Raine Part Three: Getting Away From it All

Written by: Natasha

Sick of the stress and crying, I decided to take Tristan up north for a weekend trip to my mom's.  I thought Tristan would fight with me, or have a meltdown, but he just yelled " Nana!!!" and ran to sit in the car before I was even packed. I guess I wasn't the only one who needed to get away. 

 

I finished packing our bags, and got into the car.  I'd called Dawn, to let her know I'd be gone for the weekend, having decided to make an attempt at being reasonable.  After all it wasn't really Dawn's fault.   Reagan at sixteen was more than capable of being held responsible for her actions. 

 

As I merged onto the highway, I glanced in the rear-view mirror at Tristan.  He sat with his eyes closed, rocking side to side, humming along with the radio.  A giant smile spread across his face. 

 

My mom lived about a two hours drive north from our house, and this being Oregon, it rained the entire trip.  Chances were on the way home, it'd be raining then too.  My mom had to have some sort of sick obsession with rain, having named me Raine and moving us here when I was in elementary school.  Oregon had to be the rainiest place possible to live.

 

As soon as I pulled up into the driveway, I saw the front door open.  I waved and smiled at my mom. Tristan was yanking on his door handle, desperately trying to get out.

 

"Hold on baby...I'm coming, I'm coming...patience little one."

 

"Nana!!" was his only response.  I went around and opened his door.  He bolted to my mom, nearly knocking her over.

 

"My how you've grown! How old are you now, twenty-one?" she asked teasingly.

 

"Tris si..si..sixteen"

 

"Hey mom. Yeah he's turning into quite the little man isn't he?" I said carrying our bags.

 

She smiled, "Indeed...lets get you all inside.  I have a surprise for Tristan."

 

When we got inside, I immediately spotted this 'surprise'.  He had a bow tied around his neck and was jumping up on Tristan's legs.

 

"A puppy? Mom...c'mon, seriously?" I asked as I watched Tristan giggling and trying to control the hyper little Pug. She didn't inform me of this, surprise, because she knew I'd say no way.  I had enough to worry about without a dog. Ugh. 

 

"Tristan..what are you gonna name him?" my mom asked before I could protest anymore.

 

"Suh..piz...he..suh piz."

 

"Well you did tell him you had a surprise for him."

 

We laughed, and I left them all to bond with Surprise while I unpacked. 

 

********************************

 

Later that night my mom broached the topic I had deemed forbidden. Zander. I know she meant well, but he was the last person I wanted to think about on this mini-vacation.  I was tired of hearing that I needed to track him down and tell him about his son, if for nothing else than child support. I shook my head and told her I was going to bed.  I refused to think of him and soon fell asleep, it was there he always seemed to  find me and the events of the past were relived once more. 

 

 

Zander kissed my hand and pulled me tightly to him,I felt the warmth of his breath in my ear.  "I need to apologize for my actions lately, I cannot believe I have allowed myself to yell at you.  You are an amazing woman." He pulled away and looked into my eyes. "I love you Raine..I would never mean to hurt you."

 

Zander began kissing my face,neck, and running his hands everywhere. "Forgive me?" he whimpered.

 

"Oh Zander, of course I forgive you! You saw the test didn't you? I asked grinning.  Zander barely paused in his kissing and nuzzling my neck. "What test?"  I knew he was in the mood to make love, but this was important. It was now or never.

 

"The pregnancy test...we're having a baby!" I beamed, kissing him passionately.  He stepped back, his smile turning into a sneer.

 

"You're pregnant?"

 

This wasn't the reaction I expected at all, and it concerned me greatly.

 

"Yes, oh Zander! You're going to be a father! We're going to have a child together, and it's going to make our family complete, isn't this wonderful?"

 

"Raine-" was all he got out before closing his mouth again, his facial expression not giving much away. He seemed solid and unreadable.

 

"Say something..anything" I begged never expecting what came next.

 

"Raine..you can't be serious, can you? A kid?  Could anything be any more absurd. Am I being Punked right now? Our relationship is barely hanging on as it is.  Today was my attempt at fixing us, and that thing growing inside of you is just going to tear us further apart. Please, just tell me you're joking.  Okay well let me tell you this..either you get rid of it or I wont have anything to do with you! I will not throw my life away to be a father at the age of twenty-five. Do you understand?"

 

"But aren't you excited to see where this takes us? Dawn and Anthony are expecting as well! They're planning a wedding and a life together, like we should be doing."

 

"Get rid of it or I'm out, period!  I will not change my life for you, and I'm sure as hell not proposing just because one of my sperm found its way into your f*****g uterus. F**k!!! It's not like you're the first, and if you had any sense and really wanted to be with me, you'd kill the b*****d, because that's all he'll ever be is a b*****d!"

 

I awoke, tears streaming down my cheeks.  The pain as fresh as if it happened yesterday. I crept from my bed, and went down the hallway to the room where Tristan slept.

 

He lay curled on the bed, Surprise lay at his feet.  I shook my head but smiled through my tears.  I walked over and kneeled beside the bed. How could Zander have wanted me to kill you? I couldn't imagine my life without you.  It's hard some days...but it's so worth it every time I see that smile spread across your face. I whispered into the darkness, running my fingers through his hair.  I lay my head on the bed and sobbed. 

 

I must have fallen asleep there, because I was awakened by Tristan.  My neck screamed from being in such a position for so long, and my muscled ached, 

 

The weekend seemed to be flying by, and it saddened me, but I was determined to make the most of it.  After a breakfast of mom's homemade banana pancakes, I took Tristan down to the creek to see the fish and have a nice walk through the woods.  As we were watching the fish, he looked at me, a perplexed expression on his face.

