by Ancelli
“I was so afraid of my mom finding out, and beating me. I dropped out of school, and I ended up at a homeless shelter.”
“What?” He raised his voice, his eyes shining.
“I couldn’t keep her around a druggie. I had nothing to give her. ” Her lips quivered. “Those people at the center were nice to me, but they had planned to take her away from me the minute I gave birth. I couldn’t let them take her.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“Because I was young, dumb, and mad at you, but I gave into you that night. I let you have sex with me. I know if I would’ve said no, you would’ve stopped.”
“Lanie.”
“I went back to school a year later and I graduated high school. Then I got a full scholarship to college, and while I was in college, I worked three jobs, and I hired a private investigator to search for you, but he always came up empty. He played me. I gave up too easily.”
“My dad and I went over to your mother’s house when we found Alanie, and she told us it was impossible for you to have had a baby, and she told us not to come back.”
“She didn’t know because she was always too busy getting high to notice.”
“You should’ve came to me. My dad would’ve helped you.”
“Jeremy, at that time in my life, I wasn’t thinking straight. I had nothing to offer a baby, but I knew you would and you have.”
Alanie started waking up, and stretched her arms out, the same way Malanie did. “I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry.” Jeremy smile
d, but it didn’t make it to his eyes, like usual.
“That’s not true,” she said, sitting up.
“Aunt Carolyn is on her way to pick you up.”
“Can I come back and visit tomorrow?” She stared at her Dad.
“Yes, if that’s okay.” He looked at Malanie.
“Of course,” she blurted out.
She leaned up and kissed Malanie on the cheek. “I hope you feel better.” Getting off the bed, she went to the bathroom.
There was a knock on the door, and Carolyn walked in. She was a tall, attractive woman, with long, brown hair and golden, hazel eyes.
“Carolyn, it’s been a long time. You look great.” Malanie said, looking at his sister.
“It has. How are you feeling?”
“Could be better.”
“I’m sorry to hear about the baby, but if you need someone to talk to, call me. I was in my last trimester when I lost my baby. I know how you feel.”
Malanie just stared at her.
Alanie came out of the bathroom. “I washed my hands, Daddy.” She started to giggle. “Bye, Ms. Malanie. See you tomorrow.” She waved as she left with her aunt.
“You don’t have to stay,” she said.
“I know.”
Chapter Seven
Malanie’s door swung open.
“Hey, baby, I got you some flowers,” Luis said, strolling into her room with a bouquet of wild flowers in his hands. He still had a black eye and busted lip from when Jeremy had beat him up, defending her.
Her heart raced. “Get out.” Her voice rattled with anger.
He set the flowers on the table next to her bed. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I lost it,” he said, walking to her side. “I just can’t lose you.”
“You’re sorry?” she yelled. “For what, for beating me or for killing my baby?”
“What?”
“You killed my baby!” she cried. “Get out!”
He just stood in shock, looking at her. “No, she can’t be dead. You’re supposed to protect her,” he said, staring angrily at her. “It’s your fault.”
She reached and grabbed the vase of flowers, throwing it at him, and he ducked out of the way. “Get out!” she yelled again, “and take your flowers with you!”
***
Jeremy heard her yelling from down the hall and ran into her room, pulling the door open. “You bastard, haven’t you hurt her enough?”
Luis glared back at him and she could tell he remembered him. “You again. What are you doing here?”
“Making sure no one—I mean no one—hurts her again.” He stalked up to him. “You will never lay another finger on her.”
“Jeremy, it’s okay. Luis was just leaving,” Malanie said.
“Bitch, you fucking this white trash?”
Jeremy grabbed him by the arm, pushing him up on the wall. “I thought you were in jail?”
“Get your hands off me, or you’ll regret it. I can have you arrested for assault,” Luis said, trying to pry himself away from Jeremy’s grip.
“But you won’t,” Malanie said. “We have nothing holding us together anymore. I don’t want to see you again.” Malanie closed her eyes.
“Did you hear her? If I catch you bothering her again, I promise I’ll make you regret the day you were born.” Jeremy pushed him out of her room.
Her lips quivered as she cried. “I can’t believe my baby is dead, and he’s responsible. It’s my fault…I should’ve left him long time ago. Now my baby’s gone.”
He held her hand and squeezed it. He wanted to get into the bed with her and hold her, but he didn’t. “I won’t let him, or anyone, hurt you again,” he whispered in her ear.
Chapter Eight
Jeremy entered her room. “Ready to go home?” he asked, looking stunning in his khaki uniform. God, he was sexy. His face was more mature, but he was the same boy she’d fallen in love with, so many years ago.
“Yes, I’m ready.” She picked up her bag.
He moved closer and took the bag away from her. The nurse came in with a wheelchair. She sat, and the nurse pushed her to the exit of the hospital. Jeremy helped her up to his SUV, and closed her door before running to his side. “Where to?”
She gave him the address and he input it in his navigation system. “Lanie, are you sure you’ll be safe? You can stay with Alanie and me.”
