"Stanley, please don't tell them." I walked into Stanley's house and stopped.
"Tell us what?" I looked up at the group in Stanley's kitchen. Squid was stuffing his face with a candy bar.
"Hey, why'd you two ditch us at the mall?" He swallowed and took another bite.
"Yah, we looked for ya'll but we couldn't find you." Zig-Zag looked at Squid and took a step away from him.
"We got delayed." I sat down on one of the empty barstools and Stanley walked over to his grandfather.
"That's a light word for it." I could tell that he was angry with me.
"Stanley, not right now." Stanley's mom looked at us both.
"What happened?"
"We met someone in the mall." I didn't say anything else.
"And?"
"She says that she's Deyna's mom." All eyes were on me. I fixed my eyes on the salt shakers.
"I don't understand it. She had the papers and everything."
"So, what's the problem?"
"My mother died 14 years ago. Dad used to talk about her."
"Did he have pictures of her?"
"No. All I had were his descriptions."
"So it's between his word and hers," Armpit said.
"And we know how trustworthy Pendanski can be." I whirled my head after Stanley closed his mouth. I got up in a shot.
"Don't talk about my father like that! He may be in jail, but he would never lie to me!" I was tired, confused and angry and before I knew it, I was trying to beat up my boyfriend.
"Deyna! Stop it!" Stanley's mom pulled me off of him. "This is childish. Your father is trustworthy, Deyna. Stanley was wrong. And since your father is in jail, we will have to settle this thing in court." I kept my eyes away from Stanley and sat back down. The phone rang. Stanley's dad got it.
"Hello?" Pause. "Deyna, it's for you." He handed me the cordless.
"Hello?"
"Deyna Pendanski?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Would you please come to the courthouse today at 4:00 for the reading of your grandparents' will?"
"Yes, Sir. I'll be there."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." I hung it up and laid it on the table. Everyone stared unknowingly at me. "They're reading my grandparents will today at 4:00." A tear fell from my eye at the reminder that I was alone. Oh, how I missed my father.
At the courthouse, I was the only one present so they let Stanley and company come in and sit with me. My lawyer stood up and spoke.
"Now, Miss Pendanski, you are the sole heir to your grandparents fortune. You must realize that-" He stopped and look at the presence in the doorway. It was "she". Her fiery red hair was concealed in a black hat and she was dressed in a way too old-fashioned black dress.
"I'm here! You can read the will now!"
"And who are you?"
"Why, I'm Deyna's mother. Who did you think I was, silly." She walked over to me and tried to hug me but I pushed her away. "Now, are you the kid's- I mean, my darling Deyna's lawyer?"
"Yes, ma'am. Am I to assume that you are Miss Pendanski's mother?"
"Yes! I told you! My name's on the will, is it not?" He scanned the paper.
"I'm afraid that only Deyna's name is mentioned."
"I expected as much. My parents never liked me very much. So, seeing as how Deyna is underage, I shall take full custody of her and her money until she reaches the age of 18." I stared helplessly at a stack of papers.
"Deyna, would you like to say something?" My lawyer beckoned me to speak.
"I don't know who this woman is. My mother died 14 years ago." The woman laughed.
"So your father and grandparents would like you to believe. It's a lie, sweetheart! I want to spend every spare moment I can with you until you are 18. I missed your entire childhood. Do you know how much that hurts me to know that I missed when you lost your first tooth, when you rode your first bike? All those things I missed. I don't want to miss anymore." She almost looked convincing as a fake tear fell down her cheek. My lawyer looked stunned.
"Well, um, we will have to settle this in court."
"Anything to get my baby back." She smiled sweetly at me.
"Oh, good grief! I think I'm going to be sick."
My lawyer scheduled the court session for the next day.
"Let's face it, Deyna. She has a chance at winning," my lawyer confesses to me.
"We'll see who wins."