Chapter 10: Is my new mommy crazy?
Starr stared at Pepper with curious eyes. This relationship was going to be more hectic than she expected and they were off to a bumpy start. She turned and looked at her father.
"Dad, is she going to keep screaming like that? I have a headache"
"No, she is shutting up right now or I will kiss her again" Asher turned to look at pepper. His face showed that he wasn't joking.
He moved closer and Pepper covered her lips with her palm.
"Get away from me, you pervert!"
"Hey, our daughter doesn't need to know that" Asher purposely said to drive her crazy.
"She is not my daughter!".
Starr pushed her way inside Pepper's apartment and made herself at home.
"It is not like I imagined but it will do, Dad"
Asher was next to come in dragging their bags. Pepper was dumbfounded at first but she quickly got over the shock but not the little girl's statement.
"What do you mean by that? This is an expensive apartment and you are lucky you are...get your tiny dirty legs off of my expensive couch, Stan!"
"The name is Starr or stardust like Dad calls me" The little girl corrected her.
"Who cares what your name is! Take your legs down, now"
Starr obeyed her. Asher went to the kitchen to grab a glass of juice.
"Where are you going?" Pepper asked Asher when he stood up but he ignored her "Where is your father going?"
"I don't know" Starr shrugged and pulled out her iPad from her backpack.
"How come you can afford an iPad when you are homeless?" Pepper asked the little girl.
"Stardust, do you want some cold juice. This refrigerator is like a dream come true, we have juices, eggs, veggies, carrots...uh we have meat" Asher said from the kitchen.
Starr decided to answer one question at a time. She answered Pepper's question about the iPad and then she answered her father.
"I guess Dad stole the iPad" she turned her head towards the kitchen "Daddy, can I have a glass of milk?"
"Sure, sweetheart. Pepper, can I bring anything for you?" Asher asked.
"Get out of my kitchen, you psycho" Pepper made her way to the kitchen to find Asher ransacking her refrigerator.
"How are you able to afford an iPad for Stace?"
"Her name is Starr and I stole that from an Italian guy a week ago. I am actually a very good thief. I could burgle this place and you won't be able to tell that I was here. So, believe me when I say I am a good thief"
"You are crazy, Asher!"
"Me...no! Your grandmother in law was bipolar actually, so, whatever. She was a sweet old lady unlike your grandpa who refuses to die" Asher poured a glass of milk for Starr and left Pepper in the kitchen.
He gave it to Starr and she took it.
"If you don't like it here, we can leave Sweetheart" Asher told her.
"I like Pepper. I like it here. I have never seen anyone talk to you the way she does. I want to stay" Starr replied and took a sip of milk.
"How are you feeling? Have you taken your meds? Do you feel funny?" Asher rubbed his face repeatedly. He was worried.
"I think I am alright"
Asher kissed her hair.
"Thank you for taking me out of the hospital. I like it better here. I want to be normal. Normal is good" Starr smiled at him.
"Normal is good" Asher repeated after her.
Pepper came out of the kitchen into the sitting room after she put away everything Asher took out of her refrigerator. Good lord! The man was messy. If he keeps up with his messy attitude, this roommate thing might not work.
"Here are some ground rules" Pepper sat down and made sure that they were listening to her.
"No one apart from my grandparents needs to know that we are married. If anyone in this building asks you who you are, tell them that you are my roommate, Asher and she is your niece that is visiting, okay?"
"She is my daughter not my niece" Asher was firm.
"Fine, she can be that. We are just roommates. This is not a real marriage. You will stay out of my way and try not to annoy me. I will require you to follow me to my grandparents house where we are going to put on a show for them. To them, we are going to be madly in love and you are a businessman from out of town" Pepper told him.
"Oh!oh! Can I be a CEO?" Asher asked her.
"No. You are in construction and if they tried to pry further into that, just tell Gramps and Gigi that you were laid off. They won't mind. They just want me to have a husband, you can be crippled and they would still love you. Good lord! Tell me that you are not a serial killer!" Pepper blurted out
"Dad is not, he is just a workaholic"
"How can he be a workaholic if he is jobless?" Pepper was puzzled. Something fishy was going on and she intended to find out.
Starr looked guilty.
"You didn't have to tell Pepper that, Starr. I am sorry, my daughter meant that I am an alcoholic. I almost drank myself to death last year" Asher said and blinked.
"Explains a lot!" Pepper stood up from the chair she was sitting on "I am going to bed. My bedroom is off limits to both of you. If you try to break in, you will be electrocuted"
Starr turned around to watch her.
"But where is my room, mommy? Aren't you going to tuck me in?" Starr followed her behind.
Pepper stopped and got down on one knee so she could be the same height as the seven year old.
"You little cute...cute donkey, did nobody tell you that I am a bad mommy? Boop!" Pepper stood up from the ground and touched her nose. She entered her room and double bolted her door.