And Boom! Final chapter!
Well sort of! I've already got a spin off in mind. Points to you if you can guess who it involves!
Thanks for all the feedback you guys and thanks for not being too emotionally abusive.
I'm glad I wrote this story, It's the very first story that I've ever actually finished and even though it has its many flaws I'm still proud of it.
Enjoy and shred away!
** ** ** ** **
Stephen sat lazily on his couch with a beer in his hand.
He looked down at his phone again.
Nothing.
It had been three weeks since he'd heard from Christina.
The night she had sped off in her car was the last time he'd seen her. He called her that night to make sure she at least had a place to stay for the night. He would have gone as far as letting her stay at his apartment while he found a hotel, he just wanted to make sure she was safe.
He called a few time with no answer until finally she texted him.
Christina: I'm fine, I just need a minute
That was the only thing she said.
He wasn't sure how to feel about it, he'd never been on the receiving end of one of her "minute" messages.
His plan to woo her couldn't be set in motion until they were seeing each other again and he had no idea when that would be.
Stephen was beyond frustrated. He didn't understand why she had to push him away, he wanted to be there for her.
The high pitched whine coming from his feet brought his thoughts back.
Mingo was looking up at him with big brown eyes.
"I miss her too."
Stephen picked a broken potato chip form his shirt and fed it to the Great Dane.
He needed a damn shower. He'd been working from home all week, he wanted to be there in case Christina decided to back, but the only thing he'd actually succeeded at was creating a cloud of stink in the living room. The area was covered in snack bags, dirty dishes, and empty beer bottles.
If she did decide to come back to him he didn't want her to see what a groveling mess she'd turned him into.
Stephen finally admitted defeat, he got off the couch and headed to his bathroom.
** ** ** ** **
"We just have to trust the she's ok Marion." Richard Earnest spoke, trying to sooth his wife's frazzled nerves.
"I know, I know. She's done this so many times before and she always comes back when she's better. I know all this Richard," She was tired of trying to be coaxed out of her concern, "But things have never been this extreme and she's never been gone this long! Only ever a night or two."
"Just give her a few more days, then we will try and track her down." He gently grabbed Marion's shoulders and turned her to look directly at him, "Just keep in mind that Christina has proven more than once that if she doesn't want to be found, she won't be. It's very likely she'll come back when she's ready."
Marion nodded and sat on the love seat in her husband's study.
"I just want to ring their neck Richard," Marion's voice shook with an impending rage. "what they said was so out of line."
He sighed audibly and nodded while remembering the tense conversation his wife was referring to.
**EIGHT DAYS AGO**
Marion was drinking tea in the kitchen when the doorbell began ringing profusely and loud banging disrupted the quiet in her home.
She rushed into the foyer but Richard had made it to the door first.
He opened and saw his shoulder's immediately tense before speaking to whoever it was.
"Miss. Billards, what can I do for you?" He asked in a clipped manner.
Jackson's mother.
"You know good and damned well what you can do for me Richard Earnest! Where is that two timing daughter of yours?"
Richard was poised to defend his daughter but Marion opened the door wider to reveal her presence.
"Edith!" She said with a fake smile plastered on her perfectly made up face. "Why don't you coming in to discuss this, I'd hate to disturb our neighbors with such a private matter."
Edith looked Marion up and down lazily before stepping up to enter.
Richard and Marion back out of the way to let her in and then Richard closed the door behind her.
"Now Edith, I know this past week has been extremely difficult for you, I can't image what I'd do if I had to bury one of my children."
"No, you can't!" Edith retorted. "And I just want you both to know that I don't give a damn what that police report said, your daughter murdered my son!"
"Now wait just a damn minute!" Richard stepped forward but Marion stopped him, she wasn't taking the bait.
Edith continued her rant, "She may not have pulled the trigger but she damned may as well have! All my sweet son ever did was love your daughter and she left him high and dry for some rich ass cracker. I always told Jackson you uppity blacks thought ya'll was better than us! My poor baby died of a broken heart, given to him by you whore daughter!"
Marion had heard enough.
She remained calm but looked Edith dead in her eye before speaking in a relaxed tone.
"Now listen to me Edith. I know you want to pretend your child was this all heavenly saint but let's be honest with ourselves shall we? Jackson didn't kill himself for anything Christina did. He put a bullet in his brain because he was finally facing himself. For 10 years he'd been running from the law for his crimes and he had no where else to go. And you know what Edith? I'd venture to say someone was in on helping him escape for as long as he did."
Edith's eyes widened at hearing Marion's speculation but Marion wasn't finished.
Marion had been stepping slowly in on Edith as she spoke and Edith had been backing up to the point that she was up against the foyer wall, "We know that Jackson Billards wasn't his real name which would lead me to believe that Edith Billards in not yours. Now the fact that we haven't brought this up to any of the law enforcement has been a personal favor to you. I've taken into consideration that your child shot himself and you are clearly in mourning, but so help me God Edith, if you come around my home again, banging on my damned door and insulting my child again I will have the Raleigh Law enforcement investigate your ass so thoroughly you'll wish Jackson had taken you with him!"
Richard's eyes were almost as big as Edith's. He'd seen his wife emotionally take down other people but this was the first time she'd more out of necessity rather than sheer entertainment.
He never doubted Marion loved their children but her way of showing love was to shower them with gifts and money. But here she was using nothing more than love and pride to defend Christina.
Edith bottom lip shook as if she wanted to burst into tears, Richard had a feeling that he tears were more about no longer having a steady source of income rather than the loss of her child. She'd been trying to get some sort of financial payout from his family ever since she learned of her son's death. She'd been asking for millions of dollars.
Marion spoke up, "If we are finished here you are welcome to leave. I have a dinner party tonight that my husband and I need to get ready for."
With that Edith backed away form the wall and shuffled over to front door and swung it open. She practically ran to her car and sped away.
** ** ** ** **
Richard couldn't help but smile to himself.
His wife had changed so much and yet he could still see the teenage attitude she had had so many years ago, and if he was completely honest sometimes he enjoyed seeing that side of her.
"What the hell are you smiling about?" Marion asked with an eyebrow raised at him.
Richard laughed, "Just reminding myself why I love you."
Marion looked amused as she leaned back onto the loveseat, "Oh, so you still love me then? Even after all the headaches I give you?"
"I do Mrs. Earnest; despite all your insanity I still find you to be quite lovable."
"Glad you feel that way Mr. Earnest, I worry sometimes that you'll come to your senses one of these days and leave me."
Richard laughed harder before walking over and sitting himself next her.
"Well then lucky for you I am insane too, because I'm not going anywhere."
