LOVE OR HOPE?

Chapter Twenty-Four

Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for. -Bob Marley.

MIA'S POV:

Christine opened the cupboard and took out two plates. "I really appreciate your visit, Mia" she placed the plates on the table and took out two sodas from the refrigerator, she then made herself comfortable on the chair next to me.

I opened the pizza box that I had brought here, I took a slice for her and then put one on my own plate. "It's nothing."

"Has she told you anything yet?" Christine took a slice of her pizza and slipped the rest into her plate.

"No, she hasn't" I took a slice too and gulped down my soda.

"I've been a terrible mother, Mia. A very terrible mother. I can't believe she got pregnant under my nose and even when she was, can you believe I never went to her room to check her for a split second? I always had this mentality that she always wanted to be left alone. I've been oblivious to her needs all through this years" She said in a croaking voice and rested her head on the back of her seat. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was soon trembling as if she was trying hard to control herself from crying.

"You can't blame yourself for this" I managed to say, though I doubted myself, with all the stories she had laid out and her total absence from home all the time, well- she was a huge cause of Alyssa's misfortune.

"You are only saying this to make me feel good and because you still have a hint of kindness deeply etched inside of you. Alyssa would never forgive me, she would probably never come back home"

"Where's her dad?"

"He hasn't been home for-" she stopped and looked up as if she was noticing the ceiling for the first time. "Two months or something,I haven't been able to reach out to him. Alyssa's pregnant and my husband hasn't been home, Mia. My life is totally messed up right now" She took a sip of her soda and squeezed her face in a bitter expression. She'd probably not taken a drink in weeks, I also doubted if she'd been eating at all with her leaner figure.

"Wow" It was all I could say. "Have you tried talking to the police? If he's fine?"

"No I haven't and I really don't know why. Everytime i try to do it, something just seems to stop me."

"I think you should try talking to the police,ma'am"

" I definitely should" She nodded twice and folded her arms.

I took the last bite of my pizza and got up. "I should get going" I flung my mini bag over my shoulders and slipped my hands into my jeans.

"Thank you so much Mia,you've been a darling. Can you just promise me one thing?"

"What?" I pushed my glasses closer to my eyes.

"Please tell me whosoever owns Alyssa's baby,tell me as soon as she opens up to you"

"I just might,but I unfortunately don't see that secret getting unleashed any moment from now" I shrugged.

"Thank you" She got up too and pulled me into her arms. It was a very affectionate hug,as if it was all that she needed in the world and I returned it with teary eyes.

"Alyssa will be fine" I muttered quietly in her wild curly hair and she sighed.

******************************************

I closed the door behind me and gazed at the next house,Harold stepped out of the house and sat down on the front porch. He had ear plugs in and was scrolling through his phone with lazy eyes. He was wearing an overall loose blue shirt and white sweatpants,I was tempted to go over and talk to him. I stood on the spot, deciding if I should meet him or not until he stared at me and our eyes locked for a moment before he looked away and continued scrolling as if he hadn't just seen me at all.