Home Base

The Case

Her bloodshot eyes were locked on me; she stood sloppily with a bottle in her hand. Alcohol stench poured from her mouth as she yelled intently at me. I had had it with her behavior. She was the adult in the situation yet she continued to play the irresponsible teenager without a care in the world. I needed to get away. This was not the life I intend to live. 

"I'm going to leave this time." I warned, tightening my jaw. 

"Nicola, you said that last time. You don't have the guts to leave me." She almost laughed, lifting the bottle for another gulp. She was right. I didn't have the guts, but I had to leave before my future was ruined. "Mom, my stuff is already packed." I informed her and took a step back towards the stairs. 

The home was silent except for the unsteady stumbles of unsoberness. We were the only ones in the house. There wasn't a father figure around anymore. His courageousness got him away a long while back, about seven years. He was smart to leave, and I don't blame him. The only blame I do have is that he didn't take me with him. Ever since he left in the middle of the night without a word, Mom has always told me it was my fault. I guess I'll never know because he slipped into hiding incognito. 

"You wouldn't dare." She squinted her unfocused eyes at me. No response, I ran up the wooden stairs with unbalanced stomps behind me. I quickly grabbed the flower printed backpack and slung it over my shoulder to have it instantly knocked off again. "Stop! Leave me alone!" I shouted at Mom. "You're not leaving me!" She clung to my bag. I fought her for it. The alcohol was getting to her even more and made her dizzy. The only way I could get out would hurt her, but I was running out of choices. With all my strength, I pushed her to the floor, scooped the backpack up on my arm, and sprinted all the way to the end of our street. 

The rough breaths scratched up my throat as I felt the warm streams on both my cheeks. The streets were still buzzing this time of night and made my mind spin. I had no idea where to go, but the police station was the first to pop up. Blocks passed as I hurried to the front door of the station. An officer was reclined in a rolling chair with his feet propped up on the desk whilst watching TV. When I burst through the doors, he scrambled to his feet in panic, "What's wrong?" 

My lungs twitched as I explained that I needed to get out of my house because of my childish mother. He scratched his head the whole time with a confused look on his face. Once I was finished, he was quiet a moment before speaking, "I thought you were being chased... Hold on, darling." I found myself a seat while he disappeared into a back room. 

A young woman walked out with the officer in tow. Her sweet smile let me know she meant no harm in my fragile state. Taking the seat next to me, she took in both my hands and assured me that it'll be okay. She talked with confidence but still very nice, almost motherly. Another man came from the back room with a stack of papers and summoned the woman. 

Once again I was left alone to think about this whole night. The tears came back slowly. I rested my back on the wall and closed my eyes, wishing that when I opened them this night would have never happened. Regret built up. What if Mom finds out I came to the police? I'll will be dead.

~~~ 

A small shake woke me up, jolting me back into reality. I groggily looked around the unfamiliar surroundings. No recollection came to mind of how I got to the police station. The night before was a blur and didn't seem to have happened. The woman had to remind me. She had moved me to her office couch for the night as she worked on my file. Finally introducing herself as Kerrie Owen, she shook my hand. 

"Last night, we were going through some files and your mother, Katherine, has had some run ins with authorities so we don't doubt your story... But we do have to investigate. We don't want you going back with your mother so we looked for relatives in the area but we couldn't find any. What we did find is your Uncle and God father Raymond Jones in Destiny, Texas." She spoke as she flipped through several papers. 

"I'd rather just stay with my mom." I said sternly. 

"You can't until this case is over." Kerrie retaliated. 

"Case? What case? I just ran here to get away for the night." I confessed. "Then why did you pack enough clothes for a week?" She raised a brow. "You went through my bag!?" I shouted. "You're in a police station. What did you expect?" She tried to sound nice but came off very rude. "Aren't police supposed to have a search warrant before they can do that?" I crossed my arms and glared at the woman. She opened her mouth, about to speak, but bit her tongue. "That's what I thought." I blurted. "We're going to your house in a little while to pack your stuff. You're not staying there. Your mother is under watch fore she has been suspected to be an unfit parent. You're going to Texas for a while." Kerrie smiled at me and left the office.

~~~ 

A police car was already parked outside when Kerrie and I arrived. Without even knocking, Kerrie let herself in and headed straight for the living room. Mom looked a wreck on the couch. Her pissed off expression deepened as I walked in behind Kerrie. Fright took over and Texas had never sounded better.  

"You can't take her away." Mom gritted her teeth. "Ma'am, your actions are affecting your daughter enough to make her runaway to the station. She needs to be in an environment where she doesn't have to stress out and worry about you day in and day out." One of two officers spoke with great concern, "Your habits are taking over. Until you stop, you're under watch and being determined whether you're a fit parent. You had written down that Raymond Jones is the God father-" "That's correct, he's my brother." Mom interrupted. "Nicola will be staying with him until this case is over. That's if your deemed suitable." Kerrie butted in and shooed me out of the room and up to my room. 

The purple and white striped walls were no longer cheerful like they were intended to be. The Vera Bradley accessories weren't as glorious as I had purchased them to be. The closet full of luxurious clothes had no value anymore. What Mom tried to win my love over with didn't make me love her that much anymore. Two suitcases were placed on my bed ready to be stuffed. Not waiting a moment longer, I began to shove as many things as I could into the luggage. Memories flooded through my thoughts with each article of clothing. The moment I had been waiting for was finally in play. 

When the bags were filled and forcefully zipped, I wheeled them out of the unfriendly home. Kerrie tossed them into the back of her car and helped me into the passenger seat. I glanced one last time back at the house I grew up in. Mom waved sorrowfully at me from the front door. Pretending I didn't see her, I looked forward again at the street.