𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄́ ─ 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱

Marissa paused for a beat, trying to think about what was just said. All she could say in response was, "Huh?" as she had no clue what he was talking about. "You're the millennial here, Sensei."

"Same difference," he scoffed softly. "I'm just saying, isn't it a little late to be out by yourself? Where are your parents?"

"My mom is at home with my sister. I'm never supposed to be out later than seven o'clock without calling."

"So why don't you get a move on?" Johnny said more than asked, the pain from the kick now a distant memory. Marissa turned back to the gate and saw the car still parked in the same spot.

She hesitated as she turned back around. Johnny Lawrence wasn't exactly the best example of a responsible adult but, as far as Marissa was concerned, she could trust him. Before she could say anything, Johnny had also noticed the blacked out car across the street and then turned to Marissa and saw fear written across her face.

"How far do you live?"

***

MARISSA ARRIVED HOME IN UNDER FIVE MINUTES. She sat, semi-comfortably, in the passengers seat of his detailed Dodge as it pulled up to her apartment building's curb. "Thanks."

"Don't stay out so late. Even if you can do damage with your roundhouse." She nodded her head and closed the car door after she had gotten out. Johnny peeled out instantly, nearly plowing into another parked car in the process. What self-respecting adult gave him a license? Marissa thought to herself.

As she approached her apartment, she had a sinking feeling in her stomach at what was waiting for her beyond that door. Bracing herself, she stuck her key in the door, turned the knob and walked in and, to her surprise, the living room was pitch black. It was eerily quiet.

She closed the door, clicking the lock and she began making her way down the hall. She saw a light coming from under her mother's door prompting her to open it. She found her mother and sister tucked tightly into one another, their chests rising rhythmically as they slept.

Marissa pushed herself off the doorway and walked around her mother's bed. She climbed into it and wrapped her arms around the two sleeping figures gently as she laid down with them.

Alana stirred in her sleep and faced her eldest daughter. Marissa took the words from her mouth and muttered, "I know. Me too."

Apologies in their family had rarely meant anything but maybe that was because her father was the one handing them out. To him, apologies were like a band-aid. A temporary fix to an ongoing problem. Lately, Marissa had found herself thinking about her father more than she cared to admit. Maybe it was because of the blacked out car that seemed to following her every move or maybe it was because some part of her, deep down, missed him.

Truly missed him.

Little did she or mother know that he was closer to them then they had thought.

***

MARISSA AND HER SISTER HAD SPENT THE NIGHT IN THIER MOTHER'S BED. After the oldest sister returned home and had, through little words, made up with her mother, she was too exhausted to move to her own bed. When she awoke, the once occupied bed only held her. She got up and was getting ready for work when her mother knocked abruptly at her door.

The tension between them had not yet vanished even after last night's unspoken apology. Marissa wasn't mad at her mother or Rachel or at her mother being fired. Yesterday she released frustration that had been brewing inside her for a while and now she didn't know how to face her mother.

Not without feeling a disconnect between them.

"Mom, I have to go to work." Marissa tucked her long sleeve black T-shirt into her wide leg dark blue jeans and grabbed her vest. When she went to put it on, she took in her mother's expression. "What's wrong?"

Marissa had seen this face before. This fear on her mother's face before but it only in Chicago and only due to her father. Alana opened her mouth and closed it, at a loss for words.

"Mom?" Marissa pressed.

"Your father called last night. When you were gone."

The teenager dropped her vest in reactionary shock. "How did he get the number? We haven't spoken to him since we left."

Alana moved into her room and closed the door behind her, coming to stand face-to-face with her daughter. "Rachel doesn't know. She heard me on the phone and saw how upset I was, but I couldn't tell her why."

Rachel holds unspoken hope that they will go back to their father or that he'll come find them in California and they will a family again. Marissa was almost envious of the young girl's innocence. The innocence she once had.

The innocence her father stole from her.

"What did he say?" Mariasa asked, wanting to get to the point.

Alana breathed deeply, "He said he's changed."

Marissa scoffed, "Like we haven't heard that before."

"He wants to seee us. He says he got our number from a friend he has up here that saw us around town."

"How the hell did his 'friend' get our number?" Alana gave her a look for her language."Sorry."

"Community landlines, shitty internet; I don't know, but he got it and gave it to your dad." Alana sat down on Marissa's bed. " He can't come here. I won't go back down that road with him again, I can't."

Taking in her mother's frantic state, Marissa sat next to her and took her hand. "You won't have to. If he comes here, you'll have me this time."

"Mari-"

"No, mom," she said, cutting her off. "I saw what being with did to you and I was too young to do anything about. I'm older now and smarter. He's not coming back, okay?" She took a sharp inhale of breath before saying, "And if he does then we'll handle it... together."

Alana smiled sadly at her daughter, "I'm so grateful for you, sweetie."

"I'm grateful for you too, Mom."

As Marissa sat there, holding her mother, she felt conflicted. Her father seemed to be the root of her family's problems and when they left him, things got better. They were happier and safer. If he came back now, all he would do is mess things up and Mariasa couldn't let that happen. He was already breaking her mom and she wouldn't let him break anything else.

Not again.

gabbys note. ... so it's been about a month... my bad but life has been kinda crazy. 🙃 school has been taking over my life but I promise this as long as you'll go without an update.

i hope you all enjoy this chapter and buckle up for the next ;)

please please please don't be a ghost reader! your thoughts and comments are really appreciated and can add to the story in a meaningful way 🤗