Lie Until You Laugh

2- Begging

896 Akron Valley Way
Oxnard, California 43228

That's the address on the front of the envelope that my uncle had sent me for my birthday. That's the house that I'm standing in front of right now, leaning against my car with weak knees and dirty hands. It took me a week of constant driving to get across the country from my home in Georgia.

He won't remember me. He probably forgets that I exist. The only contact I have with my estranged uncle is birthday and Christmas cards. He's my mother's brother but he doesn't know what happens in our house. He had a falling out with my mom a while back because he didn't like the man she married and my guess is that he still doesn't.

He gave me twenty bucks for my birthday though, so I guess he doesn't hold that against me.

I don't want to approach him, but he's the only choice I have and I know that he can help. He has to be able to help.

After staring at the incredibly large house for a while, I push myself off of my car and walk up driveway and then up the stone pathway to the door.

He'll help. I tell myself. He has to.

I think of my mom and I think of Jo and that's what pushes me to raise my shaking fist up to the wooden door in front of me. I knock three times as hard as I can and I step back, waiting for a response.

I wait for fifteen seconds before I knock again and then I wait another fifteen seconds and knock again before the door swings open before me. It's not my uncle.

I mean, I don't know what my uncle looks like, but the person who opens the door is female and she looks to be in her early twenties. My uncle is only a year older than my mom.

"Can I help you?" The girl chirps with a friendly smile.

"I, um..." I mutter, trailing off with uncertainty. The sun is way too bright here and the faint smell of the salty ocean is making me dizzy. "I'm looking for, um... Chase Vaughn. Does he live here?"

The girl nods. "Yes, Mr. Vaughn is in his office, do you have an appointment?"

"You need an appointment to visit his house?" I wonder incredulously.

The girl just raises her eyebrows at me.

"Um, no I don't, but it's an emergency, I'm his niece."

"Oh, name?"

"Sienna Mast," I reply softly.

She nods and steps aside, motioning for me to come inside. "You can wait in here while I go let him know that you're here. Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

I nod at her gratefully, thankful for something to drink that isn't water. The only things I've eaten all week is apples and granola bars with water. "Anything other than water would be nice, thank you," I respond politely.

"Sure," The girl pipes, disappearing down the hallway as I take a seat on the expensive looking couch. I knew that my uncle was rich, but I didn't know that he was this rich. There are paintings on the walls and a huge TV in front of me. I'm so dirty that I feel like I'm messing things up just by being in the same room as these things. I haven't changed my clothes at all through the week either and it's disgusting. I don't think my hair as ever been so greasy in my life.

After a few minutes of contaminating the pristine living room, I hear footsteps coming from down the hall and then an old-ish looking man enters the room with a short smile on his face. The assistant comes in too, but she's only there long enough to hand me a glass of iced tea and then she's gone again.