in
January 30th, 2005
Chapter 19
Home Alone
I peeked into the livingroom. Coast clear. But to be on the safe side,
I closed and locked the front door. I had find what I needed.
I switched the flashlight back on as I lit the candles.
"This is why we need new cell phones," I huffed, as I placed a candle
on the coffe table in the living room. Dad lost his old cell phone when
in the process of moving back to WesBrige.
Things went pretty well from then. I wrapped a big blanket around
myself, and settled down on the livingroom floor with a good mystery book
by the gas heater. The only thing I missed in Sandre was Helen and the
house.
When we lived in a house, we had the big fire place and the den. The
den was one of my favorite places to be, until that horrible scence
with Caroline. It was so homey and cozy.
I read on and on and eventually fell asleep without knowing. But was
awoken by shuffling. I lifted my head to find it complety dark.
"Dad!" I called out. The suffling stopped. Am I dreaming? Is this
some kind of nightmare? Thought after thought began running through my
head as I felt for the flashlight, that I had accidently left on.
"Bummer," I mummbled when I realized the battery had gone dead. Candles melted
down, too. I blindly seached for the matches until I found them. This
was not a nightmare. But maybe I had imagined the suffling. Then I heard
it again. I lit the match, and looked around. Everything looked dim and
scary. The suffling came and went again. I couldn't tell where it was
coming from. It is coming from outside, maybe. No one could get in here,
for I did lock the door.....right? I stood, the match guiding me, and
made my way to the front door. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep
breath before turning the knob. It was locked.
"Is this some joke?" I cried out. Everything seemed so empty because
of the darkness. "Daddy, are you there?" I knew I sounded desperate.
The suffling came and went again. Think, Red, think! My mind seemed to
have gone blank. Think, Red, think! Where is this sound coming from? I
began chewing my bottem lip. Scary, stupid, and bad thoughts came and
went. Nothing came to help soothe my mind and heart. Think, Red, think!
Think, Red, think! Think! Think! Think! I finally came to the conclusion
to just go to the neighbors, and see if I could stay with them until
Daddy and Sarah Hannah came back.
As I was making my way to the hall closet, I stopped cold in my
tracks as a small light clicked on. The only light we had in that closet
was the other red flashlight. It's only Daddy or Sarah Hannah. I hope. It
have to be one of them. Who else?
"Jesus," I whispered the prayer quickly, "please don't let any bad or
mean thing be in there. I know the only ghost there really is, is your
Holy Spirit. Please. In your name, Amen." The suffling came again, but
I begin walking again. Very slow. My steps seemed so loud and creaky.
The hardwood floor of the livingroom that I so loved when we first came
here, I hated now. Why did it have to creak so loud. The suffling
continued. "Jesus. Jesus. Jesus." It still went on.... "Jesus. Jesus.
Jesus." and on.... "Jesus. Jeuse. Jesus." It stopped when I was directly in
front of the door. I placed my warm hand on the cold, cold, door knob.
The light in the closet clicked back off. My body began trembling so
badly, the doorknob rattled with me, making me more afraid. "Jesus." I
whispered for the last time. I turned the knob and jerked the door open.
"Boo." a voice whispered.
And for the third time, everything went black.
Chapter 20
Londa's other half
"Are you awake?" the voice said. I lifted my head slowly, wondering
why it felt so heavy. What was going on? Where was I? How come
everything was so blury?
"Go back to sleep then," a cool hand patted my head. "Momma won't
wake you up."
I opened my eyes. I felt much, much better. I looked around. I was in
a different room that I didn't reconize. Actullay, I was in a whole
other place. I reviewed everything that had happened.
First, I was home alone. I heard noises. I went to the closet and
saw.... was it true? Did I really see Londa?
I began rubbing the sleep out of my eyes when I heard footsteps
aproaching. The footsteps stopped at the door as if hesitating. Red, I told
myself, do not pass out. You have to see what's going on. The candle lit
room looked scary. Too scary to be in alone.
"Hello?" I called out. Nothing. I tried again. "Hel-lo?! Anybody
home?"
The footsteps began again. Now I could make out a shadow.
"Mom? Are you there?"
The door opened. And there she stood. I felt mysef going lite again.
She walked slowly around my bed, keeping her eyes glued to mine.
