Hiding From the Past
Disclaimer: I don't own Shake it Up, but I also don't own "Malevolence"
A/N:
Chapter 21 (Raging Storm)
"Think this through," Rocky tried to console her with a soft voice and cautious warnings. Eve n Gunther was attempting to sway her from her path of rage, but she couldn't quell the storm inside as she charged through the hallway of her apartment. "I will not calm down!" She exclaimed, her wild anger coursed through her veins and adrenaline was being pumped into her. "I need answers and I need them now!"
"There's no calming her," Flynn advised, "She won't stop." He knew her better than Rocky or Gunther, and that was saying something. However, she saw in his eyes that he wanted answers too. He was angry, angry for her, and was about ready to tear the door off the hinges just for her if he had to. "I say let her sort things out with mom…if she is lying about something, Cece deserves to know."
Rocky threw her hands up, trying to argue the boy's point. "But she could go about this a different way, Flynn." Cece glared from the corner of her eyes. Her muscles tensed and her already deadly glare increased in anger. Flynn looked from Rocky to her, then back to her friends.
"You didn't see that picture. Things just aren't adding up, and I'm with Cece on this. I want answers too. My…My real dad wanted to have me aborted, my birth mom was basically forced to give me up. You two haven't had to deal with something like that, you don't understand…" Flynn was shaking like a tree in the midst of a tornado, her tornado. She was amazed he wasn't one of the ones trying to keep her from destroying everything in her wake, but then, he understood why she was angry. He was angry too when he found out the truth of his family, but people had been honest with him. As for her, she had no idea why people weren't being honest. Ironically enough, James was the most honest person involved in this fucked up mess!
"Rocky, Gunther, I love you guys but you're not stopping me." The closer they came to her apartment door, the more enraged she grew. She was trying to calm down, but she wasn't able to do so with that image burned into her head. "All I want are answers, Mom's been avoiding me for too long. James even calls her delusional! He divorced her! Things haven't been adding up and I want answers now!"
Rocky sighed in defeat and looked to Gunther, who chose to remain silent. Cece was grateful to him, simply because she didn't like yelling at the two of them. "I hope you find those answers then," Rocky replied. "After all, I've been doing all my investigating and still haven't come across anything. Mom doesn't have answers either…I've also been calling around to see if anyone might have suggestions to why people wouldn't tell their children the truth of their birth. I get many different reactions, but…I don't know."
They stopped in front of the door and Cece closed her eyes, she felt the spark of familiarity upon thinking of Brody, Megan and Connor. Seeing their mother made her stomach flip over inside and filled her head with thoughts of fear and concern. No one in that family seemed to be the type of people that would want nothing to do with her, so she didn't know if she had a similar circumstance as Flynn.
"That family…those people…" She turned towards the group, choking back her tears. Her body trembled and grew hot with each passing second that she thought on the circumstances surrounding her. "You didn't feel what I felt. I felt a connection to them. One I can't explain." She scratched her head and began tapping her foot. It was a stress habit she had, whenever she was stressed out or angry, she would began to tap her foot at rapid speed. Gary did it often as well, it was just one of the many things she noticed in regards to him. "If mom had an affair, I need to know if it was with someone in that family. If not, then it was just someone else, but either way I need answers now!"
"You'll get them one way or another, Cece. Believe me…" She raised an eyebrow and turned around, scoffing at her friend. She didn't know what Rocky had planned, but it was not the foremost thing on her mind.
Seeing Mave didn't do anything to deter her worries either, the woman had given her the same studious look as Brody had. It didn't hurt to think she'd be related to those people. In fact, it would be nice to be related to them, they were very nice. Mave said her brother had a rough life and they were looking for him, but she didn't pursue the woman's topic. She had a feeling that she should have asked more about this brother of hers, though. Would it have mattered? Would she have received any answers that way? No. The only answers she'd receive would have to come from Georgia.
"All right, I'm going in. Whether or not you guys think it's right or not, I'm doing this. I have to. Mom's going to give me answers one way or another. She knows I need her to be honest with me! I can't stand liars!"
"She's still your mom," Gunther stated, "Just keep that in mind." He didn't sound too convinced, oddly enough. Did he not believe what he'd just said? Did he doubt it for some strange reason? She didn't know, she didn't care.
