Step-Father In Love | The Ink Well Prompt #164

Kelsey walked violently through the stairs to her room, she has been moody all day and refused to talk to anyone in the house. Her mom tried to break her defences to letting her know what's up but Kelsey rather kept to herself.
As she matched upstairs, a bottle of cold water and a plate of beans porridge in her hands, her waits dangling left and right. Leonard, her step father and her mother watch with disgust as they were treated to Kelsey unruly behaviour.

Stop there, you little brat.

Leonard spoke with so much anger, standing from his sitting position, hoping that Kelsey would obey.

She looked back, disdained by the masculine temperament coming from Leonard.

Who made you Lord over me?

She queried, without any sign of fear.

Haven't I told you to stop poking your nose into my affair? Don't even try acting like my father because you are not.

Leonard couldn't believe his ears. His legs got frozen, immovable. He stood at one point not knowing what to do next. He took a glance at Martha, his wife and the mother Kelsey.

Just be calm, please.

Martha interjected.

She's just being a child.

She continued.

A child, you say? Kelsey is an adult for crying out loud. How could you refer to an eighteen year old as a child?

Everywhere seemed tense as Leonard spoke with fire and brimstone. Whereas, Kelsey had walked up the stairs and shot herself in her room.
Martha further pleaded with him to give her time. She probably feels insecure seeing him with her mom. Leonard just wanted to help. He gathered momentum and walked up the stairs to see if he could get a moment of conversation with Kelsey. It was a bold step. He went directly to her door post and knocked.

Kelsey, open up. It's me. Let's just have a moment, please. I mean no harm.

Leonard begged.

Martha was bothered too. She doesn't want anything that would deteriorate to a fight or quarrel between Leonard and Kelsey.

Despite all his effort, Kelsey refused to see anyone. Leonard stood at the doorpost and later left disappointed.

Spencer Selover

Martha didn't know what to do. She had given this Kelsey's reluctance to accepting Leonard as her father a second thought and got confused in the middle of everything. She hopes that one day, the duo would become friends.

In the middle of all this, Leonard took his car keys and went to cool off with is friends at the club. They first played lawn tennis before settling down to with bottles of beer and catfish pepper soup. He narrated how he has been facing disapproval from Kelsey, the daughter of his new found lover.
Isaac was the first to wade into the matter.

Leo, my man. All you need to do is to shower the little girl some love as much as you do to her mother.

Isaac said.

Alright. I'd work towards that.

The guys had a chitchat till late in the evening. That was their usual routine every Wednesday. They'd hang out over bottles of beer and talk business, personal life, football, women and state of the nation. On this very evening, Leonard bought perfumes, roll-on and chocolates, all for Kelsey. She has to be appeased if he must find happiness with Martha.

When he arrived home, Kelsey was in the living room, watching her favourite musical review show. As soon as Leonard stepped in, she dusted and feet, trying to leave for her room when Leo ran and held her.

Kelsey……. I got this for you.

He stretched out his hand with the bag of gift toward Kelsey.

What is this? Some sort of bribe,?

C'mon. It's not a bribe, its just a gift.

She took the bag, looked into it and saw chocolates. She couldn't resist chocolates.

Thank you.

Kelsey said, with a light smile.

Can we watch the show together. You don't have to leave now.

She reversed her steps and hit her deck on the sofa, eating away on the chocolate. They both sat in arms length as they watch the show.

Martha appeared from the master bedroom. She wore her pyjamas and a white towel brandished round her hair, looking like she just had a spa bath.

Leo, you're back.

She snapped.

Yeah, babe.

Leo replied. Looking at Kelsey to see if she would react. But the poor girl was just busy with her chocolate that she didn't even bother to see what transpired between her stepfather and mom.

The lovebirds moved into the inner room, with their hands lurked together.

I can see that both of you are getting along.

Leo smiled. Everything seemed to be easing down.

Hope this lasts forever.

She whispered to Leonard's ear.

In the morning of the next day, as Leonard was preparing to leave the house for a business meeting, Kelsey was already in the living room waiting anxiously for him to drop him over at school for her early morning lectures. Leonard knew that it would be detrimental dropping her first them driving all the way back to the office. He would be late but anything just to appease the little goddess in whose permission the success of his marriage with Martha hung.

The two arch-enemy became so close that Kelsey found a confidant in Leonard rather than her mom, Martha. She started to call Leonard, dad. Something she never thought she would venture into.