"Mother? Londa? Are you really....you?" My voice was trembling, and
my hands were shaking. Actually, I was shaking all over.
"No, Red. I'm not your mother."
I gasped, my fingers now curling around my throat. I was still
shaking. "Than who are you?"
"I'm her other half. Care to join me for some tea?"
"I was two minutes older than her, so we weren't idenical. But we were
so alike, even we thought we were. Yes, we looked alike, as you can
see, even though we don't look like we were when we were nineteen." Wanda
laughed lightly. I still couldn't believe this. I had an aunt who was
my mother's twin. Her closest friend. Was this some kind of lie too? Was
she my mother's twin.... or my mother?
"Take that bewildered look off of your face, child. You looked like
you don't believe me."
"I...I don't know what to believe."
"Um." she nodded. "I should've expect this."
"How come you didn't show up before?"
"Your daddy ran away from me, takeing you with him. His family didn't
want anything to do with mine. They threw Londa's stuff away and
destroyed it or buried it away."
I nodded. "Aunt Molly did have the picture book of Mom's pictures
buried away in a old chest. She said so herself."
Wanda shook her head. "Molly... I don't think she really liked us
because of our wealth."
"Aunt Molly?"
"Yes, honey. She wasn't very friendly, and always avoided talking
with us. But than again, Jenny, our big sister, was too stuck up. She was
very rude and snobish to all the Harrises. They were too low down for
her."
Flashes of Aunt Jenny and Daddy when they had the big aurgment in
Sandre came back to me.
"Anyways," Wanda continued, "after the funeral, I ran away to
Alabama. At nineteen, I felt like I couldn't live without my sister. She was
the only person I shared my true feelings with. We were closer than a
bird and a feather... until she met Wayne.
"You see, she and I became distant when she bagan dateing Wayne. She
was always with him. Her grades were falling from A's to C's, and that
wasn't like her. Until she met Wayne.. She partied all night, skipped
classes.... it's a miracle she grautated. When we did grautated, I went
off to collage with honors and a scolorship, while she eloped and
became pregneat. At first it was a disgrace to the family and its name, but
than Mother and Daddy losened up and began sending money in.
"When Jenny discovered that Wayne was being disloyal to her, she told
Mother and me. And all of us told Londa. Londa was horrified. She
was...." Wanda shook her head sadly. "It was too much for her."
I tried to imagine my mother's shock and disbelief. See her beautiful
face crumble in hurt and embaressment. Wanda patted my hand and pasted a
forced smile on her face.
"You look so much like her, not me, but her. I mean we looked alike,
but she was prettier than me in her own ways. I was the wise and simple
twin who looked and acted much older. Londa, now she was the flirty,
rebellious, but sweet and fun twin. That's why she won so many men
hearts. But me, I never was married." She looked down, obviously embaress.
"Too stubborn."
I patted her hand with sympathy. "It's okay," I crooned.
She nodded. "Well... don't be angrey with your father. He forgot all
about me. Don't tell him about our encounter."
"But why?"
"Because.... he forgot about me."
"No he didn't. He just doesn't talk about you, because.."
"he don't want anything to do with me." she finished for me.
"Why?"
"Because."
I sighed frustrated. There was something she wasn't telling me.
Something told me she was lying about something. Covering something up.
"Beause what?" I asked.
She shook her head. "This is too much for you. Too much."
I looked her over. She looked like the flirty one. The rebellious one.
Not like the stubborn, serious one.
"You're right," I agreed. "This is too much for me to comprehend."
For some reason I wasn't as angrey with Daddy. I was use to this now.
Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies.
Dad still hadn't made it back home when we got there. I learned that
the ice storm was horrible, and they were probably going to spend the
night.
After Wanda dropped me off, I sat in the livingroom to ponder on what
went on. Everything was so confusing. Why wouldn't Dad tell me about
Wanda? She was my mother's twin.
The lights blinked on, but I sat there thinking. I felt right with
Wanda. Almost like she was the last piece of our puzzled family. Like if
she came into our lives, we'd be a perfect family. Why did I feel that
connection? Was my brain trying to send me a message?
I looked down at the number she lefted with me, and picked up the
phone to dail. Instead, though, I found myself dailing Abby.
