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Colin's eyes scanned the worn-down house with its downtrodden yard that was missing grass in places. He made note of the white picket fence in the back missing posts and half its white paint.
Eyeing Vanessa's semi collapsed carport, he saw that it just barely missed touching the top of her dark blue SUV, making him frown in displeasure. Her house paint was faded and peeling, and the salmon colored front door looked scuffed from years of neglect.
The overgrown grass was half swallowed with weeds, and tiny dots of white flowers littered the lawn. The short asphalt driveway was a sorry mess, half missing its asphalt in some places. Their feet crunched loudly over it as they made their way to the side door under the carport.
Colin wryly wondered if Olivia's sister had checked her bank account yet. Knowing Olivia hadn’t checked hers, and he was revving himself up to deal with that when she finally got around to it.
Olivia glanced silently at him as she prayed and hoped that it reached where it needed to go this time. She sighed as she led him through the carport and to the side door, into the kitchen, and into the clusterfuck that was her and Vanessa’s life.
***
“Tee-Tee Ollie!” the little ball of strawberry blonde curls hurled its mass at Olivia as she tried unsuccessfully to walk through the door.
Olivia hissed around the pain and fell back a step, hauling the quivering mass up her body as best as she could with her left arm.
Sympathetic, Colin reached out a hand to help her pull the little girl the rest of the way up. Balancing the Chinese on his knee, he watched as Allison squealed and planted a big slobbery kiss on Olivia, leaving drool on her chin.
He grinned thinking the girl was adorable.
Colin's heart warmed as Allison squirmed and threw her hands around Olivia’s neck, who was still trying to walk into the house.
“Ally, calm down! Calm down, sweetheart,” Olivia laughed softly, finally able to finish getting through the door. She pulled back to look in the girls’ eyes, which were the same stunning shade of green as hers. “I have someone for you to meet,” Olivia smiled at Allison as she placed her hands on either side of her face and squashed her little nose into Olivia’s.
Colin chuckled, maneuvering around them to place the overflowing bag of Chinese food on the counter height table in the kitchen. Allison clocked his presence with her eyes before ducking quickly under Olivia’s chin, snuggling in tight, and peeking out at him from her hiding spot.
“Who are yoouu?” she trilled the word out in her high-pitched voice. Her shy grin revealed gapped front teeth. Olivia stayed quiet, watching as Colin assessed Allison. His eyes roamed, taking in the dark circles around her eyes and ashen skin tone. She watched a momentary flash of sadness cross his features at seeing how frail and tiny her little body looked.
Oddly, she felt better knowing he had compassion for others.
“My name is Colin, it's nice to meet you, Allison,” he answered softly, extending a hand to take her outstretched finger in two of his and shaking it gently.
“Collie!” the little girl suddenly yelped, sitting back up and looking into Olivia’s eyes. “Ollie and Collie!” she cheered while yanking at Olivia’s hair.
Olivia tsked and put Allison down gingerly, being careful of her shoulder.
“Hey sis,” Vanessa called from somewhere down the hallway. “I just checked my bank account. Something’s gone really really wrong, so we need to call them together tomorrow; I think the clerk must have added a couple extra zeroes to the amount you deposited,” there was a slam before she spoke again. “Whatever happened, they majorly screwed up. I hope they can fix it before her bill is due this month,” her voice became louder as she walked up the hallway towards them.
“And thank you for putting it in the bank for me early this month. Last month the doctors made it a big deal-,” she paused as she emerged from the hallway into the kitchen, spotting Colin and breaking out into a bright smile.
“Hiii! Oh, you must be Ollie’s date!” Vanessa said brightly, hurrying to straighten her messy bun, coming towards him with her hand outstretched. He took it warmly, flashing her his most charming smile.
Colin regarded her intently. The woman was gorgeous with strawberry blonde hair rather than the dark red locks that Olivia boasted. She had a cat eye shape, but hers was a light gray instead of green. She was taller and curvier than Olivia, probably due to having a child.
Colin frowned slightly at her tired countenance, though Vanessa tried hard to hide it. He noticed she was slightly pale under her smattering of freckles and his eyes softened slightly. He knew exhaustion when he saw it. Vanessa was young, too young to be dealing with a sick child.
“It’s Olivia, not Ollie in front of non-family members. You know this,” Olivia hissed to Vanessa as she shook his hand. Colin smiled teasingly down at her. He jumped into the conversation quickly.
“Yes," he chuckled, not worried about Olivia's little outburst. "I’m Colin. Hi Vanessa, it’s so nice to meet you and Allison. I’ve heard great things,” he responded in his deep voice, grasping Vanessa’s hand firmly in his before leaning back again and sharing a quick glance with Olivia.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, he silently encouraged her to explain the banking ‘mishap’. Olivia took the hint, thankfully. She ran a hand through her hair nervously, making the strands even more voluptous.
“So um… Nessie. About the banking stuff, can I talk to you really quick?” Olivia asked, reaching forward to pull Vanessa back down the hallway. Leaving Colin alone with Allison, who was currently rifling through the Chinese food. She took a piece of chicken and shoved it in her mouth with her fingers. He moved quickly, gently taking her off the table top and placing her onto a counter height chair.
Colin murmured to her as he unwrapped and pulled out a plastic fork out for her to eat her lo mien noodles and chicken.
His ears strained to hear the girls talking, but all he could hear was furious whispering and then a “Oh hell no Olivia! What the FUUUCK?” before Vanessa hurdled herself down the hallway and snatched up Allison who yelped, busy trying to shovel another forkful of noodles in her mouth.
Throwing him a filthy look, Vanessa walked backwards until she bumped into the loveseat. Turning, she placed Allison down gently before snatching up her food, placing it on the coffee table in front of the little girl, and turning on a cartoon. She turned back to face him, seething, her arms crossed and walking back into the kitchen.
