Chapter 7
"Honeybear?" Joanne quietly whispered to a sleeping Maureen.
Maureen groaned and turned over. "What!"
"I'm going to be home late tonight…" Joanne said. "I'm going to leave you some money. Why don't you grab a pizza for dinner, and bring it over to the loft?"
Maureen buried her face in the pillows, causing Joanne to sigh.
"You haven't left the apartment for a week; it will be good for you to get out." Joanne stated while running her fingers through the diva's hair.
"If I say yes will you leave me alone, and let me go back to sleep?" An annoyed Maureen bitterly asked.
Joanne let out a low giggle, and kissed Maureen on the head. "Yes. I'll pick you up on my way home."
"Okay." Maureen murmured.
Satisfied with the drama queen's answer, Joanne stood up from the bed, and headed for the door.
"Joanne?" Maureen faintly whispered, causing Joanne to stop dead in her tracks.
"Hmm?"
With out a word Maureen sat up, reached out, and pulled Joanne onto the bed. Before Joanne could question the action, Maureen pulled her into a pleasant kiss.
"Wha…what was that for?" Joanne asked once they pulled apart.
Maureen laid back down snuggling under the covers, a small smirk on her face, something Joanne hadn't seen in a while. "I haven't kissed you like that in a long time…thought we both could use the pick me up."
Joanne couldn't help but smile along with her girlfriend, her head nodding in agreement. "Thank you. Okay, I better get going now. I'll pick you up around eight, the latest being nine, okay?"
"Okay, bye Pookie." Maureen hazily said before shutting her eyes, and going back to sleep.
It was six o'clock when Joanne left her office, the usual time she was finished work. She lied to Maureen when she told her she had to work late, but Joanne had an errand to run, one she had to do on her own, and with out Maureen's consent. The lawyer was now on her way to Queens, she wanted to have a little talk with Mrs. Johnson.
"Joanne…it's so nice to see you." Mrs. Johnson said with a bright smile on her face, her eyes scanning around trying to spot Maureen. "Where's…"
"I came alone." Joanne said in a firm tone. "Do you mind if I come in?"
"Not at all." Mrs. Johnson said, and moved aside to let her daughter's girlfriend into the house.
"Is there something wrong with Maureen?" Mrs. Johnson asked, a little worry playing in her voice. "The girl never calls."
"Yes there is something wrong…" Joanne admitted, and watched the older women's expression fall. "He's back…in her life."
Mrs. Johnson shook her head. "What?"
"You're real husband…Maureen's real father." Joanne declared. "The person who was responsible for ruining Maureen's childhood, and now is back to ruin her life."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Mrs. Johnson lied.
"You don't huh?" Joanne said, not for a second believing her.
"No Joanne…and even if I did, you have no business butting into our lives." Mrs. Johnson said, getting a bit angry. "Things happen, we learn to deal with them, and then we move on."
"Well I hate to break it to you, but Maureen is my life, and I'll do anything to keep her safe." Joanne took a pause to gather her thoughts, and then glared directly into Mrs. Johnson's eyes. "I just need to know…is it true?"
"Is what true?" Mrs. Johnson said, her voice cracking a little.
"Is it true what happened to her fifteen years ago? Did he abuse her right under your nose? Is it true, you, her only mother, the one person she had to rely on turned her head, and let the abusing continue?" Joanne didn't mean to do it, but she couldn't help but turn into lawyer mode. Sure it was Mrs. Johnson, her lover's mother, but that wasn't on Joanne's mind when she was asking the questions, Maureen was on her mind, and Joanne was going to stop at nothing to defend and protect Maureen, even if it meant scolding Mrs. Johnson in the process.
Before Joanne could persist with her questioning, Mrs. Johnson stood up, her face full of tears.
"It's true!" Mrs. Johnson shouted. "He did those awful things to Maureen, and I did nothing to stop it! I was scared, he threaten me. I know that's no excuse for not stopping him, but what would you do if someone made treats to kill you?"
"Personally…I would do anything to stop someone from hurting Maureen!" Joanne yelled. "You could have gone to the police; you could have taken Maureen away from him! But we're different from one another I guess…I love Maureen. I would risk my life for her."
"I love Maureen to death!" Mrs. Johnson shouted.
Joanne shook her head. "If you truly love her, you would have been there for her; you would have stayed up and held her in your arms while she cried herself to sleep every night."
"Get out." Mrs. Johnson said, quietly.
"Fine I'll leave." Joanne said, and started heading for the door. "Before I do, I thought you should know. I'm going to catch that bastard, and if there is a trial date I'll let you know, and if you really love her…you'll show up and support her. She already has a supporting family of seven…but I want you to be there and be her eighth. You're her own mother for crying out loud…she needs to know you'll be there for her no matter what."
With that said and done, Joanne left the house, and headed back to the City. Mrs. Johnson closed the door, her body leaning up against it. It wasn't long before she broke down and slid to the floor. Her body scrunching up into a ball, as memories of the past flooded her mind.