MC Devil Dogs #4 Which One Should I Love?

Penny's Mother Dies

Penny

     I have just gotten home from school and waiting on my mother to get home from work.  I go to the kitchen to make me some noodles to eat.  I sit on the couch to eat and watch some TV.  I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know I woke up and it's dark out.  Mom should have been home already.  I go get my phone to call her because this is not like her.  If she works late she always call me to let me know.  I call her number but it continues to ring then goes to voicemail.  I try calling her work but it's the answering service everyone has left the building.  Maybe she is on her way now.  I continue to wait for her and am now starting to get a little anxious.  I call my friend Suzy just so I can talk to someone and get my mind off it.  I do not like being home at night by myself.  I have been talking to Suzy about the new boy in our class when there is a knock on my door.  I let Suzy know I have to go.  Maybe mom's hands are full and she needs me to open the door.

     I open the door to see two policemen standing there.  Now I am scared.  I don't know what to say so I stand there saying nothing.  One of the officers finally speaks "Yes we are looking for a relative of Martha Reyes."  I look at both of them and state "That's my mom."  They both give each other a look.  The other office ask "Can we speak to your father please?"  I am starting to panic now did mom get into some trouble or something.  I answer "I don't have a dad.  It's just my mom and me who live here."  The one officer walks away to make a phone call.  The other one asked me if I have any other relatives.  I inform him I have a brother named Stephan but I haven't seen him in couple years.  He asks me if I have a number for Stephan and I know mom has it so I tell him to hold on a minute.  I shut the door and run upstairs to my mom's room.  I look through her top dresser draw to get out her special notebook.  I find his number then run back downstairs.  I open the door to see both officers standing there.  I hand him the phone number to my brother.  I asked " Can you please tell me what's going on?  Is my mom is some kind of trouble?"  Again they look at each other.  It's becoming annoying already.  Finally the one officer tells me that someone will be here soon to tell me everything.   I am beginning to feel sick to my stomach.  I don't understand why they just can not tell me already.  It takes a good thirty minutes before I see car lights coming.  I hope that's my mom because these cops are freaking me out. 

     I see the car park and realize it is not my mom.  I see an older lady get out of the car and walk toward us.  She steps up on the porch and gives me a small smile.  She introduces herself "Hello, my name is Samantha Knox.  I am a social worker for the county.  May I ask what your name is?"  Okay why do I need a social worker at my house?  I answer "My name is Penny but why are you all here at my house and where is my mom?"  The first officer tells me "I am sorry to say this but your mother was involved in a car accident this afternoon and she didn't make it."  What!  No he is lying to me.  My mom is just fine! I know it.  I tell him "You are lying to me!  My mom will be home any minute now!  You all need to leave!"  I run to go in but before I can get the door shut the office sticks his hand in to catch the door.  The lady comes in and sits beside me.  She tells me she is going to find me somewhere to stay until they can contact my brother to see if he is willing to take me.  This can not be real.  I just sit there in silence.  

     It's been a week since my mom died.  They were able to get in touch with my brother and he says he will come to get me.  We still haven't buried my mom.  My brother is suppose to be here tomorrow and he has made funeral arrangements.  I have been staying at an elderly lady's home for the last week.  She is nice to me and has tried to help me but I just miss my mom so much.  I just don't understand why she had to die.  I lay in bed crying tonight because I know tomorrow it will become more real to me.  My brother called my foster home to tell them that he will pick me up in the morning and we will have my mom's funeral at one p.m.  He says after the funeral we will fly back to his home.  I have to lose my mom, my home and all my friends.  I lay down to try and sleep.  I dread tomorrow and I don't even know my brother that much.  I just know he is older than me by like fifteen years I think mom said.

     Well it's morning time and my brother should be here to get me any minute now.  I have my suitcase by the door.  He told them for me to not worry about a bunch of stuff he will buy me new.  I just don't even care at this point.  I am sitting on the couch and I am nervous.  I am nervous about seeing my brother and nervous about burying my mom.  I would rather just pretend it didn't happen.  If I don't see her buried then maybe it would be less real.  I hear a knock at the door and Ms. Sara goes to answer it.  I can feel my heart racing right now.  I see her open the door and see my brother standing there with couple men behind him.  He is dressed in a really nice black suit and he looks a lot older than I remember.  He says hello and then walks over to me.  He seats on the end table in front of me.  He takes my hands in his then says "Penny, I am sorry about mom.  I promise I will take care of you though.  I will try my best to make you happy.  Okay?"  What do you say to that?  It's not like I have a choice about any of this. 

     We are at the cemetery now finish up mom's funeral.  All of her coworkers showed up and some of her friends but as far as family goes it was just Stephan and me.  Mom told me a long time ago that she didn't have any family.  I don't know who my dad was because he left right after I was born.  Stephan has a different dad.  I see them lower the casket and I know my life will never be the same again.  I feel Stephan put his arm around my shoulders and I lean my head onto him.  I feel so alone and I just want my mom.  I don't know what to do without her.  They have begun to cover her up with dirt now and Stephan pulls me away.  He tells me "Sis it's time, we have a plane to catch."  I just nod and walk with him.  It doesn't matter where I go now because it will never be the same again without my mom.  I get into a SUV with him.  He has a driver and couple other guys with him.  I meant to ask him why he has so many men with him but I forgot.  I ask "Stephan, Who are all this men with you?"  He is on his phone typing something he looks up at me and says "Don't worry about them Penny they work for me and they are none of your concern."  Okay then I will not ask any more questions.  He seemed irritated by it.  We arrive at the airport and bored a private jet.  I have never flown before so I am scared.  I take my seat and close my eyes during take off.  I guess I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know Stephan is waking me up. 

     Stephan takes me to his house.  It's huge compared to mom's house.  I am shown to a room and told to get ready for dinner.  I go into my bathroom and see it is huge.  I take a quick shower then put on some jeans and a tshirt.  I make my way downstairs where the staff shows me to the dining room.  I see Stephan is already sitting there.  I take a seat and the staff serve us.  I see them put our plates before us and I have never seen so much food.  Mom and I always ate simple because she couldn't afford much else.  This roast, potatoes and carrots with homemade bread beats noodles anyday.  I dig into my food because I really haven't eaten anything in couple of days.  Stephan looks up at me and says "Don't eat so fast Penny, save room for dessert.  Also tomorrow I will get someone to take you shopping to buy what you may need for your room and for school.  I have enrolled you in a private all girl's school near by."  A private school! Oh crap!  I just nod my head because I am still shocked about it. 

      I am headed to the mall with one of the staff from my brother's place.  I was told to buy whatever I wanted.  I have never been told that before.  I find several new school supplies and some stuff for my room.  I buy some clothes for home because apparently I will be wearing uniforms at school.  I am almost finished with my shopping but I ask if I can go in the book store before we leave.  I love to read and being somewhere new it will make me feel better.  I browse the bookstore and find several new books.  I can not wait to get home and start reading.  We pull up and I go to grab some bags but I am told that I should just go on in they will bring them to me.  I step inside and I see Stephan walking to his office with some other man.  I know he doesn't like to be disturbed so I just go on to my room.  Stephan is okay but I realized real quick that he doesn't like being bothered.  I get to my room and start preparing my stuff for tomorrow because he told me I was going to school tomorrow.  I tried to ask him to let me wait a week or so since we just buried my mom.  He flat out refused and said something about the only way I can move forward is to start my life here right away.