AN: I apologize for the long delay between posts. Life took a few twists and turns including 2 extensive surgeries and an ICU stay. Then the holidays hit, and I spent a lot of time with my family. I'm glad to be back and my muse is cooperating. Thank you for continuing to follow this saga. It means the world to me.
Warning: language
Chapter 22
Marco awoke with a smile on his face. Beverly's soft naked body was tucked into the curves of his own as the two spooned. Her soft snores and her deep breaths let him know that she was still in deep sleep. The memory from their night of lovemaking filled his thoughts. A smile crept across his lips. Their union had been everything he had anticipated. He nestled his nose into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent, feeling the gentle thumping of her pulse as she slept. He slowly pulled her into a tighter embrace, careful not to wake his sleeping beauty. He trailed his fingers lightly across her hip, resting them on the softness of her pubic mound. Her left hand was poised on her pillow and Marco marveled at the ring set on her third finger. She was no longer his fiancée. She was his wife.
The chill in the air caused him to shiver and he reached for the plush bedding, pulling it up around the two of them. He had promised to take care of her, and he intended to keep that vow. He would spend the rest of his life doing his best to ensure her safety and happiness. She had already spent enough time lonely and in pain – physical and emotional. Those days were over. Smiling, he closed his eyes and nestled in for a little more sleep. They wanted to enjoy the luxury of the Beverly Hills Hotel for as long as possible. After all, a night in such a fancy place could never be afforded on the salary of a civil servant. They had no intentions of losing a moment of time in the lap of luxury, so an early checkout was out of the question. Besides, they both needed to rest up for the remainder of their honeymoon and the amorous activity they both fully intended to enjoy.
An hour later, he awoke to the sound of Beverly snickering. It was the happiest sound he had ever heard. He shifted their positions so he could look into her beautiful eyes. "What's so funny."
"I guess I'm so happy… I dunno…I'm just feeling silly," she laughed, using her long fingers to move her hair out of her eyes.
Marco couldn't help but laugh. She was smiling so widely her face was practically glowing. She puckered up her lips, planting a kiss on his cheek.
He grinned at his bride's antics. "Mmm, I like your silliness, sweetheart."
Beverly sat up, using the soft comforter to cover her nakedness due to the chill that lingered in the room. "Well, I was just thinking about the décor in this expensive hotel. It made me think about monkeys chewing bubble gum," she giggled.
Marco tilted his head back, laughing. "Pink and green?"
"And banana leaf wallpaper," she added, nearly losing her breath from laughing so hard.
When the chuckling had died down a little, he snuggled her to his chest, kissing the top of her head. "I love to hear you laugh, Bev."
She ran her fingers through the dark hair that lightly covered his muscular tan chest. "I love to laugh," she replied, again brushing her light brown hair from her eyes. "And I'm sure that if I looked in the mirror, I'd really be howling."
"Aww, you look beautiful, even with mussed up hair."
"I love you, Marco."
"I love you too, Beverly Lopez," he said, covering her mouth with a kiss as he rolled himself on top of her.
They still had another hour before check-out, and he had plans for how they would use up every minute.
E!
While most of Los Angeles scurried around looking for bargains on what had become known as Black Friday, the ladies at Bloomers were up to their elbows in pine boughs and mistletoe. The holiday season was one of the busiest times for florists, and on this particular day, both Campbell ladies and Caroline Marks were busy.
Caroline was sitting alone at one table, tying bows using variations of red, green, gold, silver, and plaid, while across the room, Iris and Lily were each working on floral arrangements. Lily's eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as she wired pinecones to evergreen wreaths. Iris, the most experienced of the crew, was skillfully arranging candles into center pieces of pine boughs, red-berried holly branches, and sprigs of fir, accented with the rounded green leaves and pearly berries of mistletoe.
"Caroline, how many bows do you have ready?"