"Hurry up!" Ronda yelled out of her mother's red convirdible. I
grabbed my purse and coat, and left a breif note for Dad, explaining where I
was going. After shutting and locking the door, I took a deep breath,
causing my own vapor to surround me.
"Stop standing there and get in," Abby snapped out of the back
window. We have to get to Eshi's."
"Eshi's?"
"Just get in," Ronda huffed.
I ran to the car and had barley slid in, before Ronda was backing out
of parking space.
"So... what are we doing?" I asked.
Jesse turned around from the front seat and looked back at me. "Right
now we're going to Eshi's to have a meeting."
"That's ridiculous! It's..." I looked over Jesse and at the clock
between the knobs. "almost 2:00am!!"
"And? We're old enough to drive, and Eshi's parents were at a dinner
party in Columbia. With the icestorm and all, they decided to spend the
night in a hotel."
That's when I noticed how slow Ronda was driving. The roads were
slippery. "Great," I muttered under my breath.
"So how was the funeral?" Jesse asked, changing the subject.
"Sad. You wouldn't believe who we met."
"Mama already told me that y'all met Ralla's mother." Jesse
shuddered.
"You cold?" Ronda asked.
"No, I was just thinking of all the things Ralla went through. Then
the horrible death she had. Her mother could have tried to do
something."
Everything was silent. I had decided not to tell them what had happen
with Wanda.... or Londa. Than I remembered my exciting news. "Guess
what, y'all!"
"No, we give up." Abby spat.
"Donaven asked me to be his girlfriend. And he kissed me!"
Jesse screamed gleefully. Ronda had a soft smile on her face. Abby?
Abby turned to the window fumming and grumbling under her breath.
"Don't be hating," I punched Abby softly.
"Don't touch me, Harris," she cried, turning toward me. I heard her
mutter a curse word, turning back to the window. Ronda and Jesse bagan
laughing at her.
Finally Jesse turned to me. "So how did it happen?" she smiled.
"Get this, guys." I leaned forward, since Abby, obviously, wasn't
interested. "We were having a starlit walk on the lake..."
"Ohhh.." Ronda and Jesse cooed in unison.
"Yeah, and so he ask me if I liked him. So I say yeah...."
We pulled in front of Eshi's huge mansion of a home, and sat there in
awe looking up at it. It always thrilled us to see such a beautiful
house, well, mansion.
As soon as we were up the huge flight of stone steps that led up to
the balcony, it seemed as if all the house lights lit up. Libby, the
Lewis's housekeeper, answered before we rung the bell.
"Filthy rich," Abby muttered just loud enough for Libby to hear as
she past by into the house. Libby blushed and looked down, as if ashamed
of her job.
"Hi, Libby," the rest of us chorus marching in together. Libby's warm
smile and cherry mood returned. "Hi, yourself, kiddos. It's cold out
there. Never been in an icestorm before."
"Yeah, me either," I returned the warm smile.
From the high ceilings and chandiliars, to the huge pictures and grand
staircase, to the polished, hard wooden floors, the masion was
beautiful. Eshi came skipping gracefully down the stairs, taking them two at a
time.
"Hi, you guys!" she greeted us, her soft voice vibrating in
excitment. "You all can come on to my room. I'm all ready. Actually y'all
can spend the night."
"Spend the night?" Ronda questioned her, lifting up her pefect
eyebrows. "We didn't bring any clothes."
"Don't worry! I have all of that under controll. And Red, I have a
surprise for you!"
"Helen! What the heck are you doing here?!" I screamed running into
her arms.
"surprise!" Abby, Ronda, Eshi, and Jesse cried in unison.
"What? How'd you guys plan this?" I was unable to keep my voice down
from all of the excitment that was bubbling inside of me. "I'm the one
who called!"
"Hold it down," Eshi whipered, but laughed at the same time.
"Justin's sleep." I'd forgotten all about Eshi's older brother. Handsome
brother, at that. You're taken, I reminded myself. "Yeah. He doesn't know
that you guys are here," she giggled, "so we're gonna surprise him in the
morning."
"What will your parents think?" I asked, one arm still around Helen.
"They won't care. Justin does it all the time. Plus, Mom's always
urging me to invite girls, or boys, over to eat and sleepover."
