Estrangement
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious
A/N: I didn't want to leave you guys on Chapter 4's cliffhanger, so I'm going to give you this update tonight since I leave on my college wilderness trip tomorrow.
Chapter 5 (Unexpected Visitors)
Driving through the neighborhood in Staten Island was rather intimidating forTori. The houses were large and varying in colors ranging from white, brown, yellow, and one black house.
Trina's home sat on a small hilltop with a very large white gated fence surrounding both the front and back yards. A driveway came down from the hill, along with a sidewalk to the mailbox. The outside of the home was, as the others, a large two story mansion with brown wood. The front had three windows on the upper story and two windows on the lower story with the front door between the two. Each window on the upper story opened up into a small balcony.
The front yard was split by the sidewalk, and a large oak tree had risen on both sides. The driveway ran along the side of the house and behind it, meaning the garage was likely in the back yard somewhere. As she scanned the driveway, she did see a large gate at the top of the drive and a keypad for entering a pass code. "Well, nobody's getting in that back yard, that's for sure," She heard Jade mutter from the back seat. "Fortunately the front door is a different story."
The iron fence did overlap the sidewalk, leaving a small manually opening gate, two double doors with a latch. The front of the house had a long porch with wooden columns rising up to a overhead ceiling. "I don't know whether to be shocked, happy, or scared that my sister lives in a place like this. Look at that porch!" Not just the porch, but the entire perimeter of the house itself was framed by rose bushes. "Hell, those windows on the second floor. Just step out onto the balcony and boom."
"Hey maybe she's got some sort of special security thing to fry anyone from her past. Is that hard to believe?" Trina parked the car alongside the curb a few feet from the mailbox. She twisted herself around and stared at her friend with concern. Now hardly seemed like the time to be cracking any jokes, not to mention, ones where it seemed like Trina might scare them off somehow.
"Jade. Honestly?" The woman chuckled and shrugged her shoulder s
"Just trying to lighten things up…failing to do so, but eh, whatever works."
"I'm sure she's got nothing. If anything, a freaking poodle as a guard dog, maybe." As Tori and Jade stepped out of the car, Tori saw two German Shepherds and a Beagle running from the back of the house. Considering there was one iron gate on both sides of the house, with the right side being the one over the driveway, the left had a small spot for dogs to come through. She started to pale as the dogs ran up to the front of the gate, all watching her closely. "Holy shit. She owns German Shepherds." Considered to be the best type of guard dog.
"Tori?"
"Yes?"
"Next time you get the urge to open your big mouth and jinx all of us? Don't."
"They're tame!" A voice called out. Tori looked to the left side gate and saw a fourteen year old girl opening the gate. The girl looked remarkably like Trina. She had long sandy brown hair, an oval shaped face, and was wearing a purple spaghetti strap shirt with long denim jeans. The jeans had some dirt on them, as though she'd been playing around back, and in her hand was a tennis ball. "Isis, Delgado, and Sandy, come on! Come here!" The three dogs turned their heads and hurried over as the girl moved to the front door and opened it up, "Come on guys. Inside!" She whistled and the three dogs ran into the house.
Jade checked her watch while Tori watched the girl walk towards the front gate. "Isn't school in session right now?" Jade asked. The girl rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"School's over, or almost over. High school lets out earlier than Junior High and Junior High lets out before Elementary and Kindergarten." The girl stepped outside and closed the gate behind her. "Anyway, I'm Megan . The dogs you saw are Isis, Delgado and Sandy. Sandy's the beagle, she's a rescue dog we got from Aunt Courtney. She rescued Sandy off the streets, abandoned by her owners. Isis is mom's dog, and Delgado is dad's. They're the greatest guard dogs, but they're harmless as long as you're harmless." Megan tossed the stick back into the yard and pat her hands together. "I was playing fetch with them. So, is there something I can help you with?" Jade looked up to the house and slowly nodded her head.
"We were hoping to speak with your mom, actually. Is your mom or dad around?"
"No. Dad's at work and Mom's probably at the Junior High waiting for Rachel. She might drop her off, she usually does since it's on the way to the elementary school where Daniel is." Tori was speechless and could only gaze in awe in admiration at this girl. Her niece. By the sound of it, Trina had two other children too.