The young mother never looked up from her workstation. She silently counted her creations before answering her boss. "Um, once I finish this one, I'll have thirty-four. There's eight each of the red, green, silver, and gold. I'm working on the plaid now."
"Make about twenty of the plaid bows. That should get us through the rush. I'm expecting them to be popular this year," Iris responded.
"I can't wait to decorate our Christmas tree and put it up in the front window," Lily stated, tearing off a piece of green florists' tape and wrapping it around a piece of wire. "We'll need to get started on it after lunch if we're gonna have it finished by closing time."
Caroline curled the ends of the burgundy and gold plaid ribbon then pushed it aside before reaching for the large spool on the metal rod in front of her. "I'm so excited about bringing Corrie up here to see it Sunday night. She's gonna love that we're adding the oversized Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls underneath it."
"Are you and Chet taking her to see Christmas decorations around town?" Lily asked.
"Yes, and hopefully talk to her about what she wants Santa Claus to bring her this year. The guys have a long off-shift coming up next week and we're going to do some shopping."
Iris chuckled, remembering Lily's Christmas requests from her childhood. "Don't worry, the Sears Wishbook should be in the mail any day now."
"It's already arrived," Caroline piped up, tossing another bow into the pile, "and she wants everything in there!" She began folding and looping the ribbon for another bow. "I'm going to get her the Sunshine Family, for sure, and I might even buy her a couple of those dolls," she said, nodding towards the Raggedy duo in the box of decorations they had pulled out earlier. "You know, she loves the toys, but she really enjoys the decorations, too."
"Maybe Christmas will be her favorite holiday, even when she grows up," Iris suggested. "We get a lot of brides in here who want Christmas weddings because it's their favorite holiday."
"Oh yea, everyone wants us to create a Winter Wonderland in Southern California," Lily laughed loudly.
"Hahaha, yes, I could see Corrie doing that to me some day."
The ladies continued working independently for a few minutes while chatting about the holidays and the wedding from the previous day. Their easy chatter reflected their friendship and kept the required inventory growing for the season. Caroline smiled when she remembered Joanne telling her that Corrie had wanted Santa to bring her a daddy for Christmas. The child had made the comment before Chet had proposed, but Joanne had kept that tidbit of information to herself until it was appropriate to share.
Thinking of that conversation also reminded her of another child who had asked for a daddy for Christmas. She worried about the young boy and wondered how he might grow up with a mother like Lexi, but she didn't realize that she had sighed out loud.
"You okay?"
Caroline looked over at Iris who was staring at her with a worried expression. The younger woman pressed her lips into a thin line, trying to decide how much to confess to her coworkers. Would they think badly of her if she told them she had rifled through Lexi's belongings? Might that revelation jeopardize her job?
"Yea… Just thinking about little Antonio having his mother back for Christmas this year."
"If she's still here then," Lily mumbled.
"Mmmhmm," Caroline groaned. "You're having the same thoughts I am." It wasn't a question.
"I suppose so," Lily said, reaching for a bow to add to the wreath she had just completed. "I know one thing for sure… I don't want her at my wedding. Did you see what she did to Mike?"
"What'd she do to him?" Iris asked, carrying her finished creation to a shelf of completed centerpieces.
Lily didn't wait for Caroline to answer. "She threw rice in his face – deliberately."
Iris rolled her eyes, shaking her head in dismay. "Poor Mike… and Maria."
"And Antonio," Caroline added, feeling a sense of pity for her daughter's favorite playmate. "And I agree with you, Lily. I don't want her at my wedding, either."
"Speaking of…," Iris grinned, returning to her place at her workstation, gathering the supplies she would need for her next arrangement. "Any plans you want to share with us?"
Caroline felt her cheeks warming. Talking about her wedding plans made her very happy and when she was happy, she got more work accomplished. Soon the plump pile of bows began to grow even faster. "Actually, we've chosen a venue AND colors, so I guess I need your help deciding on flowers."
"Well, do tell, Caroline," Iris chuckled.
