This Trust of Mine (18 page)

"Dude,
I had it under control." Joey was damn lucky I was busy, because if I wasn't,
I would have stood up and clocked that son of a bitch, right where he stood.

"I've
got this, Joey."

"Kayla
honey, can you answer me?" She sat there in my arms with a vacant look on
her face. Absolutely everything behind those eyes had suddenly disappeared.
"What the fuck happened Joey?"

"Dude,
I don't know. We were standin' here talkin' and then all of a sudden she got a
phone call. Next thing I know she was on the ground gasping for air."

I scooped
Kayla up in my arms and carried her out towards my truck. Once I had her safely
in the passenger side, I ran around the front and hopped in, pulling her as
close to me as possible.

"Hey
Joey, do me a favor and tell the office Kayla will be gone the rest of the
day."

Joey stood
there nodding his head, arms crossed over his puffed up chest. I swear I was
now waitin' til the day that little shit head tried to move in on my
relationship, or tried to take care of my girl again.

I glanced
down at Kayla as I sped out of the lot and headed towards home. I wasn't quite
sure what to do from here, but some how or another I needed to find out what
was going on. The only other time I had ever seen her look that way, was the
night her momma showed up unexpectedly. And then it dawned on me; she must've
spoken to her momma or god forbid, Wren.

When I
pulled up to her grandparent's house, I took notice that their truck and car
were both missin' from the driveway. I took this as a sign from god and carried
her straight up to her room, locking the door behind me. I gently placed Kayla
on her bed, tucked the blankets up around her, and sat back waitin'. When she
decided to talk, and eventually she would, I wanted to be the one there for her
to talk to. She deserved for me to be.

Kayla

I tried to
stay as still as possible, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Madison was
still pacing the length of my room like he had been doin' for the last few
hours. I wasn't exactly sure how we had gotten back to my grandparent's house,
but I was pretty certain it was by Madison's doing.

Slowly it
all started coming back. The phone call, Madison suddenly appearing by my side,
him and Joey fighting and then the ride back here. I remember Madison trying to
get my attention, but my brain had shut itself down. The only thing I could
think of now, was why was Madison at the school in the first place?

"Why
were you there?"

The minute
he heard my voice, he came running over to the side of my bed. "Holy hell
pretty girl, you had me scared shitless. Are you okay?" He was running his
fingers through my hair and as soothing as it was, I knew he was tryin' to
distract me and avoid my question.

"Madison,
what were you doing at the school?" I made no attempt to move from the
position I had been laying in, at least not until I got some answers.

"Honestly?"

"Of
course."

"After
I dropped you off this morning, I had to go to the grocery store. I ended up
running in to Taryn and she informed me that your so-called "friend"
was runnin' around town tellin' everybody that y'all have been hooking up. I
got mad, and went to the school to confront him during lunch, so I knew you
would witness it."

"Seriously?"

"Yes
Kayla, seriously. I have no reason to lie to you. Why are you making me feel
like the bad guy in this situation? You're my girl and I just want to take care
of you."

I sat up
against my headboard with my legs pulled up to my chest. I stared blankly at
the wall, falling into somewhat of a daydream, until Madison shook my knees.

"Kayla,
what happened?"

"I
don't know what you're talkin' about."

"Jeez
Kayla, really we're back here already? Not even two days into our relationship
and you're already shutting down. We promised."

"I know
Madison. I know we promised, but this is none of your concern."

"Everything
that involves you, is my concern, Darlin'. When will you understand that?"

I sat back
staring into Madison's mesmerizing eyes. I
wanted
to tell him about the phone call, and I would, but right now I was at a
loss for words. I was still in shock by the news I had received and I knew it
was only a matter of time until the grandparents got word. It would only be a
matter if time until they would be all over me. I knew I needed to tell him before
he found out from them, but how do you even attempt to bring up something like
this?

"I
understand that Madison, I do. It's just-" I let my head fall into my
hands willing away the overwhelming feeling of relief. I should be sad. I
should be crying and mourning my loss, but how do you mourn someone, so evil?

"It's
just what? Trust me Kayla, please trust me enough to let me in."

"It was
a police officer that called. He was calling to inform me that my mother and
Wren were found dead this morning. Apparently, it was a drug overdose. I was
noted as my mother's next of kin, so they called to ask me a few questions.
That's all."

I knew
Madison well enough to know, that he was sitting back waiting for a reaction.
Unfortunately this time, he wasn't going to get much of one.

"Are
you okay?" His voice was barely above a whisper and I knew he was waiting
for me to flip my switch.

"Surprisingly,
I'm fine. I don't know if that makes me a heartless person or a brave one.
Shouldn't I be crying over my mother being found dead? Shouldn't I feel
something? Because honestly, the only thing I feel, is relief. Relief that now,
I don't have to worry about Wren coming after me again or my mom beating the
shit out of me. How about the fact that now, I feel free enough to live my life
the way I should have been able to all along. Does that make me a bad person?
Those two got what they deserved in the end. Like I said I feel fine." I
was now standing in front of Madison, throwing my arms around like a mad woman.
Everything in me that I never wanted him to see, he was now witnessing first
hand.

Madison
stood slowly and inched is way over to me. I reached my hand out to let him
know it was okay, that I wasn't going to rip his head off, but I could tell for
the first time since we had met, he was hesitant to take it.

"I
won't bite, I promise cowboy." And just like that, he released the small
breath he had been holding and came over to engulf me in his arms. I threw my
arms around his waist, burying my face deep into his chest as the tears I
didn't know were there waiting to escape, began falling down my cheeks.

