Pop Life: Volume 3

Chapter 3

The ride back from Paisley Park was quiet. Brian would give me the occasional glance from the rear view mirror and silently wonder what was going through my head during this trip back to Minneapolis. I would just sit and stare out the window and watch the trees go by. It remained silent until we pulled up in front of my house. Brian got out and came around to the door. He helped me out and took my bag as he closed the door behind me. I looked at my house and felt like I was doing Prince a favor leaving Chanhassen. My mom must have been at work because the car was gone. I pulled out my key and headed for the side door. Brian soon followed behind me. I unlocked the door and went inside.

  "Is there anything you need before I go miss Regan?" Brian asked as he sat my bag on the table.

  "Oh no. I'm fine. I'm home now so your free to go." I said as I flashed him a smile.

Brian touched my shoulder and smiled back.

  "Don't worry miss Regan. He'll snap out of it eventually." He said as if he knew what was going on.

He went to open the screen door to leave out when I stopped him.

  "Brian."

  "Yes?" He said turning quickly to face me.

  "Don't tell him you brought me home." I said sadly.

  "My lips are sealed." He said.

He went back to the car and drove away. When he got far enough up the block I closed the door and stood in my solitude. I went over to the fridge and found a small bowl of cut cantaloupe sitting on the shelf wrapped in plastic wrap. I took it out as well as the tiny container of blueberries and mixed them together. As I went to sit at the table with my fake fruit salad there was a knock at the back door. I sat my bowl on the table and answered the door.

  "Oh! Hi Mr. John! Were you looking for my mom?" I asked him as I let him in.

  "No sweetheart. I talked to your mama this morning. I saw the car pull up and I thought you and Skipper would be here together. Where is that boy of mine?" He asked.

  "Not here. He's been pretty distant lately." I said as I sat down in front of my bowl picking at its contents with a plastic fork. Mr. John pulled up a chair next to me and sat down.

  "Is this about Andre?" He asked.

I was shocked but I didn't want to show it.

  "How did you know about that?" I asked him.

  "You know you're mother. She tells me everything. And she's his nurse tonight. She's been worried sick about you Regan. Now you tell old man Nelson what's going on."

I pushed my bowl away and slumped in my chair.

  "My ex boyfriend has be coming after me all summer." I said with a sigh.

  "Does your mama know about this?" He questioned worried.

  "No. But now I have a feeling she's going to find out."

  "So why haven't you told her? Why is he after you? And more importantly why is Andre really in the hospital?"

All those questions I didn't want to answer but this is Prince's father. He knew when something was up with me even without me telling him personally.

  "I haven't told her because I'm almost done with college. He's after me because he found out me and Prince were dating and Andre is in the hospital because he kidnapped him."

  "Well do you know this man from somewhere else?"

  "Yeah. College. We dated for a few months. Then when he got possessive I broke up with him. Then he...."

  "Regan? Talk to me."

  "He tried to rape me."

The face he made when he heard me say the word rape stung him so badly that he put his hand over his heart and grabbed on tightly as if he was trying to stop the pain.

  "You should tell your mama Regan! This is serious!"

  "I know. But she's been so worried about me. I didn't want to make things worse."

  "By not telling her you are! How can she protect you if you don't tell her?"

  "If anything I'm trying to protect her by not saying anything. Marcus is not somebody you wanna mess around with. He almost blew Andre up last week with a home made bomb. He killed Prince's ex girlfriend and has been taunting us through the mail. I wanted to keep his targets to a minimum."

He let out a sigh and grabbed my hand off the table.

  "Regan I love you like my own daughter. I want what's best for you and for my son. But you really gotta tell your mama. She has the right to know. I hope you do the right thing. You're my little mouse to you know that dontcha?" He asked me smiling.

  "Yes I know."

He ran his hand through my curly ponytail.

  "I love you little girl. You know I found a picture of you and Prince yesterday when y'all were babies. Out there in the tree house William built you. I remember that day your mother gave that picture to me. She said that you told her to give to me from you because you loved me. You've been like a daughter to me ever since."

I shyly smiled and gave him a hug. We stood up from the table and I walked him back to the door. Before he left he turned to me and pulled at my cheek.

  "Remember what I said now. Tell your mama. Everything."

  "I will sir."

He went out the door and back across the yard to the brown house next door. I closed the door and slowly forced myself to my room. Sitting on the bed I looked out the window at the treehouse just across the yard. I was beginning to miss Prince. Why won't he talk to me?