Querencia

Chapter Fifteen

It's the day of the fundraiser and instead of getting dolled up I'm swinging in my hammock and knitting my mom a new baby blue hot pad.

I used to find new hobbies to fill my boredom and take up time. Now they come in handy and are useful, which makes me feel useful. I would love to be laughing with my Angel and see her in her beautiful pale green dress she had me pick out for her, but I'm content listening to soft country music and knit.

"What are you doin?" My mom says.

I to my side where my mom is leaning against my door frame, her eyebrows raised. I notice her hair is in curlers.

"You getting ready for something?" I ask.

"Uh the fundraiser, the one you're supposed to be getting ready for."

I chuckle "You don't usually go to that."

"You're father heard the wood shop is losing money so I'm donating to them specifically in his name since he's busy at the shop. And you still didn't answer why you aren't getting ready."

I shrug "Ariella's not going."

"And?"

I laugh "What do you mean 'and?' She was my date."

She leans down and takes my knitting out of my hands and places it down on my dresser, then she opens the door to my personal bathroom and turns on the water and pulls out my hair products and makeup. She then turns back to me.

"You're gonna get your but up and take a shower. Then we're gonna do your hair and get dolled up. You're my date now."

I laugh and groan "Momma."

I don't wanna hear it now go I'm already ahead of ya." She says and leaves the room.

I get up and take a quick shower, shaving and washing my face. I step out and moisterize before putting on my robe.

"You decent?" My mom calls out.

I turn and turn on the fan before opening the door "Yeah."

She smiles and comes in with a stool, she places it in front of the counter and pats it for me to sit down.

I chuckle and sit down "It's been years since you've done my hair." I comment.

She smiles and takes down my hair from the clip I put it in. She grabs a spray bottle and my products. "I miss doing it." She says as she starts doing my hair.

"Do you know how long it took me to figure out how to take care of it properly. Anyone here with curls still had thin hair and yours has always been so thick and voluminous." She chuckles as she begins to twist and braid a section of my hair. " I know you'll always feel a lil' different. I knew that from the beginning. I knew your mom in school and she had always felt the same. She delt with it my finding love in all the wrong places, and when we found you I knew I didn't want that for you. Our town has such a small mind, anyone whose different sticks out. I just hoped one day you would feel maybe glad to not be apart of such a small minded group. I know it doesn't always work that way though. Me and your father can only do so much as white parents raising a brown daughter. Especially when we don't know much about your heritage, or even who your birth father was."

"You did great mom. All you and dad really needed to do was make sure I felt loved and taken care of, and I always have."

She smiles "Weren't great at first, but thank you. Looking at who you are, and knowing your heart, I think we did a bang up job." She smiles as she finishes pining my bun.

I smile and lean back against my mom, feeling loved.

She smiles back at me through the mirror "Now lets get our faces painted on."

. . .

I look myself over in the mirror, admiring how my curls are dangling elegantly at the bottom of my bun and around my face, which is beautifully made up with golds, oranges, and nudes. Maybe I can enjoy tonight without Ariella.

When we arrive at the banquet hall there are cars lined up and music floods out through the open doors.

"Okay," My mom starts "In, donate, grab a muffin, get out, go grab some dinner."

I laugh "So we got dolled up for 20 minutes of interaction just to end up probably getting barbeque?"

She looks at me and smiles "I said we were going out, I didn't say how long. Mind as well look dressed to the nines, when else are we gonna do it?" Then hops out the truck.

I laugh and hop out as well. I come around the truck and link arms with my mom before walking in.

"I'm going to chat up the wood shop teacher and give her the check, you go grab a couple mini muffins." My mom says before walking away.

I smile and head to the food table and grabbing a small plate and a couple napkins.

As I finish picking up a couple muffins and grabbing a water I hear a familiar voice in the crowd. I look up and immediately spot the bright pale hair of Ariella's mom, my gaze then travels infront of her where Ariella and Liam are standing. I stare at her in her black dress and tight high bun as she talks to her parents. My sight falls to Liams arm as he wraps it around her lower back.

I watch as Ariella looks around, seemingly bored before her eyes land on the bright red of my moms hair. Her eyes widen briefly and she begins to casually scan the room.

Wanting to not be caught staring so desperately I looking away before she can meet my eye. I head to my mother and notice she's finishing up. She looks to me and I hand her one of the small waters. I fake a smile and notice hers falters a little bit.

I lean forward towards her ear and mutter under my breath "Can we leave now?"

She looks at me, confused at my rush.

I nod my head in Ariellas direct. She looks up and over. She then gives a fake smile that doesn't reach her eyes and turns towards the woodshop teacher. "If you'll excuse us."

She then kisses the top of my head and places a hand on my upper back as we walk towards the entrance.

We're about the reach the truck when I hear my name call out.

I stop walking and sigh. My mom turns to me and smiles sympathetically. She looks over my shoulder and back at me before taking the muffins and water out of my hands. "I'll go start the truck." and walks away.

I turn to face her, silent.

Her eyebrows are raised, her mouth halfway open. "What are you doing here."

I cross my arms and furrow my eyebrows "My mom wanted to donate. What are you doing here?"

She wrings her hands together "I...um..I.."

"Lied." I state. "Why?"

"I-I didn't fully lie, my parents did find out I was taking a girl as my date." She flounders "They also found out Liam was back. They also demanded I take Liam as my date. Or else they would've-" she puts her fingers up in quotations " 'made an example out of her' And coming from lawyers with high status here I knew they would follow through."

I sigh "There is nothing that they could've done that would feel worse than this."

"Lee-"

"I would've understood. If you had just told be, but instead you lied and went behind my back. I don't even know how to process this." I sigh and begin to turn away.

"Lee!" She calls out.

"No." I state. Then I get in the truck where my mom silently pulls out and away.

As I look into the rearview mirror and literally watch my rock drift away I know my reaction.

Anger and pain.