The Life Changing Vacation

~Chapter 177~

Joanna's POV
After a few days, we picked up Kristina at the hospital. She was very happy when she came home.
She came to me and asked if she and Dory could please go to a party. I let Dory go, but not Kristina.

"I'm sorry, honey, but the doctors told you to be careful. Remember, you just sewed your stomach", I explained.

"I understand", she told me.

"I'm sorry.. maybe next time", I said.

She got upset and walked up to her room.

"Maybe you should talk to her?", Alex asked.

"You're right.. I should", I said and went upstairs.

I knocked at her door.

"Kristina? May I come in?", I asked.

"No, I wanna be by myself", she said.

"I need to talk to you.. please", I said.

She opened the door.

"What?", she said.

"Look, I understand that you're upset.. but you really need to focus on the fact that you almost died", I explained.

"It's not the first time", she said.

"Kristina, a week. You can do that, alright?", I asked.

"You know.. I saw that there was a party on New Year's Eve.. that is before a week has gone which means I can't go.. again", she said.

"How about this. You go to that party on New Year's Eve, have fun, and then you stay calm for another week. Deal?", I raised my eyebrows.

"Deal", she smiled.

"Good", I said.

"Thank you so much", she hugged me.

"Um, you're welcome", I laughed a nervous laughter.

Kristina's POV
A week has gone, and it was New Year's Eve. Dory and I had to get money for alcohol on our own. We had just used up all our money for Christmas presents. That day, when Alex and Joanna was at work, we took 50 dollars from their bedroom to buy alcohol. We were gonna pay her back later.
We were just chilling for a few hours, watching TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. And then we went to the store and asked a random dude that was over age, to buy for us. We got the alcohol, and then we went home.
We forgot that Alex and Joanna had put up security cameras in the whole house. Dory and I panicked.

"Kristina Leonora Murphy!! Get down here, now!", we heard Joanna yell from the office.

"Shit", I thought.

I went downstairs, while Dory tried to escape, but Joanna threw a knife in her leg to stop her. She fell and hit her head in the floor. She was unconscious.

She grabbed my hand, and held it so hard that it hurt when I tried to run away.

"What makes you think you can steal from me like that?", she asked.

"I did not, I swear", I said.

"Oh, don't you dare", she said and slapped me in the face really hard.

"I'm sorry, mom! I needed money for alcohol! I was gonna pay you back! Please let go of my hand, it hurts", I explained.

"You are not going to that party, young lady! And you know you are not allowed to drink, you're 16 years old! Give me the alcohol", she said,

"Please", I said.

"Fine", she said and twisted my hand around so hard that I was sure my wrist broke.

I haven't cried that much since my parents died. I could see Joanna wanted to torture the shit out of me, but something held her back. Her empathy, she always knew was in her, deep inside.

"Honey, I'm sorry", she said.

She took me to see a doctor. Again. Dory stayed home with Alex while he made dinner. The doctors let me go home. When we came home, Joanna didn't let Dory and me go to the party after we took money from her without asking. It didn't work to tell her that I was gonna pay her back.

"You're still a minor!", she said.

After the dinner, I wanted to go to the city and watch the fireworks like last year, but Joanna denied us. She fell asleep early on the couch that night. Suddenly, Alex came to Dory and me.

"Hey guys, let's go the city", he whispered.

"What? Joanna is gonna kill us", Dory said.

"Shush, be quiet. She's not gonna kill you. Trust me, she's not", he said.

"Let's go, we don't have much time until 12:00 am", he hurried into the hallway and put his jacket on.

It was beautiful to watch the fireworks from the city. Suddenly, we heard a familiar voice.

"Here? Without me? You got to be kidding me", Joanna came.

"I can explain", Alex said.

"No need for that, now we're celebrating New Year's Eve", Joanna explained.

I was shocked.

"Hey Kristina, can I talk to you for a second?", Joanna asked.

I followed her to a place with really nice view over the city.

"Joanna, I'm sorry. Please don't be mad", I said.

"Relax, I'm not mad.. I wanted to see how you're doing", she explained.

"I- I don't know", I said.

"Come on, tell me", she said.

"I don't know", I repeated.

"Fine. But you're not leaving here without a drink", she handed me a glass of champagne.

"Are you serious?", I asked.

"Yeah, enjoy the fireworks and the drink", Joanna smiled and walked back to Alex and Dory.

I sat there for a minute alone, and then we all went back to the house. I went to bed around 2:45 am.

Author's note
Thank you for reading, Lucas helped me planning the chapter. By the way, the photo isn't mine.

-Kristina Leonora