Chapter Twelve

 We stopped at Applebee's to grab a bite of lunch, so that we could get ourselves at least to a hotel to stop at and rest. "I'm sorry guys, that I've put you through so much trouble. I've just didn't know when to stop and realize that I've been doing nothing but harm to me and my future," I explained and took a sip of sweet tea.

My mother looked up from her plate and nodded, "Well, honey, I'm glad that you came to your senses now. Me and your father were starting to get a little bit worried about you. Really," my mother said.

"Yes, we were," my dad added in, " But you're a teenager and teenagers do stupid things and they really don't use their brains when they're supposed to, you know? Me and your mother have done the same or worse."

"I know that what I was doing wasn't really the me inside. I guess being the popular girl in school, I had to be someone I wasn't. Do things that I really didn't like doing. You know, I really regret being that type of person," I said.

"Yeah, I hope that Arkansas can do something for you. That it'll give you a fresh start," my mother replied. I finished off my sweet tea and we left.

   

     When we got out of the restaurant, we started to drive, until we found the hotel that we were going to be lodging at. About an hour later, we pulled up to Days Inn. We unloaded our clothes that we would need for the night. We walked to the front entrance of the hotel and checked in and we received our keys to our rooms. My parents shared one and they gave me my own, so I could have some time to myself.

      We went our separate ways and once I got in my room, I took a nice, clean, warm shower. It felt great, after running around all day. Once, I got out of the shower, I picked up my phone and called Darrius. Hopefully, he wasn't asleep, " Hello?" he answered.

"Hey, how are you?" I asked him.

"Great. How's everything going down there?"

" Good. We're at a hotel for the night. Too exhausted to just keep on driving, you know?"

" Yeah. So, what town are ya'll in?" 

"Well, what I do know, is that when we wake up in the morning and start moving again, we're going to make sure that we get to Pierce."

"Oh' okay, babe."

"I miss you already, Darrius. I really do. I wish that you could've came along with me."

" I know babe, but I have to do what I have to do. You know, I might come and visit every so often."

"That sounds good. Look, I need to go to bed and I'll talk to you later, I need to get some rest before tomorrow. I love you," I said.

" I love you too, babe."

      After I got off the phone with Darrius, I tucked myself in bed and made myself fall into a deep sleep. I mean, I can't really say that was really hard, because actually it was really easy, because I was so exhausted!

      The morning came pretty quick! I woke up to the sound of the alarm clock that was on the nightstand next to my bed. I lifted myself up from the bed and walked to the bathroom, to empty my bladder. When I got in the shower, I heard my phone ringing. It was probably my mom, wondering if I was up or not. So, that made me kind of rush through my nice, warm shower.

       Once, I got out of the shower, I checked my phone and of course it was my mother. I knew it! She sent me a text right after the call I missed. She was just wondering if I was up or not. I knew it! So, I just texted her back and informed her that I was up and awake.

     After, I got done getting ready, I headed down to the lobby where they were serving the warm breakfast. There were many other people that were staying, down there eating breakfast. I kept looking around the room to see if I could find my parents sitting around a table sipping on some coffee. But I didn't spot them anywhere, so I just grabbed a bagel and a cup of Apple Juice and took a seat near the window, " Good morning," my mom greeted me. She was taking a seat across from me. "How are you this morning?" I asked her.

" Good. Did you sleep well?"

" Yeah. Did you?"

" Yes."

" Where's dad?"

"He's over there getting some coffee for me and him. We're going to have a busy day today, you know?"

 "Yeah, I know. Darrius called me last night," I mentioned.

"Oh' he did? What did he want?"

" Oh' I was just informing him on where we were and stuff. I told him that I miss him and he was like you know I'll come and visit."

" Yeah, I hope he does. He's a great guy, even though he came from a rough past. He needs a girl like you in his life."

" I know, mom. I think I'll be okay," I laughed.

"Well, look at Mrs. Sunshine, all down here and ready to go," my dad came up to us. I shot him a smile and offered him a seat. He took a seat next to my mother. As they were sipping on their coffee, I was finishing up my bagel and Apple Juice.

"Are you about done?" my father asked me.

"Yeah, how about ya'll?"

" Yeah. Ready when you are."

" Well, I'm ready to go."

      We left the hotel with bags in one hand and keys in another. We showed up to Little Rock in about six hours after stopping at rest stops and grabbing a munch to eat. I was needing some fresh air, so I rolled down all the windows. I turned up the music really loud. The time, reminded me of the time when me and my friends stopped at the stoplight and those guys were trying to talk to us. That time was a funny one, for sure. I followed my mom onto a street called, Auburn Avenue. It was a really nice neighborhood. They had houses just like the ones in California. They were nice and big of course! I don't know if it was just me, but our house seemed to be the biggest. I don't think that my eyes were deceiving me at all! It was HUGE! I'm not exaggerating either. If I'm not mistaken, it's a little bit bigger than our other house. My dad pulled into the long curved driveway and put the Uhaul in park. So, I followed my mom's car and she put her vehicle in park as well, so I did the same. I got out of the car, trying to keep my jaws together. I just couldn't believe my eyes! The house was just so stunning! "Wow! Mom, this is like huge! I mean enormous, immense, extensive. I mean, it's beautiful. I can't really find the right words, you know?" I said.

