Chapter Thirty #2
Mom’s rage was physical now; there was no calming her down.
“Who do you think you are?” She screamed.
“You come all the way from Seattle to judge me for how I live my life? You come to tell me there’s no way to help me, and then what?
What are you gonna do now?” She pushed me again, and I hit the wall.
Colton pushed himself in front of me. “Ida, please, we just want to talk this out and see how we can save your house.”
She was scowling at him, balling up her fists as if she could take him in a fight. “You’re in on it too, are ya, handsome? That’s just lovely. You bring the guy you’re sleepin’ with to fight your battles? Well done, Allegra.”
It was over. I just wanted to leave, but this would be the last time I would ever come back, and I needed my momentos. I grabbed Colton’s hand, pulling him down the wood-panelled hallway.
“Where are you going?” Mom wailed, following after us. “Get out of my house, or I’m callin’ the cops!”
I turned to face her, stopping so suddenly that Colton ran into my back. “Call them! I can show them all the heroin you’ve been stashing in the couch!”
She stopped, her face blanching.
I turned into my old bedroom, though it looked nothing like it had seven years ago.
The mattress was overturned, every drawer in my dresser had been stripped and was nowhere to be seen, there was marker on the walls as if a child was living here.
My closet doors were gone, and I prayed with all my heart that what I needed would still be in here.
Under a pile of my old clothes mixed with dust bunnies and a bunch of garbage I didn’t want to touch was a locked storage box. Thank goodness. I put my dad’s birthday in the combination and popped it open.
His old coat, a pair of boots, a hat, a ton of pictures of my dad and me, his belt buckle, and a pearl snap. It was all I had saved after my mom had gone on her rampage of throwing or selling everything of my dad’s the week after he died.
“What did I do to deserve such a brat as a daughter!” My mom was hollering. “What would your father say about how you were treatin’ me? He’s rollin’ in his grave right now!”
I closed the lid, relieved everything was still inside, and locked it. I stood to lift it, but Colton, who was standing behind me, grabbed it from my hands. I gave him a silent thank you and followed him back down the hall.
“Peach, look at me!” Her hands wrapped around my wrist, holding it so tightly her fingertips were turning white.
I stared at her, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. “What?”
Her eyes filled with tears, filling my body with overwhelming guilt. “Y-you can’t just leave. Allegra, they’re going to evict me. What am I gonna do?” She hiccuped as she began sobbing.
I felt like I was being torn in half.
I took care of my mother for six years until I turned eighteen and got out of this town as fast as possible. I felt such a horrible shame for ditching her that when she asked for money, I got it in my head that I was responsible for helping her in any way I could.
Now, it was clear she had ruined the house I had grown up in and filled it with manwhores and drugs. I had been giving her more than enough money, hoping she would live comfortably and maybe even save some of it.
Instead, I had been accidentally fueling an addiction.
Now, my mother, who looked like she was about to knock on death’s door, was pleading with me for more money.
What was I supposed to do?
I ignored my own tears slipping down my hot cheeks. “Mom…”
She gave me a pleading look. “I can’t be homeless.”
Oh gosh, that word was like a dagger in my heart. “I…” I looked down at her arms, at the scabs that had been picked and dried over again and again. I glanced back at Colton, who was still holding my precious box.
He glanced between us, giving me a helpless look.
I took a breath, knowing the next words I said would cause a horrible reaction. “Mom, I can’t give you any more money.” My shaking voice was really ruining my fake confidence.
Her head bounced back in surprise. “You what?” She asked harshly.
I nodded, sure of my answer. “I’ve given you over a hundred grand over the past few years. I’ve lived on a tight budget, despite my generous paycheck, so that you would have enough. I can’t give you anymore.” I pulled my arm out of her tight grasp. “I can’t fuel this dangerous fire anymore.”
Her face screwed up in a furious snarl as she screamed, “I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL!”
Tears were streaming down my face, but I turned on my heel and started walking.
I felt her hands on me a second before she shoved me hard into the wall.
I heard a thud, and she was pulled away from me. I looked back in surprise. Colton was holding my mother against the wall.
“Get out of here,” he demanded.
I was shaking so bad I didn’t think I could move, but somehow, I picked up the box and practically sprinted out of the house.”
I threw the box in the back and climbed into the passenger seat. Colton was seconds behind me, slamming his door shut and throwing the truck in reverse. He peeled out of the gravel, flung the truck into drive, and soared out of the park.
We drove in silence, going well over the speed limit.
Once we were a few miles away, Colton drifted onto a dirt road, drove for a minute or two, and parked the truck again.
We were completely alone.
He yanked his door open, slammed it closed again, raced to my side, and opened the door. He was on the step, leaning into the truck as he hurled his arms around me, holding me close.
I lost it, sobbing hard into his shoulder. My body was shaking so hard I could barely move. He didn’t let go for a long time, didn’t say anything, just held me as tight as he could and let me cry.
“It’s okay,” he started to whisper over and over again. I couldn’t be sure, but the way his shoulders were shaking, I was almost positive he was crying with me. “It’s okay.”