2.3 Closer

Painting and gardening takes up a lot of Persis' time, but she always makes time for Marko, too. 

Krista sleeps in, so Paolo makes breakfast with just his parents for company. 

Marko, who is informed on all town gossip, worries a bit for his son. He's heard the rumors of Kanoa's "shipping empire" and how all of his children work for him now. Krista seems like a nice girl, but most of the Parrott children are also nice people. He doesn't want Paolo getting caught up in anything that could get him hurt... 

But he doesn't want to scare his son before knowing for sure that Krista is involved in that slimy business, so he keeps his concerns to himself for now. 

Persis' garden is almost in full bloom. Her money tree has finally flowered, thus completing a long locked in wish, and the rest of her plants are in bloom or are on their way. 

Later in the day, Marko has a Leisure Day party. Krista is welcomed to stay, so she gladly hangs around with her boyfriend. 

"Man, did you hear about that bank robbery just outside of town?" Paolo recounts this morning's headlines, "All of that money- gone!" 

Tulip watches Krista's face carefully for a reaction. Kanoa has been careful not to mention his children around her, so she has no hard evidence that any of the Parrott kids are connected to his illegal activities. Nonetheless, she strongly suspects that Krista, if not in the business already, knows something. 

Krista smiles vacantly, if a bit uneasily, and shrugs. Tulip wishes her telepathic powers were further along- and worked during the day time- so she could at least confirm her suspicions. She has nothing to work off of here! 

She doesn't want Krista to know she's on to her, so she turns her back on Krista and dances with Roman Loveland. 

I wonder if he knows anything, Tulip wonders as she watches Paolo and Krista dance. The thought of involving her brother in all of this makes her a bit uncomfortable, but if it's for the greater good... 

Marko pretends to be unaware of the piercing way Tulip is staring at his son's girlfriend and chats with the guests. Some of them are younger siblings of students he used to teach, and they ask if he has any embarrassing stories of them. 

"I could tell you, but are you ok with your older brother hearing stories about you?" That stops their questions pretty quickly. 

Tulip has a dance with Pablo Parrott, Krista's older half-brother. 

"I heard you've been going out with my dad," he says, his voice too low for anyone else to hear. 

"Is that a fact?" 

Paolo leans in closer to whisper in her ear, "Look Tulip, everyone knows you're a cop...whatever it is you think you're going to do... you better stop." 

Tulip pulls back and smiles at him, the warmth not reaching her eyes. She imperceptibly tightens her grip on Pablo's hand and shoulder, stopping just short of crushing his muscle. With the training she's been going through, along with her enhanced vampire strength, she doesn't even blink while doing so. Pablo is able to keep a straight face through the pain, but she can see the tension in his eyes. 

"You don't scare me, Parrott." 

She lets go of him, causing him to release a breath of relief. He glares at her as she walks away to talk to her mother. Tulip might have super strength...

But her family does not. 

The party is in full swing as soon as Xara leaps onto the counter-tops to dance. 

Paolo facepalms as his sister unashamedly wiggles on top of the dishwasher. 

She refuses to be embarrassed!

"Hey Tulip, it's rather late... if you and Xara want to sleep over, your old beds are always available." 

Tulip enthusiastically accepts. 

"Hey Xara, are you staying over?" she calls out to the other side of the room. 

Xara doesn't pause in her dancing as she shakes her head no, "I have to go home and do some guitar practice!" 

Just as well, then. Marko's invited Krista to stay the night too, and there's only two extra beds in the house. 

As he guests trickle out, Tulip tries to corner her younger brother. If there's anything he might know about Krista's family business, it would be a huge help. 

Unfortunately, some guests and their parents continue to linger in the living room, making it impossible for her to ask the questions she wants. 

Paolo, oblivious to Tulip's desire to interrogate him, asks Tulip some questions about her sun sensitivity. Can she get tan, or does her skin immediately start burning? When she's working, can she only go out on the night shift? He has so many questions. 

She answers his questions as best she can and shelves her interrogation for later. 

"I read somewhere that there's an herbal remedy for vampiric sun sensitivity, but I haven't tried it yet," she answers when Paolo asks if sunscreen helps her at all. 

Wow, fascinating! 

Krista hangs out in the living room until after Tulip falls asleep. She doesn't want to be alone in a room with a cop right now. 

She also wakes up early to eat breakfast. So far Tulip is still fast asleep, saving Krista from having to answer any questions. 

Tulip wakes up with barely enough time to run home and get ready for her shift. She narrows her eyes at Krista as she rushes to the front door, but says nothing. She can be patient. 

Krista, who didn't notice any tension between her and Tulip, assumes the coast is clear and lets herself relax. She pulls out her laptop and plays a few video games while she waits for Paolo to get up. 

She loses track of time and shuts her laptop two hours later. Where is Paolo? 

She creeps up the stairs and enters Paolo's bedroom. It's been newly decorated and furnished. Paolo now has a double bed, a dresser, and even his own bathroom. 

Krista settles in next to him.

"Oh, hi Krista," he greets absently. He needs to find out what happens at the end of this chapter! 

Krista zones out and looks at the various pictures and awards decorating Paolo's wall. She doesn't have anything like this in her house. Then again, she only spent a part of her teens there. Paolo's been living in this house, and in this town, for his entire life. Plenty of time to set down roots... 

Eventually Paolo closes his book. 

"So, what is it?" he prompts, his eyes lingering on her uncovered thighs. 

"Nothing, just felt like spending some time with my boyfriend," she answers, tracing the collar of his robe with her index finger. 

"Is that all?"

Apparently not. 

After a lazy morning together, the couple heads down to the beach. Krista splashes Paolo in the face, causing him to laugh and playfully swat at her. 

Just like on their first date, Krista finds herself getting lost in Paolo's eyes. She wishes she could freeze this moment, make it last just a little longer... 

"What is it?" Paolo asks, a grin splitting his face. 

"It's nothing... let's go back to shore." 

They sit on the shore and talk for several hours. When night falls, they stare at the stars together. 

Paolo pulls Krista closer to him. 

For right now, there is no where he'd rather be.

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AN: 

Persis finally caught a vampire fish!