Cece nearly tore the doors off the hinges herself when she opened it. Georgia was on the couch, flinching from Cece's sudden entrance. She looked up with wide, bewildered eyes as Cece stormed in, a fire raging through her soul. "I need answers, Mom, and I need them now!"
Georgia gave her a sweet smile, an unconvincing motherly one at that. "What are you talking about, Cece?" Not being swayed by the sweetness in her mom's tone, she fired out another shout.
"Who is my father?!" The entire room shook with her anger. Rocky and Gunther looked around at the seemingly vibrating walls. Flynn stood strong beside Cece, arms crossed and eyes narrow.
The walls in the room appeared to turn red and Cece thought she could feel fire nipping at her heels. Georgia slowly rose to her feet and raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't take that tone with me, Cece. I am your mother."
"Spare me. I've been asking for a while now for the truth, and all you've done is avoid me! I want-no-I need the truth from you! I know James isn't my dad. So tell me the truth, Mom! Who is my father? Why won't you tell me you had an affair?!"
"But James is your dad, Cece…" She took a moment to pause, glaring into her mother's seemingly-innocent eyes. They were empty, devoid of emotion. The smile that was plastered on her face was borderline frightening. Where was the love? Her mother had loved her, but if she did, then why was she so scared of the truth?
"Come on, mom! Why can't you just tell me? It's not like I'm going to hunt down my real dad, unless there's something else you'd like to tell me?" Georgia chuckled and shook her head.
"Cece dear, your real dad is the man who raised you."
"I don't remember a man raising me. James pretty much stayed the hell away from me, Mom. Did you or did you not have an affair? You can tell me. You know you can tell me. You had to have had an affair or something! James told me he wasn't my father."
"He was lying…he is your dad, he knows it…"
There was something dreadfully wrong here. Not only did her mother appear blank, she was talking almost robotically. Everything she said sounded scripted, practiced. Cece smacked her hand in the air, then brought it to her hip. "God, you really believe everything you're saying, don't you? James said you were delusional, but I didn't want to think you were, Mom…you're just dishonest…"
"I'm not being dishonest, baby. I love you so much. Your dad's the one who is delusional…" Georgia took a step forward, stretching her arms out, still smiling with the same charm that never left her. "Do you need a hug? Is everything okay?"
"No it's not okay! My own mother won't tell me the truth! It's just a stupid affair! You know I won't care if you had an affair."
"I never cheated on your father, Cece."
"Then who is my real dad? Because James clearly can't have kids!"
"He can." Georgia laughed nervously, seemingly struggling with her own lies. Cece's heart split and her body began to crack from the rage within. She felt as though she were about to explode, and to be honest, she didn't care if she did. "Or at least, he did."
"Mom please, quit lying to me…I am not his daughter. If you had an affair, then tell me…was it a prior boyfriend?" Tears scorched her cheeks, leaving vibrant red trails behind them. He knees began to buckle and bile burned her esophagus, choking her. She wiped her nose, groaning in disgust as it began to run. "Please just tell me the truth, mom. Tell me the truth…"
Georgia began to tremble, pouting her lower lip as she gazed at her daughter. Cece could see a mixture of pain and terror growing in the woman's eyes. Georgia started to stammer, unable to come up with an excuse. "I-I can't."
"It's not like I'm going to hate you because James isn't my dad…I won't hate you for that." She took a step forward, stifling a whine. "I mean…I just hate that you can't be honest with me." Her heart was about ready to collapse, her body's temperature was rising to dangerous levels, and sweat was pouring down her like rainfall. "You know…I can't stand dishonest people…please just be honest with me. That's all I ask of you…who is my dad? You either had an affair, or it was a prior boyfriend…"
Georgia put her hands to her face, "I just can't! Don't you understand, you are my daughter…you're James's daughter. There's nothing more to it. I'm your mother, Cece. No one other than James has ever been your father."
"Mom please. I can't take this anymore…I just can't…"
"I-I have to go, Cece. I'm needed down at the office." Georgia started to walk to the door and Cece grabbed her wrist. The woman looked back at her, a deep sadness rested in the woman's eyes. Cece searched the woman for any sign of truth, but for the first time, she felt disconnected from her own mother. The woman tore herself from her and rushed out of the apartment. Why was she in such a hurry to run? Further conflict avoidance?
