AWAKE.

5. Amazing Grace

"How long are we going to be here?" I ask Leigh from the backseat of Craig's car.

           I was planning on preparing my own Thanksgiving dinner and spending the holiday alone but some how Leigh convinced me to attend dinner with them at Miss Dena's house. After our last encounter, I didn't want to be around Trent. Not because he made me feel like a bad person, but because I made him out to be one and dragged my brother and Craig along with him. I've been thinking about my words since that night and I didn't want my brother or Craig to think I thought less of them. Also, Trent was right about me not knowing him. It wasn't fair for me to pass judgement on some one I haven't even gave the time to get to know. I grew up with Felix and Craig, it's wrong of me to disregard the people I knew they were because they're associated with something I frown upon. Leigh tells Craig to give us some privacy so he steps out of the car and into the house.

"Is this about what you said to Trent?" She asked and I gave her an hesitant look. I didn't tell her anything about it so she must have been talking to Trent.

"He told you?" I try to figure out.

"He told Miss Dena, she told me." Leigh replies. I could feel my face flushing of color. "But don't worry, Craig or Flex don't know anything about it."

"I didn't mean to offend anyone, I just hate the fact that out of all the jobs in the world, they decide to do whatever illegal thing they're doing."

"I don't know why it's such a big deal to you." Leigh's response catch me off guard. "It's not like you cared about what was going on in our lives when you lived on the other side of the country. You made it pretty clear when we came to see you that one time that you were doing better off without us around."

"It wasn't like that Leighton. I just didn't want to be held back from fulfilling my dreams, I didn't want to be someone's guardian again." I try to explain but I knew it sounded selfish the moment I ended my sentence.

"Well lucky for you we weren't the ones who held you back." It was the first time I ever felt like Leigh had put me in my place. "Do you even know where Flex spends his free time? He owns a car detailing shop in Euclid and does a lot of the work himself. Craig's mother has been fighting breast cancer the past few years. No matter how much money he pays for her surgeries or chemo, the cancer keeps coming back. Also, you and Trent may have more in common than you think. He was in college when his older brother went to jail for the murder of some cop. Trent had to drop out and takeover his brother's business to support his mother, but he's also using this window as a way to get information about who framed his brother."

"I didn't know." I stuttered.

"That's because you don't ask." Leigh says as she begins to get out of the car. "Good thing you're family though. Trent doesn't hold grudges and you'll always be welcomed into our little family."

Leigh closed the car door then made her way into the house as I walked slowly behind her. Dena was giving out hugs as soon as I walked in. Besides the usual folks, there were three new faces I've never seen. All the men were watching a football game and joking with each other, while Leigh was talking to a woman I never met. There was even a little girl sitting on the steps watching something on an iPad. I didn't know if I should sit or go introduce myself, but Leigh made the decision for me. She and the other woman walked towards me with welcomed smiles. With a better look at the woman, I noticed that she did look familiar but I had no idea where our paths had crossed.

"Oh my God, so this is your sister?" The woman asked, as if she recognized me as well. Leigh and I both shared similar puzzled faces. "You don't remember me? We went to school together, you were the only freshman in our senior Pre-Calculus class." Suddenly it all came back to me.