The pic on the side is Anthony
I wake up in bed.
Did I fall asleep on the motorcycle?
I spring up, tripping on the sheets.
I rush out of my room.
The TV is on to Disney channel.
Jace is sitting on the couch with Charlotte.
He's shirtless.
"What happened?" I ask.
"You and Charlotte fell asleep so I carried you to bed." He shrugs.
"And we didn't fall off?"
"My hands were on your thighs." He shrugs. He stands up and yawns. "I should go. I've got a car to fix."
I nod. "Thank you, Jace."
He smiles. "You're welcome."
He pauses with his hand on the doorknob.
"Say, what's the deal with your Mom? She seemed pretty pissed when I took that alcohol from Adam."
"She's not my Mom." I say.
"You call her Mom." He says.
"She'll beat me if I don't."
"Who is she?"
"My step Mom."
"Why were you raised by your step Mom? Your Dad left you with her?"
"She framed my Dad for a robbery and got him arrested. When it was proven that it was a false arrest, my step mom had already filed a restraining order. He lost the court case."
"Where's your real Mom?"
"She left a year before Dad was forced to."
"Did she leave by choice?"
"I don't know. Dad didn't know either, but my step mom was already in the picture."
"So she probably was tricked into leaving."
"Probably." I say quietly.
"My Mom...she uh, left my Dad for another girl. My little sister lives with my Dad in Maine."
"How old is your sister?"
"She's fifteen." He says.
"How long ago did she leave?"
"When I was six, and I'm twenty four, so...eighteen years ago."
"Do you miss her?"
"Every day." He smiles. "I can't imagine your pain."
"Yeah..." I trail off.
"Well..." he trails off.
"Why did you say you would go crazy if you lost me?" I whisper.
"Because I would."
"But why? You hardly know me."
He's quiet for a long time. "I just haven't known you long. I know all the big things already." He pauses. "If you really want to get your Dad back, drop the restraining order. You're twenty three. You're allowed to."
He walks out the door without another word.
I pause, and then I take a shower with Charlotte, I dress, and then I dress Charlotte, and then I head out with her and flag down a taxi.
It takes me to the courthouse, and then I go inside with Charlotte.
"Can I see my file?"
I tell the lady all of my information.
She retrieves it and slides it to me.
I sit down next to Charlotte and let her eat cheerios while I sort through it.
The more I learn, the more my heart races.
Even if I wanted to find my family, I couldn't.
I stand up.
"Can I make copies of this?"
"I'll copy the whole thing." The women says.
She gets to work and I stand there and wait for the copies, watching Charlotte.
"Who's child is that?" A women asks the lady at the desk
"She's mine." I say. "She's not alone." The women nods.
The lady gives me the papers, and I pick up Charlotte and her things and go outside. I flag down another taxi and get in. I tell the driver the address and pay the driver when we pull up at the shop my car is at.
I go into the office.
"Is Jace here?" I ask.
"No he isn't."
"Can I contact him?"
"Nodding, the woman writes down his phone number and slides me the card.
"Thank you." I whisper.
I leave and text the number.
Me: Jace?
Jace: how'd you get my number? Lol
Me: I'm at your work
Jace: oh, I'm not there, I'm at Ian and Amelia's
Me: can I come over
Jace: let me ask
Seconds later, I get a text.
Jace: yeah that's cool. You and char can stay for dinner
He tells me the address. I flag down a taxi and tell them the address.
We pull up. I put Charlotte's diaper bag over my shoulder.
"Where are we going Mommy?" Charlotte asks.
"Jace's house."
She grins.
I don't even get a chance to knock the door. Jace rips it open.
"Are you okay?" he asks, letting me inside.
"No." I say. He leads me to the kitchen and introduces me to Amelia, Ian's fiancé.
"Do any of you know anything about law?"
"I'm a lawyer." Andrew says.
"Can I get an evil bitch thrown in jail?"
Everyone laughs.
"Who's an evil bitch?" Jace asks.
"My step mother. My Mom didn't leave, my Step Mom did something to get her deported, and then she framed my Dad and got him deported too. They don't have restraining orders; they just can't come back into the country. Not only did she deport my parents, but she deported my aunt and uncles and grandparents and cousins."
"They deported everyone in your family but you and your brother?" Andrew asks. "That sounds...where did you hear this?"
"From my file." I hand it to him.
He reads through it.
"Wow." He says. "Your step Mom sounds insane and dangerous. Call your brother and tell him to get the hell away from her."
I pull out my phone and call Adam.
"Hey sissy." He says.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Are you drunk?" I ask.
"No."
"Drugged?"
"No, I haven't touched that shit since you guys left. Why?"
"Get the hell away from our step Mom."
"Why?" he asks. my phone is on speaker.
"Because she had Mom and Dad deported. She had our whole family deported. They didn't leave and they can't get to us."
"She's fucking nuts. I told you she was nuts." He grumbles. "I want to frame her for something. What if we get all my drugs and shit from the garbage and frame her for dealing?"
"That's a waste of time. Get in the car and drive to my house."
"Okay." He says. "What if she asks why?"
"Don't go to your house. She'll look there. Tell him to come here."
"Come here." I tell him the address. He sighs.
"Alright. Stay away from your house alright? I don't' want her getting to you or Charlotte. Where are you?"
"I'm at Jace's friends house." I say.
"Wait!" Andrew says suddenly. "Let me talk to him!"
I hand Andrew my phone.
"What's your name?" he asks.
"Adam."
"Awesome. I'm Andrew. I want you to look for something that proves she's crazy. Find proof, like some document or something.
"Check her closet!" I say.
I hear noises.
"Okay, I found it. I'm coming. Is Jace there?"
"Yeah." Andrew says.
"Let me talk to him."
The phone is passed to Jace.
"Yeah?" Jace asks.
"Keep my sister and Charlotte safe for me, alright?"
"Okay." Jace says.
"Okay bye."
"Bye."