"If you're sure," Jesse said leaning on her crunches. I felt very
guilty just looking at her leg.
"Positive." Eshi smiled.
"Alright, already!" I whispered, teasingly. "What is Helen doing
here?"
"We looked her up and invited her over. We were gonna surprise you
tomorrow, but you called and so we decided we'd do it today with a
sleepover." Abby huffed, but I could see a smile in her eyes.
"I ain't knew nothing 'bout no sleep over," Jesse pounted.
"Me, either. And it's, 'I didn't know anything about a sleep over.' "
Ronda corrected Jesse.
"Right," Abby said, running her hand through her long, dark hair.
"Eshi and I decided over the phone."
"Sneaky, but fun," Jesse decided.
"Yeah," Ronda and I agreed.
We all just stared at eachother for awhile with silly grins, and then
burst into girly giggles.
"So what's this about some twin?" Helen asked. We had decided to
invite her into our little group. It wasn't Nieva Sista anymore. We'd
decided we were too mature for that.
"Right," I said. I had forgotten all about our encouter over the fun
of making weird and tasty icecream floats with the girls. The Lewis's
must have had every kind of type and flavor.
At the moment, though, we were in their hot pool, and with the
frezzing weather and all, it seemed the closest thing to heaven.
I leaned my head back to think. Where to begin? All the girls now had
their attention on me.
"Dad and Sarah Hannah..."
"Who's Sarah Hannah?" Helen interupted.
"Oh, my half sister that I just found out about." I sighed when I saw
the look of confusion that shadowed over her face. "It's a very long
story. I'll tell you later." I added.
"Uh huh," she nodded.
"Anyways," I made myself more comfortable, "they left to go take
Suzie to a slumber party in Columbia...."
"All right. This is like, soo complicatied," Eshi sighed, her long,
white blonde hair clinging to her. We were now out of the pool, and
drying off in Eshi's room by her huge fireplace. Libby brought us french
vallina capochino with some kind of cream on top. Whatever it was, it was
good.
"Let's look on the internet and see what comes up. You said that your
real mother was rich, right?" Abby bit her bottem lip.
"Yeah."
"That's a good idea, Abby. Those really rich people sometimes be
having their own websites and webpages. Why were they so rich? What was
making them so wealthy? Some kind of company, school...." Ronda offered
nodding.
"I don't know," Abby's and Ronda's curiosity was contiguous. "but we
can give it a try."
Eshi brought out her silver laptop, and began typing furiously. Helen
found a notpad for numbers, websites, and details and clues. Jesse
grabbed Eshi's cordless phone, which held her own, privite line. Ronda began
thinking of things to search for and writing them down. Abby and I
found a phonebook and bagan looking up numbers.
"Be sure to look under the Odin's. I think that's what Wanda said
their last name was." I reminded Abby.
"Thanks," she said breathlessly."I knew I wasn't getting anywhere
with Harris."
I looked around my group of friends working so hard for me. Real, trust
worthy, loving friends. It didn't matter where this case lead us, I
thought, tenderly. As long as I still have these five girls for friends.
A big, fat, ugly zero. That's excatly how much we came up with.
Nothing at all. I looked around at my tired and frustrated group of friends,
and immediatly felt guilty.
"I'm sorry, guys," I apologized. "This is all my fault. Why don't we
just forget about this and go to bed. We'll make up the fun time we
wasted with this stupid family case."
Eshi looked as if she would agree. But Ronda held a thoughtful look on
her face. "I don't know if this'll work, Eshi, but maybe you should go
to, 'rich families in South Carolina'." They were on some site that
looked up rich and big named people.
"That's the last thing," Eshi said, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah," Abby agreed. "We haven't found anything in this stupid
phonebook. And we couldn't get anything out of the operater either. And who,
in their right mind, would be up this late in the night in an icestorm,
anyway?"
"Rich folks," Helen piped up.
"Yeah," Eshi said, nodding. "They stay up all night, and sleep in
late. Lazy. Of course our family isn't." she added quickly. She tapped her
nails on the flat computar impatiently. "It usualy doesn't take this
long," she complained.
"That means it's loading something pretty big," Ronda informed her,
her own eyes gleaming with hope.
"All right," Eshi said. "Here it is."
"Go to the O's," I ordered.
