I Love You I Do (under construction)

Chapter Eight

"Alana, I think you and your brother need to have a talk.",Mareena stated with her eyebrow raised at the young girl. Steven awkwardly stood leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets.

It pained his heart that his sister was so angry with him. Yes they had their moments,but Alana hadn't gotten physical with him before. Deep down, Steven knew he was so out of order to say what he did.

He really couldn't blame her for wanting a women in her life who wouldn't abandon her. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, he wanted it as well.

Alana stared sadly at her brother with tears pooling in her droopy eyes. Her face was splotching red from all the crying she did. Being angry with her brother was one thing, but hearing that the women who birthed her doesn't want her brought a painful heartache.

She stared at Steven solemnly and a fresh set of tears streamed down her full cheeks.

Why?

Because, her brother couldn't even look her in the face.

He must be so mad at me, she thought.

She was incorrect.

He was feeling guilt just like she was.

He didn't want to see the face filled with pain that he caused.

Sighing, Steven takes a seat on the bed beside her while Mareena takes a seat in a chair.

Grabbing his sister's hand he takes a deep breath bracing himself.

"Lana I-"

"Stevie! I'm so sorry! ", She wails cutting him off.

He grips her hands tighter and ignores her statement.

"Lana, it was mean of me to do what I did. I understand you like Mareena and she's very nice to you. If you want to call her Meme you can.", he says gently.

Continuing to cry she answers him with a wobbly voice, "Stevie I just love how nice Mareena is to me. I know Mama left us but I miss her. She wasn't always bad."

Thinking of his mother, Steven's thoughts begin to wander.

꧁꧂

18 year old Steven's head snapped up from his laptop when he heard the apartment door open. As he sat on the old sofa doing homework while 9 year old Alana watched cartoons on the small tv, he wondered where his mother was.

It was 10 pm and from what he knew his mother didn't have a late shift that day.

Looking up a frown appeared on his lips when he saw his mother enter the apartment with a unfamiliar man behind her. He had slicked back jet-black hair and a elegantly trimmed beard. His chocolate brown eyes were behind an expensive-looking pair of  glasses.

As Steven's gaze trailed downward it surprised him to see that the man was dressed in designer.

His mother hadn't brought a man home since his father. Certainly, it surprised him that this man looked like he had money to spare. His mother was hard working single mother, and she brings this man home. Steven had a weird feeling about this man.

"Steven! Alana! Come here, there's someone I want you to meet!"

Alana rushed over to her mother and grabbed her slender waist. Steven followed behind her.

"This is Richard Wellows. He and I are seeing eachother. We have been for a while!", his mother said nearly squealing in excitement.