On The Road

Chapter 27

Miranda's pov

I get off the bus and check the mail. I'm surprised to see a letter addressed to me. Who knows this address? I shrug and pocket it. I'll read it later. I set the rest of the mail down and hear water running in the kitchen. I walk in. Uncle Luke. "Uncle Luke?" I whisper. He turns around. "Where's dad?" "At the studio. But he wanted someone to be here when you got home. Where's Sierra?" "Cheerleading practice." I sit down at the table. "We're all going to the game tonight right?" I ask, looking up at him. "Pretty sure." He dries his hands off. My hand runs over the unknown letter. I wonder who it's from. "I've uh got some homework to do. I'll be down later." I run upstairs and pull out the letter. I tear it open.

Dearest Miranda,
I know you hate me and you have the right. I was horrible to you. I don't deserve forgiveness. I understand that. I just beg of you. I do love you and I miss you so much. Please come visit when you get the chance. I ask nothing of you but to hug you. I'm sorry.
Love mom.

The letter flutters to the ground, fear and worry setting in. What do I do?! What's gonna happen?! I can't stop myself, a blood curdling scream is ripped from my lungs.

Jason's pov

I open the front door and Sierra runs inside quickly grabbing the remote. "Hey don't forget the game tonight." I call. "I know." She says then I hear a scream upstairs. My phone and keys fall from my hands and I feel like I'm going in slow motion as I run upstairs. I open the door and the window is wide open. I run over to it and see Miranda running away! What's going on?! I'm about to run out the door to hopefully catch up to her when I step on a letter. I pick it up, read it, then crumple it in my fist. Fury filling my veins.

Miranda's pov

Tears blur my vision as I run as fast as I can. My lungs burning and my feet hitting the pavement hard. All I hear is my ragged breathing, the slap of shoes on pavement, and my irregularly fast heartbeat. "I'm coming mom." I whisper, wiping my eyes. I trip over loose sidewalk and go sprawling. My knees getting cut. I lay there for a few seconds, trying to catch my breath. I turn on my back unable to get back up. I can't even breathe. I shakily pull myself up using a stick. I ignore the throbbing pain in my legs and hands. I hear a twig snap. I spin around, seeing dad and Sierra on the Four Wheeler. "What are you doing?" Dad asks, sliding off. "I-I'm going to go see my mom." I shakily say. "Miranda, no! You can't!" Sierra gasps running over. She grabs my hand. "You're all cut up. Come home." She says. Firey anger burns inside me. Anger from not having a family before. Misery from having someone who hated me. Confusion of she not hating me anymore. "I-I c-can't.... I have to figure this out." I pull free and walk down the road. "Please come home. At least so we can clean your knees." "Leave me alone!" I yell shoving her off me. She falls backward. Oh no! "Oh man, Sierra I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to!" Dad looks shocked. Sierra stares at me like I'm a monster. More tears fall down my cheeks. "I'm sorry." I whimper, taking off running again.

Jason's pov

I help Sierra onto the four wheeler. "What's gonna happen?" She asks. "I don't know hun. Just get home." I say, hugging her. "Daddy?" "Yeah?" "Bring my sister home." I fight back the tears. "I will princess." She drives toward home and I walk through the woods, listening for her heavy footfalls. That damn letter. That's what has her worked up. I call her name over and over. The woods thick here. Then out of the corner of my eye I spot her. She was almost to town.

Miranda's pov

I lean against the wall to catch my breath. I slump down to the ground, horrified. "What have I done? They must hate me now." I whimper, crying into my knees. "We don't hate you." My head snaps up. I wipe the tears from my eyes. "D-Dad?" He walks out of the shadows and sits beside me. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to push her! I swear." "I know hun. You're freaked out. It's okay. Sierra isn't mad either." That surprises me. I strugglingly stand back up, my knees and hands on fire. "I have to see my mom." I say, forced. "What for?" "I don't know! I just have to!" I gasp, fighting back the waves of nausea that are coming over me right now. He sighs and looks up at me from his spot on the ground. "Ok we'll go but on one condition." Whoa! I'm surprised. I thought he'd fight me about going. "What?" I ask worried. "You get yourself cleaned up first." I sigh and nod. We go to a nearby drug store and he works on the cuts on my hands and knees. "You're not mad that I wanna go?" I ask worriedly looking up at him. He throws away the remnants in a nearby trashcan. He shakes his head. "As much as I wish it wasn't true, she's your mom and in everyone, there's a burning feeling to always wanna satisfy your mom." "I just wanna know why." I whisper, staring at my shoes. "Come on kiddo." I jump down and we walk to the jailhouse. I'm all of a sudden nervous. My hands get clammy. I look up at dad but I can't read his expression. I don't know what he's thinking. He tells the guy at the desk my mom's name. A few minutes later, I hear footsteps. I turn around slowly. My eyes land on my crying mother. Long black hair, dark brown eyes and an orange prison jumpsuit. Instantly tears refill my eyes. Dad rests a hand on my shoulder. "Miranda." Mom whispers. I can even hear the regret in her tone. She is sorry for hurting me all those years. "What did you want with my daughter?" Dad asks, worrying me. Mom's eyes go wide. Uh oh. "Your daughter?! She's my daughter!!" Mom yells. Dad grits his teeth in rage. "I've never hit a woman but you're pushin' it pretty damn close lady!" He growls. They go back and forth until I scream, "STOP IT!" They both shut up then. I shakily take a step forward. "Mom.... Y-You have changed?" I ask. She wipes the tears from her eyes. "Baby girl I'm so sorry for the way we treated you. I wish I could take it all back. Please don't hate me." She gasps desperately. I'm so worried and confused. I don't know what to believe. "Y-You hated me when I was younger." I whimper, backing up. I feel dad's hands on my shoulders. I rest my hands on his. "Visiting hours are over." The guard says. "No! Please!" She cries, beggingly. "We have to go." Dad says, pulling me outside.

Jason's pov

I think she's stunned. She's just staring in space. "Honey, uh are you okay?" "What do I do? Daddy, tell me what to do!" I don't know what to do either! I just grab her hand. "Let's get home so we can get ready for your sister's game tonight." I say instead. "B-But w-what about mom?" It's bullshit! I don't believe a word she said. "I have to help her!" She says. I stop walking, fighting bskc my anger. "Miranda I'm sorry. I know you don't wanna hear or believe this but that woman doesn't care about you! It's all lies! She's a con artist trying to weasel her way out of jail! She doesn't care about you like I do! Just forget about her!" "B-But.... I can't she's my mom!!" She pulls her hand free and runs off. I sigh. "Hun, come back!" I gasp, tired from all this running. I ain't as young as I used to be.

Miranda's pov

I flick a rock down the well I was crying against. "He's wrong. She does care." I whisper, flicking another rock. "That's all I've ever wanted!" I kick the well. I turn around, feeling like I'm being watched. "Who's there?" I call into the near darkening alleyway behind me. The wind picks up. "H-Hello?" Whatever. I sit back down in front of the well. "All I ever wanted was my mom to love me." I whisper, a tear slipping from my eye and falling down the well. Suddenly a hand slips over my mouth, muffling the scream that rips from me. "Be quiet and I won't hurt you." The guy holding me hisses in my ear. I'm trying not to freak out. He grabs my hands and cuffs them behind my back. Then gags me. I try to scream but the gag makes it impossible. He then drags me to a white van and slams the door. He blindfolds me and I hear the engine roar to life.