"We're getting married at Griffith Park. If the weather is permitting then it'll be outside, but if it isn't then we'll all gather in the visitor center."
Iris couldn't help laughing out loud. "That's perfect. A fireman getting married at the site of one of the worst fires in California history." She saw the look of horror on Caroline's face and waved her hand in dismissal. "Don't worry, it was a long time ago. It'll be a beautiful setting and March 27th isn't the dry season."
"Color scheme?"
Caroline looked at Lily, trying to remove the concern of fire from her mind. "Oh… well… Since it's the nation's bicentennial year, we're going with red flowers, add in some blue ribbons or something, and then my dress will be white. Chet will wear his dress uniform."
Iris' eyes grew wide. "That's perfect, and I have the most amazing little ladybug basket for Corrie to carry. She is going to be your flower girl, right?"
"No, we decided to alter our vows a little. She'll have a bigger role in the ceremony than flower girl. She'll wear a dress similar to mine, but with red and blue ribbons for a sash. I thought she might carry a tiny bouquet. But I do love the idea of ladybugs since that's Chet's nickname for her. What do you think?"
"We can create her a bouquet that will be a miniature version of yours and add a few ladybugs into it." Iris gave the young mother a knowing wink. "Do you think she'll lay a kiss on Chet like she did Antonio, yesterday?"
The small work room erupted in laughter.
E!
Sunday morning arrived with streaks of sunlight pushing their way through a few low-lying clouds. A-shift arrived at Station 51 only to find the apparatus bay empty. Captain Stanley held roll call with the sound of his voice echoing in the bay, then dismissed his men to begin their chores.
Mike poured a cup of coffee from the full pot left behind by the previous shift. It was obvious they had been called out before anyone had gotten a chance to partake of the morning ritual. He picked up the morning paper from the kitchen table and headed for the sofa in the dayroom without saying a word to the two linemen talking near the refrigerator.
Chet poured himself a cup of bold station coffee, forcing the bitter liquid down his throat. He grimaced, swirling the contents of his mug as if searching for some explanation for the unusually strong beverage. He glanced over at Marco's replacement with a puzzled expression.
"Hayes… Did you make this?"
The tall slender man with ebony skin opened the refrigerator door with a snicker. "No… C-shift left that little gift for us."
The Irishman rolled his eyes as he poured out the contents of the coffee pot and set about making a fresh one. "Remind me never to sub on that shift."
"Just don't let Beckett make the first coffee of the morning. He thinks everyone needs a double dose of caffeine… and he doesn't even drink coffee," Hayes responded.
Chet finished measuring out the required number of scoops then set the percolator on the back burner. "A fireman that doesn't drink coffee?"
"Yea, it just ain't right, is it?"
The A-shift engineer sighed then folded up the newspaper, placing it beside Henry on the sofa. "Not at all." Mike stood up, walked over to the sink and tossed out the contents of his coffee cup. "I wasn't going to say anything because I thought you made it, Hayes, but… damn, that's awful."
"I'll have you a fresh cup in no time, Stoker," Chet said, hoping to cheer up the forlorn-looking fire specialist. He heard Mike offer a soft snort, then head out into the empty bay. He couldn't do his chores until C-shift returned and Chet could tell that the man needed something to do to keep his mind off his situation.
"He always like this?" Hayes asked.
"Quiet, yes… but not like this." Chet rinsed out his coffee cup and did the same with the one Mike had left in the sink. "Soon as the coffee's ready, I'll take him a cup. Maybe it'll put him in a better mood."
"Only two things can put a man in a mood like that – money or a woman… And I doubt that it's money problems." The substitute lineman returned to making a list of items needed to prepare meals for the crew as Captain Stanley had assigned him kitchen duty. "Gage and DeSoto usually pick up the groceries for the shift?"
