37 days: Holding on 2 broken promises

And then there's you

POV
X

"Mom?" I ask in complete shock.

She looks the same, only a little older than I last remembered.

"Hi Xavier," she says, I haven't heard that voice in twenty years.

"Wha..what are you doing here?" I ask.

"Can I come in?" She asks looking over my shoulder.

I really just want to slam the door in her face and say fuck you but curiosity is getting the better of me.

"Uh, okay," I say moving out of the way so she could come inside.

"Wow, look at this place! It's beautiful." She says looking around.

"And look at you, all grown up and so handsome," she says touching my forearm.

"Yeah..." I say still in a confused state of mind.

"We should talk," she says pointing to my black leather couch.

I don't know what my feelings are right now but I sit down as she suggests.

Now that we're both sitting, she begins to talk, "I'm sorry Xavier," she says looking down.

"I don't need your sorry's, it's a little too late for that," I say matter of fact.

"Fair enough.." she says with her hands clasped together on her lap.

She builds some confidence and looks me in the eye with the same green eyes as mine.
"Look, I think it's about time you knew the truth," she says gently.

The truth? Now?

"Go on..." I say impatiently.

"When I left twenty one years ago, it wasn't because I wanted to leave...to leave you. You see, your dad was an awful man, he was never around, he would fool around with so many different women and I fell in love with someone else, someone here."

What the fuck? She's really got my attention now.

"I fell pregnant with this man and I needed to get out of here before anyone found out. I moved to Arizona to be near my family. Your father would've killed me and the other man." She explains and I'm dumbfounded.

"And what about me...?" I ask getting heated.

"Ugh, well if I took you with me, your father would have come looking, but if I left by myself then I know he wouldn't." She says.

"Who got you pregnant?" I ask with extreme curiosity.

"Ghost," she says quietly.

I actually laugh at loud.

This has to be some sort of sick joke.

"I actually have a proposition for you," she says with enhanced confidence. She can't be fucking serious.

I raise an eyebrow but say nothing.

"I talked to Ghost yesterday morning, I know where he's going. I'll give you his location for twenty thousand dollars." The words actually come out of her snaky mouth.

I can't even fathom that she had the audacity to come here, give me a half-ass apology, tell me she had a relationship with Ghost of all people, and ask for twenty grand to snitch on his location.

"You're a fucking coward," I spit out and she puts her head down.

"I know you left for Arizona, I know you have three other kids, I know you got married and are living the fucking life as you left me here to fend for my fucking self! You know, I used to stay awake at night wondering if it was something I did to make you leave..was I not enough? Did I do something wrong? No. No, the fuck I didn't. It was you, you were the fucking coward that left a ten-year-old boy to a pack of wolves." I yell out in hurtful frustration.

"You got yourself into that mess and you weren't strong enough to face the consequences. Ya know, there are some people out there that long to have children and can't, there are people out there that would take a bullet for their children without a second thought, there are people out there that would protect their children at all costs and do anything for them, and then, there's you." I say the last part with calming hate to the woman in front of me.

"Xavier..." she trails off.

"No, I don't want to hear it," I say putting my hand up to stop her with whatever nonsense she's about to feed me.

"You know Gina, you almost had me fooled, you really did. I thought you came here to apologize for the piece of shit mother you were but all you did was confirm what a piece of shit person you are. So let me get this straight, you want twenty grand from me to give up Ghosts location? You want me to take the father of your child away, the parent that clearly gives more of a shit about her than you do? For money?" I ask hastily.

She keeps her head down with whatever emotion she's feeling.

"I'm not going after ghost whether you ask me for a penny or you just willingly tell me. Ghost may have betrayed me but what I've done is on me, betrayed or not." I say and she visibly looks disappointed.

"I'll do you one better Gina, I'll make a deal with you, I'll give you the twenty grand, shit, let's make it twenty-five. I will give you twenty-five thousand dollars if you never come near me again."

She lifts her head to meet my eyes, "Okay, deal." She says quietly.

"Yeah, I thought you might say that." I chuckle in disbelief.