Chapter 36: Prodigal Daughter

A Chapter by Tina Bee

Violetta's vacation home provided me with an opportunity to think out my life. It wasn't until the third day of my stay that Langston attempted to call me. He was screaming about the Semper Academy bus still coming by to pick me up and he didn't understand why I wasn't home.

"Are you with another n***a after you made that promise to me?" Langston asked.

"No, but I won't be going back to that house, ever," I said to him.

"What in the f**k are you talking about?" Langston asked and I knew he was beyond angry right now.

"I've decided to move back home," I began, "there's someone who needs that house more than I do and it's selfish of me to stay there and don't think about trashing the place because Sonny knows where you live."

"Who needs this house? This is our house! We have a baby on the way!" He yelled.

"Correction, I have a baby on the way. You're just along for the free ride," I said firmly, "get your s**t packed and be out of that house by midnight."

"I'll sue for custody, I swear to God," Langston said and I could hear the desperation in his voice.

"Go ahead, I don't care anymore I'm done," I hung up and looked over at Violetta.

We were both upstairs in her room taking turns on the computer.

"So let's see you got here Tuesday night and it took him until Friday to even call to see where you were. I'd say he has another girl over there," Violetta said, summing up what was so painfully obvious.

"It's whatever to me," I told her and then looked up, "MySpace has a chat tool?"

"Yes, I'm talking to Amber," Violetta said.

"Oh, how is she?" I asked trying hard not to peer at the screen.

"Upset," Violetta said, "her Cady Bear left for New York two weeks ahead of schedule."

"You mean?" I started, but couldn't bear to finish.

"That's right, Greg is gone," Violetta said as she typed in a response to Amber.

"I guess I should be happy," I said out loud.

Violetta said nothing and I quickly excused myself so I could go downstairs to the back patio and cry.

The view of the famous lake from the house was magnificent. Even at this time of year people still rode there boats to lazy about on the majestic waters. When the tears stopped I composed myself and went back into the house. There were many big changes about to occur in my life and I couldn't waste time agonizing about the past.

I stayed in Lake Tahoe with Violetta until New Years Day. Violetta had a wide variety of clothing and much to my delight I found stuff that fit over my puffed out stomach. During that time I arraigned for my own home studies and dealt with Sonny. On Christmas day I let him know that Violetta was having his children and that it was wrong for him to abandon her in her time of need. He hung up on me, but called Violetta an hour later. They talked for ages and by the end of it she came to the guest room which I was occupying to tell me Sonny had agreed to move her into his house.

"And here's the best part," Violetta said, taking my hand as she spoke, "Sonny has agree to move in with me!"

"Congratulations!" I said to her as I jumped up and gave her an awkward hug.

"This means that you'll have a room to stay at back at your mom's house," Violetta began, "Sonny said he'll see to it that all your stuff is moved out by tomorrow morning."

"That's a relief," I said.

Truth was I hadn't even spoken to my mom since her wedding reception debacle. With Sonny moving out of the house I could easily slip back in without anyone noticing.

"First things first, you need to call your mom, Sonny says she's mightily pissed at you," Violetta told me and I grimaced.

"I just can't do it," I said shaking my head no.

"You have to," Violetta said, "who's going to take you back and forth to your doctors appointments?"

"I wasn't thinking about all that," I admitted.

"Well it's high time you do," Violetta said, "winter break is almost over."

I took a deep breath.

"Maybe I could just text her," I said and Violetta laughed.

"No, that's definitely a conversation you want to have over the phone," Violetta said.

"I'll call her in the morning because right now I want some of that blueberry pie you're baking," I said breathing in the warm goodness.

"It's just about done, come to the kitchen when you're ready," Violetta said as she walked out the room door, "oh and Myra."

"Yes?" I asked looking up.

"Thanks. I don't know anyone else who would've done all this for me," Violetta said.

"Don't thank me, I really don't deserve it," I said, fighting back tears.

"You do," Violetta said and she turned and left.

There was hardly any snow on the ground as Violetta and I drove out of the mountains. The holiday season was over and by next week everyone would be mean and stressed as they went back to the mediocre jobs, schools, and families. To keep up the good spirit Violetta blasted Christmas music and we sang along like little school girls.

An hour before the city I looked over at Violetta and saw she was crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing, it's just I can't help, but think about Eliza and how much Christmas meant to her," Violetta answered, "you know last year she put together this silly secret Santa contest where everyone in The Crew had to pick a name out of a hat. We bought each other the silliest things and it turned out Eliza was my secret Santa and you want to know what she bought me?"

