Chapter 16
When Caden said he was going to leave her with some cash for the day and one of his cards, she was expecting a few hundred dollars.
Her eyes were frozen on the stacks of cash he’d left her on the table in his bedroom.
One hundred thousand dollars and his bank card.
She almost choked when he said that was nothing but the stash he kept in his room for pocket money.
Before he left to handle his business, he showed her just how much he trusted her, hoping that would help increase her trust in him.
He gave her the password to his electronics, showed her where he kept the spare keys to his cars, and let her know where every safe was in his home.
When he was about to give her the codes, Dru told him she didn’t want to know.
And for some reason, that made Caden smile and give her a kiss.
After showering and getting dressed for the day, Dru made a few plans.
Since she didn’t have a shift at the grocery store, she initially didn’t know what to do with herself.
Eventually, she decided on grabbing a few things from her mother’s house, hoping Tina wouldn’t be there.
Then, she was going to spend a little time with Dreya and Marilyn, and maybe Stevie if she didn’t have any plans.
Since she didn’t see herself needing too much money for what she had planned, Dru grabbed two stacks of cash and put them in her purse, then put the rest in a drawer in the guest room she’d slept in her first night there.
She grabbed a bottle of water for herself and Ian, then headed outside to the Bentley, where he awaited her.
They exchanged pleasantries as she got inside, then Ian closed the door behind her.
As he drove, Dru took in the scenery of the city.
It felt like life had been going by in a blur all her life.
For once, she could go slow enough to take in the beauty of Rose Valley Hills: the beach she never went to, the countryside rolling hills, the entertainment district.
Dru felt like a visitor in her hometown, and that motivated her to explore and truly live her life.
“You want me to go in with you?” Ian asked as they pulled into Tina’s driveway.
With a smile, Dru shook her head. “No, thank you. Ain’t no telling what this crazy lady will say if she’s inside.”
“You sure?” Ian checked, mirroring her smile. “The boss told me to make sure you were good.”
“I’m positive. If I need help, I’ll yell.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
A low hum escaped Dru as she walked to the front door.
She hadn’t had an anxious spell or heart palpitations for the last couple of days, and she wasn’t sure if that was because she was at peace, around Caden, away from her mother, or all three.
The only thing that would have made her feel better was being with her sister, but she’d settle for going to visit her before she went back to Caden’s home later.
The natural smile that adorned Dru’s face fell when she tried to unlock the front door and realized her key didn’t work.
Refusing to believe Tina had gotten the locks changed, Dru tried again unsuccessfully.
Releasing a humorless laugh, Dru walked over to the garage, opened the keypad, and put in the code.
Thankfully, Tina hadn’t remembered to change that.
She made her way through the garage and into the kitchen.
Loud music played from upstairs, letting Dru know her mother was in her room.
Since there was literally no telling what she was going to walk into, Dru opted for staying downstairs instead of going to Tina’s room.
“Tina!” she yelled, sitting on the recliner between the couch and TV. About a minute passed before she yelled her name again.
“What!” Tina shouted.
“Come downstairs!”
Grumbling, Tina made her way down the stairs with a frown on her face. “How the hell did you get in my house?”
“This is our house, and through the garage.”
“Shit. I forgot to change that code when I got the locks changed.”
Dru stared at her mother. At that point, she should have been used to Tina’s shenanigans, but there were times she said or did something that still caught Dru by surprise.
“So you intentionally changed the locks to keep me out? For what reason?”
“I haven’t seen you in two days, and you went and told my mama my business. She’s basically holding my child hostage. I can’t go anywhere near that house, or she’s going to call the police on me. And the old bitch had the nerve to say she’d beat me with her bat if I tried to come inside.”
As much as Dru didn’t want to laugh, a sniggle escaped before she could cover her mouth. “Granny did say you weren’t too old for her to beat you.”
Tina laughed, and for a brief moment, she looked . . . normal. “She can try, and trust me, she definitely will.”
“Look, this really isn’t a funny situation.
You deserve to be punished for what you did to Dreya and me.
More so Dreya because I’m grown, and I’ve dealt with the shit the best way I know how.