She’d had her locks and alarm system changed at her condo.
“I’ll be okay. I have the best guards and a security system.” She looked out the window. “My mom insisted on staying with me for a couple of weeks. Can you believe it, after all these years? She’s trying to be a real mom.”
“Do you still want Alanie to come over next Friday?” he asked, peering over at her for a second, and returning to look at the road.
“I want to spend as much time with her. I’ve lost so much already. Did you change your mind?”
“No, she needs you. It’s just your mother, I don’t know how I feel about her spending time with Alanie.”
“I won’t let her hurt her. I found my daughter and I want a relationship with her. No one will keep her away from me.” She paused. “Only you have the power to,” she said with sadness in her voice.
He grabbed her hand without looking at her. “I will not keep her from you.”
He reached her building and she could tell he was in awe. “What do you do again?”
She laughed. “I’m an accountant.”
“You’ve always loved numbers.” He parked where she pointed, in the guest spot next to hers. Next to his SUV there was a navy blue C-Class Mercedes coupe. “Damn, you really did good for yourself.”
“I came from nothing, making awful decisions, but I believed in myself.” She gave a light chuckle.
“I always knew you could do any thing you put your mind to.” He got out of the car and walked over her side, helping her out. He grabbed her bag and followed her. She had to use her fingerprint to get into the building and elevator. “You’re right. Great security. Alanie will be safe.”
“I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her.”
The elevator opened and they walked into the hall. She opened her condo door with a special key. “Welcome to my home.” She gave him a tour.
Her condo was modern and huge. It had a beautiful view of the city, with an open floor plan. The living room was decorated in dark colors. Her kitchen had all stainless steel appliances, with
a island in the middle and hanging pots. Her dining room, decorated in white and black, seated eight people. The master bedroom was simple, with a king size bed in the middle with white blankets and about ten pillows. Her bathroom was big with separate shower and bath tub and a walk-in closet. Her condo had two balconies.
“Only one bedroom?”
“No, I have one more.” He followed her.
She took a deep breath, placing her hand on the doorknob. Jeremy put his hands on hers. “I don’t need to see it.”
“I need to, but I don’t want to do it alone.” She opened the door.
“Nooo….”
Everything she had for the baby was gone. The crib, clothes, everything was gone. There was an envelope on the full-size bed. She picked it up, read it, and rushed out of the room, crying.
Jeremy picked it up, and read it.
Malanie,
I donated all of the baby’s things. I knew it would be hard coming home to be reminded of something you lost.
Love,
Mom
He closed the door and went searching for her, he found her in the living room looking out at the view, with her hands wrapped around her waist. He came up behind her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. It startled her, making her jump.
“Lanie, she meant well.”
“I wanted to do it. That’s all I had left of her.” She wiped her tears.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” he whispered in her ear. She turned in his arms and cried for the loss of her baby. “I’m here for you,” he said, rubbing her back. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“She was my second chance,” she said between sobs. “I’m missing something I never had.”
“Your first chance is still here, and she loves you.” He leaned back, wiping her tears. “I wish I could bring your baby back to you. She was beautiful. Small, button nose, and full lips, like you.” He touched her nose, and then he touched her hair. “She even had curly hair. She looked so peaceful, like an angel, sleeping….”
“She was perfect.” She turned back around and looked up to the sky. “My Angel’s in heaven with Jacky.”
They turned when they heard keys at her door. “It’s my mom. She’s the only one I gave the new combinations to,” she said, entering the kitchen.
“I should leave.” He walked to the door.
“No.”
“She hates me. I don’t think that’s changed.”
“That’s her problem, not mine. You’re my friend.” When she said that, she was surprised to see hurt in his eyes.
“Malanie, I’m here,” her mother called. With one look at Jeremy, the woman stopped short. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Before he could answer, Malanie did, stepping forward. “He’s here because I want him here.”
“You just got out of a relationship.” She put down the bags she had in her hands.
“A relationship you encouraged.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Just like you didn’t know I was pregnant.”
“And that’s my fault how?”
“You were a junkie, I was afraid of you, mother.”
“Malanie, he was wrong for you then and he’s wrong for you now.” Her mom crossing her arms over her chest.
“He was the best thing for me back then. He kept me sane. I’m who I am today because of all his encouragement. We did make mistakes, but all is forgiven. If it wasn’t for him I would probably be dead right now. Instead of disrespecting him, you should be saying thank you for saving me,” Malanie said.
“Lanie, I’ll call you about next Friday.” He marched over to the door. “If you need me, call. Have a nice day, Mrs. Johnson.”
“I don’t need a lecture, Mom. My daughter will be spending next weekend with me, and if you have a problem with that, see your way out.”
“I’m your mother. You’ve never treated me with nothing but respect,” her mother said with pain in her voice.
“That’s before I found out what you did. I asked you, Mother, if you ever saw or heard from Jeremy and you looked me in the eye and said no. Even after I told you I did have a baby, but you already knew that, because his dad told you. What I did was stupid, but when I tried to right my wrong, you kept her away. That’s why, Mom.” After saying what she needed to get off her chest, she headed to her bedroom, lay down on her bed, and eventually fell asleep.
