Chapter 16
Already things weren't going her way. Chelsea had hoped that Raven would be the only one home and that she would answer the door. 0 for 2.
Chelsea tried her best to look at Tanya in the eye, but her eyes weren't going where she wanted them too. They moved all over the place; to her shoes, or the porch, the living room behind Tanya, the mailbox…but not directly into Tanya's eyes.
They had been standing there in silence for a few minutes, but it felt like hours. Chelsea finally found the courage to speak up. Clearing her throat and gaining the strength to at least pick her head up, Chelsea stammered, "Uh…I-is Raven h-here?"
"Why?" Tanya said, restraining herself. She really wanted to give Chelsea a piece of her mind.
"I-I wanted to talk to her."
"Again why? So you can hurt her all over again?"
"No." Chelsea shook her head.
Suddenly, Tanya snapped.
"You broke my baby's heart. You've ruined her. Raven hasn't gotten out of bed for four days straight. All she does is cry. She doesn't eat, she won't sleep...she doesn't even talk most of the time. And you have the nerve to show up at this doorstep--"
"Please, Mrs. Baxter." Chelsea pleaded, but Tanya put a hand up.
"Don't interrupt me. You have no idea what you did to Raven. How much you broke her." Tears pooled in Tanya's eyes. "She really did love you."
Chelsea's bottom lip quivered as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm sor--"
"Don't you dare say that. That won't fix one thing."
"If you would just please let me see her--"
"No."
"Please."
"NO." Tanya crossed her arms and leaned on the door frame. She tried to act tough, but her heart was going out to Chelsea just a little. She could see the torment within Chelsea. She could see how guilty Chelsea actually felt. And she was genuine when she started to say she was sorry. But Tanya was thinking about her daughter and only her daughter. It was too soon. Raven wouldn't be able to handle seeing Chelsea just yet.
Chelsea knew that she wasn't getting past the door today; maybe she wouldn't ever again. But she had to make things right. Speaking to Raven was out of the question. So she nodded, swallowing her tears and her defeat. "Okay." She whispered meekly. "I'm…just gonna go then."
Tanya sighed, tightening her jaw. "I think that's a good idea."
Chelsea nodded again and the turned and slowly walked down the stairs. Tanya sighed again, watching Chelsea go. She closed the door and wiped away a few tears she let fall from her eyes, turning back to the living room. She jumped and almost screamed when she saw Raven sitting on the bottom of the stairs.
"Oh, Raven!" Tanya gasped breathlessly, putting a hand on her heart. She walked toward her daughter, who was crying a little. "Are you okay?"
Raven nodded. "I heard her outside…"
"I'm sorry honey. I just thought it was too soon."
"You're right. When I heard her…I felt…I didn't know what to do. I ran down here; I wanted to see her so bad, but I knew that wouldn't help. So I forced myself to sit here. And I heard all the things that you said." Raven looked up at Tanya. "Thanks Mom."
Then, she stood up and gave Tanya a hug. Tanya hugged her back tightly. "Okay."
They separated and Tanya sighed for what seemed the millionth time within a few minutes. "So, are you hungry?"
Raven nodded. "Yeah."
"All right. I was going to make you a sandwich."
They walked for the kitchen, their arms draped around one another.
Ben was sitting on his couch, flipping through the channels rapidly when the doorbell rang. He got up, jogged over and opened the door. Chelsea stood there, looking at nothing for a minute, lost in thought.
"Chelsea? What are you doing here?"
Chelsea looked at Ben. "I need your help."
Ben nodded and stepped aside. Chelsea stepped inside and he closed the door.
"GOD DAMN IT!" Rocky shouted, throwing Michael's boom box across the shed. It hit the wall with a loud crash, shattering.
Michael lay sprawled out on the floor, blood running from his lip, nose and eyebrow. His left eye was already starting to swell shut, his lungs burned, and his stomach was sore where they took turns kicking him. Salty tears burned his wounded eye, mixing with the blood running down his face.
Deckland and Tyrone stood back, letting Rocky "express" his anger and disappointment in Michael.
"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING! YOU GOT US ALL FUCKING SUSPENDED YOU DICK!"
Michael coughed in response, rolling on his side and pulling his knees up toward his stomach. Rocky paced back and forth in front of Michael, like a lion stuck in a cage.
Suddenly, he bent down and grabbed Michael by the collar, lifting his upper body off the floor. "I'd kill you if I didn't know you were such a dumb shit." He whispered, his whole body shaking with anger.
"I'm s-sorry Rocky. It-it won't happen again." Michael sobbed, grabbing Rocky's arm, trying not to shout in pain. The position Rocky had him in made his already throbbing abdomen hurt more. Plus it was starting to get to his back.
Rocky shook Michael a little, his grip tightening and then loosening on his collar. After a few intense moments, Rocky let go of Michael and let him fall to the floor. Michael sniffled, wiping the blood and tears away with his dirty hand. It didn't help; it only smeared blood across his face.
"Get out. Go clean yourself up." Rocky said, staring at the pathetic figure lying at his feet.
"Aw, ya mean da fun's over?" Deckland said, pretending to be disappointed.
"Shut up." Rocky ordered and Deckland closed his mouth. Tyrone just stood there, a sick smile spreading across his face.
Michael slowly rose to his feet, hunched and putting an arm to his stomach from the pain. He took one last look at his, "friends" before limping to the doorway and leaving. Rocky stormed over to the cooler, ripped open the lid, and grabbed a beer.
"Clean this up."He said, kicking a piece of the boom box with his boot. He cracked open the beer and left the shed too.
Deckland growled as soon as the door closed. "Why do we always hafta fecking clean up dis place? We're not housewives ya know." He yelled at no one in particular. Tyrone nodded in agreement, turning and grabbing a broom and dustpan.
"Gimme dat." Deckland said, snatching the broom from Tyrone.
Slowly they began to clean up the mess.