"It's
okay, Darlin'. It's okay to grieve."

"But
she doesn't deserve it." I mumbled.

"No, no
she doesn't, but you deserve to be able to and move on."

I held onto
him as though he was my lifeline. The fact that I hadn't seen or even heard
from my mother since the day she showed up, seemed to perturb me more than
anything else. And as far as Wren was concerned, well I hope that rotten
bastard was burning in hell for all the shit he had put me through. I knew my
mother was an evil person, but the little girl inside of me, just wished for
that one day that she could have been the mother I knew as a young child.

"Thank
you for being here Madison. I don't think you know how much it really means to
me to have you here."

"I love
you Kayla. I would give my life for you."

Madison
walked me over to the bed and flipped back the covers for me to climb in.
"Only if you lay with me." I looked up at him hoping he would stay.

"Always."

We laid there
in complete silence until we heard the front door creek open. I knew if my
grandparents found us like this, that it would turn into a shouting match, but
that was the least of my concerns right now. Right now, I was a five-year-old
little girl mourning the death of a mother I knew once upon a time.

"Kayla,
are you up there?" My grandmomma's voice floated up the stairs like a far
off dream. When my door swung open and she took one look at the picture in
front of her, I knew she must've already gotten the same phone call.

"Is she
okay?"

"I
think so. I think she just needs some time to process everything." Madison
replied, as I stared aimlessly out the window. I wanted to turn and say
something, anything to the woman who had lost her child, but I just couldn't
bring myself to say anything at all.

"Thank
you for being there for her Madison. She's lucky to have you."

With that,
she turned and walked away, leaving Madison and myself in the comfort of the
room I had learned to call my own.

I turned
around in his arms and laid my head on his chest. As he lay there brushing my
hair back over my shoulder, I slowly drifted off to sleep, where for the last
time, I got to see my mother as she used to be and say a proper goodbye.

Madison

I
woke up just as the sun was rising in a room that I was unfamiliar with at
first. As I rolled onto my side, I bumped into Kayla's sleeping form and then
it dawned on me, that I had stayed with her
all
night. I quietly made my way out of the bed, grabbing my pants and shirt on the
way to the bathroom. I quickly dialed my grandparent's number, just hoping that
everything was okay. As of late, I hadn't been sleeping so well, almost waiting
for my grandmother to wake me up and tell me he was gone. This morning was no
different. After the third ring I was about to make my way home, but then I
heard my grandmother's voice answer.

"Madison,
is that you?"

I
let out the breath I had been holding in anticipation of someone answering.
"Morning, Gran. I'm so sorry I didn't make it home last night. Something
came up with Kayla and she needed me. Is Grandpa okay? Do you need me to come
home?"

"Everything
is fine Madison. You don't need to worry so much. Your grandfather is actually
having a really good day. You take all the time you need to be there for that
young lady. Her grandmother called me this morning to fill me in. Please tell
Kayla how sorry we are for her loss."

"I
will Gran. Thank you. I'll see y'all a little bit later today. Love you."

"I
love you too Madison."

I
hung up the phone and splashed some water on my face to try to wake myself up.
I cracked open the door to check on Kayla and surprisingly enough, she was
still sound asleep. I didn't want to wake her, so I quietly made my way out of
her room and down to the dining room, where I unexpectedly ran into her
grandfather. I could tell by the look on his face, that he was ready to go to
war, but if I had learned anything in the last twenty-four hours, it was to not
sweat the small stuff. He may not agree with the relationship I had with his
granddaughter, but there was no way I was ever walkin' away from her.

"Good
mornin', Mr. James." I placed my hat on my head before heading into the
kitchen where Kayla's grandmother stood makin' breakfast.

"Madison,
I'd like to have a chat with ya." His voice was serious and low and I knew
if I refused, he wouldn't take it lightly.

"Yes,
Sir."

He
motioned for me to follow him out onto their back porch. I waited for him to
sit before taking the chair next to his. My body tensed under the questioning
gaze of Mr. James and my heart was goin' about a mile a minute, not knowin'
exactly what he was about to say.

"Do
you love my granddaughter?"

Alright,
straight to the point it was. "Absolutely, with every fiber of my
being."

"Cause
that girl up there deserves someone who loves her. Who really loves her, not
just thinks that they do. I won't stand for y'all doin' whatever you're doin',
if you are just gonna up and leave again. Do you understand what I'm sayin'
son?"

"Of
course, Sir. I know I can say it until I'm blue in the face, but your
granddaughter is the girl I want to be with for the rest of my life." I
caught the disbelief in his eyes as he stared intently at me. "I know we
are young sir, but I have no doubt that one day I will be askin' for your permission
to marry your granddaughter."

"I'm
not sure if you'll get the answer you seek when that day presents itself young
man."

"With
all do respect sir, there isn't anything I
wouldn't
do for that girl in there. I knew the minute I left her here a few months
back, that I had made the biggest mistake of my life. I came back for
her.
To start a life with her. I'm not
sayin' I would run off tomorrow and marry her, but if that's what I need to do
to prove to you how much I care for her, I would, in a heartbeat."

Mr.
James sat forward resting his chin on his hands. "I may have been wrong
Madison, and trust me, I'm rarely if ever wrong about anything. But, I believe
I may have been wrong about you. I'll admit it, I judged you solely based on my
past with your family, and I never wanted to give you a fair shot. After Kayla
showed up here the way she did, the last thing I wanted was for her to get
tangled up in a playboy like you."