Opal

Chapter 7

"CJ?" I said.

"Does that name have any relevance to you or... ?" Eritrea said.

"Not that I can recall. However, I know all of my parents' friends so who is CJ?"

"Maybe he isn't so much of a friendly friend." Eritrea noted.

"Whatever, let's just go. We'll figure out who this CJ is from my dad." Eritrea and I looked at my mom then looked back at each other. "I call arms." Eritrea said. I rolled my eyes and lifted my mother's legs up. We carefully placed her in the trunk so that she would have more room in case she woke up during the drive home. Once we got back to my parents house, I got out of the car and left my mom in the trunk. It sounds bad but I figured if my dad wouldn't budge I could use her as leverage.

Once Reaching the Parents House...

I stepped out of the car and stood in front of the front door. Standing there, still in that moment, all my worries flooded into my brain. I wondered what was going on at work and if people would wonder why I was gone for all this time. I wondered where my daughter was, and what I would call her. I was so mad at myself. But, I knew if I wanted to make things right with my daughter I needed to get past this obstacle. Let's hope it's my last.

I walked up to the door and knocked. My hands were shaking the entire time. I didn't really know what to expect when the door opened, if it even would. I just knew I had to try. I was in the process of knocking again when the door opened.

"Monica! Thank goodness you're here! Y-You're mother! It's your mother!" My dad wailed, dragging me inside by my arm.

I didn't know what to do, I was utterly conflicted. I mean, of course, I knew what happened to my mom, but I didn't know if I should tell my dad what happened or let his imagination run its course. And well... my dad always told me to be a dreamer.

"MONICA!" My dad yelled across the kitchen counter.

I snapped out of my own head and was now fully alert, "yes?"

"Your mother! Where is your mother?"

"Why are you asking me? I just got here the same as you, I assume." I said, getting defensive.

"Monica, your mother is not picking up her phone and–" My dad paused.

He stopped in his pacing and saw my mom's smashed phone on the kitchen floor, oopsie.

"Her phone! This is your mother's phone!"

"Maybe someone broke in! I mean, do you know anyone who might have ties with you and mom?" I asked slyly.

My dad froze. The look on his face showed me that he was definitely trying to come up with a believable lie.

"None that come straight to mind," he said.

I didn't have time for this and neither did my mom, I needed to get something out of him.

"Perhaps it's a common name, like Andrew or Patrick. Maybe Justin... or CJ."

"CJ? I-"

"Aha! So you know a CJ? So, what do they want with mom? Will they kill her? Did you find a note?"

"Monica!" My father said firmly. "I am your father and we will discuss of this no longer."

Just then, my phone beeped. I looked at it only to see a text from Eritrea, a clock emoji. I didn't have much time and my dad was being difficult. I needed to get to him somehow. I texted Eritrea with a plan that hopefully she'd follow.

"Hey, uh, dad! You know, maybe we should look for clues outside. I actually came here with a friend, we can drive you down to the police station."

My father hesitated for a moment. "Alright, but after you drop me off tell me anything, and I mean anything that you find out about your mother's disappearance."

"Yeah yeah, of course dad, now let's go quickly!" I shooed him over and out of the house. Finally, we were getting somewhere. I opened the back seat door and Eritrea quickly came out of the driver's side. My dad started climbing into the seat but caught a glimpse of my mom, lying unconscious.

"Monica.."

"Dad, I'm sorry."

My dad tried to back away and run but Eritrea was quicker. She hit him over the head and my dad fell into her arms.

"Well, don't just stand there. Get his feet and throw him in."

I felt sick to my stomach, I hated doing this to my parents, they were always good to me. But, I needed to think of myself and my daughter now. I wondered what I had named her, but I couldn't remember. I was thinking something along the lines of Ally or maybe Sofia. I also kind of liked the name Opal. After my parents were secure, Eritrea and I got in the front and drove off to wherever the hell we were going.

During the ride, my doubts were beginning to swallow me whole. I tried to think of my daughter as the reason why I'm doing this, but there was no real proof that she was alive. I mean, who would her father even be? I don't remember having sex with anyone. So.. could I have been...

No. No way, in fact I'm punishing myself for even thinking that way. I must have been really drunk that night to remember anything.

But, seriously, this whole thing with my parents makes me nauseous.

"I can't do this. Turn the car around, I'm out of this plan."

Eritrea looked at me and back at the road. She aggressively pulled over, but locked me in.

"You don't get to decide anymore. We are in way too deep. I go down, you go down. You should've thought about this a long time ago because sweetheart, you're not going anywhere."

"What are you talking about a long time ago? You trapped me in that room for God knows how long!"

"You had a choice and you made this one!" Eritrea argued.

"YOU GAVE ME NO CHOICE! You took away ALL of my choices! You told me that I had a daughter. Told me that I abandoned her. You have NO proof! You want to go hunt your precious "historians" be my mother fucking guest. Because my parents won't be." I huffed and tried opening the door to leave but it was still locked from the driver's side.

"Unlock this fucking door." I said firmly.

"When will you get it? You're not going anywhere."

Eritrea started the car and we were off, fast. I flew backward into my chair and was screaming. 60, 70, 80.. The number kept going up.

"ERITREA!"

I was terrified. I could hear cars honking like crazy and angry drivers shouting from their windows.

"Eritrea, slow down, NOW! This isn't fucking worth it." I cried and begged over and over.

I tried rolling down the window to see if I could jump out, but even they refused to budge. I looked over and saw Eritrea with one hand on the steering wheel and another making sure I had no route for escape. The highway was coming to an end, I could feel it. I needed her to slow the fuck down or else my life was as good as gone.

"Eritrea! PLEASE! I die, you die. This is a lose-lose situation." Tears were rolling down my fast at this point.

"That's where you're wrong..." The car was hitting 95MPH. "I have nothing to lose."