Darlin, I fall to pieces when I'm with you: an SOA fanfiction

Chapter Eighteen -

Another long, boring shift at the diner, Lana spent more time daydreaming about Filip coming home after two nights away than she did working. She must have lost a lot of decent tips while so distracted but she didn't care, these last few weeks she thought less and less about saving to get as far away from her mom as possible. She wasn't wishing away the present to get some obscure, utopian future, like usual, she was actually happy for once. The diner door swung open and in walked Kip, "Lana bananaaaaaaa" he sang in some bizarre opera-style tone making her snort with laughter. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She laughed as she shook her head. "Well shit, how long do you have?" He laughed back, "most importantly though, I'm starving, been a long day covering the guys' shifts while they're out" he complained. She rolled her eyes and turned towards the kitchen, "Antonio, can I get a grilled cheese and some fries to go please?" She called. "On it, Bambi" he called back. "You're the best, Lana" Kip grinned at her. "You're just now figuring that out?" She joked, "I'm gonna finish up while Antonio makes your food" she said as she grabbed the empty tray, her cloth and some cleaner and made her way to the far side of the diner.

Lana finished up her shift and headed out the back to get changed while Kip ate his food, she pulled on some light jeans, a white loose fitting T-shirt and her sneakers, not bothering to make an effort while Filip was away. She reappeared from the kitchen, calling goodbye to Antonio as she went, "you done yet Kip? I'm so tired, I need a nap before the guys are home later" she yawned. He shovelled the last few fries into his mouth, "done!" He spoke loudly while still chewing, "how much do I owe you?" he asked her. "Don't worry about it, you've given me more than enough rides home to make up for it" she smiled. "I don't have a choice, Chibs would never let me patch in if I didn't!" He chuckled back, "c'mon let's go"

Kip parked the truck outside Lana's trailer, "here ya go, am I getting you later or you waiting for Chibs?" He asked her. "Can you come get me? I wanna be there as soon as he's home" she asked barely able to hide her excitement. He shook his head and laughed softly "shit, did he slip you a love potion or something? You're obsessed" She blushed a little and laughed, "if he did, I hope it never wears off." She unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her backpack. "I'll come by for like 7:30?" He asked her as she climbed out the truck. "Sounds good, see you then, thanks again" she called as she fished her keys out of her pocket and set about unlocking the trailer door.

As she entered the tiny trailer she was pleasantly surprised by absolute silence, her mom must be either comatose in bed or out somewhere, either way she was glad she wasn't here. She checked her phone, '3:24pm' she had time for a nap and to get ready before Kip came back to pick her up. Lana made her way into her bedroom and changed into some hello kitty pyjama shorts and one of Filip's soa tshirts, she pulled on some cosy, fluffy socks and flopped onto her bed. She grabbed her phone and sent a quick message to Filip:

Hey baby, just got home from work, I'm gonna take a nap, I can't wait to see you later, I love you

She fell asleep almost instantly thinking about all the ways she was going to show Filip she had missed him.

Lana was awoken by the front door slamming and her mom yelling "Lana, where the fuck are you? You better be here you waste of fucking space." Her body flipped into survival mode, panic surged through her body and her heart raced, she wanted to run or hide but that wasn't an option. Her mom burst into her bedroom "you lazy piece of shit" she yelled "get your ass up, you should be at work, we have bills to pay" as she spoke she pulled the blanket off of Lana and grabbed her legs, yanking her out of bed and onto the floor. Lana fell to the floor hitting her arm on the bedside table as she fell. "Ow, fuck" she muttered. "Are you talking back to me? How fucking dare you" she yelled as she struck Lana in the face. "No mom, I'm sorry, I.." she stuttered, clutching her face, tears streamed down and stung her cheek even more. "Where's your wallet, I need cash, $700, now." she demanded, pulling Lana up by her waist-length hair. "$700, I don't have that kind of money, what's going on?" Lana asked, the panic becoming unbearable mixed with the pain from being dragged into the lounge by her hair. "You owe me is what's going on" her mom screeched, releasing her hair causing her to drop the floor. "What? No I paid you this month, I gave you $400 on the 1st" she stuttered, trying to regain any ounce of composure she could. "Well I need more" her mom stated, "NOW" she added. Lana scuttled over to her backpack and pulled out her wallet, there was no way she was handing over that much cash, she'd just give her something to appease her so she could get away. She fumbled around with the zip and pulled out her wages from the last few days, "here $175 that's all I have" she sobbed as she handed it over. "You fucking lying bitch, I know that pimp is giving you cash" her mom yelled as she stormed towards the kitchen area, grabbed the disconnected telephone and before Lana could react she launched it at her head. The phone hit Lana's face was a loud thud, her face tingled from the pain, the tears and the adrenaline, her eye felt like it was burning, her nose dripped bright red blood all down her shirt and over the floor. "Mom stop it please, he's not a pimp, I don't have any more cash" she pleaded. "Listen here you ungrateful bitch, I have put up with your sorry-ass for the last 19 goddamn years, letting you follow me around like a lost puppy, now it's your turn to do me a favour and get me some cash. I owe the dealer, it's cash or we split. I don't care how you get it, steal from your shitty job, take it from your pimp, hell sell yourself, I need that money now" she screamed. Lana's eyes and nose streamed, she felt sick, maybe from the blow to the head or maybe the sheer panic coursing through her. "Actually, come to think of it, wouldn't be the first time you sold yourself would it?" Her mom started, her voice thick with sick inspiration, "remember back in Nevada? What was his name? Ray, I still have his number somewhere" Lana was sure she was going to be sick, the memories she'd tried to suppress and ignore were resurfacing as quick as her lunch, "mom, no please, no" she sobbed, "I'll check my room, see if there's anymore cash" she clambered quickly up off of the floor but the sudden movement hit her with lightheadedness and disorientation, she fell face-first into the table, hitting the ground like a sack of shit. "What the fuck are you doing? Get the money" her mom yelled, Lana blinked trying to get her eyes to focus, willing her body to cooperate and stand up. "Sorry I am, I'm trying" she spluttered. Her head was pounding, through sheer grit and determination she commanded her body into her room to get some of her savings. She reached into the tampon box in the corner of her room and pulled out another $500, she would have to work doubles for the next few weeks to make back that kind of stash but anything was better than being forced into a 'visit' from Ray.