Apologies for any typos or mistakes in this chapter. I'm a little distracted at the moment and I haven't had time to proof read.

I hope you'll forgive me?

Escaping Gravity: Chapter 10

Mitchie was helping Riley unpack her few belongings in the spare bedroom. It had used to be Elle's room, but Mitchie had moved Elle into her own room so that Riley could have her own space. It wouldn't have been much fun for a 16-year-old to have to share with a baby.

Riley was almost completely well now. The doctors hadn't let her out of hospital for almost a month. She could walk, although she still needed to take it slowly and it would be another four or so months until her pelvis was completely healed. She was going to be fine as long as she took things gently though. Mitchie had said that Riley could come and live with her until something else worked out. She knew that probably nothing else would ever work out, seeing how Riley didn't have any other family, but it didn't matter. She was more than happy to have the younger girl live with her.

Riley pulled a small box out of the suitcase, her eyes sad. "This is my treasure box."

"Treasure box?" Mitchie came over and sat next to Riley on the side of the bed.

"Yes, it's the box of things that I used to keep under my bed. I'd take it out when I was having a really bad day or something." She opened the box slightly and Mitchie could see that it was filled with photos and letters. "It used to make me happy." She sighed slightly, "Now it just makes me sad because so many of my happy memories were with my grandma." She shut the box, one photograph falling out and landing on the floor as she did so.

Mitchie leant down and picked it up. She turned it over and stared at it surprised. In the photo was a much younger version of her own mom, holding a tiny baby. The baby looked just like Mitchie when she had been young. She turned to Riley, who was looking out the window, a sad expression on her face.

"Riley."

Riley turned around. Mitchie's voice was strange. "Why do you have a picture of my mom?"

Riley looked down at the picture and then up again, surprised. "That's not your mom. That's my birth mom. I've never met her. She's pretty don't you think?" She traced her fingers over the dark haired woman's face. "I used to dream about meeting her one –" She stopped at the look on Mitchie's face.

"Riley," Mitchie's voice was low. "That's my mom. Wait here." She ran out of the room, and into her own, opening the closet. She dug frantically through the piles of books on the floor until she found the one that she wanted. A photo album with a dark purple cover. The date on the front read "September, 1988". She grabbed it, flicking through to the page that she wanted as she ran back to Riley's room.

Riley was still sitting on the bed in shock when Mitchie got back. Mitchie hurriedly sat back down, the album on her knee. "See," she pointed to the photo that she had been looking for. In it, the same dark haired girl was holding a newborn baby. She was perhaps four or five years younger than in the photo that Riley had. Definitely no more than 15.

Riley looked at the photo, holding her own up next to it. She looked from her photo, to Mitchie's, to hers again. "I can't believe it."

Mitchie looked at her. "I know. There must be some mistake, right?"

"Right," Riley nodded. "I mean, how, what, I don't know," she stuttered. She shook her head and looked out the window again, trying to clear her thoughts. Eventually she turned back to Mitchie. "How old was your mom when she had you? She doesn't look much older than me."

"She was only 15," Mitchie said softly.

"My mom was 20 when she had me. She had to give me up for adoption because she already had a child, a little girl, and there was no way that she could care for both of us. She loved me though, I know she did," Riley's voice was almost vague, like she couldn't believe what was happening.

"You're 16 right?" Riley nodded. "And I'm 21. Five years age difference." The two girls looked at each other wonderingly. "Stand up."

Riley looked at her strangely. "Stand up." Riley stood up carefully so that it didn't hurt too much. Mitchie took her hand and led her to the mirror. "Look."

Riley looked at her own familiar reflection and then at Mitchies. Same dark curls, same big brown eyes, same oval face, same dimple in her chin and exactly the same incredulous look on her face.

Mitchie was doing the same thing. She couldn't believe it. How could she not have noticed before? She turned to Riley, a small smile on her face. "Well, what do you think?"

Riley's mouth was still slightly agape. "I think we're – "

"Sisters," Mitchie finished and smiled at her. Riley smiled back and held out her arms. The two girls hugged each other, both of them half laughing and half crying. "I can't believe it. I can't believe it."

Eventually Mitchie pulled back. "I think we need to go visit my mom. Like, now."

