Insomnia

32| Vivian Marie

Chanel's POV

"Chanel?" I heard Landon call out from the front door. "In the living room." I yelled back. He just got home from school while I skipped to make more money at the club. It's been a week since he stopped using and it hasn't been easy on him. He walked in and took a seat next to me on the floor. "Catch." I told him before throwing a pencil at him. He caught it and tilted his head in disappointment. "Just checking." I held up my wrist and showed him the bracelet I had fixed for my dad, even if it was a few years late. He smiled and kissed my hand. "How was school?" I asked, taking my laptop off my lap and sat it on the table. "It was good, I turned in your homework. I missed you." I smiled softly. "How's writing?" He asked, skimming over my laptop.

Last night for the first time I showed Landon what I'd been working on and what I considered my passion. He was so supportive and actually gave me pointers I needed. I opened up to him and even showed him my handwritten books and notes. "It's good, trying my hardest." After he finished skimming my laptop I looked over to my right and noticed my box was left open. Underneath all my notebooks I remember I had left Chris's key in here. I looked at him and ran my hand down the side of his face. "How are you feeling? About everything, and be honest." He looked at me and slowly nodded his head before he chuckled. "I've seen better days but I'm dealing with it better. I'm glad I have you by my side." I smiled and kissed him. His hand met my face as he pulled me closer. I put my hand on his wrist and pulled away before getting too close.

"I want to talk to you about something." He looked at me with a flash of nervousness. "Your dad left you something." His eyebrows dipped and his eyes glazed. I leaned over and found his key in my box, placing it in his hand. "On Fordham Road there's a storage facility and your father left you the key and everything inside." I didn't mention that his wish was for me to share it with him because I don't know when my glass will tip over. "When did he give this to you?" He asked, looking at the key. "The night we had our movie night." He scoffed with a smile. "That son of a bitch. He was always sneaky. I'll give him that." I smiled as I watched him smile.

"Will you come with me?" He asked quickly, standing up. I nodded and he took my hand as he helped me up. As we walked toward the door we heard a knock. He opened the door and his face flushed. I looked at the woman and was confused. She was a pretty lady and definitely  had some years on her head though. I looked at Landon and waited for someone to say something. "Mom?" He mumbled and I felt my heart drop. If this is the 'mom' that left him and his father for another man when he was five, I could only imagine what was going on in his head. "Are you going to let me in or are you going to stare?" I could tell she was scared but she kept a straight face underneath all the heavy designer and makeup.

Landon put his hand on my lower back and walked out with me locking the door behind him. "I'm not letting you inside, what do you want?" He asked coldly. "That's no way to speak to your mother but if you insist I want to talk to your dad." She said, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Why?" She laughed and ignored his question. "And I'll be staying here for a few days, I want to catch up with my son." She gasped as her eyes caught a glimpse of his hand. She rolled up the sleeve of his hoodie and gasped louder. Landon pulled his hand away quickly and looked at her disgusted. "Don't fucking put your hands on me." She gasped again. She put her hand up to slap him but before her hand could connect by reflex I caught her wrist.

She pulled her hand away and we all stood there looking at one another. "I'm going to have to ask you to get off dad's property." He said nicely. "This is my home as much as it is his. Look at what he's allowed you to do with your skin and bring girls into our home. Your fifteen act like it." I laughed when she said his name. Did she lose count of how long she's been gone? "Something funny young lady? How old are you?" She looked down to my feet then back up to me. "Please don't speak to me." Landon put his arm around me and moved me back.

"You don't even know my age and you walk up here expecting to talk to dad? He's dead so if you have anything to say save it. You won't be staying here either and I wish I felt sorry for you." Her jaw dropped. "It was better when I hoped you were dead instead of just leaving me behind." He grabbed my hands and we walked past her down the stairs. "I was young." She yelled after him. "I was a model and we didn't plan for you. I did as long as I could but staying meant I loved you more than my career." Landon tried to keep walking but her words shocked me. "You put money over your son?" I asked looking up to her. "I chose a life over my son."

She said walking down the steps to me. "So why are you back?" I asked. "Did life not choose you?" Landon asked her standing beside me. "I'm broke." She admitted. "I have nothing, I used my last to get a flight back home." Landon looked around us confused. "Well? Where's home?" He left her where she was and I followed him. I looked up to him with a smile as we walked down the sidewalk. "I expected that to hurt a lot more than it did." He shrugged.

"Well she's missing out. She made a beautiful human being." I told him. "Your the only woman I'll ever need in my life."