Chapter 22

Veronica was drinking her coffee around the pool when she saw her, she put down her cup and called Logan, she could not do this alone, and she needed someone to support her because she could not really face the woman who left her one morning without so much of a good bye.

"Ronnie!" Logan said, walking into the apartment complex, he ran towards her to hug her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just, seeing her here, it… I don't know, it was weird.. she was drunk from what I saw."

"Are you sure?"

"I know what she is like when she is drunk. Logan we have to find her before she does something stupid such as tell someone about Jake."

"Do you know where she went?"

"No, but she came to our apartment, she must have come to see my father which means she will come back, we could wait for her."

"Okay." He replied hugging her. "How are you and I want you to tell me the truth."

"I don't know, I wasn't really expecting her to show up on my doorstep drunk. But then why am I surprised, she's an alcoholic, who left her husband and child one night because her life was no longer perfect."

"What do you want to do?"

"I will think about that when we find her, right now I could use another hug."

"Of course, but we should go inside, let me help you." He said, taking her hand and leading her towards her apartment, he opened the door and made her sit on the couch. He went in the kitchen and came back ten minutes later with a cup of tea in hand which he gave her. "You should drink this."

"That's not coffee."

"I know, but you are already quite stressed, you don't really need caffeine to get you angrier…"

"I'm not angry, just, well stressed, don't you think it's normal, my so called mother is back in town after months away, and she could ruin my whole life by telling my father the truth. Do you realize how horrible this could be?"

"Yeah, look I'm going to wait for her to show up, you should take a nap or something."

"I don't think I can sleep knowing there is someone out there who could ruin my life and my father's life and I'm not even talking of Jake's and Duncan's life. Do you realize how horrible that would be?"

"Ronnie, you should go in your room and take a nap."

"I prefer staying here with you." She said grinning. She put her head on his lap and closed her eyes, it was not long before sleep took over, Logan put his hand in her hair and carressed her head to get her to sleep peacefully. He knew how much she loved it when he put his hand in her hair, that's what he always does to make her sleep. A few hours later, Veronica was woken up by the harsh knocks on her door, she looked at Logan who was now also awake, he told her to stay where she was and went to answer to the door. She was worried when she saw him open the door and let her mother in, Veronica moved from where she was sitting to stand next to Logan.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm … bbback, I had promised to come back." She said, as if it was obvious.

"You have to leave, I don't want you here, you're drunk."

"But I promise to get help if you help me, I juust ned help to geet better."

"And how do you plan to get better? Listen, if you really want to get better, I'm ready to send you to a rehab center and pay for everything, as long as you promise to never come back."

"Noo." Leanne said, shaking her head. "I can't leave you again, you're my daughter!"

"I don't have a mother anymore, she is dead, I want you out of my life. I'm ready to pay for everything as long as you leave and promise to never come back. I'm ready to send you to the best rehab center.."

"Veronica!" Logan said, he took her by the arm and led her to the kitchen. "Are you sure you want to do this? It costs a lot, a year of college at Stanford, I can't let you do that, Stanford is your dream."

"Logan, I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get her out of our lives for good, do you realize what she could do to me and my father if she ever said anything about Jake?"

"Then let me pay, I've got more money th…"

"No, I can't let you do that! It's my responsibility."

"Veronica, I said no, I will pay for it. I know how important Stanford is for you and I won't let you give up on your dream. That university is all you've talked about since we started high school, please let me do that, why don't you think of it as a loan? You could repay me later, please let me do that for you."

"Okay, but only half of it and by the end of the year I'll repay you. You have to promise to take my money, no questions asked." She said, making sure Logan knew how serious she was. Logan nodded and hugged her, whispering words of comfort. They were interrupted by her mother who came in the kitchen, probably looking for a drink despite what she told them.

Two hours later, Veronica had withdraw half of the money she had at the bank to pay for her mother's eight weeks stay at the rehab center.