The Great Escape

                                    

                                          

Lexy perked up from behind the counter when she heard her father open the front door. She picked up a towel from beside the sink. She then started thoroughly drying the dishes from the dishwasher.
                          
"Hi daddy!" Ew. She felt like Veronica Lodge. She silently vowed to never say that again.
                          
Fred gave her a confused look at her chirpy tone. "Hey, Lex-"
                          
"Look, I'm drying the dishes!" She plopped a glass in the cabinet. "Isn't that every father's dream?"
                          
"Yeah. I've always wanted to come home to find you putting dirty dishes back in my cabinets." 
                          
Lexy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply upon realizing that the dishes had not been cleaned yet.
                          
"What do you want?" Fred asked.
                          
"Can't any normal daughter just make an effort around the house?" Lexy played coy.
                          
"Any normal daughter can... but you can't."
                          
She rolled her eyes and caved. Betty told her to be discreet about asking her dad about G&G. So that's what she was going to do.
                          
"Have you ever played Gryphons and Gargoyles before?" 
                          
Or not.
                          
Fred's eyes went wide for an instant before he coughed nervously. "Uh why do you ask that?"
                          
She shrugged innocently. "I just... wandered if this game was new or if it had been around a while. Had you ever heard of it before Ben and Dilton... died?"
                          
"Yeah, I had heard of it. I think I remember people playing when I was in high school but... I was too focused on baseball." He laughed her off and went to feed Vegas.
                          
Lexy quirked her brow and tapped her nails on the counter. There was her answer. 
                          
She slid her phone out of her pocket when it buzzed. A text from Reggie asking if he could come over. 
                          
Lexy could guess why.
                          
***
                          
"So are you gonna tell me why you wanted to come over or am I gonna have to ask?" Lexy questioned as she sat on the kitchen table.
                          
"I think we both know why so what's the point in even saying it?" Reggie replied.
                          
"Okay, if you're not gonna answer that question, how about you answer this one; why are you wearing those sunglasses at night and indoors?"
                          
Reggie hesitated for a moment, which was all Lexy needed. She quickly reached forward and snatched the glasses.
                          
A black eye.
                          
Reggie sighed and rubbed his eyebrow.
                          
"He's usually smart enough to not touch my face. That way no one ever suspects anything." He said sadly.
                          
"What can I do?" Lexy asked.
                          
"Nothing. I've told you a million times. There's nothing you or me can do."
                          
"Bull, Reggie. You think that by sitting back and doing nothing that anything will change? That this won't happen again?"
                          
"I'm fine. I've been dealing with this for years-"
                          
"Yeah and you shouldn't have to!"