"Yea, just give 'em the list and they'll pick it up when they make a run to Rampart," Chet replied. "I'm sure the squad will be needing supplies. I'm sure C-shift will be back by the time Roy finishes the dorm and…" He hesitated, snickering as he remembered Johnny swearing loudly when he drove up and saw Chet already walking across the parking lot in uniform. "And by then maybe Johnny will be finished with his toilet tasks."
While the coffee perked, Chet began to formulate the conversation he knew he needed to have with Mike. He wanted to make sure that the man who kept their water supply going at scenes had his head on straight for the shift. He also wanted to see where Mike and Lexi stood, hoping that his friend was ready to let her go. As far as Chet was concerned, Lexi Lopez was a lost cause and he knew Caroline felt the same way.
With a fresh cup of hot black station house coffee in hand, Chet walked out of the kitchen in search of his engineer. Finding Mike sitting on the picnic table behind the station, his eyes staring blankly at the 405, Chet decided to clear his throat so as not to startle the senior man. When Mike looked up, Chet could see the worry lines creasing his forehead and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Only a woman could cause a man to look like this.
"Coffee?" the lineman said, holding out the brown mug.
"Thanks."
"Am I interrupting your meditation time?" Chet joked.
"Nah," Mike said, blowing a cooling breath across the hot liquid before taking a sip.
Chet knew that pulling the man's worries out of him wouldn't be easy. Yet, he also knew that the friendship they shared, along with the cohesiveness of their shift, made it worth the effort.
"So… I wonder what my partner's doing this morning?"
Mike cut his eyes at the jokester. "Do I need to have a talk with you, Chester? He's on his honeymoon, I think we both know what he's doing. At least, I hope he is," the engineer said, snickering at his own comment before taking another sip.
"Yea, I know… Can't wait to snuggle with my girl on our honeymoon, too."
The sound of passing cars created a comfortable rhythm for the duo. A light breeze blew across the tops of their heads, partially blocked by the cement wall at the back of the parking lot. Neither man spoke for a few minutes.
"Chet, I know you want to know what's wrong with me."
Blue eyes widened beneath caterpillar-like eyebrows. "Me? Awe, no, not really… I mean, if you want to talk, that's fine. I'm here for ya, buddy."
"It's Lexi."
"Yea… I kinda figured."
Mike snorted, looking down into the coffee remaining in his cup. "You know, it would be so much easier to let her go if she didn't have Antonio."
"Ant is a great kid. I know Corrie loves him; says he's her best friend."
"Kid got dealt a shitty hand when it comes to his mother." Mike shook his head. "I don't know, Chet. I want to be involved in that little fellow's life, but I don't know how to do it without a relationship with Lexi. And she makes that impossible."
"Yea… She's… somethin' else, huh?"
Another long silence followed. Mike tossed the remnants of his coffee over the concrete wall. Chet chuckled at the skill exhibited as not a drop landed on the pale concrete. Fearing that their time alone might soon be over, Chet decided to move forward with the conversation.
"Mike, I'm glad to hear that you're letting her go. You deserve so much more than that…" He hesitated, knowing that she was the sister of his best friend. "That girl… She's bad news, man… bad news."
"What aren't you telling me?" Mike looked to the side, lifting a questioning eyebrow at his lineman.
"Oh, uh, well…"
"Spill it, Kelly."
Chet surveyed the back lot of the station, making sure that no one would overhear what he was about to say. "I… that is… Caroline and I think that she's… you know… turnin' tricks again."
Mike slipped his middle finger through the ring on the coffee mug, tightly gripping the cup in his hand. "What makes you think that?" The engineer's azure gaze drifted back towards the endless line of cars on the freeway.
Chet felt his hands begin to sweat as he thought about what he and Caroline had done, but he knew he was in too deep now. "Um, well… When we were in Lexi's room changing Corrie's clothes after the ceremony, we, uh…"
"Go on."
"Let's just say that we may… or may not… have seen some things we weren't supposed to see."
Mike snorted. "So, you two plundered through her personal belongings?"
