This is a Malia Tate positive blog

     ”Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s not be hasty—

     "Good. Cause otherwise I'll tell Lydia--

Erica ran her hand along her back to try to warm her and ushered her over to the couch, putting a blanket around her as she sat beside her.  ”Okay well why don’t I call Scott and tell him he should go out looking for your dad.  Do you have any idea where he could have gone?” she asked, hoping to get some information to give Scott to start.

Ralia pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, shoving her hands under her knees to try and warm them up. "He said something about Uncle Derek being really stupid and then he said bad words under his breath and broke his plate in the sink." Hair falls in front of her face and she tucks it back behind her ear. "And something about hunting."

     ”My Dad literally just walked in—                                                            —handed me a pound and a half of Skittles in a ziploc bag—           —told me to ‘lead him from temptation’—                                                                            —and walked back out.     What.”

"You're going to give me the bag--                                                                                   --right? My dad said nothing about me not eating skittles--               --just no more chocolate."

"Wait, what did you just say?"

"I said my Dad's name is Peter. He said he knew you."

" Thanks for the confession, kiddo.

"Fine, but I still get to have my happy meals.                 You can't deny me my right to eat happy food."

"Do you know why your daddy wouldn’t come home? Did he go somewhere, maybe to see someone?" she asked, wrapping her arm around the girl’s shoulders and ushering her inside.

"No," Ralia stepped in quickly, sticking her cold hands under her arms and leaning against Erica. "He just said that he'd be back before dinner time. And if he wasn't to go get Scott." Her wide eyes met Erica's. "But his house is too far to walk to."