knew he was trying to scare Gwen into obeying the rules, so he told her about the Radkes track record. He told Gwen about the time Ronnie had been brought down the station for being publicly intoxicated, and when Riley was caught with a group of stoned boys out behind the middle school. And lastly Dad told the both of us about the time Mr. Radke was brought in for domestic violence.

I remembered that. Dad came home that night with a sigh on his lips and curious glances towards the neighbors house. I didn't know what was wrong until Ronnie showed up to school the next day with a black eye and busted lip. I had heard from Gwen after school that Riley looked about the same, tired and disheveled too.

My father told me to go upstairs and tuck my sisters into bed as he continued to reprimand Gwendolyn. I wandered into Octavia and Lisette's room, smiling as they laid in their large bed. I climbed in and laid between them, pulling them closer to me as they rested their heads on my shoulders.

"How are you guys doing?" I questioned, kissing Octavia's forehead.

"Good," Octavia murmured into my shoulder.

I nodded once and lifted my hands to run my fingers through their hair. I closed my eyes as I listened to the quietness in my house. I knew that my father had to work a double shift tonight and that he was laying down before he'd have to get back up and work until the morning. About twenty minutes later Gwendolyn came walking into the room with her head bent towards the floor. She sighed as cries came from our father's room and she turned to walk in that direction. I shook my head and sat up.

"Lay down," I told Gwen, patting her arm as I slipped past her, hurrying down the hall. I pushed my father's bedroom door open and raced over to my youngest sister as she sat up in her bed and cried, salty tears running down her flushed cheeks.

"Oh honey," I hushed as I picked her up into my arms, her hands going around my neck automatically. "It's alright," I murmured as I carried her out of Dad's room as he slept in his bed, worn out from the day.

I carried Gianna into Octavia and Lissy's room. I climbed into bed with the three of them, laying Gianna down under the blankets as she curled into her sisters. The five of us lay there, listening to the sounds of the city and the calls from next door. There were sirens blaring and cars honking through out the city and at night it was like all the sounds were amplified, as if they were our own little comforting lullaby.

I looked over the faces of my sleeping sisters. The round rosy cheeks and long dark eyelashes that ran in the family. The button noses and plump lips that adorned not only my face, but the similar ones of my sisters and mother.

Gwendolyn dozed as the five of us laid in one bed. I decided that I better get up and do my homework before I actually fell asleep. I reached over to the other side of Gianna, Lisette, and Octavia, and shook Gwen, knowing that she had homework as well. She blinked a few times before looking at me with wide doe-eyes. I nodded for her to get out of bed and she did, crawling over the other three carefully.

"Kitchen table," I murmured, stopping in our room to grab our backpacks.

"Okay," Gwen said between a yawn, grabbing her bag from my hands.

We both sauntered down the stairs and flipped the living room light on, causing it to illuminate the kitchen table as well. I pulled out my binder and checked my assignments before getting started.

Gwen and I were both staring out the window over the kitchen sink as Dad came walking down the stairs. He came over and glanced out of the window too, before pulling us away and kissing our foreheads. "You girls be good now," he told us as he pulled on his jacket on over his uniform.

"We will," Gwen said with a nod, her eyes glancing back at the direction that the yelling was coming from.

Dad listened silently as the yelling escalated from two voices to three and became louder. "Are you going to do anything about it?" I asked him, folding my arms over my chest.

Dad sighed. "You know I don't like to get on bad terms with the neighbors."

"But Dad-" I started, trying to defend them.

"No Buts, Katerina. Just call the cops if it gets any worse," Dad told me, obviously wishing he could do something about it himself, seeing as he was a cop, but not wanting our own neighbors to hold a grudge against us.

"You mean if he starts to hit them," I replied with malice.

"Watch your mouth," Dad warned, "Cut the attitude."

I sighed and dropped my hands to my sides. "Sorry Dad."

He kissed the side of my head and then Gwen's before pulling the front door open. "Love you girls," Dad called as he locked the door and pulled it shut behind him. Gwen and I watched from the window in the door as Dad stood outside for a moment, watching the situation that was going on between the Radkes.

I cracked the front door open slightly so that I could hear what they were saying. Riley Radke was standing in the front yard, begging his father for something. Ronnie stood on the porch, just outside the door where his father stood, beer in hand and sneer on his face.

"Where the fuck are we supposed to go?" Ronnie shouted at his father. The older man laughed darkly and shrugged.

"That's not my problem," Mr. Radke sneered, taking a sip of his beer, "You're a grown man now, aren't you boy? You can figure it out yourself."

"Dad!" Riley shouted from the yard as his father slammed the door in Ronnie's face. Ronnie banged on the wooden door as if it would influence his father to let him and his brother in.

Dad was still watching from near his cop car, unable to get in and drive away from the scene that was unfolding in front of him. Gwen and I shared a look as Dad walked into the Radkes yard. Riley looked at him automatically and Ronnie whipped around as he heard my father's foot steps.

"What do you want?" Ronnie questioned harshly, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest.

"Cut it with the mouth, Ronnie," my father replied as he stepped up to the porch. "I'm only trying to help you."

I could see Ronnie's pride taking over as he sneered, "We don't need your help."

"Oh Ronnie shut up!" Riley burst from the yard, waving his hand in the air as he glared at his older brother, "Obviously we need some help or we wouldn't be in the situation!"

Gwen looked at me with wide eyes as my Dad turned and walked over to Riley. He rested his hand on Riley's shoulder and started to lead him toward our house. The last thing I heard before Gwen pushed the door shut and locked it was my dad saying, "You can come too Ronnie, if you want."

Gwen and I raced over to the table and sat down quickly. Just as my father stuck his key in the lock and pushed open the door, leading in Riley Radke.

"Girls," Dad called, causing us to turn and look to him with innocent eyes. "I'm sure you know Riley," he continued, we nodded. "Well, he's going to be staying here for the night. Can you make up the couch for him?"

Dad turned and looked at the doorway as Ronnie came shuffling up the steps. Dad nodded once and turned back to us. "And the floor for Ronnie?"

Gwen and I shared a wide-eyed look before turning back to our father and nodding once, silently.

"Thanks girls," he replied as he turned back to the door, "I'll see you after school tomorrow."

Then he was gone, leaving Gwen and I to fend for ourselves around Riley and Ronnie Radke, the two boys that our father was spouting off about earlier in the night.