Loving Hard (COMPLETED)

Birthday Surprises

Scarlett
"Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me," Beatrice says smiling foreal this time. We have found some classes she can take online and they won't take long to complete, she just has to work hard.

"You're welcome. Do you have a laptop at home?"

"No but I will go to the library."

"You can use mine. I have it at home and never use it," since Jase is over most of the time.

"Thank you but you have done enough for me already."

"No it's fine, honestly."

"May I ask you something?" I nod and let her continue, "Why are you helping me?"

I might as well tell her everything.

"I am Scarlett Johnson. I had an aunt who's name was Stephanie Johnson and she had a husband named Erick Kinston. You see you have both their last name and I co-"

"I am sorry? You said had.. As in she's dead?"

"Yes, she died not long ago," Beatrice sinks down into the chair and lets out a sob.

"My dad said her name before he died. I didn't know what it meant until I searched for her. I saw her from far away but never dared to get close. I knew she was my mother because she wore a gold necklace that had half a heart, my dad had the other piece," she says touching the piece of gold that now belonged to her. She's my cousin. I still have family.

"Beatrice you said your dad died, then who do you live with?" she touches her bangs and makes sure they're in place. Whoever she lives with had done that.

"I live with my boyfriend," she's in a abusive relationship. This doesn't make any sense, Aunt Steph couldn't have let her daughter go through this. "She gave me to my dad and told him to get rid of me. My dad didn't have the heart so he divorced her and raised me."

I get up and wrap my arms around her. How can a mother be capable to demand such thing!

"It's okay Beatrice you have got me now, I thought I was alone too," I say soothing her.

"It hurts still. She didn't want me but she was my mother."

"I know, it's okay things will get better," I let her cry in my shoulder for as long as she needs to.

"Can we go to her grave?" she asks wiping her face.

"Of course."

***

Jase business is making headlines after just a few weeks. The place is never empty. I become close to Beatrice, she doesn't say much about herself just her classes. It wasn't easy seen her cry for my aunt at her grave. My aunt didn't deserve her tears.

I put on my heels and head for the door. Jase had called and wanted me at the restaurant. I don't know why because today it's closed and it's late.

I had woken up with hope that Jase would remember my birthday but that didn't happen. I didn't remind him either. I open the door to my Mercedes and look up at the restaurant. There are no lights on. It looks complete close so I decide to text Jase and see what the heck is going on.

Me: Are you at the restaurant?

Jase: On my way. Wait for me inside.

Great. He asks me to meet him but shows up late. This is the suckiest birthday ever. Not even Kylie has said happy birthday.