"So, I take it as you like it then, huh?" my mom wondered.

"Yes!"

"Great, because we were hoping  you would like it."

"Well, I believe that you reached your goal, but at the same time, you went over your goal. But I absolutely love it, mom," I replied. I really did!

"Great."

      We were starting to unload the Uhaul, one box at a time. I was placing a box that I had in my arms, onto the pavement that was below me, "Hey, Renee', I'm going to go unlock the doors, so we can start loading the boxes up in there. Do you wanna come along and may be check out the house?" he asked me.

" Now, dad you know that's a dumb question. Of course I would love to," I said. We walked up to the front porch and unlocked the door. It just had this nice smell to it. It was a nice welcoming, cozy smell. I took a nice deep breath and thought, luxury! My dad lead me into the house, or should I say mansion. It was huge. Sorry I keep saying that. It's just that true! "Welcome to your brand new house," my dad exclaimed.

 "Dad, sorry to rush your little tour, but where's my room?" I wondered.

" Up the stairs, to the left. Actually the last door on the left."

"Okay," I ran up the twenty steps that made up the stairs and went where he directed. I can't wait to see what this room beholds! Once,I got at the doors, I stopped. I looked at the doors up and down. For some reason, it all just gave me shivers up and down my spine. How about I just count to three and sling the doors open, so I can just stop having so much anticipation. 

1.....2....3! Sling!

 I swung open the door and it was drop dead gorgeous bedroom. Hopefully my dad wasn't mistaken this room to be the masters, because it's huge.

I circled around the room about, oh' five times I'm pretty sure. Thank the Lord there wasn't any flies around, because I'm pretty sure I would have caught quite a few in my mouth. When I turned back around I found my mom and dad standing there. They had their smiles glowing on their faces, like they were proud of the choice that they made.

      We got all of the big furniture and the big boxes out of the Uhaul around six and then we finished unloading the cars. My car was pretty much filled up my with my things. Little things of course. As I was taking up my last Tupperware box up to my room, my phone started vibrating in my back pocket. I hurried myself up the stairs and placed the box on the floor, " Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, babe. How's your new house?" he wondered. If I might add, he sounded better than the last time I talked to him.

"I mean babe, I don't even know how to put it all into words. It's wonderful! It's better than what we were living in. I mean it's huge! You wouldn't believe your eyes, babe! It looks like a celebrity would live here."

"Wow! It must be really great then, huh?"

"You bet, babe!"

"When did you get in?"

"Hmm," I took the phone down from my ear and glanced at the time, "May be around three hours ago, but honestly I don't know, babe. I've been too busy to keep looking at the time, babe."

"Oh', okay. How are you?"

" I'm doing good, babe. Missing you like crazy, though."

"Great, babe. I know I'm having a hard time keeping you off my mind too, babe. But the reason why I really called you was because I wanted to inform you on something that happened today," he said.

"Yes, you can tell me babe.It must be something good, right?"

"Yeah, I went to visit my dad today."

"Oh', babe, that's wonderful. How did it go?"

" It went well. I told him about all things that has happened. He said, he wished he could've met you, but I told him that you were in the moving process," he explained. What! His dad was wanting to meet me? Okay. "Babe, that's huge. I feel really bad that I couldn't be there, you know? I wish I could've met him, too. I'm sorry that I missed it, baby."

" It's okay. May be some other time."

"Yeah, may be some other time. Babe, I hate to cut this conversation short and stuff, but my mom needs me," I heard my mom's voice echoing my name through the house, " I appreciate you calling me and telling me, though babe. Love you."

" Love you too, bye."

" Bye," I got off the phone.

     It was really good to hear his voice again. I rushed downstairs to my mother that was needing me. She was in the kitchen, opening boxes up, sorting things out, " Guess who just called me?" I said, to my mother.

"Who?"

"Darrius."

"Oh', really?"

"Yeah"

" Why?"

"Because he wanted to tell me that he went to go and see his father today."

" Does he not see his dad all the time?"

"No."

"Oh', why not?"

 "He's in prison, mom," I said, bluntly.

She looked up from the box she was unpacking, " Wow, for what?"

" Murder."

"Murder?"

"Yes, murder. He went to go and see him and his father said that he wish he could've met me. I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty nice, you know? I feel pretty bad, that I couldn't. Darrius said may be some other time. That's what we were talking about on the phone, before you called me down here."

" Okay, so I guess he was really happy to see him, right?"

" Yes, very."

" That's good."

"Yeah," I slapped my hands on the counter, " So, what do you need in here?"

"Just getting all the boxes empty pretty much."

"Alright."

     The conversation me and Darrius had over the phone, kept running through my head. His voice, melting my heart. The idea of him and his father talking about me, really made me feel loved. Is that a way I should be feeling?