Riley nodded and went to put her coat on. Mitchie ran and got Elle from her bouncer in the living room. "Ellie, we're going to see grandma!" The little girl smiled and bounced up and down. Mitchie never knew how much Elle understood, but sometimes it seemed like she understood a lot.

When Elle was bundled up and Mitchie had put her own coat on, the three found themselves in a taxi on the way to Mitchie's moms. Neither of the girls spoke the entire time.

When they got there Mitchie ran up the stairs, Elle in one arm, holding Riley's hand with the other. She opened the front door without knocking. "Mom?"

There was no answer. "Mom?"

There was a shuffling sound and then a voice, "Mitchie, is that you?"

"Yeah mom, it's me. Where are you?"

Eventually a dark haired woman came around the corner. She only looked to be in her mid thirties. That would make sense, Riley thought. If she was only 15 when she had Mitchie, she wouldn't even be 40 now.

She still hadn't seen Riley who was standing slightly behind Mitchie. Mitchie pulled her out from behind. "Mom, this is Riley who I was telling you about. Riley this is my mom, Diana." The two girls stood side by side and Diana's hands flew to cover her mouth.

"Oh my god."

"So it's true?"

Diana nodded wordlessly, coming over to stand in front of Riley. She put her hands up to cup the girl's face, tears shining in her eyes. "It's you. It's my baby." She burst into sobs then and Riley put her arms around her lightly.

"It's okay," she patted her back soothingly, and Diana threw her arms around her, hugging her tight. "Come here," Riley called, her voice choked up and Mitchie came over, Elle still in her arms and put her arms around the two of them, their tears all mixing together.

Diana was sobbing, "My baby, my baby," and hugging Riley as if the world was about to end. She turned to Mitchie, tears in her eyes and put her hand up to her face before stroking Elle's cheek. "And my other baby, both my babies, all my babies, oh," and she broke down completely.

Riley pulled Diana over to the sofa and they sat down. "I'll make you a cup of tea mom," Mitchie said hurriedly. She handed Elle to Riley and ran into the kitchen, making a pot of tea. As she waited for the kettle to boil she thought about all that had happened over the past half an hour. She could hardly wait to find out what had gone on, why exactly her mom had put Riley up for adoption, and where Riley had been all these years.

Soon Mitchie was sitting facing Riley and her mom on the other couch. Diana held her cup of tea in one hand, her other arm firmly around Riley.

"So tell us what's going on Mom," Mitchie said when Diana had finally calmed down and looked like she was ready to speak again.

Diana opened her mouth and no words came out. She shut it and then tried again. "I, I can't believe it," she said vaguely. "After all these years." She looked at Riley. "I never thought I would see you again. I can't believe it."

Mitchie could see that it wasn't going to be easy to get straight answers out of her mom. She leant forward and placed her hand on her knee. "Start at the beginning and tell us what happened."

Diana looked out the window, before back at the two girls. "It's a long story."

Riley looked at Mitchie, "Well, we're in no hurry, and it is our story too, so I think we have a right to know."

Diana nodded sadly and put her hand on Riley's knee. "You're right sweetheart. It's just that's not a very nice story."

Riley looked down and when she glanced up and met Mitchie's eyes, she realised that both of their eyes were filled with tears. "I think me and Mitchie can take it." They had both gone through so much already in their young lives that really nothing that Diana had to say could shock them too much.

Mitchie nodded her agreeance. "We can take it Mom."

Diana cleared her throat. "Well, let me start at the beginning then. When I was at high school I met Matthew. He was a senior and to my little sophomore eyes, he was perfect." Her face was sad as she continued. "He was my first real boyfriend and the first boy to ever tell me that he loved me. We were so in love. I gave him everything I had to give and the result of that was that I had Mitchie. When I found out I was horrified. Coming from a strong Christian family, it was completely taboo for me to be having a baby out of wedlock. My parents demanded that we get married as soon as the baby was born. I was married two weeks after Michelle Demetria was born. Our wedding was on my 16th birthday."

Mitchie looked at her mom. "I never knew you were married before."

