Prison Chic #1st book of the Chics series (EDITING)

A dark, dark Past

2006- fourth of March

Joanna was jumping from the last stair when she saw a new flowerbed on the side of the stairs. The school was preparing for the spring break party. She bend down and took one and took a long sniff of it.

"These types of flowers don't have a scent sweetheart." A voice startled her, causing her flower to fall down. She turned around; and her grin widened as she ran toward where her father was and threw herself at him in a big hug.

"Daddy!" She said with full joy. He pulled away from her to look down at her face. She noticed him holding something in his right hand and her grin only broadened more.

"These, however have a sweet smell." He told her holding the humble bouquet of light yellow tulips to her.

"These are for me?" She leaped at him, taking the bouquet in her hand and burying her face in it, inhaling deeply.

"Hmmmm." She said in delight and Alfred laughed at her. When she looked up at him, her eyes were wary. "Where's mom?" She asked slowly as she peeked a look behind him.

"She's ummm.. She was so tiered she had to stay in bed." He said softly and Joanna knew that he was sugar coating that she was hangover to death and would rather do anything but pick up her daughter from school. She smiled in relieve but not too much. She knew how much her father loved her druggie mother, and even though it didn't make sense at all, she would tolerate it because she really loved her father.

"So why are you here? Your work is finished." She asked as they started walking away from the school.

"Not really, but I told them that I wanted to spend sometime with my beautiful daughter in her birthday!" He said sheepishly, and Joanna's heart leaped in joy. That's right, today she finished fourteen years. They never really celebrated it, but her father would sometimes do things like this. Take her out and away from her mom, which was all she could wish for in her birthday.

"So where are we going?" She asked, excited.

"Wherever you want, love." He told her, pulling her closer to him. And that they did.

They went for a lunch, then bawling, then into the supermarket, giving that her father wasn't well on money, they both picked a gift together from there. She bought a classic book that she wanted for so long.

"Little Women?" Alfred said looking at her sideways mockingly.

"What? I liked the movie!" She exclaimed. It was the only movie they attended together in her life.

Even though she was the one who chose her own gift, her dad wrapped it up in a baby blue wrap.

"Thanks for today, daddy. I’m so happy."

"Well, that was the plan." He said while she skipped danced beside him, her pony tale swaying behind her.

It was almost eight at night, and they were getting closer to their small house. And with every step, Joanna felt her joy diminishing by the minute.

Once they reached the house, Alfred unlocked the wooden door and they both got inside.

"Where the hell were you!" Joanna winced as she heard her mom's voice.

"Relax Sweetie, we just took a walk." Alfred told her.

"And what's that?" She barked in accusation as she pointed at the plastic bag in Joanna's hand.