"What's up with the O's ?" Ronda asked. "We were using the H's for
Harris."
"Good golly," Abby huffed. "She said look up Olin. Her mother's name
was Londa Olin."
"Well that explains why we weren't getting anywhere," Ronda and Eshi
laughed together. Renewed hope gleamed in all of our eyes now, as we
all gathered around Eshi as scrolled down to the O's.
"There is no Olin," she said. "There are only two. O'Brayns and
Odis."
"That was it!" I cried. "Odis. I knew it was something like that.
Click on it! Click on it!"
Eshi clicked on it as we drew closer together to get a better look. My
heart was thumping so loud and rapidly now, I was sure the girls heard
it. The page opened up.
Chapter 21
After Three Years
"That's her! That's her!" I squealed, looking at the handsome family
on the picture of blondes and redheads.
"Mother's on there!" Helen squealed.
"Hey! Why didn't you say their last name was Odis. At first I thought
we were looking up Harris. Plus, I never really knew Red and I were
consins. It slipped my mind. I really just remember..."
"Shush!" I cut in. I began scanning the picture over. No twins. Only
Jenny and...Londa? Eshi scrolled down and began reading out loud.
"William Dave and Rachel Lee Odis is the founder and owner of South
Carolina's Voice and Music School. The finest music school in the
state. He, his wife, and two daughters, Jenifer and Londa being well known
recording artist around the southeast of America. They.."
"So my mother really is alive," I said in wonder and amazment. I was
surprised at how calm I was. "Y'all can read on." I took the phone, and
walked into the hall. Digging into my pockets, I found the number she'd
left me with. I punched it in slowly.
"Hello?"
"Mom."
There was a long string of silence. It got so, I began thinking she had
hung up. Then I heard her sigh real deeply into the phone.
"You found out.
Back home, I was in the living room waiting for Londa and Dad. The
girls decided to come with me. They now were in the kitchen making a
morning snack. Even though it was 6:52am, none of us were really tired.
After everything was revealed, all we could do was pace and wonder. It was
so unreal. I had a mother....alive!
Daylight was slowly setting in, and it had begun raining lighty.
Which, I imagined, made the roads very slippery with the ice and all. But I
called Dad from a payphone on the conor, and told him that he needed to
come home imediatly for an emerency. He was on his way, all right. He
probably thought the complex caught on fire, robbery, or something to do
with Dorthy. I told him that I wasn't allowed to tell him what was
going on. Just to get down here.
"Red!" Jesse called. She was giggling, as were the rest of them.
"Help me get out of prison! They've taken my cruches and all!" She began
laughing really loud. "Stop! Stop! MOMMEY!!"
I don't know why, but it seemed everyone looked toward their mother
for in time of trouble, as Jesse had. Now I would know.
I ran in the kitchen where Abby and Rhonda was tickling Jesse and
teasing her. Eshi and Helen were trying to double up on her crunches, by
having a crunch under one arm, and the other around eachother.
"HELP!" Jesse screamed, her uncontrolable laughter getting louder and
heavier.
Someone in the apartment above knowed loudly on the ceiling. "Hold it
down, kids." he yelled.
We all tried holding in fits of giggles. "You guys are so immature," I
laughed.
"Hey," Helen said, growing serious. "Why don't you invite Carla
Velisunssa." I had explained to her about Sarah Hannah on the way back to
the apartment.
"Why?"
"So they won't be caught in anymore lies."
"Carla's sick in the head," I laughed, feeling light and silly.
"Carla probably knew not to tell you."
"You're right," I agreed. I picked up the telephone and dailed
Carla's number.
After that was over with, we decided to settle down for coffe and a
talk.
"You know, you probably take after your mother's side with your voice
and all." Jesse commented.
What a comment to think about with my love for singing and all. Maybe
she was right. "Thanks," I thanked her. "You know I wouldn't be surprise
if you had famous singers in your family,"
"Now that's a thought," Abby remarked. "Jesse can sing like a real
singer."
And that's how it went. We throwing comments at eachother until someone
knocked at the door. I braced myself, ready for all three of them.
Londa, Carla, and Daddy. Not to mention how bad I was shaking, as I turned
the knob.
I looked into the beautiful blue eyes if Justin Lewis.
"What are you doing here, you freak!" I shrilled.