Diana nodded sadly, "Yes. Although it was a marriage that was born out of trouble, we were happy together. Matthew went to night classes at college and looked after Mitchie during the day while I went back to school. We had a little house out in the suburbs and when I was 20, I found out that I was pregnant once again. It was still a bit of a shock, but we were slightly better prepared to look after a child then. Two weeks after I found out –" Diana's voice broke slightly and Riley put her hand on the older woman's arm lightly. "Two weeks after, Matthew was killed in a car accident. A drunk driver ran through the lights on I63. He was killed instantly."

She put her face in her hands and when she looked up again her eyes were brimming with tears. "I loved him. We had 5 perfect years together, and then he was gone."

Mitchie placed her hand on her mom's knee comfortingly. Diana looked up and continued, wiping her face with her hand. "I couldn't cope by myself with being a single mother and having another baby on the way, so when Steve came along and he was handsome and smart and when he said he loved me, I believed him and we got married a month before Riley was born. I thought that he was God's answer to my prayer for a father for my children. However, as soon as we were married Steve turned into a tyrant. He demanded that I give my baby up for adoption, and he –" her voice broke again. "He said that I could keep Mitchie, but sometimes I wish he hadn't because her life's been terrible because of it." She put her head in her hands again. "I'm such a terrible mother," and she began to sob.

Mitchie got up and sat on the couch next to her mom, holding her in her arms. "You're not a terrible mother. You're the best mother I could ever have asked for and I love you. It's not your fault what Steve did."

Riley was still sitting on the other side of Diana, a slightly confused look on her face. Mitchie looked over the top of her mom's head. "Steve is Elle's father." Her mom convulsed in sobs again and Riley's mouth dropped into a perfect O shape.

Mitchie put her head down on her mom's. "It's okay," she shushed her. "It doesn't matter now."

Eventually Diana looked up. She turned to Riley. "I'm so sorry. I didn't give you up because I didn't love you. I gave you up because he made me."

Riley put her arms around the older woman. "It's okay, I understand." And the three of them sat there and cried together, over love that had been lost and innocence that had been stolen.

Finally after sitting there until late into the night, Elle, who had previously been asleep on the floor, started to fuss and Mitchie knew that it was time to go. She got up and Diana walked them to the door. Her face was dry now and she was smiling as she hugged Mitchie goodbye. Mitchie smiled back at her. "I think you deserve some happiness now Mom."

Her mom nodded in agreement and turned to hug Riley. "I love you."

Riley smiled. "I love you too – Mom."

Diana's face creased over in happiness and she kissed Riley on the cheek. "I'm just so happy to have you back again."

Mitchie smiled at the two of them. "We'll be back tomorrow to see you again, okay?"

Diana nodded. She wanted to get to know Riley again after all these years. Although, Mitchie thought sadly. When she heard about Riley's life, it would only make her more sad.

In the cab on the way home, Riley turned to Mitchie. "You never told me who Elle's dad was."

Mitchie nodded. "I know. It was just so horrible that I didn't want to tell anyone."

"Does Shane know?"

Mitchie shook her head. "No."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"One day maybe. He knows that I was raped though because after we found you, you know, I was so upset and he kind of guessed what happened."

"Did you have to –" Riley paused, as if what she was going to say wasn't easy. "I mean, did you put up with that your whole life from your stepdad?"

Mitchie sighed. She probably would have cried, but after this afternoon, there were no tears left. "No. He abused me from the time I was about 10, to the time when I left for college, but he never went that far. It was during one break when I was home from college that it happened. He told me that I was big enough now to give him what he wanted and he told me that he would kill me if I screamed. So I didn't scream. Mom was in the room right next door. As soon as I found out that I was pregnant I told her and we told the police, even though Steve had said that he would kill us for sure if we went to the authorities. I had to though. I just couldn't keep living on in fear of what he would do to me or my mom any longer."

Riley's face was sad. "Where is he now?"

"In jail."

"I hope they threw away the key."

Mitchie smiled slightly. "I hope so too."

Riley looked over at Mitchie. "We're a bit of a messed up pair, aren't we?"

Mitchie nodded sadly, "Yes."

"But," Riley continued. "We've got each other now, and you've got Shane. Everything's going to be okay." She leant across and hugged the other girl.

My sister, Mitchie thought, squeezing her as tight she could without hurting her. "I love you Riley."

"Love you too Mitchie."

Please do review!

Oh... and I just want to say that I love jemi-junkie. She knows why.

And I love the rest of you too. :)

lovelovelove

-Nikki