Jaime POV
I managed to get away from the jerk who thought I was trying to steal his car. I was trying to steal his hubcaps, though.
There was a cop chasing me, but I was faster. If I cared more about it, I could have probably run track at school. But that required things like teamwork, and staying after school. I managed to outrun the cop and double backed to the apartment Mom and I shared. I ran up the stairs and into our apartment, slamming the door behind me.
"Jaime?" Mom's weak voice came from her bedroom. I rolled my eyes.
"Who else would it be?" I snarked.
"Jaime, I need to talk to you," she said.
"I'm tired, Mom," I said. "I'll talk to you in the morning."
I slammed my bedroom door and flopped on my bed. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to my mom. She kept going on about how she didn't have a lot of time left, and that she had something she needed to tell me. I figured if I kept putting her off, she couldn't die.
Of course, that didn't work.
I got up in the morning, grabbed my school bag, an apple and some cash from Mom's wallet.
"Bye, Mom!" I called as I slammed out of the house and headed to school.
I was sitting in my English class when the principal came to the door with two police officers.
"Jaime Clarke?" she said. "Could you come with us, please?"
She had a sympathetic look in her eyes. I grabbed my bag and slunk out of the room behind her. The rest of the kids in my class either stared after me or 'ooohed'.
I wondered if the guy from the night before had figured out who I was somehow, and sent the cops to the school.
No one said a word as we walked to the office. I certainly wasn't going to say anything until I knew exactly what was going on, and then I'd go into my usual denial.
"Have a seat, Jaime," the principal said, leading me into her office. There was a woman in there, and a man. The cops came in as well. How much trouble was I actually in?
"Jaime," the principal said, "This is Mrs. Brown from Social Services, and Mr. Taha, your mother's lawyer. They need to talk with you."
I rolled my eyes.
"Jaime," Mrs. Brown said. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your mother died some time during the night, or early this morning."
I looked at her in shock.
"No she didn't. She was fine last night," I said.
"I'm so sorry, Jaime. But your neighbour, Mrs. Walker, went in to check on her, and she had passed away."
"Stop lying!" I yelled. "She's fine! She's fine!"
"Jaime, I'm sorry," the social worker said.
"Jaime," the man said. "As your principal mentioned, I'm your mother's lawyer. Your mother left you this letter."
He handed me an envelope. I glared at him as I took it and I read the letter.
My Dear Jaime,
If you're reading this, my time has come. And if you're reading this letter, it means I haven't been able to tell you what it is I've been trying to tell you for the past couple of months.
I am so sorry that I'm leaving you, that I have left you, and I know you're probably worried about what is going to happen to you now.
I have tried so hard to do right by you, but I think I did a bad job. I don't know where I went wrong or how you got so lost, but hopefully, now you'll be able to turn your life around.
Jaime, sweetheart, what I've been wanting to tell you is that I know who your father is. And now that I'm gone, you're going to be going to live with him.
I knew him a long, long time ago. At the time I got pregnant with you, he wasn't in a place to take care of a child. He wasn't the type who was into commitments. I'm sure, in fact I know, that he's changed in the last 16 years.
I am so sorry I'm leaving you, my dear, sweet boy. Please keep me in your heart always.
With love,
Mom.
Tears threatened to fall from my eyes as I read the letter.
She knew who my dad is? And after fifteen years, with him probably knowing about me, but never once showing up, she expected me to live with him!?
"This is bullshit!" I yelled, balling up the letter.
"Jaime, calm down," the principal said. The cops moved closer to me.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" I yelled. "This is total bullshit! I'm not going to live with some asshole who probably knew I exist and never once bothered to come visit or help out!"
"Your mother's wishes were very clear. She's already let your father know of her wishes, and he's been informed. Tonight, you'll spend in a group home, and tomorrow, you and your father will meet at the LA County courthouse," the social worker said. "I'm going to take you home now, where you can pack up a few things, whatever you want to take with you to your new home, and then to the group home."
"I'm not going!" I said.
"Jaime," the principal said. "You don't have a choice. You're a minor, still. And your mother's wishes were very clear.
I broke down into tears. The tears I'd been holding back from the day my mom had told me her cancer had spread and there was no hope anymore. But I'd been sure, if I just kept her from telling me what it was she wanted to tell me, that she couldn't die.
But I was wrong.