Eleven: Take A Stand

I hung the dress up in the backseat of the car and climbed into the front with Greg who started the car and pulled off. I saw Wendy peering out the door and when she spotted me in the car she once again narrowed her gaze.

 

"I'll need a ride in the morning," turning down the radio as I spoke.

 

"I can't do that," Greg whined.

 

"Because of Cadence," I replied in a mocking tone.

 

"You don't know what it's like to be in love so you wouldn't understand," Greg said as we stopped at a red light.

 

"How would you know I've never been in love?" I asked turning to face him.

 

"I guess I wouldn't," Greg finally said.

 

"No," I said, turning to look out my window at the gas station with cracks running deep into the pailing tar, "you wouldn't."

 

 

"So what's the deal with Liam? You told my parents he was that African-American guy's baby," Greg said, trying hard not to stumble upon his words.

 

 

"I lied," I said sitting back and closing my eyes.

 

 

"You shouldn't have because now they'll want a paternity test," Greg sighed.

 

 

"I'm not paying for that," I threw back at him.

 

 

We were pulling forward now out of the bad area. I was glad my job only required me to model at a bridal show on the other side of town. I hoped to never return here anytime soon.

 

Greg drove us straight home, but I had to beg him to stop at my place first so I could drop the dress off.

 

"Please, hurry, Cadence will be home soon," Greg complained.

 

"Why don't you just drive home then, I can always walk," I replied as I got out the car.

 

"Hurry," Greg groaned and I slammed the door.

 

I walked up the driveway and went to the front door. Laughter spilled out onto the porch and I opened the door to the most frightening sight.

 

"What are you two doing here?" I asked still holding the plastic that surrounded my dress away from my body.

 

"Myra," Amber said rising from the couch, "it's been forever since I seen you. How is it going?"

 

"Fine," I answered discontendedly.

 

"Hello," Cadence said weakly.

 

"The girls and I were just talking," Celia said beaming from ear to ear.

 

"I see that," I commented, shaking my head as I spoke.

 

When did Celia start hanging around with Amber? This was odd to say the least.

 

"Who dropped you off?" Amber asked going to the door and peering out.

 

"I'm just here to put my stuff away," I said moving from the door to the staircase.

 

"Who is it?" Cadence asked with her eyes growing larger.

 

I didn't stay down there, but I heard Amber tell Cadence that it was Greg.

 

Once in my room I laid the dress gently on my bed and rushed out to see what kind of mayhem had been stirred up.

 

The three girls no longer sat on the couches in the living room and the front door stood wide open. I didn't want to be away from my son any longer and this choas being started needed to wait.

 

Cadence, now teary eyed, stood on the driver's side talking to Greg who now had the window down. Amber stood on Cadence's right side and Celia on Cadence's left side. I didn't understand why she needed to be consoled, but I had no time to ponder this precarious situation.

 

I walked passed them and went to the passenger's side door.

 

"Whatever you're crying over can wait for later," I spoke to Cadence who met my gaze with intense fury, "I need to go get my son."

 

"Don't talk to me!" Cadence screamed, "Don't you even look at me, you w***e!"

 

"B***h, I wish you would!" I screamed right back at her.

 

"Not out here," Amber said pulling Cadence's arm to prevent her from coming around the car.

 

"No, no, I'm sick of this! She's trying to steal my husband!" Cadence screamed.

 

I was sick of this too. Greg was the father of my son whether he, Cadence, or anyone else liked it. For months I'd been preparing myself for his return and now he acted like he didn't even know me. That was an insult and it had to stop here and now.

 

"Come get some, ho!" I yelled as I moved lucidly from the passenger's side to the driver's side.

 

I wasn't prepared for Cadence to swing at me with a closed fist, but that's what she did. Her punch decked me right in my nose and blood squirted as I heard a crunch. I was hit again in my right ear which immediately caused me to lose my balance. I stumbled, but refused to fall. Those two punches had left Cadence winded and that's when I started swinging. First I got her in her mouth. Then I clocked her in the stomach which left her more winded then anything. With all her energy being put into trying to breath I grabbed a full clump of her hair and pulled her forward. Cadence lost her balance and fell to her knees. It was just her luck that she's chosed to wear shorts today because I moved her forward which caused her knees to scrape against the cement pavement.

 

Cadence howled in agony, but I didn't let up. Now that I had the upper hand I scratched Cadence's face because I couldn't get a good hit in.

 

"Hey! Hey! Stop that!" an old man driving out toward the stoplights hollered at us.

 

I hadn't been paying attention, but mom and Arthur were now driving toward the melee.

 

Mom, who was driving, immediately hit the brakes and jumped out with the car still rolling.

 

"Myra, you let her go! Let her go, please, God let her go there's blood everywhere!" Mom shrilled.

 

"Why aren't you stopping them?" the old man asked Amber and Celia who neglected to respond.

 

It was now that I came back to the present and saw that all the neighors adjacent to our house were outside watching the brawl.

 

"Call 911!" Mom yelled at Celia who looked completely in awe.

 

I let go of Cadence's hair and she fell face first into the pavement.

 

"S**t, is she conscious?" the old man, who was now hovering over Cadence asked.

 

Cadence let out a moan and I put my hand to my nose which was now dripping with blood that had saturated my t-shirt.

 

I finally looked over at Greg who was now slumped over against the steering wheel. He was the one who had created this mess and he needed to clean it up. Mom and the old man were attending to Candence and I moved away from them to get to the driver's side door.

 

"Get out! You deal with this! Half of what's happening is your fault!" I screamed at Greg who refused to look at me.

 

"Leave him alone," Amber said with a raspy voice.

 

"Are you talking to me?" I asked, but Amber stood there silent, "you didn't have to tell Cadence he was out there."

 

"She needed to know," Amber reponded.

 

"Why? So you could get the show you so desperately needed? Now your best friend is lying face down, bloody on the pavement and you've got nothing to say except she needed to know?" I asked in rapid succession.

 

"That's her husband!" Celia jumped in.

 

"He also happens to be the father of my son!" I screamed at Celia who opened up her eyes as wide as they could go.

 

Amber turned as the ambulance with it's blaring sirens stopped in front of the old man's car. I didn't know why I hadn't hear it. My anger had really boiled this time.

 

"I told you already," Greg finally said, "I don't want anything to do with you."

 

"It's too late for that," Mom answered Greg as the EMS men circled around Cadence who was now moaning in pain.

 

I spotted a patrol car rolling slowly pass the park. I knew more trouble lay ahead for me.

 

Reviews

[Dimples87]

Wow, this chapter is nothing that I expected from what I read in previous chapters.

[trish420]

Well now, that's not what I expected Cadence would do either! Or Amber! What an exciting chapter! It feels like things are going to come full circle pretty soon. I like that s**t finally came back on Greg as he's been acting like a d****e and coming out smelling like a rose lately and he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt.

[Tina Kline]

Great chapter. More trouble for Myra but I hope it doesn't get real bad. Perhaps Greg needs to step up and deal with his wife and Myra. He did help create a lot of her difficulties.