Chapter 7

Joanne trudged out of the bedroom around ten the next morning. Her hands were digging into her eyes, and her hair was a mess.

"Morning pookie!" Maureen chirped. "You staying home today?"

"No." Joanne bitterly answered. "I'm going in after lunch. I'm going to go get a shower in."

"Hi kitten!" Mrs. Jefferson smiled as Joanne passed her on the way to the master bedroom.

Joanne mumbled something and kept walking. She quickly found the clothes she wanted to wear, grabbed some towels, and hopped in the shower.

"Is she moody because she is hung over? Or because she is still mad at us?" Mrs. Jefferson asked.

Maureen shrugged. "I don't know."

After Joanne finished getting ready, she came into the kitchen and began making herself a lunch. Maureen eyed Mrs. Jefferson and they both shrugged, not sure if Joanne was still angry about the day before. Maureen took in a deep breath and let it out, and then went into enemy territory.

"Hey-"

"Thank you." Joanne interrupted the diva. "For taking care of me last night. I didn't mean to get so drunk…I'm sorry."

"No problem." Maureen smiled. "Everyone is allowed to get drunk."

Mrs. Jefferson soon entered, and Joanne sighed. "I'm sorry for how I acted last night mom."

"It's okay dear." Mrs. Jefferson said. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better." Joanne said. "Still a little bitter with how you two behaved the other day, but if you promise me that you'll try and at least make an attempt to get along, it will make me happy."

"We promise." Mrs. Jefferson and Maureen both said at the same time.

Joanne eyed the both of them unsurely, but nodded in approval and then proceeded to pick up her briefcase. "Alright. I'll be home around six…for real this time. Have a good day, and don't call me if you're arguing, I'm not in the mood to deal with it."

"Okay, bye pookie." Maureen said and gave her girlfriend a kiss on the cheek. Joanne reciprocated the kiss, then waved to her mother, and was out the door.

Maureen soon pulled on her coat. "I'm leaving too. It will make it easier for us to not fight."

"Good idea." Mrs. Jefferson smiled.

Maureen simply waved and left the apartment.

Instead of going to work, Joanne jumped in her car and headed to her home, hoping her dad was there this time. A half hour later she pulled into the driveway, and jumped out of the car and headed for the door, knocking loudly before letting herself in.

"Dad?" Joanne called out, looking around the open space. "Dad it's me…Joanne." She said as she headed for the study, which was a likely place for Mr. Jefferson to be.

"Joanne!?" Her father called out with fret. "Is your mother with you?" He asked as he raced down the stairs and turned his daughter around.

"You don't know?" Joanne asked.

"Don't know what?" Mr. Jefferson asked with worry. "Almost all her stuff is gone. We had a fight the night before I left for a business trip, and I come home and find she's gone."

"She's living with Maureen and me now." Joanne said. "But you have to take her back. I'm not sure if I can handle another Maureen and mom fight."

"She's with you?" Mr. Jefferson asked unsurely.

"Yeah." Joanne said. "What did you two fight about anyways? Maybe I can help."

"She didn't tell you?" Mr. Jefferson asked.

"She said it was about money, and work, that's all she told me." Joanne said, noticing the concern in her father's eyes. "Was there something else?"

"Uh no." Mr. Jefferson quickly answered. "But kitten…please tell her to come back. I don't want to stay in this big house by myself…I love her."

"I will." Joanne quietly said, and pulled her dad into a hug. "I'll talk to her tonight."

The two stayed in a quiet comfortable hug for a minute, Joanne pondering why her mother would just up and leave her father with out his knowledge. It just didn't seem right for her parents to fight like this.

Later that night Joanne arrived home to open arms, as in Maureen's open arms which smothered her in a giant hug.

"Hi pookie!" She chirped. "Guess what!?"

Joanne didn't say anything, and instantly wrapped her arms around Maureen and held on tight. She didn't know why, but she needed to feel the comfort. Maureen's excitement quickly toned down a notch, sensing Joanne wasn't in much of a happy mood.

"You okay Joanne?" Maureen asked, and pulled the lawyer a little closer.

"I'm fine." Joanne weakly smiled and kissed Maureen's temple, before detangling herself from the diva, and heading for the spare bedroom, but before she made it there, her mother stopped her.

"Joanne good you're home!" Mrs. Jefferson smiled. "I made us reservations for that really expensive restaurant. You know the one that's hard to get into?"

"I'm not really hungry." Joanne said and headed for the bedroom.

"Maureen is invited!" Mrs. Jefferson called out. "We're getting along now."

"I don't think she's mad about us fighting anymore. It's something else." Maureen said and hurried off after Joanne, leaving a bewildered Mrs. Jefferson alone.

"Pookie?" Maureen called out, while slowly entering the room. "Talk to me."

"He looked so sad." Joanne softly said her back against the headboard.

"Who?" Maureen asked as she cautiously sat on the bed next to Joanne.

"My father." Joanne said. "I didn't go to work today. I went and talked to him. He had no idea my mom left. He was on a business trip, she didn't even leave a note, she just up and left him. It's weird…I never seen them fight like this."

"Do you think there is more to the fight?" Maureen asked.

"I don't know." Joanne sighed, and rolled over so her head was resting on Maureen's shoulder. "I don't even want to think about it right now. It's only Tuesday and I'm already stressed out."

"Sorry." Maureen said, rubbing the lawyer's arm soothingly. "I'm part of that stress." She then smiled. "It's not just me though, you're mother is apart of it too."

Joanne lightly laughed. "Sure blame it on my mother."

"We're trying not to fight now." Maureen said. "It's hard, but we're trying."

"I know." Joanne said, nuzzling Maureen's neck, before getting up. "I'm going to go talk to my mom."

Maureen sighed; a little irritated her time alone with Joanne was done. "Okay."

Joanne walked out into the living room where her mother was reading a book. She took in a deep breath and let it out. "Okay mom, I want a simple answer. Dad had no idea you left, so tell me the truth, is there more to this fight then what you really said?"

Mrs. Jefferson closed her book, totally caught off guard by the question. "Joanne how do you-"

"I went and talked to him today." Joanne said. "He was worried sick about you mom! You just up and left him with out so much as a note. Do you plan on going back to him?"

"I don't know yet." Mrs. Jefferson said tears stinging her eyes.

"Well either tell me what's going on, or figure out what you're going to do, because you can't live here forever." Joanne said and waited for her mother to explain.

"Joanne I…" Mrs. Jefferson began, but stopped. "I'll be out of here by the end of the week."

"Fine." Joanne said with her arms crossed over her chest, and she quickly stormed back to her room, just as Maureen was coming out.

"Is everything okay?" Maureen asked.

"Mind your own business." Mrs. Jefferson bitterly replied, and headed for the master bedroom.

Maureen pouted and crossed her arms as both bedroom doors slammed. "Women!"