I’ma leave that between you and God though.
I just came to get some of my things, and I wanted to let you know I was in the house since you changed the locks. ”
“Yeah, because technically, you’re trespassing. I could’ve shot your ass.”
Dru’s eyes rolled as she stood. “Girl, bye. My name is on this lease too. I don’t know why you act like you forgot that.
Just being honest, if anybody should’ve left this house, it was you.
” Tina gasped and clutched her chest, as if Dru’s words had physically struck her.
“I pay the rent, and the light and water bills are in my name. I’m going to have them switched to your name since I won’t be staying here anymore.
By the way, your phone line is coming off my account at the end of the month too. ”
“After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you treat me?” Tina asked as Dru went upstairs to her room.
“After everything you’ve done to me, this is how I treat you,” Dru corrected.
“You little bitch,” Tina muttered, rushing up the stairs. “You’ve made my life hell since the moment you were born.”
Tina wrapped her hand around Dru’s locs and yanked her down the stairs.
She straddled her, but before she could hit her, Dru hit her in the side of her head with her elbow and pushed her off.
Switching their positions, Dru straddled her mother.
Her fist lifted, and as much as she wanted to hit her, she couldn’t.
As horrible of a mother as Tina had been to her, there was still a piece of Dru’s heart that loved her and wished they could have had a normal relationship.
Her fist shook, willing her to connect it with Tina’s face, but she couldn’t.
With a growl, Dru stood as tears fell from her eyes.
All it would take was one punch, whether it was self-defense or not, and Tina would press charges and have Dru arrested—again.
“Haven’t I suffered enough because of you?
” Dru yelled, kicking Tina in the stomach before she could get up.
“You neglected and abused me my whole fucking childhood and used me the entire time I’ve been old enough to work and pay your bills!
As if that wasn’t enough, you tried to sell me to a man you didn’t even know!
All I came here to do is get some of my shit, and now you want to fight me?
You really ain’t shit, Tina. Like, at all.
I’ma spare you now, but if you touch me before I leave this house, I swear to God I will beat your ass and feel no way about it. ”
Dru charged up the stairs. She was so hurt and angry she didn’t even care about turning her back to her mother. If Tina touched her again, Dru wouldn’t show her any mercy.
As quickly as she could, Dru filled two carry-on suitcases and two duffel bags.
Though she’d be leaving quite a bit behind, the things she grabbed were the main things she needed.
Clothes could be replaced or picked up while Tina wasn’t at home.
One thing was clear to Dru, and that was the fact that she couldn’t wait until she never had to deal with her mother again.
Once she was done packing, she made her way downstairs with her bags. When she opened the door, Ian made his way to it to grab her things.
“Dru!” Tina yelled, keeping her from leaving.
“What?” she replied through gritted teeth.
“You got until this weekend to get the rest of your shit out of my house before I throw it away.”
“Don’t worry. It won’t even take me that long. I’ll be getting my sister’s things and taking them to Granny’s house too.”
“I wish you wou—”
Dru slammed the door, silencing her mother’s voice.
Ian’s face twisted in concern when Dru rushed past him to get into the car, but he didn’t say anything, which she appreciated.
As he drove, Dru busied herself with finding and booking a moving company to get the rest of her and Dreya’s things.
She wouldn’t put it past her mother to throw everything out before the weekend, just to be spiteful, so she hoped she could find someone with availability this week.
An incoming call interrupted her search, and at the sight of Caden’s name and the picture she’d taken of him while he was sleeping, she smiled.
“Hi,” she spoke after answering the call.
“Wassup, beautiful? I was just checking on you. How are you?”
Dru sighed. “Are you really just checking on me, or did Ian send you a smoke signal?”
Caden chuckled. “He might’ve texted me before y’all pulled off and suggested I check on you.”
With a smile, Dru closed her eyes and relaxed her head against the headrest. “I’m okay.
Frustrated. I almost had to fight my damn mama again.
She told me to get the rest of my things out by the weekend, but I don’t trust her, so I’m looking for a company that can get me and Dreya’s things before then.
It’ll be her kind of petty to throw our stuff out just because we’re not there anymore. ”