The Life of Charlotte Diaz

Chapter 18. Picture Perfect

NOT EDITED 

Only a week had gone by since I had been discharged. A week of catching up to do as well. Grandma didn't let me go to school- claimed it was too much to handle at this time. But in all reality, I had wanted to go to school the very next day I had been discharged. I had wanted the nightmare to end already. But it seemed as if that wasn't going to happen at all. Well, not anytime soon that is.

"Lotte! Lotte! Come here! Look what I drawed!" Addy suddenly shouted from across the room.

"Drew," came my grandma's instant response in correction to her wording.

Addy gave her a sheepish grin. "Right! Look what I drew!" She emphasized the word, making sure my grandma heard. She smiled at Addy in praise.

I pulled the covers off of me and went to her side at the table. Luke had decided to drop off Addy since she had wanted to see me. She didn't have school since it was a "Teacher's Work Day" apparently. However, my school didn't have that so Luke still went to school. Plus, she had wanted to see me anyways.

I looked down and smiled at her drawing. It was sort of close to a stick figure-like person, but with a little more detail. It was of a young girl who appeared to have the same colored eyes and hair as Addy, so I could only assume it was her. And she was holding the hand of a taller girl. I knew it wasn't me since this girl's hair was colored in brown curls and their eyes were a shade of blue. She had wrote 'From your Little Prinsess' on the bottom.

My grandma had leaned over suddenly and instantly corrected the word to 'Princess'. "Who's that?" She asked afterwards, her eyes glimmering in praise at Addy's work.

"My mommy." The way she had said it made my heart churn. It came out with so much praise and joy. So much love. "I haven't seen her in awhile though." The tone in which she said it was only another blow to my chest.. Her blue eyes had suddenly gone a shade darker than before as her head turned to look back at the paper.

"Oh, why is that darling?"My grandma questioned.

Addy twisted her lips together. "Lukey says I'm not 'opposed to talk about it.

Both my grandma and I furrowed our eyebrows.

Addy then leaned in real close to us and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't tell Lukey that I told you. Mama is in this horrible place called a jail." She stressed out the last word.

My eyes widened and my grandma could only blink her eyes in shock. "Wh-what?"

Adilyn nodded her head. "Mmh. Lukey says she did something bad so she has to spend a few years there. He says it's some kind of hotel but I've seen mommy and it looks yuck! Worst hotel ever! She even has to wear this ugly orange outfit all the time."

I could only stare with my lips slightly parted in shock. Her mom... was in jail. There was no question about that. She had described jail as some kind of horrible hotel and I guess, in a way, it was a hotel- but you don't pay to be there; others do.

"Uhm..." grandma trailed off. "... well sweetheart, I'm sure she'll be out soon. Now uh, would you like a grilled cheese?" She asked, quickly changing the subject to something all kids loved- food.

Almost instantly, Addy's eyes lit up again and she grinned. "Yes! Can you make it extra cheesy? Please!" Addy trailed along after my grandma with her hands entwined together.

I went to sit back on the couch and cover myself up, blinking slowly to process that all. Addy's mother was in jail. That means... Asher's mother was also in jail- as well as Luke's. Shaking my head to rid the thoughts, I pulled the blankets over myself and turned around. Some much needed rest would help, I'm sure.