"And good morning to you, too, Red." he smiled, uncentainly.
I placed my shaking hand over my heart. "You scared me to death."
"Excuse me? I hope you don't mind my asking."
"I'm very nervous about someone who's comming." I retorted.
"Mommy?" he asked, with a knowing smile.
My hand dropped from my heart as I let out a gasp. The girls had now
joined around the door to see what all the comotion was about.
"Justin!" Eshi cried. "What in jacolulu's name are you doing here?"
He smirked. "I overheard you guy's giberish. I mean, who can miss it?"
"You mean you heard what we were talking about?" I asked.
"Duh! Who couldn't, redhead. Can I come in?"
"Su..sure," I stammered
Just as he was walking in, I heard the unmistakable sound of the low
rumble of Dad's old Ford truck. I felt myself tense up, and I closed the
door quickly.
"All right, guys!" I whispered. I don't know why, but i felt like I
had to keep low. "Daddy's here. I know he's worried."
"Get mad about it, gurl," Abby encouraged. "He lied to you all these
years about Caroline. And when you found out about Londa.... he did it
some more! Beat him down. Show..."
Dad boomarous knocks interupted Abby's coaching, notifying his
arrival. The keys began unlocking the door.
This was the third time someone knocked on the door after Justin's
surprise arrival. This had to be Mama. Carla and Dad were sitting in the
living room waiting anxiously for my big surprise. Sarah Hannah had fled
to her new room ( the room the was supose to be mine when Suzie grew
older) when Carla arrived. She was more shocked than angrey.
I walked slowly to the door, hearing my own heart pound. It was
beating faster than an african beat. I jerked the door open before I could
fear and back out.
Mom walked in.
You could hear a pin drop in the still, silent room.
"This is the big surprise," I said through clenched teeth.
"Christ, no," I heard Dad whisper. "No. No. No! No!" His voice was
growing louder and louder. Soon he was yelling it. He began kicking the
wall so that a small dent became. The person above who had yelled for us
to be quiet, bammed down on the floor. "Please! Can a man get some
rest. I gonna call the cops if ya don't calm down, down there.
"What's the matter, Wayne?" Carla asked, now realizing the set up.
"Did ya just realize where your stupid lying has gotten you? Or did a
woman you professed to be dead rose from her grave?
Dad stopped kicking the wall, and turned slowly toward her. I knew he
was avoiding meeting Mom's and my eyes. "Look where your stupid lying
got you, woman," he said through clenched teeth. "Your daughter end up on
the streets..."
"I'd rather my daughter end up on the streets than watch your stupid
ass get caught in lie after lie before her face." Carla cut in.
Dad's face grew a deep purple. "Git out of my house," he spat.
"No. I was invited to..."
"I said LEAVE!!" he raged.
Carla stood up quickly, glancing at me, and then picking up her purse.
She walked over to me, and patted my shoulder. "I feel for your poor
soul," she said, glaring over at Daddy. Walking out, she gave Mama stone,
cold eyes. And no one had to slam the door behind her. She did it
herself.
"Well?" I asked, my voice comming out harder than I intended. My head
had began to hurt, and I was grumpy, and now angrey.
"Sweetie, I..." Dad began, his voice calmer.
"You what?"
"Honey, we tried to do what's best for you." Mom piped in.
"It was all a fake," Dad smiled weakly at me, trying to let go of his
anger.
I was so furious, I forgot about my head, walked over to him, and
slapped him as hard as I could.
"Ouch," Mom said. "Red, I know this is all a surpise and all, but..."
"It wasn't a fake..it was a lie!! Why?" I shrilled. "What kind of
family are y'all? Why is everyone hiding everything from me when it's all
about me?" I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, and before I knew
it, I was sobbing.
Dad held his head down. His face was red from anger or regret, I'm not
sure.
"WHY?" I screamed. "Why?" I felt an arm go around me. I feel into it
gratefully, my tears felt like a river flowing down my cheeks. I felt
like I was drowning in them.
Dad and Mom began arguing. But I was too caught up in my own misery
to know why. Whoever was holding me bagan dragging me away. Soon, I was
in my own bed, my eyes still squeezed shut, and the tears still
rolling. It must have been hours before I was finally asleep.