"Geez, Stoker, you make it sound so criminal."
"It is," the engineer said, coolly. He allowed his words to sink in before continuing. "Okay, so what'd you two find?"
"A roll of cash, a few condoms, and a student identification for some chick named Gabriella Gomez."
"Gomez? Are you kidding me?"
"I wish I was," Chet commented. "And we, uh, we saw her throw the rice in your face."
Mike stood up, stretching his back. He hadn't slept well since Marco's wedding. "She accused me of going through her purse." He turned to look at Chet and saw the guilt written on the young lineman's face. His gut told him that either Chet or Caroline had actually invaded Lexi's privacy. Mike offered a soft sigh, realizing that once again, he had been unjustly accused in a matter involving Lexi. "Guess I took a shot in the face for you and Caroline, huh?"
The Irishman shifted his eyes, unable to face his engineer. "Sorry, man…"
Chet watched as his engineer headed back towards the station. Mike was difficult to read on most days. He wasn't animated like Johnny, or talkative like Marco. He wasn't all business, like Roy, or authoritarian like Hank. Mike was… Mike Stoker, engineer. He was quiet, professional, honest, hardworking, and genuine. He was an all-around good guy who didn't deserve what Lexi Lopez had done to him. But today was different. Today, Chet was able to read Mike like a book. He was depressed, downtrodden, and utterly defeated.
Chet wondered what he would have done if Caroline had done the same thing to him. Would he have been able to dismiss her? And what about Corrie? Chet loved the little girl as though she were his own flesh and blood. Would he have been able to just stop loving the toddler if things hadn't worked out with Caroline? He didn't know.
He ran his fingers through his bushy hair, following Mike into the station kitchen. All any of the A-shift had wanted to do was help Marco's sister, but one thing he had learned through his years as a fireman – some people couldn't be saved from themselves. He pressed his fingers against his temples hoping to prevent a headache from plaguing him the rest of the day because he had no idea how he was going to explain losing hope for Lexi to Marco when he returned from his honeymoon.
E!
Lexi's heart was pounding in her chest as she walked out of the jail. Her visit with Ricardo had gone as planned; she had even convinced the officers that she was Ricardo's sister since the last name on her fake identification had matched his last name. The shorter hair style she now wore ensured that no one recognized her from previous visits. No one seemed to know the truth or even care – not even Ricardo. His smirk had told her that he had been anticipating her return. Even now, sitting in his solitary jail cell, she knew that he was planning her punishment for what she had put him through in recent months.
She pulled her sweater tighter around her shoulders, the late autumn wind blowing cold air against her face and chest. She shivered but wasn't sure if it was from the coolness in the air or dread. Ricardo's release date had been moved to Thursday. She would have to adjust her plans by almost a week. Time was running out for her. Her letters were ready to mail, but her heart was breaking. Would her words adequately explain what was in her heart? Would her family understand her decision was for their protection? Would they ever be able to forgive her?
Nearly an hour later, Lexi stepped off the bus at the end of her street. She stood on the corner staring at her childhood home, grateful that it was also the home that would fill her son's memories of his own childhood. While he would have only a few memories of her, her family and the love they shared for each other would get him through whatever difficulties may lie ahead of him. She was confident that he would grow into a caring and responsible adult – even though she wouldn't be a part of his growing up years.
She began walking towards her home, her feet feeling as if her shoes were filled with lead. But her face was stoic. That was one thing the streets had taught her over the last few years. She was able to keep all emotions off her face, even when she was dying on the inside. She could do this. She would do this. The fate of her son and the rest of her family was dependent on her success in the next few days.
E!
The following morning, Johnny shuffled into the locker room with Roy right behind him. The squad had been on five runs during the night leaving both of them feeling exhausted. Roy merely grabbed his bag and left without changing. Johnny offered him a knowing nod, his face stretched into an unflattering yawn, while he rummaged through his locker for his toothbrush. No matter how tired he was, the fresh minty taste of toothpaste always helped wake him up, at least enough to safely drive home. He pulled his toothbrush from his toiletry bag then nearly fell over the bench in front of his locker.
