CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Going Home

"Ah, Mrs. Toretto." A woman said walking out of a room as I walked up the hall with the kids. Mari smiled and stepped in front of me. "Well, hello Ms. Mari."

"Hello." She said politely. "How are you?"

"I'm great, thank you. How are you? You're getting big." Mari blushed and I smiled.

"Yeah. Mom says its because I eat all my vegetables." The woman, who was a worker here, looked up at me and smiled. She looked back at Mari and smiled bigger.

"That's true. Your moms really smart." Mari nodded and smiled. "So, you guys are here to see DJ, right?" I wondered why James was so quiet today. I wonder if something was wrong. "Well, he's right in here and he's expecting you." She said reaching for the doorknob and pushing the door open. The four of us walked in the room. DJ was sitting in a chair looking out the window. Mari, James, and the woman stopped just inside the door. I walked over and put my hand on his shoulder. He jumped a little and I smiled down at him. He smiled.

"Mommy!" His whole face lit up. I pulled him into my arms and hugged him tightly. "I didn't think you were coming."

"Of course. Why would I miss your birthday?"

"It's my birthday?"

"Yes, baby, it is." He smiled and looked at the woman then at me.

"Nikki?" He asked. The woman walked over and stood in front of him. "Can I go outside? I want to play with my sister and my cousin." Nikki looked at me and sighed. Then her eyes shifted back to him.

"Not today sweetheart. You guys can play in here." His eyes were sad, he looked sad. "I'm sure you three would have fun. Look, I think your mom got you something for your birthday." He smiled a little and looked at me. I sat in the chair next to him and he crawled over onto my lap. Mari and James walked over and sat on his bed. I set it on his lap and he looked at it.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"Open it." I said with a chuckle. He opened it. "These are pictures."

"What are they for?" He asked.

"So you can look at them."

"Oh. Who are these people?" He asked.

"These are my friends. From before you were born. That's your father. There's his sister, your aunt, Mia. There are just some other guys. Jesse, Leon, Vince." He looked at me and smiled.

"Can I meet them?"

"Some day." He sighed and I frowned. "What's wrong, buddy?"

"I wanna go home." He whined a little. "I wanna go home mommy." He stuck out his bottom lip and I nodded a little. "Please!"

"I know you do, sweetie." He sighed and I looked at Mari and James. There was an empty bedroom in the house. That would be perfect. I don't know about the financial issue, adding another person to the house. "The doctor said I'm better." I looked at Nikki. She nodded and I smiled.

"He can go home. The doctor said. He doesn't need the med or the treatment or anything anymore. He's practically a healthy boy now."

"I noticed he does seem a bit more energized and excited that I'm here today." I looked at DJ and his bottom lip was still sticking out at me. "You really want to go home don't you?"

"Yes." He said.

"And he can really go home?" I asked Nikki. She nodded and I smiled. "Can you help him pack?" She smiled and nodded.

"No problem."

"Can you watch them for a few? I need to run down to the lobby for a moment." I asked her. I didn't feel like waiting for an elevator so I took the stairs. I walked all the way from the seventh floor to the lobby, which was on the ground floor. There was a short chunky woman behind the counter and I took a deep breath and walked over to her.

"May I help you?" She asked. I nodded and smiled.

"I need to know the cost of one month." I pulled the envelope out of my back pocket and she looked at me.

"Two hundred dollars." She said. I nodded and looked at the check. It was two hundred and fifty dollars. "Your Dominic Toretto's mother, correct?" I nodded. "Would you like to pay for another month?"

"Um. No." I didn't think. I just talked. "I'd like to take him home."

"Yes ma'am." She pulled out a clipboard and slid it across the counter to me. "Fill that out. Then sign him out here and you're free to take him home." I smiled and started to fill out the paper on the clipboard. I finished filling out the paper and the woman smiled at me. "It's going to be different here without him. But I think he'll be happy to leave. He wasn't happy here." I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm going to miss coming here every three months. I enjoyed the staff." She smiled and nodded.

"Don't forget to sign him out." I nodded and signed him out quickly. "It was nice meeting you Mrs. Toretto."

"Ms. Ramirez, for the millionth time." She nodded.

"Bye, Ms. Ramirez."

"Bye." I nodded and walked back toward the stairs. I literally ran up the stairs, sometimes skipping a step. I walked back into the room and there were suitcases on the bed. "That was fast."

"Most of it was already packed." Nikki said. I nodded and smiled.

"Well, you ready?" I asked DJ. He nodded and smiled. "Okay. Then, let's go." He got up and picked up a suitcase. Mari and James picked up one as well. Nikki picked one up.

"Here, Mari I'll take that." She said sweetly. Nikki took the bag from Mari and she thanked her.

"Let's get to the elevator." I led them out of the room and down the hall to the elevator. I pushed the button and the doors opened right away. I held the door for the kids and Nikki. Once they were on the elevator I let the doors close and I hit the 1 button. There was a ding and the doors opened. We got off and walked out of the place to my car. It was right in the first row of cars. I popped the trunk and helped the kids put the suitcases in the car. Nikki started to walk away. "Nikki, wait." She stopped and turned. "Hang on." She nodded. I helped the kids into the car and closed the doors. I put all three of them in the back because I didn't want any of them in the front. I walked over to Nikki and she smiled. "You got any plans tonight?"

"No, I don't believe so. Unless you count going home, making dinner, and eating it by myself. I'm a lonely person." She said. I nodded and she shrugged.

"I'm going to throw a party. You want to come?"

"What kind of party?"

"For DJ. A birthday party but it's just going to be the kids and me. Maybe DJ and Mari's dad if he decides to show his face after what he did today."

"You talk to him. What did he do?"

"He promised to come today and he left me hanging. I can't believe I trusted him. "But come tonight. If it's too far of a drive, take tomorrow off."

"Today's my last day."

"What? Why?"

"DJ, he was a special boy. He touched me. He was the only one I looked after, now that's he's gone, there's no need for me here." I frowned.

"I feel like it's my fault."

"I'm happy to be out of this place." I nodded. "Low pay. Crappy lunch." I chuckled and nodded. She smiled and I looked at her.

"So tell me that you'll come to the party. Cake and ice cream."

"Oo. Cake and ice cream, oh I'll be there."

"I knew you couldn't resist." She nodded and looked at me. She stepped closer to me and put a hand on the back of my neck. She pulled my face closer to hers and our lips met roughly. I didn't pull away, although I wasn't sure why. This kiss wasn't just a peck, it was getting tongue-y now. Our tongues slid over each others. I put my hands on her shoulders and pulled myself away.

"Um…" She started. I looked at her. "I'm sorry."

"I've never kissed a girl before."

"Um. Me either." We both laughed and looked at each other. I nodded and smiled. "I don't know where that came from."

"It's okay. Just please come tonight." She nodded.

"I'll be there." I cheered and she smiled.

"I should get going. I'll see you later. Say around seven?" She nodded again. I smiled and started toward my car. She started back toward the building. I looked at the back window of the car. All three kids were smiling at me over the seat. I shook my head and walked to the driver's side. I opened the door and got in. I turned toward the kids. "Sit down and get your seatbelts on." They did as they were told.

"Does that happen every time?" DJ whispered to Mari.

"No." She replied. I shook my head and started the car, then drove out of the parking lot. I needed to go to the store.

Okay… Enough excitement for one chapter, huh? Next chapter… arriving home and the birthday party. Fun fun.