I woke up to loud talking and activity, but kept my eyes shut. Even
though I knew it was realaity, I kept asking myself if it were a dream. I
wasn't as angrey. Actually, I the long nap had caused alot of calmness.
I was really ready to communicate.
I opened my eyes and blinked. everything was dim. The door was
closed, and the curtains drawn. I could catch a pinch of light under my door.
Rolling out of bed, I glance at my alarm clock. It was way past six
in the evening. I rubbed some of Suzie's baby lotin on my face, and
combed my hair until it could pass for decent. It was obvious we had
company.
I cracked the door open, and peeked out. I couldn't believe what my
eyes told me. Everyone was there. I mean, everyone. The Hankins, Chokes,
Hope's, Lewis's, Velisunssa's, Mommy's side, Daddy's side, even Uncle
Billy. What the heck was going on? And how could so many people fit in
one, small apartment? I closed the door back, softly. This was too much.
I changed into a soft red sweater, and a black skirt just above my
knees. I pulled on black tights, and short, black boots, with grayish-
white fur on the collar. Spraying perfume on, I checked myself out in the
mirror. I had to admitt I looked good.
Opening the door all the way, I stood in the doorway. I could smell
some kind of meat roasting, and coffe brewing.
After a good two minutes of being unnoticed, Aunt Molly spotted me.
"She's awake!!" she cried.
Dad, who was standing with Mom, turned toward me, a nervous smile
playing his lips.
"Red," he said softly. All chatter seemed to have died down, and it
was just me, him, and Mom, who had nowed turned toward me. Dad took a
deep breath. "Can we talk?"
I starred for a long time at them, wondering if I should or shouldn't.
Everyone makes mistakes, the little angel of compassion in me said.
Give 'em a chance.
"Sure," I said, turning on my heel. Back to the room.
"I'll start first," Dad said. Mom was sitting at my desk, Dad was
sitting on the edge of the desk, and I was on the bed.
"It all started when I moved from Hilmore to Columbia with my
brothers, Dan and Harley when I was sixteen. I noticed Londa on the first day.
She was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen..."
"Stop it, Wayne," Mom said, blushing.
"What? It's true!" he protested, lifting up his hands. Was it me or
did it seem like something was going on between the two of them?
"Anyways," Dad continued, winking at Mom. "Harley and I both liked her, and
both thought she liked us. In the end, she really liked me, but we made a
bet. Whoever talked to her first and asked her out have her... if she
liked him. Of course, I asked first, being a master with women. Harley
went crazy..."
"Now I never knew this," Mom cut in, crossing her arms.
"But..."
"Wait! Let me tell my side of the story."
"Fine," Dad smiled, crossing his own arms.
"Well, I was in class when I first saw him. Ms. Fisher's class.
Remember her Wayne?"
Dad and Mom began laughing at whoever this Fisher lady was.
"Well anyways, Wayne was new and cute as ever. He looked like a
working man, instead of some sixteen year old boy."
Dad smiled and pushed her gently. "I wasn't all that now, Londa."
"Yes you were! All the girls were jealous of me..."
"because of your fine looks," Dad broke in.
I was getting tired of all of this flirting. "So what happened," I
asked.
A dreamy look came into Mom's eyes. "Well he sat by me and got me in
trouble the whole time durning class. Fisher was so mad, she didn't know
what to do with me.
"After that one encounter, Wayne and I hit it on. We were almost like
best friends. We were inseperatable. Harley was already a good friend.
Little did I know that both of them were hitting on me.
Well after awhile, Wayne asked me to be his girlfriend. I was
delighted. For one; he was the handsomest guy in the world, two; he loved me
for who I was, three; he was my biggest crush ever! He made me feel so
special.
Two days after graduation night, he and I eloped by Reverand T. C.
Kingosin. And believe me, the guy really was the king-of-sin. He wasn't a
true christan. Actually a theif. Taking inocent people's money and
using them on drugs and women.
"Shortly after our secret marriage, I became pregneat." Mom looked at
Dad. "You wanna tell the rest?"
Dad, looking down, nodded. He sighed deeply before dropping off where
she left. "Londa and I had issues. She didn't wanna make love durning
her pregnecy. I did. When she didn't give me what I wanted..." Dad took a
deep breath, his voice becoming lower. "I went and got it from other
women. Particaly, Caroline Winkins. She always had a crush on me and I
knew it. So she was egaer to give it to me.
