Crazy Girl

17. Home Sweet Home Pt. 1

"Are you gunna call Jacob and let him know you're on your way home?" Ms. Marino asked Marley.

"Me and Stormer thought it would be better if I surprised him."

"That doesn't sound bad. He'll be more excited!"

Marley gazed at her surroundings and smiled.

She and Ms. Marino had been on the road for about 6 hours and Marley couldn't keep still.

"I'm so ready to get home! Only 4 more hours and I'll be back where I belong!" Marley said shaking in her seat.

"You know you can't see Jacob until tomorrow right?"

"Of course I know that...It's late and I have to get some rest before I see him. I look like a zombie right now, I would not want to go in front of my boyfriend looking like 'who did it and why!'"

Marley and Ms. Marino bursted out into laughter.

"Girl, you're one of a kind!"


Marley started to think about all she could do with Jacob before she had to head back to Youngsville.

"What's it like Ms. Marino?"

"What do you mean sweetie?"

"Ya know....Sex."

"Oh no! We're not having this conversation!"

"C'mon! Please!"

"Sex is complicated."

"Uncomplicate it."

"Your grandmother would die if she knew you were asking about this, Marley."

"She'd want me to know about it before I'm 18 and she's not here to tell me, so you can."

"Well Alright. Let's see..The most important thing you should know is, never have sex without a condom. You could contract an STD. Don't have sex with just anyone. Make sure you and your partner are ready for it and make sure he is the one. If you get pregnant you will have to take care of the baby if your partner isn't there. It will be hard, but you'll get through it. I don't encourage sex at this age but kids will be kids."

"I learned most of this stuff in school."

"Then why'd you ask me about it?"

Ms. Marino chuckled.

"I just wanted to know your thoughts on it."


• • • • • • • • • • • •

After 6 long hours on the road, Marley and Ms. Marino finally arrived in Charleston.

"I'm so glad to be back home." Marley said resting her head in her seat.

"Well now that you're home, could you give me a hand with dinner?"

"Sure! I'd rather eat your food than the hospitals food. It's not what you'd expect!"

Ms. Marino giggled at Marley's joke.

Marley grabbed her bags out of the trunk of the car and walked inside of Ms. Marino's house.

"Where's my room Ms. Marino?" Marley asked.

"I'm tired of hearing you call me Ms. Marino, call me Liz. And it's on first door on the right up the stairs."

Marley smiled at Liz and went upstairs to her room.

She opened the door to an already decorated room.

The walls were green, Marley's favorite color. With pink curtains over the windows and green rugs on the floor.

'This is beautiful. I know I'm gunna love it here.'

Marley undressed out of her hospitals clothes and put on some real pajamas and went downstairs to help Ms. Marino prepare dinner.

"So, what's for dinner?"

"How does Chicken Alfredo sound?"

"Delicious! Just tell me what I've got to do, and I'm all for it."

Liz smiled at Marley and handed her a spoon.


An hour and a half later the food was finished and ready to be eaten.

"This smells delicious!"

"I couldn't have done it without you Marley."

They sat down and fixed their plates.

"I wonder what Jacob does when I'm not here."

"Well, he probably goes to school. He's graduating this year right?"

"Yeah. We were supposed to graduate together but I don't think that's going to happen."

"He's a smart kid. You're lucky to have him, keep him around."

"I will, Liz."

"You enjoying the food?"

"Yes! It's delicious."

"I'm glad you like it. You can thank yourself for that."

"I'm getting kind of tired, may I excuse myself so I can get some rest?"

"You don't have to ask Marley. Just go."

Marley giggled at her mistake and left the room.

She walked inside of her already decorated room and sat on the bed.

Marley grabbed her suitcase from off of the floor and opened it to get some clothes out.

She picked out her favorite yellow long sleeve shirt and her pink silk leopard pants and headed into the bathroom.

Marley walked inside of the bathroom and looked at the huge mirror in front of her. She started to take off each piece of her clothing and examined each part of her body.

She stared at her naked body and said:

"You are beautiful. God worked hard on you and he made you how he wanted you made. You might not have the perfect skin, or the longest hair but you're you. Imperfections are what make you, you. And you're perfectly imperfect."



After Marley got out of the shower she looked in the mirror again and smiled at herself.

She went to her bed, laid down, and fell asleep. She was ready for the next day.



• • • • • • • •

The following day Marley woke up and got ready for what was to come.

Liz was already awake and cooking breakfast when Marley walked downstairs.

"Good morning early bird." Liz said handing Marley a plate of food.

"Morning Liz!"

"Slept well?"

"Yeah. The bed is really comfortable!"

"Glad to hear that. You going to see Jacob after this?"

"I was going to but I'm not sure if he'll be home."

"Only one way to find out Marley."

"You're right. Will you drop me off?"

"Sure! Let me get ready now."

Liz went upstairs to get ready and Marley stood at the door waiting.

10 minutes later Liz came downstairs with her gym clothes on.

"Where you going dressed like that?" Marley asked jokingly.

"To the gym. Gotta get in shape if I'm trying to get a man!"

"Liz, if a man don't love you for the body you got now, he isn't the one. But you do what you gotta do!"

"You're so young to be so wise."

Liz and Marley walked out the door and drove to Jacob's house.

Jacob lived in a nice very known neighborhood with his family.

When Marley got there she saw a little boy playing in the front yard of Jacob's families house.

Marley walked to the front door and rung the doorbell twice before a girl around her age answered it.

"Can I help you?" The girl said awkwardly.

"Good morning, I'm looking for Jacob. Is he home?"

"Yeah! Come in, I'll get him. My names Bella by the way."

"Thank you Bella."

Marley sat in the living room and waited for Bella to come back with Jacob.

Bella ran inside of the living room minutes later.

"He's coming. He had to put on a shirt."


Marley heard Jacob's footsteps and stood up.

"Who could possibly be here for me on my day off?" Jacob said laughing.

He turned the corner and walked inside of the living room and dropped his phone...

"Marley!"