A Chosen Life (Hard Time Series Book 4)

I Know

While Ali and the family were celebrating the girls official adoption  Mariana was dealing with being the sickest she ever had been. Throwing up every morning had become the new routine as she tried to convince herself that it was not true.  That what her and Frankie found out was not true at all as she wiped her mouth once again. 

Right now Mariana was ignoring it and knew sooner or later she needed to make a choice as she looked in the mirror at her bruised eye. Sean had become increasingly more abusive in the last few weeks and the girl was doing whatever she could to hide the bruises. But lately it was becoming harder and harder as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Feeling as if she had to vomit once again the girl had only told her cousin about being pregnant and Frankie hated to carry that secret. Not surprisingly Frankie had a few more secrets of her own to hide the more she began to pull away from Stef. 

Splashing water on her face the girl exited the bathroom seeing Roxy in the kitchen. All she could do was roll her eyes as  she just wanted a carbonated drink and didn't want to be bothered by this woman ever in life. What she didn't know was Roxy was well aware what was going on with her for weeks she had found the pregnancy test when she took out the trash. How she would approach it she wasn't sure because contrary to popular belief she did care about her. She really did and she was becoming a changed woman.

"Don't you need to be back for your parole officer?" Mariana said in a snarky tone. "Be a shame if someone ratted you out."

"Nah I'm fine. Want some eggs? Made some breakfast." The woman said trying to offer the young teen some food with no bad intentions. None.

"Um no.  Why would I want anything from you? I'm good." Taking a seat Mariana slowly sipped on some milk as she sat down now continuing to feel sick. Roxy however knew what the issue was as she placed a cup of peppermint tea in front of her as the girl looked into her face. "I said I didn't want anything. Especially from you."

"It will help. You might wanna try it."

"I don't need it and I told your fat ass to leave me alone." Rolling her eyes once again the girl continued to sip on the milk that was making her even more sick as Roxy stared at her.

"It's not poison girl. Will soothe your stomach and your nausea. I heard that's a symptom."

"A symptom of what?" The girl asked with even more attitude as the older woman looked her in the eyes. 

"All that vomiting you been doing."

"I have food poisoning and it's none of your fucking business."

"Hey girl I'm just trying to help you. No harm in that."

"I said I don't need your fucking help."

"You got some mouth you know that? I told you I'm only trying to help you. Pregnancy is no joke."

"What?" The girl said looking to her shocked and somewhat scared. "I'm not pregnant I told you I have fucking food poising. You are gross so mind your business!"

"You are my business little girl. And you were getting on me about hitting your mama yet you let that boy hit you. I see your face and makeup don't hide that."

"Look trick, my life is none of your fucking business. And you almost killed her, Sean is a good guy and he loves me and he's gonna take care of me."

"It what world little girl?"

"In this one. And if I am pregnant it's none of your fucking business. Legit if I had it my way you would be dead and you would have been the one with the brain issue. Hey maybe ya'll get locked up again anyway. Maybe they will find drugs on you or I could call and say you have been hitting me and my brother. Or worse. How would you like that?"

"Mari your mother forgave me for that time. It was wrong and low of me and I've changed. I'm even trying to reconcile with your Aunt Stef and Lena. I'm not lke I was."

"Yeah sure. Like they want you back in this family. No one does except my stupid mother who is too blind to realize what you are and always will be."

"How many weeks are you?"

"Fuck you. I told you I have food poisoning!"

"I found your test. You don't have food poisoning."

"You are going through my stuff? Is that what you do!"

"No I was taking out the trash. If you don't want anyone to know your business hid it more. How many weeks are you? Have you seen a doctor?"

"Oh fuck you! Stay out my shit and stop acting like you care. You just wanna keep getting in my mothers pants!"

"Little one it ain't even like that!"

"Yeah right. Buzz off."

"What's going on?" Peaches said walking in on the fight as she carried Jesus in her arms. "I told you to watch how you speak to Roxy Mariana."

"Please. I don't have to watch nothing." Getting up she grabbed her jacket and once again began to storm out the apartment as her mother grabbed her arm.

"You are staying here!"

"I'm not I told you and you can't do nothing. Either kick her out or I call the cops saying she messing with me and Jesus. What will it be mama?"

"You wouldn't do that." Peaches said.

"Why wouldn't I? Try me."

"I wouldn't do it Mariana. I really wouldn't." Roxy threatened as the girl looked to her knowing what she meant. She did but part of her didn't care as she stormed out the apartment and vomiting once again in the halls. Right now Roxy had one of three choices as she was still navigating the issues with Lou.  Try to help Mariana, tell Peaches, or get her sister involved someone she knew the girl listened to. But how would any of it go.

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"She's in LA." Mike said as both Stef and Lena stood outside the home.  The news was not good, not by any means as he had come by after calling his sister earlier. "I was able to track her down since she purchased a greyhound bus ticket to LA. To be with her aunt."

"Her aunt?" The blonde asked confused and shaking her head because she had heard all about this aunt. An aunt that was bad news. "The same aunt that use to beat her ass and punch her threw walls?"

"What?" Lena said looking to her wife as Mike nodded his head.

"Yeah. That aunt. I spoke to her and she hung up on me. Nice woman." He said sarcastically.

"Yeah a real cunt. So let me guess you got no information out of her? Is Tracey still with her?"

"No. Said Tracey was there for a few days then she kicked her out because she was getting high and bringing all kind of people home. My guess she's on skid row."

"Fuck." The blonde said letting out a sigh and she began to pace back and forth on their front porch. "This is all my fucking fault. All of it!"

"No baby it's not. It's not your fault." Lena could only grab her wife's hand holding it.

"Well as you said I didn't help."

"Love I didn't mean that. I was angry when I said that. Tracey's issues are deeper then you and me and you not calling her back. She has not dealt with her past fully, or being sick and whatever else. She fell for multiple reasons."

"I think that was her who called me Lena. We gotta find my girl. My Trac."

"We will baby we will." Gently wiping the tears from the blondes eyes Lena pulled her wife in for a hug. Both knew they had to find Tracey before it was too late. Was it already?
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Thoughts?