~ Thirteen Years Later ~
Raylynn
"Raylynn!" My step-mother Helen, shouted from the top of the stairs of the basement, also known as my bedroom.
"What!" I shouted back.
I could hear her complaining to my father. "Charles, do you hear your child? She just screamed what at me!"
"Raylynn!" My father hollered.
Not speaking anymore, I raced up the stairs and presented myself to my father and stepmother's, dirty, dingy clothes and all. "Yes, father?"
"Raylynn, don't be rude to your mother." He looked me up and down while I nodded my consent. "What is going on with your hair and clothes? You're a mess, this is not how I raised you, what happened to the news clothes you were supposed to buy?"
He was right, I did look a mess. My hair was nappy and dirty, my light brown skin was scabbed and covered in dirt, the jeans and shirt I wore were hand-me downs from Meredith, the bigger of my two step-sisters. Even as thick as I was, her clothes were too big for me. They also had holes in them, that I had to sew closed with my less than decent skills, and they were currently dusty due to all the cleaning and labor I'd been doing all day.
I thought back to a week ago when my father gave me his black card to buy new clothes.
***
"Raylynn!" My father yelled from his study.
I ran to his study, excited to actually have him want to talk to me without Helen whispering in his ear. "Yes, father?"
"Here, take my card and go clothes shopping, I'm sick of seeing and hearing about how you walk around lookin' homeless. Your mother will be home soon, she can take you shopping with her, Maggie and Merry." He said.
I took the card, disappointed but didn't move to the door. I just kept my head down and looked at the door.
My father realized this and looked up from the screen of his computer. "Anything you wanna talk about?"
I shook my head, "No, father, just thinking about what to buy."
"Go crazy, I don't wanna see you in these baggy clothes when you get back." He expressed with a sigh, coming closer to stand in front of me. "You know I love you, Raylynn. I know I haven't shown it in a while but you know it's true, right?"
Tears formed in my eyes as I nodded. The little care I saw in his eyes touching my heart.
"Good, go get ready to go." He said softly.
I left his room and tried to find some of my clothes that Maggie hadn't gotten her hands on in my secret hiding spot in the basement. I changed and waited for Helen and the girls to arrive.
"Let's go!" Helen shouted.
I raced up the steps, excited to do something other than clean, and found Helen waiting with her hand out. I looked at her hand and then her face, a questioning look showing.
"Your father told me he gave you the black card, hand it over." Helen said.
"But-"
"Do I need to tell Charles you're being disrespectful?"
I shook my head and handed the card over. I knew it was too good to be true.
"It's not like you'll be using it anyway." My step-mother muttered.
Evil bitch. I thought.
We spent the afternoon shopping for clothes for Helen, Margret, and Meredith, I was lucky enough to get to hold the bags.
When we got home, father was sitting in the living room watching a football game. "What did you get, Raylynn?"
"My love, she got so many things, she won't possibly be able to wear everything." Helen spoke for me.
My father nodded his approval. "Okay, so what's for dinner?"
***
"What's for dinner?" I heard my father ask. This time not from my memories.
Helen and her spawn all looked to me. I looked at all of them, then sighed in defeat. "Tacos." I said and walked to the kitchen, dropping the dozens of bags I carried all day on the fall.
"What's her problem?" My father asked.
"Apparently she hasn't learned to be humble." Helen responded. "After all I do for you, cooking a simple meal is the least you could do."
I ignored her outburst, and cooked the meal. When it was finished, I set the table and announced it was ready. "May I be excused, father?"
He gave me the look, you know the look your father gives you when you say or do something outrageous. "What, you can't eat with your family, why, because you had to cook it?"
I shook my head, defeat already a part of my nature. "No, sorry, father, I'll sit and eat with the family."
When I sat down comfortably, Margret spoke. "Could you pour me some tea?" She addressed at me.
"There isn't any."
"Why not?"
"Because no one bought any."
"Didn't you go grocery shopping?" Margret continued to hound me.
"I went, but Hel-mother wanted avocados for her facial, I told her I didn't have enough money, she said put something back and but avacodoe. Obviously, I put back the tea and bought avocados."
"Daddy, I want tea, I can't eat tacos without tea." Margret said in a childlike voice.
So she can call him daddy but I can't? I fumed.
Father looked around the table and stopped when he got to me. "Raylynn, could you-"
I jumped up from my seat, furious, "Yes, father, I, your humble servant, not your daughter, will go to the store and miss out on the wonderful meal I made to buy tea for Margret, who, by the way, doesn't even drink tea!"
Father looked to Margret.
"Well, I do now. I'm trying to lose weight before the ball Christian Romanov's parents are throwing him."
"See, don't doubt my Margret." Helen scolded.
"Whatever." I muttered. I grabbed the card in my father's out-stretched hand.
"Buy the tea, then straight home." He handed me the keys and dismissed me.
So glad you care, father.
I got into my car and drove to Cubs, the closest grocery store, and I sat in the parking lot, put my head on the steering wheel and I thought.
I thought about my daddy, the man that used to love me and cared about my feelings. Then about father, who replaced daddy and doesn't even notice I breathe the same air as him.I thought about Helen, how she uses my father for his money and status and uses me as a personal slave so she doesn't have to lift a finger unless it's to shop. Lastly, I thought about Meredith and Margret. Meredith isn't that bad, on her own she's harmless, she's bad around Margret and her mother because she wants to fit in. Margret on the other hand is a little bit-
Knock knock
I just and screamed when a shadowy figure knocked on my window.
"Are you alright?" The figure asked.
I turned off the car and got out of the door, the man stood by my door, waiting. "I'm fine, sorry, I was lost in thought."
"Don't apologize, I was just checking to make sure you didn't pass out or worse." He explained.
I laughed lightly. "Um, thank you."
The stranger held out his hand. "Chris."
I took the offered hand. "Raylynn."
"Beautiful name."
"Thank you."
"So, I assume you're here to shop."
I nodded. "Uh, yeah, I am, Here to buy tea for dinner."
"Dinner? Do you cook?" He asked, interested.
I nodded.
"Then it's perfect I ran into you, I'm trying to cook a meal for my parents, you know, butter them up before I ask them a question they're sure to say no to but I don't know how to cook or the actual ingredients I need."
I took that all in and looked at him. "If you don't know how to make it or what you need to make whatever, why are you here?"
"My brother was supposed to meet me here to help but he canceled at the last minute. Literally like a minutes before I knocked on ur window." Chris clasped his hands together in praying form, my hands in between his. "Please, Raylynn, help me."
"Um, well, what if I don't know how to make what you want to make?"
"I'm told anyone that cooks knows how to make this."
laugh under my breathe. "What is it?"
"Lasagna." He deadpans.
I burst out laughing, a real laugh I haven't let out in years, tears and all.
"Does that mean you can help me?"
I nod, wiping my tears. "I'll help."