Chapter Nine
The next morning Alanie and Jeremy began the five-hour drive to his parents’ house. He’d asked Carolyn not to mention all that had happened. He wanted to be the one to tell his parents the news.
Alanie sat in the back seat playing her video game. When she looked up at the rear view mirror, she saw him watching her. “Daddy, my mom is beautiful. I can’t wait until Friday to spend time with her.”
“Play nice. Your grandmother will be there and she’s not too friendly.”
“But I’m cute!” She giggled, pausing her game.
“If at any time you feel uncomfortable, you call me, okay?”
“Yes, daddy.” She continued playing.
“Let me tell grandpa and grandma about your mom.”
“Okay.”
A few hours later, he pulled up to his parents’ ranch style home and parked. He thought of knocking, but decided against it and used his key. He opened the door, and Alanie strolled in before he did.
“Mom, Dad?” He knew they were there, because both their cars were parked in the front. “Alanie, go find your grandparents.”
“Grandpa, Grandma, we’re here!”
He shook his head. “I could’ve done that myself. I meant go look around.”
She giggled.
“Not funny.”
“Hold on, son…we’re coming!” his dad yelled.
His mom came in to the room, fixing her hair. “Son, what are you doing here?” She took Alanie in her arms. “Princess, I’ve missed you.”
“Jeremy, we weren’t expecting you,” his father said, catching his breath, fixing his shirt.
Jeremy gawked at his parents. His mom was sweaty, and his dad looked flushed. I just interrupted my parents having sex.
“Jeremy!” His dad raised his voice, getting his attention. “Is it true, what Alanie just said?
He arched his brow, not knowing what his dad was asking.
“You found Malanie.”
He must have been so distracted by the sight of his parents, he hadn’t heard his daughter tell them the news. “Yes, its true,” he answered, giving Alanie the eye.
His mother’s mouth dropped in surprise, and her face started to turn red, signaling she was about to blow.
“Ms. Malanie is very nice,” Alanie said, excitedly.
“Is she?” his dad asked.
“Yes, Grandpa. She promised me she would never leave me again.” Her eyes lit up like stars every time she spoke about her mother.
“We will see about that.” His mom had to add her two cents.
“Alanie, go out back and say hi to Buddy,” Jeremy said in a stern voice so she knew he wasn’t asking.
She skipped away toward the back yard to play with the golden retriever. He waited for the door to open and close before he continued.
“Mom, I won’t let you talk ill about Malanie in front of my child.”
His mother glared at him, putting her hands on her hips. “Excuse me? Your child? I was the one that took care of her when you went to high school, boot camp, training, overseas, and you have the nerve to tell me what I can and can’t do because of that trash.”
Jeremy just glared back at his mother, feeling the vein in his neck throbbing. He’d never disrespected his parents, and wouldn’t start now.
“Carol, calm down. She is the girl’s mother. Every little girl needs a mother.”
“Where was she all those years, when she got sick, her first day of school? Not being her mother.”
“Dad, may I please speak to you alone?”
His dad put his arms aroun
d his shoulders and they headed to the den, ignoring his mother.
“We searched for her. Where did you find her?” his dad asked, sitting.
“It was a coincidence.” He paused. “Some jerk was beating on her. That’s how we finally found her.” In the moment, he decided not to tell his parents about her baby.
“Is she okay?”
“Yes, she was at the hospital for three days, and I dropped her home yesterday. Her witch of a mother is with her. I can’t believe she still puts up with that woman after everything she’s done to her.”
“She’s still her mother. She was an awful parent back then but maybe she’s changed. Everybody deserves a second chance.”
“I doubt that.”
“I was going to ask, how’s Alanie taking all of this, but I can see, she’s happy.”
He smiled. “Dad you should see them together, it’s like they were never apart.”
“Did you get your answers?”
“Yes. She was living in a homeless shelter, while she was pregnant.” He rubbed his temples.
“What?”
“I said the same thing. Her mom kicked her out after a fight and she had nowhere to go and found the shelter. They helped her, or so she thought. She overheard them saying they were going to take Alanie away from her as soon as she gave birth, because she couldn’t take care of her. She gave birth and when she was discharged, she dropped her off with us. She had no money, no one,” he said, getting emotional. “She went back to the shelter, and told them she had a miscarriage.”
“Why didn’t she come to us?”
“She was young, and her faith in me had been broken. They were going to snatch our baby from her. She stayed there for three more months, and then she came looking for us, but when she couldn’t find us, she went back to the shelter and fell into a deep depression. Do you remember Carmen Ortiz? Carmen found her and forced her to go home to her mother. Malanie went from one bad situation to another. Her mom sent her to public therapy, and they helped her. Malanie went back to high school, graduated. Mrs. Johnson never told her we went looking for her, or gave her our new address.” He took a deep breath. “She looked for us, trying to move mountains, but came out empty.”