"What?" I asked solemnly because the thought of my dearly departed friend unknowingly celebrating her last Christmas here on Earth was unbearable.

"A unicorn," Violetta said, "since I was a little girl I've been fascinated by them. When we all met I let it be known that I was a unicorn fanatic. Everyone made fun of me and I half thought they didn't believe me. My heart skipped with joy when I saw that ceramic piece. Thinking about it now I just don't understand why something so horrific happened to such a kind hearted girl. She might have had issues, but don't we all? She didn't deserve what she got."

I couldn't add anything to that because I was crying now.

"Look at us," I finally said, "two pregnant chicks sobbing like babies."

"Yea, well you're almost due so there won't be anymore tears after you give birth for a long time," Violetta answered and I grinned.

"I still haven't spoken with my mother," I confessed.

"It's ok, she'll let you back in," Violetta said calmly.

"How can I know that for sure?" I asked feeling scared.

"Because a mother's love for her child is undying. No matter what he or she does a mother will never stop caring," Violetta said and I held onto those words as the city loomed before us.

We pulled along side the home I hadn't seen in three long months. Not much had changed, but the feeling I got from this looming mini-mansion was that I'd find many things different from the last time I was here.

"That's my mom's car out front," I said, "I guess I need to go in there and bite the bullet."

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Violetta asked.

"No," I said staring down the street to the house that no longer housed the man I head over heels in love with.

"Ok, Sonny called me before we left, all your stuff is in his room and all his belongings are at the house," Violetta said, "I'm headed there right now."

"Good luck," I said as I opened the truck door.

"To you too," Violetta said and we hugged.

"I'll be on MySpace tonight so message me," I told her.

"I will," Violetta said and I closed the door and stepped onto the sidewalk.

It was already almost three PM. People reigning in the New Year were just waking out of their alcohol induced sleep. I walked quickly up the driveway and to the front door. I took the handle and turned it.

The door opened and I was greeted by the smell of burning firewood.

"Myra?" mom said from the couch.

"Hello," I answered her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, stunned.

"I'm moving back," I told her and she twisted her face.

"Oh, so the prodigal daughter has finally returned home," Celia said, coming out of the kitchen.

It took all my mind power not to charge at her. Maybe I was growing up.

"After that stunt you pulled I shouldn't let you anywhere near my home," mom said as she got up from the couch and came toward me.

"Blame my hormones," I said, turning from her to the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" mom asked me.

"To my room," I told her.

"It's my room now," Celia interjected.

"First of all no one was talking to your ho a*s and if you address me again you're going to find yourself in a body bag," I said as I moved toward Celia in anger.

"There will be none of that! We're a family here and no one will be attacking anyone under my roof! You two are step-sisters now and you need to get along, whether you like it or not," Mom said to the both of us.

"I have no problem with Myra, she has a whole bunch with me," Celia whined.

"Don't act so innocent, let's not forget the night I walked in on you and David having sex in the living room!" I shouted and mom's face went white.

"Myra, not one more word!" Mom said.

"What I do with my boyfriend is none of your business," Celia said turning red.

"At that time he was more my boyfriend than yours," I said.

"Enough!" Mom yelled.

"Can I just go up to my room now?" I asked, growing bored with this melodrama.

"What room do you mean?" Mom asked

"Sonny's," I answered her and she looked puzzled.

"Huh?" mom asked.

"Sonny moved out, didn't you know?" I asked.

"No one ever tells me a thing, so I guess this means you're taking his old room," Mom said shaking her head.

"Yes," I answered her.

"Then go, don't let me hold you back from doing what you want," Mom finally exhaled, "it's not like I ever could in the first place."

I rolled my eyes and climbed the steps. My pregnancy was at such an advanced stage that this became like a chore. Since I had no belongings with me it was easy to carry my purse. By the time I got to the top of the stairs I was exhausted. It took all my strength to get to Sonny's door which was the first one on the left side of the house. His room was considerably smaller, but not by much. When his door opened I gasped.

"Myra?" Mike asked coming from behind me.

"Hi, Mike, I'm back," I said.

"Whoa, what happened in here?" he asked looking into Sonny's old room.

"Motherhood," I answered and closed my eyes as my baby boy kicked up a storm.

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