CHAPTER FORTY
THE MAN ACROSS THE STREET

THEA isn't an idiot. She was aware that her sister knew more about the man across the street. She knew she was hiding something and she wasn't sure why she was hiding it.

But Thea was going to figure it out.

The sun was setting and Harper had run to get the movie Titanic since neither of them had ever watched it.

Thea stood tapping her foot on the porch, her body was leaned up against the railing as she watched the older man across the street pick from his garden. She didn't know why she couldn't look away but she couldn't.

Thea hissed, biting her tongue and walking over to the man, being sure to make noise so she wouldn't give him a heart attack. "Hi," Thea spoke almost uncomfortably, she wasn't used to confronting humans, more so keeping them away from her.

The man turns, his overalls are dirty but he has a pearly smile that immediately spreads across his sharp features. "Hello, Ma'am." The man tilts his hat slightly. "Can I help you?" His southern accent was evident.

Thea smiled softly at the man, he'd grown up here. "I—" she couldn't form a sentence, she chuckles, "Sorry, I'm not used to talking to people but anyways—you know my sister, Harper, lives right across the street."

The man hums, a smile crossing his features, Thea wore an identical one. "Harper, yes! Such a sweet lady. You're her sister?"

"I am." Thea nods slowly, "My name's Thea, I just felt like I have to introduce myself for some reason."

The man chuckles, "Well my name is Arthur Dalton, it's nice to meet you. You live with Harper, yeah?"

Arthur? Thea pushed away the absurd thought she had. "Just visiting for a few weeks." She answered.

"Well, Thea, can I tell you something?" Arthur wipes his dirty hands on his overalls, "and I hope this doesn't sound too weird I just always have to say whatever it is on my mind."

Thea chuckles lightly, "I get that. What is it?"

"I had a daughter." Thea could tell from him talking in the past tense, it wasn't good, "She passed a few years back and she looked a lot like you." He chuckles.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Thea frowns, "And I think I just have one of those faces, you know?"

"Hm, you're probably right...You know what?" Arthur smiles, grabbing the basket of strawberries he'd just picked. "Take these."

Thea was stunned, her eyebrows raised. "Oh, that's really not—"

"I have more in the house," Arthur adds, still holding out the basket to her. "You seem like a sweet woman, take 'em, go ahead—take 'em."

Thea bit her cheek, accepting the basket of strawberries. "I owe you." She wore a soft smile.

Arthur scoffs, waving her off. "Nonsense. Just being kind."

Thea walked away wearing a smile.

✸

     As Harper set up the movie in the living room, Thea sat on the couch with her knees up against her chest. "I went to see Arthur."

Harper stops what she's doing, turning, "Oh...you did?"

"Yeah," Thea looks back to the basket of strawberries on the dining room table, "He's sweet."

"Did he tell you...anything?" Harper asks as she finally gets the movie set up, moving back towards the couch with the remote in her hand.

Thea raises a brow, "Like what?"

Harler shrugs, sighing heavily, "Anything at all."

"He told me about his daughter." Thea reveals, "He told me about how sweet you were and then he gave me some strawberries." She explains.

Harper simply nods, turning around. Thea analyzes her sister, seeing how she got visibly on edge anytime he was mentioned. "Tell me."

Harper's thumb hovers over the play button. "Sorry?"

"Whatever it is that you're hiding from me. Tell me what it is." Thea urges, "Who is he? What is it about him that you're not telling me?"

Harper shrugs, "There's nothing to tell."

"Way to build trust, Harper." Thea rolls her eyes, turning to the screen and not acknowledging her sister for the rest of the night.

✸

     What the hell is happening?

Thea was confused, they were in an okay place one second and then it was right back to being irritated with each other.

Harper wasn't an idiot either, she was aware that Thea was onto her but she was keeping her mouth shut, only making Thea more annoyed and stubborn as hell.

They continue to try and "bond". They were now at The Chattanooga Zoo, enjoying the sight of the animals, or more so...arguing. If there's one thing the sisters did well, it was be passive-aggressive to the point it's entertaining to watch.

Harper looks down in the water, "Look, I see two crocodiles."

"Alligators." Thea answers, pushing up her shades more.

"What?"

"You said crocodiles, they're alligators." Thea was certainly side-eyeing her sister right now.

Harper squints, "They are crocodiles."

"No, they're alligators." Thea counters, "Alligators have a U-shaped snout, Crocodile have a V-shaped snout. You wouldn't know."

Harper examines them, they had U-shaped snouts. She rolls her eyes, "Of course, you would know. Let me guess, you know all of this because eat them for Thanksgiving."

"How about I push you in this water and they can eat you for Thanksgiving?" Thea places her hands on her hips, walking away.

"How about I push you in this water..." Harper mocks, following behind her sister.

✸

     There was at least one more day of that behavior before Thea finally decided to do what a classic sister would do.

"Ah—what are you? Stop it!" Harper whines as Thea placed her in a headlock while she was on the couch.

"What do you know about that man, huh? Why aren't you telling me?" Thea keeps her grip tight.

Harper groans, "Get. Off. Of. Me."

"Not until you tell me," Thea argues.

Harper huffs, "You leave me no choice."

A faint wave of dread washed over Thea, it made her hold on Harper loosen. Her thoughts seem to race just a little bit faster. Thea blinks, shaking away the feeling, "Did you just use your abilities on me?"

Harper was now standing up, "Well, I didn't want to."

Thea stands up as well, "Tell me who he is."

Harper sighs, "Thea, drop it."

"No." Thea sharply replies. "I don't know why I can't let this go but I just can't. So you're going to tell me what it is about him that has me like this."

Harper crosses her arms. Biting her lip, "I was going to tell you the first day you got here."

"What are you talking about?" Thea questions barely above a whisper.

"But then I started thinking...what if this just pushes you away from me or you decide to just leave?" Harper bites down on her lip, running her hand through her hair, "Dammit."

Thea was now growing worried, "Harper, what's going on?"

"His name is Arthur Dalton."

"Yeah, I know, he told me." Thea sits back down, looking up at Harper.

"...He was born in December and adopted in 1939 after being left in a hospital." Harper was slow with her words. Thea swallows the lump in her throat.

"Thea he..." Harper stops.

Thea raised her chin, she knew. God she knew. "Say it."

"It wasn't easy finding him but once I did, I contacted you a few months later..." Harper explains, "Thea that's your son."

     ragerwrites,           Harper and Thea being a type older and little sister duo is something I love to see 😂 but although they are trying to "bond" they're damn sure not doing it correctly but don't worry, they'll get there eventually, promise! They're just a pair of trauma filled sisters trying to make it through it all! 😭

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