Thank you so much for reading chapter 1. Hopefully I will be posting a chapter every few days.
When I was deep in my thoughts I heard my door open so I sat up. I dont know how long I was laying in that postion because when I looked up my mom was wearing a nice violet dress and black heels. Her hair was up in a way I've never seen it before and she was wearing more make up than she normally wears. This had to have taken her at least an hour and I couldn't remember her and me having made any plans that would envolve me looking that nice.
"Emma, I need to tell you something." was all she said. She looked nervous for some reason. When I said nothing she continued, "I have a date tonight."
"A date?" My mother has never in the 17 years of my life gone on a date.
she nodded. Unable to think of anything to say I stupidly said, "What about Dad?"
"Em, honey you know I haven't seen your father since well, before you were born. He didn't even know I was pregnant with you the last time I saw him." my father was a rough subject whenever I asked about him as a child she would change the subject. Eventually I stopped asking why everyone except me had a dad. I never really thought about my mother dating. We've never discussed it, I have never imagined her with anyone, I figured it would just always be us against the world.
"Are you excited?" I asked.
"Yeah I am, I was a little nervous to hear your thoughts about it though." She was sitting on the edge of my bed now. "Are you okay with this?" she asked. "Because I could cancel if you want me to. I don't want to make you uncomfortable with all of this."
"Honestly I'm fine, just a little surprised." I said without hesitation. "When is your date going to be here?"
"Any second now." Just as she said that we heard the doorbell. "Well I will be home in a few hours." And with that she was out of my room down the stairs and out the door. I stayed in my room and watched her dates car drove away and out of sight before heading back to my warm bed.
—-
I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes again the sun was shining through my window. I slide out of my bed without bothering to check my phone and slip out of my room to see if my mom is awake yet. It's Saturday and every Saturday morning when I go downstairs there is chocolate chip pancakes waiting for me on the kitchen table. I go downstairs and don't hear anything coming from the kitchen. Sure enough the kitchen is untouched. She must have slept in today. I go back up the white carpeted staircase and walk into my mom's bedroom. I expect to see her sleeping but she isn't there I go to the other side of her bedroom where here bathroom is. I knock but there is still no response.
"MOM," I wait for a second but there is no answer "MOTHER!" Still nothing. I run to my room and check my phone to see if she called me at all. I see that there is a voicemail from her so I click it and hold the phone to my ear.
"Emma, Em I need you to listen to me carefully." I can tell she was trying to speak calmly and there was no humor in her voice at all. "Emma there is a box at the back of my closet, it has information about your father. You need to go to your dad honey, He will keep you safe. I thought we would be safe but, they found us." They found us, who the hell is they. I wish I could talk to her but I can't. "Honey, there is stuff I should have told you about. Shit, I should have told you. But its too late now. By the time you get this I- I will be dead." She was crying now. "The man I went on my date with is a bad man, he will be looking for you so you need to leave the house now. Pack a bag, grab everything you need. Then I need you to get the box from my closet, go down to the car and start driving. Just keep driving until you are out of town. Don't call anyone, not the police not your even your friends. Then start looking for your dad. I love you Emma, remember that. I will always love yo-" The voice mail stopped. I was sitting on the ground now, crying. I had to force myself to get up and when I did I just fell back down. My mother is dead. Her words kept repeating in my head but I didn't want to believe them.
I stood up and grabbed a black duffle back that was sitting in the corner of my room. I started throwing clothes in it, shirts, shorts, jeans, jackets. I went into my bathroom and threw my makeup in the back. From the glimps of myself I saw in the mirrror there was makeup under my eyes because I never took it off yesterday. I went into my moms room and picked up a picture of her and me at my sixth birthday party. Her arms were around me and I had the biggest smile on my face. There was a cake infront of me, the candals still lit and there was a dozen presents behind me. I took the picture out of the frame, folded it and put in my back pocket. I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday so I didn't need to change. I slowly approch my mothers closet and start looking for a box. Sure enough in the back right corner under a folded pile of clothes the box was there.
I took the box in one hand and started down the staircase, tears streaming down my face making everything blury. I figure I will need some money for gas and food so I go to my mom's home office that is just pass the kitchen and grab a pile of cash next to her computer. I get her keys and get into the car we share or shared I guess now. I pull out of the garage and start driving.
I don't stop for hours. I don't have any music on I'm just sitting in silence. I'm not crying anymore but I guarantee I will burst back in tears any second. I notice that the car is almost empty so I start looking for gas stations. When I pull into one I don't fill my car up right away I just sit. I'm exhausted but I can't go to sleep. God knows all I want to do is sleep. I look at the clock in my car and see its 3 in the afternoon. I turn to my right and see the box my mom told me about in the passenger seat. I pick it up and mentaly debate wether I should open it now or later. I decide later after I have gotten some rest and put it down. I turn off the car and get out locking it behind me. I go into the gas station and get a kit kat and a pack of mint gum. The man behind the cash regester looks at me weird as I leave the small store.
After my car is full I pull out of the parking lot and start looking for a motel that I can stay in for a night or two. I'm still very confused about what's happening to my life right now, but I don't have the time to worry about that right now. I turn on the radio because I really can't take the silence anymore. An annoying pop song comes on but I don't feel like changing the station.
About an hour later a motel is in front of me. I park and pull the money out of my pocket I still have just over three hundred dollars with me. I grab everything I brought with me and walk inside. The man at the front desk gives me the key to a one bed room that is sixty bucks a night. I walk to my room. It's much cleaner than I expected it to be. The walls look recently painted but the white paint is chipped in the corner of the room by the door. I walk over to the bed that is in the middle on the room, a wood night stand and both sides of the bed, the white bed sheets look enviting. I lay down on them and close my eyes a few minutes have passed and even though I would love to fall asleep I pick up the box that is suppose to have information about my father. I turn on the lights and open the box.