 

"What is it Tris..why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, taking a seat on a large boulder. 

 

"Ray..t..tr.." He gave up and signed the word 'trouble'.  I understood what he was trying to ask without much difficulty.

 

"Yes baby, Reagan is in trouble.  She did a bad thing, a selfish thing." I told him gently. He thought for a moment,and sat down on the edge of the creek. He flapped his right hand a couple times then signed 'miss her.'  My heart broke, and tears sprang to my eyes.  Here I was blaming Reagan for a selfish act, but by protecting Tristan, I was guilty of being selfish as well.  He didn't understand what was going on.  All he was aware of was the fact that an important person in his life, in essence his best friend, was no longer walking him home or coming to visit.  I was just trying to do what I thought best, but for whom? Tristan..or myself? 

 

I knew then I would have to make some changes, maybe invite her over when they got home and let her visit with Tristan.  I wouldn't allow her to walk him home, it was probably best to let her walk on her own, and let me be the responsible one for a while.  I remembered being sixteen, and I didn't think I'd want to spend everyday looking after my friend.  Part of this I knew was my fault. The only innocent party to this whole thing was Tristan. 

 

"Baby when we get home...I'll call Dawn and have her send Reagan over for a visit.  She's still in trouble, but I know she'd love to see you." A smile spread across his face.

 

" sh...she...won' run a..away...?' he asked. A couple tears broke free and slid down my cheeks.

 

"No baby..she isn't gonna run away.  I promise.  Let go walk through the woods then we'll go see Nana for lunch.  She's making your favorite."

 

"ch..ch..nuggets..and frens fr..ies?" he beamed getting excited, causing me to laugh.

 

"You got it, come on."

 

We arrived at my mom's house just as lunch was ready. Tristan bounced around the kitchen as he awaited his plate.  Most food textures made him upset, and he'd refuse to eat till he was given something smooth or soft. The two main exceptions were chicken and potatoes, in any form. 

 

I turned to my mom as I sat Tristan down with his plate. "This parenting stuff isn't easy is it mom"

 

"No that it's not...but it's worth it.  You seem to be doing a great job."

 

I looked down at my plate, suddenly not hungry anymore.

 

"Not that great of a job, I'm afraid."

 

"Nonsense..is this about that girl running off?" she asked sitting down beside me. I looked up.

 

"I want to do what's right, and I'm supposed to protect him.  I've failed in the latter, and I'm afraid I don't know what's right anymore."

 

"Look into your heart..I think you know more than you think.  Don't like your mind overrule.  He's not a baby anymore.  What she did was horrible, and could have turned out dreadful.  I understand that, but people do learn from their mistakes Raine." she placed her hand on top of mine. "Give her a chance to make it up to you. You said yourself she seemed regretful and saddened by what she'd done. I raised you as a good Christian girl, now you forgive her and let this whole thing work itself out.  It will take some time and some healing, but it'll all work out. You'll see."

 

I took a few bites and nodded. She was right. 

 

After the dishes were done and put away, we watched Finding Nemo for the millionth time.  It was definitely a day for Tristan's favorites.  Tristan was glued to the screen with Surprise by his side. I took out my laptop during the movie and finally got some work done.  I was glad that I decided to have this little break, it ended up being productive in more ways than one. Once the movie ended I told Tristan we would be leaving soon, he didn't take it well.  He screamed and cried, hitting himself in the face.  My mom took him into the kitchen to share some Snickerdoodle's with him while I packed.  I could still hear him yelling 'NO!", the cookies not having the desired affect of distraction. I sighed.  This was the only reason we didn't come up here more often, he was so excited to come but when it was time to leave it was major meltdown mode.  I placed the bags into the car, and went inside to get Tristan.  He was holding onto my mom with all his might shaking his head. "Baby, we'll come back, I promise." It was hard to pry his arms loose, he may act like a child but his strength is just like any young man's. I quickly said our goodbye's and got Tristan into the escort.  It had of course started raining again.  After the disturbance at the house, the trip home was surprisingly quiet.  Tristan had fallen asleep in the back, head leaned against the glass.  In the quiet I thought a lot  about what my mom had said. I knew I really needed to forgive and start to work past all this.  Tristan didn't have many friends...correction Tristan didn't have any friends beside Reagan.  Who was I to take that away from him?  I willed my heart to soften and my mind to try not to over think everything.  I needed to just breathe...and let go. 

Author's Note

All Raine parts are done by Natasha (midnight_mystery) please feel free to send her read requests so that she can edit/revise her work appropriately when giving certain advice. I can only fix grammar/spelling corrections, as I don't want to rewrite her parts for her, otherwise... what's the point in a co-writer? Thank you.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A bad reaction to a baby. The story got harder and colder from that point. I'm amazed and surprised by a pregnancy reaction sometime in real life. Life is simple. Sex mean the possibility of a baby even with protection. I like the trip up north. A very strong chapter. A lot of interesting situations in this chapter.
Coyote

[Sarah McConnaughey]

"Don't like your mind overrule." Did you mean "Don't let your mind overrule."?

I really liked this chapter, and it had great detail, but I think the last paragraph could have been split up because it was a bit confusing in parts. Another great chapter, though. :)

Edit: "maybe invite her over when they got home" Do you mean " when we get home" instead of "when they got home"?

[.shalynn.009.]

My review is on Natasha's page if you want to read it over. Can't hurt to get in on her critiques, right?

[Thomas Sawyer]

Not been critical but this chapter really doesn't add anything to the story except for 'Surprise'. I suggest you give details of the weekend, don't rush over it.
You switched to third person a few times when narrating the dream, you should correct that too.