"Damn, Gage… You okay?" Chet questioned, giving the stumbling paramedic a wide berth as he made his way to his own locker.
"Yea… Roy and I had to take care of our citizens while the rest of ya slept the night away," he groused, stepping towards the nearest sink.
"Oh, ha-ha," the lineman retorted. Ignoring his nemesis, he stared at his partner's closed locker door. The Phantom normally left Marco alone, but the temptation was more than Chet could handle. A mischievous grin spread beneath his bushy mustache. "Oh, yea… "
Johnny spit the foamy toothpaste out, rinsed his mouth and splashed his face with cold water. He dried off his weary features, then looked into the mirror, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
"Chet, what are you doin' to Marco's locker?"
The lineman let the question linger between them, unanswered, as he thoughtfully waxed his mustache with his fingers.
"Hey… you better not be planning on prankin' your partner… Or has it been so long since you worked a fire that you forgot he's the man who's got your back?" Johnny jested as he once again referenced the quiet night of the engine crew.
"I'm just makin' sure his locker is neat and orderly for when he comes back next shift," the Irishman responded, his lips fighting the urge to smile. He knew Johnny was on to him, but he didn't want to give his plans away.
"Nothin' about you is neat and orderly," Johnny added, propping a foot on the bench and leaning his forearms on it, staring intently at his coworker.
Chet quickly closed the door of Marco's locker, splaying a hand across his own chest. "John… that really hurts."
"Mmmhmm," the paramedic smirked. He watched as Chet opened his own locker door and began changing into his street clothes.
Chet felt the intensity of Johnny's stare and couldn't help razzing his friend. As soon as his upper body was naked, he tossed Johnny a look over his shoulder, batting his long lashes at the other man. "Like whatcha see?"
Johnny's face reddened as he threw a used towel in Chet's direction. "Shut up, Kelly."
Laughing out loud, Chet finished changing clothes. By the time he was out of his bunkers and into his jeans and sweatshirt, Johnny was tying the laces of his sneakers. "Besides, Gage… if the Phantom is busy doing other things… maybe he'll leave you alone."
Johnny waved Chet off as he stood up and adjusted his collar. He had to remember to get to work a little early for Marco's first shift back. He hated being the butt of Chet's jokes, but just like the rest of the crew, he didn't want to miss out on the camaraderie of a well-executed station prank.
The smiling faces of Chet and Johnny were in stark contrast to the somber face of the shift engineer as the three men walked across the parking lot to their respective vehicles. Mike hadn't even bothered to change out of his uniform. He tossed his duffle bag across the seat of his truck and slid into the driver's seat with only a brief nod at his shiftmates.
Johnny looked at Chet quizzically, arching an eyebrow in silent question.
Chet shook his head negatively, respecting the privacy that Mike obviously desired. The men of A-shift were a close-knit family, but sometimes, family members needed to handle their personal issues in their own way.
E!
By Tuesday morning, Lexi's anxiety level had risen higher than she had thought possible. She rummaged through the cabinet above the sink, where Maria kept the medications out of Antonio's reach, in search of something to settle her stomach. Unaware that her mother had entered the kitchen, she gasped when the familiar voice spoke to her.
"Are you feeling okay?" Maria noticed her daughter jump, clutching her chest and slamming the small cabinet door shut. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to frighten you."
Lexi turned around, feeling as if cotton balls had been shoved into her mouth. "It's okay… jus' didn't hear you… Must've eaten somethin' that didn't agree with me," she said, taking the bottle of pink liquid and reaching for a spoon. She quickly downed the medication and poured herself a glass of refreshing water to quench her sudden thirst.
As soon as she had emptied the glass, she set it into the sink, using the sleeve of her robe to wipe her mouth.
