Chapter 14 – Kalista
Chapter Fourteen
Kalista
Kalista at eight years old...
“You can’t take my child from me!”
My mother’s shrill voice had me wanting to cover my ears to block out the irritation. I might have felt sorry for her, or even believed that she wanted to keep me because she cared, but there have been too many times that my mother’s lifestyle has terrified me. From her violent and crazy boyfriends, her gambling habits, and her refusal to try moving us out of the dangerous trailer park, where she lived most of her life and all of mine, it was an unstable and unhealthy environment for any child.
“You have put her well-being in danger one time too many,” my godfather, Alexi, said coolly.
My godfather arrived just before bedtime as usual at 8:30 p.m. He patiently listened to my mother’s attempt to justify her latest action, but it was clear that he wasn’t falling for her bullshit. He never does. I couldn’t understand why she still tried.
Somehow, he found out about what happened to me last night when those men tried to take me as payment for my mother’s and her boyfriend’s debts.
“This is none of your business,” my mother wailed. She immediately started the waterworks.
Okay, here we go. So far my mom was only in the second phase of her well-played negotiations with my godfather.
“How much?” my godfather asked calmly.
I rolled my eyes. I knew this was coming.
My mother’s waterworks stopped as quickly as they started, and her dark eyes took on a determined gleam.
Whenever, my godfather wanted to take me anywhere or wanted to insist I have something like the new private school he was footing the bill for and Mom was forced to enroll me in, all he had to do was offer Mom money, and she would immediately cave. Suddenly, none of her previous objections were important. It wasn’t as if my godfather was a pushover either. It was obvious from his perfectly groomed hair, his tailored gray suit, and his handmade wingtip shoes that he was extremely wealthy and sophisticated. However, he never let my mom take him for more than one thousand bucks no matter how much she pushed for more. Now, however, with him wanting to take me for good, and her used to getting a steady flow of cash every week to leverage her gambling habit, I knew her demand for payment wouldn’t be pretty.
“One million dollars!” she said coolly.
I finished packing my meagre belongings and walked out of the trailer for what I hoped was the last time. I came to a stop beside my godfather and didn’t bother to look at my mom. Not because I didn’t want to hug her goodbye, but because then I would have to experience my mother totally ignoring me because she was even now mentally spending the money that she had demanded.
“Ten thousand,” my godfather said levelly as he placed a hand at my back. “Go to the car,” he told me gently.
“Bye, Mom,” I said softly as I did as my godfather requested.
“Okay, what about half? Half a million.”
I heard my mother haggling from behind me. It was a good thing that I didn’t have any expectations of my mother getting emotional about my leaving, because she didn’t even bother to tell me bye.
I climbed into the back of the limo as one of the wolves opened the back door for me. I called the big men wolves because my godfather called them that. Tonight, there were two of them instead of the usual one who always traveled with my godfather.
Less than ten minutes later, my godfather slid into the back seat with me.
“How much did you give her?” I asked immediately. “You know she’s just going to the casino with whatever you give her, right?”
My godfather smiled gently. “Don’t worry about that,” he said softly. “How would you like to stay with the wolves until you finish school?”
“Why can’t I stay with you?” I tried to keep the pathetic whining out of my voice, but I could still hear how needy I sounded.
“We have been over this before, duschka.”
His gentle tone whenever he spoke to me always made me feel as if I was his princess. He once told me that he had three sons, so I was his only little girl. Like I said, he treated me like his little princess. And I loved his Russian endearment for me, duschka . It meant sweetheart, he once told me.
“I know you’ve said that you don’t have a proper home for a little girl, but I am bigger now,” I told him earnestly. “I don’t need much. And I promise that I won’t be any trouble at all.”
“There are no schools in the area where I live.” He turned fully in his seat to look at me, even though the only lights coming in through the car windows were lights from streetlamps and from the buildings we passed. “I live alone since my sons are all grown. A bachelor’s dwelling is no place for a child. You will like living with the wolves. They have an amazing school nearby, and there are numerous children your age among the Pack.” He took my hand in his, and it always struck me as odd how cold his hands felt.
“But…”
“I will visit you every day, making you feel as if you are living with me.” He chuckled, but I couldn't help thinking that yet another adult didn’t want me.
“Don’t be sad, duschka . It will be okay.”
I gave him a small nod, wishing that I was old enough to live on my own and never have to depend on anyone for support and shelter again.