California Sin

Chapter 19- Serpants

After I left the police station, I decided to take to rest of the day off. What kind of repercussions would come with my mother now being dead?
The thought that she wasn't alive anymore hurt like a bitch. It felt so unreal.
I decided to go to this little diner downtown, it seemed like the best option to clear my head.
The window outside displayed the diners name, Bottles & Burgers, in neon blue lettering.
I pushed open the glass door, and a cloud of smoke hit my face. I looked to my left, a group of bikers sit in a round booth. They're leather jackets have red patches across the back, and cigarette smoke surrounds them.
I wave my hand in front of my face, trying to clear a bit of the smoke, one of the bikers lets out a laugh at my dad attempt.
I ignore them and continue towards the front of the diner, four red bar stools sit with worth leather padding.
I matching red tabletops glisten with speckles of white marble. I take a seat in the farthest red stool.
"Hey darlin', I'm Ruby, what can I getcha?"
I look up and meet eyes with a middle aged women, her hair has curls that run over her shoulders. The corners of her eyes have crows feet, and her lips are covered in a deep red  lipstick.
"I'll have a cup of coffee please, no sugar." I give her a weak smile.
"Is that it? Not to be rude, but you look a little down." Her eyes fade from a smile to a concerned look.
This stranger probably cares more in these few seconds than my mother has cared in her whole life.
"I'm.. fine. I'll just have the coffee." I drop my eyes from her gaze, and back to my hands.
Ruby nods her head and walks back into the kitchen, a few seconds later, she emerges back with a mug and a coffee pot.
She places the mug in front of me and fills the cup with the steaming black liquid.
She walks from around the bar and takes the seat next to me, propping her elbow up in the table.
"Now honey, tell me what's gotcha now." Her accent almost sounds like she's from New York.
I look back up at Ruby.
"Well, a lot has happened in the last few weeks. It a long story." I fiddle with the handle on the mug.
"Honey," Ruby looks at her watch. "I got time. You can't trust me." She pats my knee.
I feel like I can. I know I probably shouldn't, but I want to. She has this aura of warmth, it almost reminds me of Pierce. They always say strangers are the best therapist.
So I decide to tell her, I tell her everything. I start from my father dying, up until the events at the police station. I almost feel tears but I force them back.
After my revelation, Ruby clicks her tongue.
"Oh honey, come here." She pulls me into a soft embrace, her hands pat the top of my back.
It felt safe, like a mother's touch.
She released me from her grip, taking both of my hands.
"Honey, you been through so much. You deserve so much better." Her lips curls into a serene smile.
I nod my head,"It's okay I still have people I love, i'm not alone."
She squeezes my hands and then releases, she pulls the notepad from her pocket and scribbles something down. She rips the paper out and hands it to me.
"Okay honey, this is my number. You call me anytime you need anything, okay?"
I take the paper from her hands and fold it, slipping it into my pocket.
"Thank you Ruby. I mean it, you're such a sweet soul." I wrap my arms around her again.

Ruby leaves me to myself to attend back to the other customers. I slowly sip on the cup of coffee before me. The black liquid warms my insides.
**
After the trip to the diner, I walk back uptown through Trixie's neighborhood.
This would be so much faster if I had my skateboard. I feel bad that I just left it at mothers house. I felt like it was a part of me I left behind even though I didn't want to.
I stand in front of Trixie's house, hesitant to go it.
I know Trixie told me it was okay, but I still felt like such a burden.
I turned and walked away. I walked down the road towards where my house stood.
It took my awhile but I finally made it there.
And there it was. In all if it's 'glory'.
The yard had been surrounded my yellow caution tape. Not surprised.
I walk towards it and duck under, making my way towards the house.
The wood was covered in white paint that was chipping, and a few of the shingles that were on the roof had fallen to the ground.
The drive way was empty, so I slowly walked up the front steps. Each step a weight holding me down. I placed my hand on the black railing beside the stairs, the same railing that helped me learn to walk when I was a baby.
As soon as I was on the porch, I saw that the front door was cracked open just a little bit.
My heart began to quicken. I wondered what had happened the night my mother died. Who did it and why?
I placed my hand on the cold silver doorknob, and push the door. The door squeaks on its hinges.
I peek my head inside.
Disaster is the only word for it.
The tables and chair are broken all over the living room floor, bottles are shattered, and red liquid splattered on the walls.
I felt sick to my stomach. The more I looked around the more horrifying it became. This is all too real. This couldn't be my life.
I step inside, and rest my head on the door frame. I bring my hands to my face, tears began to escape my eyes. I hurt, every fiber of me hurt. It hurts for my mother. I left her alone, and now she's dead.
Sobs shook my body. I couldn't feel any other emotion besides hurt.
I began to tiptoe around any of the debris laying in the floor, a walk towards the kitchen, tears still filling my eyes.
I look in the kitchen, plates shattered all over the ground, and the little contents that were in the fridge were now on the floor.

I continue looking around the house, at every destroyed room. I eventually made it up to my room, the locked on the door busted.
My clothes were all over the ground and the mirror on the wall shattered. I opened my closet door and began pulling a piece of wood from the floor.
Right before father passed away, he gifted me a box that held something. I never opened it and I never told my mother about it. It hurt too much.
I lifted the wood from the floor and there the box was, untouched. I pull the box from the floor, the tape that surrounded the openings of the box still held on strong.
I began to peel the tape away from the box, each ripping sound tugging at my curiosity.
After I peeled all the tape off, I tried to muster every bit of courage to open the box.
I hurt like hell, but I finally opened the top flaps.
I was confused by the contents inside.
There was a leather jacket, I figured it was fathers, but I'd never seen him wear it. I pulled the jacket from the box and held it in front of me.
Confusion was an understatement. I mixture of hurt and confusion clouded my eyes.
Across the back of the leather jacket was a black snake, with several flowers around it. Under the snake, 'Serpientes' was embroidered in red lettering. I may not be an expert in Spanish, but I knew enough that it meant 'Serpents'
It was almost an exact replica of the tattoo that invaded Pierce's arm.
I drop the jacket to the ground. My brows furrow. There's no way I could explain this.
What did this mean and how could it have anything to do with my father?

*****
hey guyss
how we feelin about that cliffhanger??
see u next chapter:p
-via<33