"This went unnoticed for about two months into Londa's pregnecy, when
Jenny, Londa's older sister, I supose, saw us."
"I'll take it from here. Jenny told my mother when she found out. She
too, at the time, was pregneat. The both of them told me together, and
invited me to come back with them. But I said no. Maybe it wasn't true.
But when I confronted Wayne about it, he admitted it was true. I was
devastagated. I didn't want to be around any Harris whatsoever.
"Yes, I did do some unhealthy things for you and myself, Red. But not
so that it woud kill us! When you were delivered, I never got to hold
you. Wayne and I had decided for me to run away. I didn't want anything
to remind me of him. So instead of holding you, I told the doctors to
take you away. I knew if I held you, I would want to keep you.
"After a couple of weeks, Wayne and I devoirced, amd I was gone to
West Virgina. I was trying to start over. A month passed before I heard
from Wayne again. I called him one day while thinking of what it would
have felt like to be a mother. When I called, he told me that I had died
giving birth to Red. That's when I learned your name. Red Harris. Red,
for that beautiful patch of red hair.
"Anyways, I tried to get on with my life. WesBrige today know me as
dead. But everyone in my generation knew the turth."
"I thought I was born in Columbia," I said, leaning forward.
"I had already moved back to Columbia with my parents when I found
out what Wayne was doing. So I had you in Columbia. Still, WesBrige is
very small town of gossip. And everybody know everyone there. A big
family. The news went around quickly. Probably from that stupid doctor,
Regina Thomas.
"So to make a long story short, I became tired of West Virgina, and
wanted to see what became of my daughter and WesBrige became of." She
touched my cheek tenderly. "I'm so glad I came back. Now we can be one big
family."
"Family?" I questioned, hope filling up inside me.
"Opps," she giggled, softly. "Our fault. Didn't we tell you at the
beginning?"
"Tell me what?" I lifted up my eyebrow.
Mom smiled and took Dad's hand. She nodded at Dad. "We wanted to
celebrate. Your mother and I are getting back together."
I felt my heart leap. Finally! We were going to be a family
In a way, I was thankful for Caroline. She was the only reason I,
rather, we, the girls and I, looked into this. Because she ran away and
came back.
With her living in an apartment and Dad visiting, while I got in
trouble with Uncle Billy. He'd left a clue. Then there was Aunt Molly and
her endless slip-ups. Others like Mrs. Hankins and Rhonda, and Caroline,
herself. Even though everything's settled now, there're still
alot of questions I would have to ask Dad and Mom. Parents I could call
my own. A family of my own.
Epilogue
"Happy Birthady to you! Happy Birthady to you! Happy Birthady dear
Red! Happy Birthady to you! " We were celebrating my eightteenth birthday.
I was guaduating in one month with my five best friends.
As for the family deal, I think we're comming out all right. Dad is
doing much better with a woman, a real woman, in the house. Mom's the
mother I've always dreamed of. Stern, but yet soft and loving. Now our
family's not perfect, but all families have their little disagreements,
right?
It's been three years since I've found out the turth, now. I don't
think there's anymore lies to be revealed.
Sarah Hannah's with Carla, who've found a loving husband. Still,
Sarah Hannah comes with us every other weekend. She's engaged to Zane
Moses. The guy who she told us about when we first met.
As for my love life, Sarah Hannah was right. Donaven wasn't for me.
Justin Lewis was. But I don't think we'll be getting married anytime
soon. We aren't that serious yet.
Now for the really exciting news. Jesse and are both going to be
attending South Carolina's Voice and Music School to help us with our music
talents. Abby was going to study animals, Rhonda was going out of state
to study law, Eshi was going to a model school, and Helen was becoming
a writer for teens and children who was discouraged about themselves.
Like her life, she didn't want kids to feel miserable for who they were.
The best news of all... Dorthy's dead. She died the shortly after
three years in jail. Sometimes, I still have nightmares about her, but
now, I have a real, loveing mother to come comfort me in the night.
If you liked this story, visit Adriana's sites at www.freewebs.com/adrianak and www.freewebs.com/gurlz4show or E-mail her at Plainadri@yahoo.com.
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