"So your siblings are still in school? Just the three of you?" Tori cleared her throat as Megan turned back t the front gate. "How old are you?"
"Pretty much. I'm fourteen. Rachel is eleven, and Daniel is six." Tori's hear skipped a beat, and she knew she wanted to be a part of these children's lives. If it was possible. She glanced back into the car to see Holly with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Anyway, like I said, Mom and Dad aren't home, but if you give me some information, I'll let them know someone came by."
The sound of a car pulling up behind them startled them. Tori turned to see a silver Nissan Altima parking at the curb. The windows were tinted black, and the body of the car was spotless. Megan grinned. "Oh! Mom's home already!"
"M-M-Your mom…" Tori's breath caught in her throat as she watched the doors open. A young girl with mid length curly blonde hair jumped out of the car and ran for Megan . She had a sunny yellow t-shirt with short sleeves, and knee length blue shorts with a pink backpack.
"Megan ! Megan ! Who are these people? We shouldn't talk to strangers, Sis!"
"No idea, Rachel." Tori frowned as she heard Megan 's words. She understood if she wasn't recognizable, but had she really changed that much since her teenage years? Sure her hair wasn't as long as it used to be, and she'd grown some weight, but not much. "I was just asking." Megan took Rachel's backpack and furrowed her brow. "Besides, you know that rule only applies to you and Daniel, I have priority when mom and dad are away."
Her eyes turned to the driver's door and her body began to go limp. She could feel someone's hot gaze burning her, glaring into her soul. She took a breath and contemplated hiding behind. Jade, despite the fact that the woman would just step out of the way. She had to have courage, to be brave.
Then Trina stepped out, and all the world around Tori faded away while her breath flew from her lungs. Trina hadn't changed much in appearance. She was wearing a pair of black shades, a brown leather jacket over a blue t-shirt with long sleeves, and long black jeans with a belt. Her hair was a bit shorter and up in a ponytail. Her narrow eyes were made up with light mascara, and her cheeks had a hint of blush to them.
Trina leaned her elbow against the hood of her car and looked towards Megan and Rachel. "Kids, go inside. Megan , help Rachel with her homework if you're already finished." Megan nodded and hurried into the house with Rachel. Trina's eyes then shifted back to Tori's, locking their gazes in spot. "Tori…and I see you've brought Jade along with you? What do you want." She felt a cold chill run down her spine and thought for sure the air had grown icier in the last few seconds. "Also, what in the hell are you doing here without calling?"
"I-I didn't think you'd talk to me if I called."
"You're probably right about that." Trina checked her gold watch and narrowed her eyes. "Make this fast, I need to go pick up my son and get ready for a business meeting. What do you need? You have three minutes before I send you away." Tori's heart clenched as she watched an angry crease stretch along Trina's forehead. At least Trina wasn't accusing them of trespassing. Yet. Though the woman was clearly impatient and not at all thrilled to see her little sister.
"I um…we um…I know this is weird and-"
"Weird? No, weird is the last few people I want finding me, finding me and talking to my daughter without me even realizing they're here. Oh wait-that happened." Trina tapped her fingers on the hood and closed her eyes, breathing in slowly. "I thought Sinjin asked the administration at NYU to remove his personal address and phone number from the faculty website…"
"Look, it's about mom." Trina raised an eyebrow as Tori started to fidget. "She's not doing well and it's becoming harder for me to take care of her."
"So put her in a nursing home. Problem solved. I know you couldn't have just come up here because mom was a burden?"
"She's not a burden! She's…just not in good shape." Trina scratched her forehead as Tori looked back. "She misses you, Trina. She misses you and wanted to see her grandchildren."
"Really? Mom misses me?"
"Yes!"
"Well. What is the problem? Obviously you have some reason for being here?"
"Well…Mom needs prescription meds refilled and a doctor's appointment-"
"Ah! There it is. You need money." Trina crossed her arms and Tori winced as Jade moved her hand to her forehead. "You found out my career and came all the way out here to get money."
"No! No it's not that, it's-I mean sure I need money, but that's not the-" Trina pat her hand on the hood and breathed in deep.
"Let me talk to mom." Her shoulders fell and she opened Holly's door. Holly stepped out of the car and gazed at Trina with misty eyes. "Hey mom. Tori tells me you're having problems health wise? Is that why you're here?"