Maria chose to ignore her daughter's less than appropriate manners. She could tell there was more to Lexi's stomach issues than poor food choices. "How long have you been feeling sick?"
"Not long," the younger woman answered, noncommittally. "I think the Pepto will help."
Maria was unaware of the change in plans for Ricardo's release, but another thought troubled her. She had noticed that Lexi had been spending more time than usual in bed, and her emotional outburst at the wedding had definitely been out of place. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, deciding to forge ahead with the question foremost in her mind.
"Lex… Are you pregnant?"
The younger woman spun around, her dark eyes glaring at her mother. "What?"
Maria felt herself start to stammer. "I-I just noticed some things… like, fatigue and morning sickness, and-"
"And since I'm just a good-for-nothin' whore, you assume that I'm knocked up again?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Damn, Mama… I…" She looked down, realizing that perhaps she had just been given an unexpected gift. "I can't believe you think… Aww, to hell with this!" She pushed past her mother, deliberately bumping into the older woman's shoulder as she stormed out the kitchen door.
"Alexia!"
Lexi spun around, facing her mother with daggers shooting from her shadowed eyes. "What now?" she questioned, rolling her eyes. "You want to lecture me on the dangers of unprotected sex? Tell me I need to go to confession? Oh… I guess you're worried that I'll leave another kid on your doorstep for you to raise," she added, spouting off her venom with an anger she hadn't even realized she had been harboring. Her breaths were coming short and fast, and she knew she was about to hyperventilate. She clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into her palms. "Well, you don't have to worry about it, Mama! I promise not to ever burden you with another of my bastard offspring, a'right? You happy now?"
The stinging slap across her left cheek answered her rhetorical question. Her mother had never laid a hand on her in her life. She felt the blood rushing to her injured face, the burning of her tears mixing with the heat on the side of her face. Her nostrils flared in a combination of bitterness and humiliation. She hadn't meant any of the hateful words she had just spewed from her mouth, but she had allowed herself to say them. In fact, everything was falling into place as though she had scripted it.
"Alexia Marie Lopez! ALL children are a gift from God, regardless of the circumstances of their conception," Maria spoke through gritted teeth. "We are all made in the image of God. He loves us ALL. He loves you whether you want Him to or not. How DARE you say something like that?"
"Humph… If my life is an example of God's love, then God can jus' kiss my ass!"
Maria felt the heat of anger rising from her chest and settling around her neck. She pressed her lips together, feeling as though a demon had taken over her daughter's body. She didn't know what to say.
Lexi refused to look at her mother. She dried the tears from her face, sniffling. She had taken the argument too far, and she knew it. "I'm sorry, Mama. I really am… I think I better go stay with Bri for a few days."
"Lexi… don't…" Maria realized that her words were falling on deaf ears. She watched her daughter rush up the stairs, thankful that Antonio had not witnessed the outburst.
She grabbed the back of her favorite kitchen chair, pulling it away from the table and plopping her portly body into the squeaky wooden seat. She reached for a napkin, drying her eyes and blowing her nose. She rested an elbow on the table, using the palm of her hand to hold up her weary head. She closed her eyes and began to silently pray. She was still praying when she heard Lexi's footsteps descending the stairs and walking across the living room floor. She continued begging her creator for assistance as she heard the front door open and quickly slam shut, the sound of her daughter's exodus pulling sobs from deep within her soul.
Lexi scurried down the steps, pulling her purse onto her shoulder and carrying her lightweight overnight bag in her left hand. This wasn't how she had planned on leaving, but at least this way, her mother would be grateful that she was gone, instead of mourning her loss again. She felt the envelopes bulging from the side of her handbag and she inhaled a cleansing breath. Within a few days, her family would know the truth. She loved them more than anything in the world, and this was the only way she could ensure that they would never have to pay the ultimate price for her mistake of thinking she could leave her life of bondage with Ricardo.
