A Promise to Keep
Mark did a small bow. 'At your service." He put a two dollar on the table and went to the register to pay.
Scarlet followed him. "Please tell me you're just kidding. Hahah! Nice one."
He took his reciet and walked out. Scarlet followed him to his car. "What do you want?"
Scarlet crossed her arms. "So you really are?"
"As much as I like sitting here, in the middle of the parking lot, in this car talking to you, Scarlet. But I've gotta run but I'll pick you up at seven. Where will you be?"
"I'll be here, just about to get off work." she tucked her hair behind her ears, trying to not mess up her hair from the wind.
He put on his sunglasses and smiled. "See you then." He rolled up the window and drove away.
Scarlet watched him drive away in his black mustang. She went inside and worked until seven o'clock.
She hung her apron up like always and walked into the empty parking lot. She wore regular black skinny jeans with black long-sleeved shirt. Her hair cascaded down her arms before the wind blew it back. Her high-heeled boots clicked the parking lot as she paced around, waiting for Mark. A black mustang skidded into the parking lot in front of Scarlet.
Mark rolled down the passenger window, bass from the music inside thumped. "You getting in or are you just going to stand there?"
Scarlet chuckled. "I guess I'll get in." She got into the car with him and they drove away.
/
Mark pulled up at Gideon's Meatpacking Plant in the back. They both got out of the car and walked inside.
"Dad, I'm here! My parents called me and they said I was accepted to Alaska College. So they think I'm gone, safe and sound."
Amanda walked out of the Sick Room, in a pig mask and cloak. "Scarlet, shut up." Amanda lifted her pig mask up.
Scarlet stopped walking. "What's wrong?"
Amanda pointed. "He's through there. I'm going to get Kerry so we can put her in the Angel Trap I've constructed." She walked outside and shut the door behind her.
Scarlet turned around to Mark. "What's wrong with my dad?"
Mark shrugged. "Go check, I've got to write a letter for someone."
Scarlet nodded, tears suddenly filled her eyes. She pulled the plastic drapes aside to see her father in a hospital bed. Scarlet slowly walked to his bedside.
"Dad, what's going?" She wiped her nose on her sleeve.
John removed his oxygen mask. "I've told you already..I've got cancer."
"You can't go now! I finally just met you and...and.."
He held her cold, nimble hand. "Scarlet, I'll be okay. After Amanda gets back from setting up Kerry's trap, she's going to get a nurse at the hospital."
Scarlet nodded. "Will everything be alright?"
He nodded slowly. "If everything goes according to plan, yes, everything will be alright. But, I strongly suggest you meet your mother. Have Mark give you her address."
Scarlet looked away. "I don't want..."
He directed her chin back to his attention. "Can you do it for me..?"
Mark walked in. "Everything alright in here?"
They looked over to Mark. "Yes, give Scarlet Jill's address. She has to meet her."
Mark nodded. "On it." he left them.
Scarlet looked back at John. "I'm not going to call her mom."
"I don't expect you to. You're a grown woman." He chuckled.
Scarlet smiled and kissed his forehead. "I'll do it for you. At least you wanted me."
"Don't talk like that. I blamed her at first, but after the divorce, nothing else mattered to me but to meet you."
Mark walked in and handed Scarlet a slip of paper. "Last door on the left."
Scarlet nodded. "I got to go now, pops. I'll see you later?"
He nodded. "Of course, now go child. Promise me you will try to get along and meet her?"
Scarlet sighed. "Okay, but I'm not going to sugar coat it."
Scarlet looked up at Mark. "Think you can drive me?"
Mark dangled the keys in front of her. "You're a grown woman." He joked.
Scarlet grabbed the keys and walked out.
She turned the corner and remembered what Mark said. "Last door on the left." In her hand, she held baby pictures of her until she a senior in high school. She sighed and gave a few hard knocks.
A woman with brown hair that was in a bun with wine in her hand answered. "Can I help you?"
Ugh! Her own mother didn't recognize her. "Yeah, you can."
Calm down, remember what Dad said. We have to get along in case something happens.
Scarlet forced a smile. "You don't recognize me, do you?"
Jill looked down at Scarlet's hands. "Sorry, but no. Are you selling something?"
Scarlet itched the side of her head awkwardly. "No, I'm not. Can I come inside and talk with you?"
"Can you at least tell me your name?" She leaned against the doorway, seemed a bit buzzed.
Scarlet awkwardly chuckled. "I'm your daughter you gave up. I'm Scarlet Jillian Kramer. You ARE Jill Tuck, right? Oh god, did I screw up the address?" She looked around.
Jill sat her wine glass on the side table by the door where a lamp stood. "No, I am Jill Tuck. Are those pictures with you?"
Scarlet turned back around to her. "Oh, thank god. And yes, they are pictures of me. Would you like to know me or stand there drinking wine until you pass out?"
Jill shook her head. "Come inside. Let me turn this off." She grabbed the remote to the TV.
Scarlet shut the door and looked at the screen. It showed her pregnancy with Gideon. "Wait, is that my brother?"
Jill held the remote in her hand. "Yeah, I watch this a dozen times at least a day. I can't believe I was pregnant and didn't know I was going to have twins."
Scarlet took a seat on the nice couch. "I was shocked too."
"I would rather you sit at the table with me." Jill went through the mail.
"We love you, son. We're waiting for you!" John smiled to the camera.
Scarlet smiled. "Dad looks so happy..."
Jill looked up. "You're calling him Dad already? Don't you want to know more about him before you call him Dad? Why don't you call me Mom?"
Scarlet looked at Jill then walked to the table with her. "Cause he gave a damn."
Jill sighed. "Sit down, please. I want to know you now."
"Now? You mean, you didn't want to meet me then?" Scarlet took a seat anyway.
"Can I see the pictures, please?" She held her forehead.
Scarlet sighed and sat the pictures out one by one. "This is when I was four. On that day, I finally learned to pee in the toilet than the bed."
Jill covered her mouth and laughed. "How adorable." She held her heart and closed her eyes. "You look so much like Gideon."
Scarlet looked up at Jill from the pictures. "I've been told."