"It's not just that," Holly confessed. She moved towards Trina, slowly lifting her arms. They were shaking violently from the Parkinson's. Trina let the woman hug her and closed her eyes, still remaining in the same position. "I'm so proud of you, baby. You're all grown up and with a family of your own. You're successful. I-I am extremely happy for you."
"Thanks, mom…I um, yeah…" Trina cleared her throat and Holly moved her hands to the woman's face, weeping softly as Trina moved her eyes towards hers. "Aw mom, come on…"
"I-I know why you cut us off, but Trina. I'm your mom. You wouldn't be cold to me would you? I-I just want to be a part of your life again, I do. I want to see my grandbabies, Trina. I do! I still love you." Trina's eyebrows meshed together and her face grew somber.
"I don't really have time for this. I need to pick my son up from school."
"Do you hate us, baby?"
"No, I do not. I don't find this the appropriate time for this, however. You need a doctor appointment, mom?" Trina reached into her car and pulled out her purse. She removed her wallet and lifted a one hundred dollar bill. Tori's eyes widened and Trina turned to Tori. "Here's one hundred dollars, go to the Hampton Inn down the street. You and Jade. Mom, stay here with Megan and Rachel. We'll talk more when I get back with Daniel."
"What?" Tori's jaw dropped as Trina handed her the money. "W-Why does mom get to stay and I don't?!"
"Tori, either take the money or go home. I still need to process you even being here. " Tori muttered under her breath. She moved to her own car and growled as Jade entered beside her. At least Trina hadn't turned them away entirely, but she still felt like shit. "Did you think I was going to just welcome you to my house with open arms?"
"No…I just-I don't know what I expected, really."
"I gave you what you wanted. Money. How much more do you need?"
"Er…I-I'll get back to you on that." She winced as soon as the words left her lips.
"Of course." Trina looked to the house and put her hand on Holly's shoulder. "All right Mom, I'll take you inside to see Megan and Rachel, then I'm off to my son. We can use you here, I guess, since I have to go to the business meeting. Megan 's pretty good about looking after her little siblings though."
"I'm happy to watch them for you!" Holly chimed.
Tori climbed into her own car and grumbled as Jade entered the passenger side. "I knew I should have been more careful with how I structured what I was saying!" Tori smacked the steering wheel, causing Jade to flinch. "Now she thinks all I want is money!"
"Well in a way, you do."
"No, it's not about that now, Jade. I…" Tori looked to the house and flattened her eyebrows, forming a crease on her forehead and frown lines around her lips. "Those girls…my nieces. I actually want to be a part of their lives. I want to get to know them, and to be an aunt like I never have gotten that chance before. You didn't see it though, Trina-she-she's angrier with me than she ever was with Dad or Mom."
"Well I don't blame her."
"Hey! Whose side are you on?"
"Neither! I'm just saying…You did kind of absorb all the attention and let everyone treat your sister like dirt." This wasn't making her feel any better at all, but Jade did have a point to what she was saying, so she knew to listen. "All your parents did were neglect her a little, and her dad made up for it already while Holly has issues making her appear more genuine about wanting to be a part of Trina's family life. You? Well…what's that new phrase I like?" Tori rolled her eyes and let her forehead fall to the steering wheel. "You might have to work to prove your worth."
"Great. Just great." She exhaled sharply and glanced to the cubby hole between the seats. "Grab the GPS and plug in the Hampton…I guess we'll be staying there until we figure things out." Hell, Trina didn't even have to say it, Tori could see it in her eyes; She just handed her the one hundred bucks to send her away without having to deal with her. Granted, it was because she seemed to be on a tight schedule, but Tori had a feeling the next time they met up, Trina would be more willing to yell and turn her away for good on the thought that she would be there for financial purposes.
She had to make Trina realize otherwise, but didn't have the slightest clue how to convince her of that.
I'd say this is a good place, I will have fresh updates for you when I get back home. I hope you'll be able to catch up on anything else and if you're interested, I'll let you know how things go! Hey, we even have our facebook college group where we'll be posting pictures along our trips of all the national parks and everything! If you're interested, send me a message and I'll give you the link to the group, or physically add you to the group so you can see all the amazing photos of the trip! See you guys on the 26th and let me know what you think of this chapter.