The answer came from the hallway and despair rattled Cece when she heard Logan's voice. "Whoa…" She put her hand to her mouth as everyone looked over to see Logan and Jeremy walking from Georgia's bedroom. Jeremy looked like he just woke up. "Go to wake my dad up for five minutes, and this happened?"
"What the hell's going on?" Jeremy asked, shaking violently himself. It looked as though he needed answers as well. Skeptical and still feeling a massive amount of scorn bubbling inside of her, she didn't have anything nice to say to them.
"Good luck figuring that one out. I can't even figure it out."
"Cece!" Rocky chided her, but the scolding fell short. She brushed it off and moved over to the couch, throwing herself onto it. "Cece, believe me, you'll get your answers." Her head shot up towards Rocky, tears fell from her chin and anger revealed itself like fire in her eyes.
"And what are you talking about, Rocky? What do you have planned! You're always interfering."
"She's your best friend," Gunther replied with caution in his voice. He moved over to her and put his hand to her shoulder, but she pulled away, not wanting to be touched. He closed his eyes and exhaled, doing his best to remain calm. "She cares about you, we all do, and everyone wants answers as much as you do. I know it's hard, I know it hurts, but you have to take this a step at a time…"
She muttered and looked to her friend. Guilt stabbed her like a knife to the gut when she saw the sorrow on Rocky's face. "You're right…" She rose up and moved over, hugging her friend. "I'm sorry. It's just…I shouldn't have snapped at you."
"Actually, I probably deserve it."
Rocky smiled sheepishly and Cece raised an eyebrow, still smiling reassuringly. "No you don't…" Her friend shook her head and took a slight step back, waving her hands in the air.
"You don't understand…"
"Why? Why would you say that?"
"Because, a few days ago…I did something you might be mad at me for…" Before she had a chance to truly react, the phone started to ring. Silence filled the air and Flynn answered the phone. She was shocked when Flynn started to pale. He looked to her with a worried smile and handed the phone to her.
"It's for you, sis."
"Okay…" She looked to Rocky one last time, then took the phone. She put the phone to her ear and took a deep breath, attempting to calm the rage burning through her. "Hello?"
"This is Cece Jones?" A familiar voice struck her, paralyzing her. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. The voice belonged to that of her favorite reality talk show host. Maury! She looked over to Rocky. She was unnerved and confused. Rocky started to fidget. "Hello?" Her eyes widened and she quickly turned around, leaning over the end table and grasping the edge firmly with her hand.
"What-sorry! This is her."
"This is Maury Povich from The Maury Show. I was contacted by your friend, Rocky Blue?" She quickly glanced to Rocky, still struggling to keep her excitement down. She was still angry and bitter over her mother, but to have Maury himself call her, the issue with her mother seemed almost nonexistent. "I went over your case and would like to extend an invitation to have you on my live show."
"I-I don't know what to say. I mean…It's hard enough…" She actually had been tempted to call him herself, but she never thought anything would happen if she did. Would her mother go? She would have no choice. "I mean, I need answers from my mom. I do. I just…I don't know how to get them, things are getting hellish."
"I can help you. I'm told you don't know who your father is?"
"Mom won't answer my questions. Maybe…Maybe she'll answer yours? Can she take a lie detector test?"
"Yes, and we'll submit her to any test you deem necessary."
"Okay. Good. Maybe…Maybe she'll be honest for once. I can't figure out why she won't tell me the truth…"
"We'll figure out what's going on. Your case is not an unfamiliar one."
"Right…" She chuckled nervously and swept her fingers through her hair. Nervousness grew within and her anger started to diminish. She looked to Rocky, half expecting the girl to run away, seeing as how nervous she looked. "My case may wind up being a strange one…who knows."
Georgia just can't seem to tell the truth, but it looks like that may come out soon enough. Rocky's contacted The Maury Show, and Jeremy's just overheard the whole argument with Georgia, so that's a problem. (Note this story still was started before they broke up on the show, so up to this point the wedding has still been on). Tell me what you're feeling after this chapter, what do you predict to come?