What's Best for You

II

Lae'lani's POV

Dinner with the Lopez family couldn't be more awkward in my opinion. At first, it was going fairly well, they asked where I was from, my name, how old I was, and all that other mess. But then the bomb dropped.
"Where are you from again, Lae'lani?" Dr. Lopez looked up from his meal to give Lae'lani his attention, so she did the same.

"Well, my family is originally from Colombia, but we moved to Louisiana when I was about three."

The man nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"So, why'd you move here? And you're living alone? I mean, you're younger than our Santanita, and we wouldn't trust her alone in the house for more than a week," Santana's mom commented jokingly, although Santana didn't find it very funny.

"Haha, mama. Very funny." She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her food.

"Well, whenever my family and I came up to visit my uncle and his kids in Cleveland, we'd stop here, sort of like a rest stop. And I remember this place, and I'd always kind of liked it's quiet dignity." High fucking five, Lae. Best bullshit story I've ever heard. I hadn't visited my uncle in years, and we stopped here once because somebody had to fucking pee.

"Oh, really? Well, that's very nice. But, I still don't understand why you're living alone." Wow, talk about boundaries.

Instead of responded with a smart ass comment, I forced a chuckle and smile,"Well, I needed a change of scenery, and my mom..she didn't want to leave home. She wasn't ready for it." I shrugged it off like it wasn't a big deal, because for one thing, it wasn't even true. She didn't even know I left.

"Not ready for what?" Santana's attention was now on me.

Well, now we know this nosey shit runs in the fuckin family. "She wasn't ready to leave what had been her home since we moved to the states. She still lives in the same house that my brother and I grew up in. She could never leave it. New Orleans is her home now, and she'd never abandon it." I bit the corner of my lip, because I was the one who abandoned our home. And now moms is alone. All because of that bitch ass...

There was a tension that I don't think Santana's parents were aware of. Thank God my phone rang, but at the same time, it wasn't a name I think I wanted to see. It can't be anything good. I could feel the deep scowl that formed on my face, but I didn't want to worry the Lopez family.

"Oh, excuse me for just once second, please. This is probably important." I shot them all a smile before stepping out into the hallway, far enough away, and answering the phone.

"Jada, wassup? Is everything ok?" I heard labored breathing over the phone, so it was a dumb ass question, honestly.

"No, no. Lae, he's out. He's fucking out. What do I do? What do I do?" My breath hitched in my throat.

"What the fuck do you mean, he's out? He wasn't supposed to be out for 6 more months, Jay." I could almost feel the panic emanating of off her.

"I know, I know. Lae, what do I do? Please, I'm scared."

I couldn't help but pace the hallway quietly, thinking of a solution.

"Don't worry, Jay. I promised you I'd protect you. I've got this, I got you. Now, calm down. He won't hurt you, he won't even fucking touch you, ok? I got this, ma." I took a deep breath before continuing, "This is what I need you to do. Send her here, so that way she'll be unreachable, ok?"

"One step ahead of you. Her plane boarded an hour ago. But I'm worried. She needs me."

"She'll be safe, ok? I'll take care of her. I promise. I don't break promises. I'll go set up for her now, ok, Jay? Now, I've got to go. I Love you, la' girl." After receiving an I love you too, I hung up and sighed, before fixing my face and walking back to the dining room.