Nia Malcolm's POV
I pace my living room anxiously, still upset and also a little worried I reach into my pocket and i pull out my phone and call 911 a last desperate attempt.
"Yes .. I would like to report a missing person..."i say choking back tears
. They tell me someone is on the way and I hang up and call Angel.
" Sweetie what's the matter whats happened? " he says sweetly through the phone.
I'm so over the top right now in tears i reply
"Oh you know just everything my moms vanished probably jumped off the bridge!"
Angel hangs up and I stand there bawling my eyes out.
Soon my phone vibrates and its a text from Angel that says
"Be there in 20 mins boo!"
Relief sweeps over me, god i love him he's a true friend and my rock.
I hear a car pull up outside and i open the front door but not before attempting to pull myself together.
I stand by the door waiting for the officer to come in for my statement and I cannot believe my eyes when I see Jaxton and my mother step out of his car laughing and chatting.
I run outside absolutely fuming
and they stare at me like I'm the crazy one as i take a step towards them and face my mom i'm overcome with emotions.
"Where the fuck have you been you cant just take off mom!" i scream.
She's got an extremely shocked look on her face.
Staring at Jaxton i see that his face is emotionless and he stand's there as bold as brass.
"I'm 45 years old I can leave MY house anytime I want!" She snaps back at me harshly.
I shake my head side to side grateful she's safe but so fed up with her.
"Not when all you do is sit on a couch every second of every day!"
Shaking my head i yell
"Ya know..its a real shame when me not seeing you glued to the TV causes me to have to file a missing persons!!"
I yell upset all over again.
and then there's that stinging silence again and i can see my words have hurt her.
I feel ashamed but i hold my ground.
Jaxton begins to try and chime in
"Well we just.."
I stop him mid sentence and in a nasty tone i tell him boldly
"You sir need to leave, I don't know who you think you are fighting my battles."
I look at him disgusted.
Begging for favors and then running off with my mom is bullshit!" I yell.
Stepping in his face i threaten him yet again.
He takes a step back anticipating conflict again.
"You stay away from us!" I
I warn him
I stand fired up waiting for him to say something rude but nothing.
He gives me that look the one that loudly screams
" You're a bitch".
He looks over to my mom and flashing the most beautiful smile
he waves to my mother and says
"You have a nice night Mrs. Malcolm,you have my number!"
She nods and smiles back as he turns and gets back into his car and drives away.
Now that he's gone we go back into the house and stand there in the living room in total silence.
" Do you really not know what today is?"
My mother asks me in a sad voice.
"Are you so busy these days that you've forgot the one tradition we have?"
she screams at me eyes full of pain.
I stand there my heart aching my thoughts racing.
" I got my old ass off the couch for once and had to walk 2 miles to visit your father for his birthday because YOU weren't here!"
I feel like i have just been slapped in the face really hard with reality.
Today was dads birthday and ironically the day he died..
I look to her with pleading eyes and i feel like absolute shit i can't even muster up an apology but she's my mom and my face says it all .
Her face loses its harshness and she looks as if she's taken a huge weight off her shoulders.
Still silent we look around the room and in an attempt to lighten the mood she teases me.
" Never got a call asking where I was. "
I look up at her quite puzzled for a moment and then she says
"Maybe its time I got a cell phone huh?"
I smile remembering how funny it was watching her try and maneuver her old iPhone.
We giggle and i just rush over and hug her tightly, we need this moment.
"You're all I've got mom I'm sorry I was just scared and stressed." I whisper.
She holds me tight then looks me in the eyes as she lifts my chin up
" you've got a whole lot of people who love you quit forgetting that" She says firmly.
"Yeah you and Angel are about it."
We both laugh again and i begin to wonder if Angel got lost somehow or maybe he got caught up or something its been over 20 minutes and he lives two streets over.
Turning back to me and giving me a devious look my mom says
"Well you have a nice selection of men these days don't you?"
I find this comment rather weird and prepare for an uncomfortable conversation.
I want to go to bed but we are actually talking for once so I engage the convo.
I take a deep breath and say
"Mom I know daddy hated Eric and even if he didn't i could never be with such a violent man, I know you adore him but please no more contact."
She nods in agreement
" Yes i actually have changed my mind about him after that showdown on my lawn!"
she says rolling her eyes and placing her hands on her hips.
Embarrassed that my mom saw me totally wig out on him i say
" Yeah well..it could have been worse he could have hit me again."
She agrees yes, throwing her hands in the air dramatically mimicking me letting Eric have it earlier.
I laugh at her and think man..
"Thank god for Jaxton!"
I smile and then I think of how he helped me by intervening earlier during me and Eric's showdown as my mom called it.
"Hes always been a sweet man he was there paying his respects to your father when he spotted me"
She says reclaiming her spot on the couch.
I know that once again i owe him an apology. This will be the second time in less than a week.
"I should apologize to jaxton " i say in a low voice.
My mother looks up from the screen and winks before calling out
" You should marry him!"
And on that note im going to find Angel..
I kiss my mom on the cheek and begin walking down the street
I don't make it far before i see a crowd around someone.
I start running, faster than I ever have before terror twisting my stomach in knots.
I see Angels car and a person wrapped in a blanket outside of an ambulance.
I gasp "What's he doing here!?"
Staring down Eric before my eyes make their way over to the figure sprawled on the ground.
"No.."
Lips trembling i call out "Angel!!"