The Ride Of My Life: Chicago

Chapter 19

The next morning I woke up to the sound of my alarm going off on the bedside table. Getting out of bed, I walk over to the dresser and pick my clothes for the day. Today I decided to wear a black ALTEA T-SHIRT with a grey Michael Kors open front cardigan and dark blue skinny jean and Birkenstock Arizona sandal. And I went light natural makeup and for my hair, I an easy half up style. After looking at myself in the mirror making sure I look okay, I went downstairs to the kitchen to have breakfast.
When I enter to the kitchen I see dad sitting at the kitchen table staring straight ahead at nothing specific. I walk over to the table and when I got close to it, I see something lay on the table in front of him.
"Dad." I called out to him, worried and a little bit scare on what's going on here."Are you, okay?"
I waited a few seconds to see if we'll answer me, but he didn't, instead he kept on staring at nothing in front of him. I took a seat across from him and when I did, I got a better look on whats in front of him on the table.
Right there I feel like I couldn't move or say anything, its like the whole world stop and I feel like I couldn't breathe, like there something blocking my air way. Sitting in front of him is a photo from a traffic cam photo of me driving and sitting in the passenger is Nyla. But you can't see the others in the back seat.
Dad slide the photo to me for I can have a better of of it, even though I could see it find from where it's at.
"Dad, I... I can explain." I said, quietly, that its sound like almost a whisper.
"Can you? Can you explain who this is?" Dad said, pointing Nyla in the photo. But when he says those word I don't hear any emotion in his voice, like he trying to hold back or not to express them.
"She's just a friend."
"Oh, I can see that from the way you're smiling." now he's getting upset, I can hear little bit of anger in his voice. "I did a facial recognition. And you know what I found out about her. She an ex-con who served time for grand theft auto. A suspected member of the Chicago Shadow Crew?" he stares at me coldly and he never does, so this is a first time he giving me. I don't know if other parents do this when their kids are in trouble, but I feel small the way he looks at me like that.
When I didn't says anything, but stare at him not knowing what to say or do. So he continue talking.
"Of course you did." now he sound hurt, and I can see it in his eyes. "I... don't know how this happened. I don't even know what you could tell me that could possibly explain this. But I'm gonna ask you anyway. Why, Estelle? Why?"
Do I even tell how I felt all this time. How I can't be like others that make a few mistake even get in trouble and that the parent have to ground for a amount of time. Without him being so overly protective of me that he have to check up on me or that I have to check in once in awhile when I'm doing something. I just can't tell him how I feel without even hurting him even more than I am, right now. But I know that I have to tell him sooner and later, and I guess now is the time to tell him.
"I just wanted to drive. To try new things, meet new people. That's it. And the next thing I knew, suddenly I was in to deep to get out. I didn't mean for it to turn out like this, Dad. I promise."
"Our of hand?"
"I was afraid.. of hurting you."
Well, you have. More than I thought possible." he sound more disappointed me now than ever. "I taught you better than this. Better than sneaking around with criminals! What hurts worst is that you didn't come to me. We've always trusted each other, Estelle." when the word trust came out of his mouth I felt a little ping in my chest but than I ignore it because I remember something from yesterday. He telling me that we always trust each other and telling when he not even trusting me for telling me what's going on with him, but he willing to tell Kathrine and Kendra and not me. So he got not right to be upset with me about trust when he isn't trusting me with something that he haven't told me yet.
"You never trusted me." I said, getting upset now.
"What did you just say?" Dad sound surprise by my outburst.
"I said you never trusted me! You've kept me on a leash for about five years!"
"Estelle, I did no such-" before he can keep talking, I interrupted him.
"Yes, you did, Dad!" I could feel my voice tremble as it get louder and the tears start to come pouring out. And I can't take it anymore I have to tell him what he been doing over the years since mom death. "I did everything you asked! Day after day after day! And you still never once gave me an inch of freedom."
"You're saying this is my fault?" now he getting angry.
"No, I... I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I wanted to make my own decisions for once. And when they went wrong, I was terrified of telling you."
"Apparently, I was right not to let you. My god, look what you've done." Dad look over that frame photos of my mother on the sidetable in the kitchen that we have.
All sudden I couldn't take it anymore, so I went ahead say what I been meaning asked since I hear him and Kathrine.
"What about you? You haven't told me something that I didn't know about, already." and that got his attention. He look over to me surprise that I might know something, but I don't, not yet anyway.
"Wait? You Know about Kathrine and I are having baby together?"
"Wait? Your what?" I didn't aspect this, I thought he sick or something, but not this. This whole entire time he kept this from me and didn't plan on telling me sooner. And Kendra knew about this too, I thought she was my best friend. But I guess not since she kept this from me. Does Mack know too? I don't know. All I know is that I'm feeling hurt and that I wanted to hurried out the house to get away from all this. Away from him for not trusting me about not telling what been going on between them.
When he see the blank stare on my face, he know that he just spilled the bean. And now he felt bad.
"Estelle, you didn't know did you?" he asked cautiously. I shake my head, 'no'. "I been meaning to tell you, but I'm trying to find the time, without hurting you. I know this information will hurt, I didn't know how well you'll take it." well, I guess we never know, right. I wanted to say to him, but I'm too hurt to say anything, even looking at him, so I stare down at the table instead. "Estelle, please say something."
"What are you doing to do now? Since you know what been going with me." I said changing the subject. I don't want to talk about it, because he could be making an excuse if I ask him.
I'm glad he didn't push the subject back to spilling the bean about him having another kid with my best friend mom, or should I even consider her my best friend for not telling me, I don't know. I'll just have think it through before talking to her again.
"I already made withdrawn from the investigation. It's the only way I can keep this from coming out. The only way to protect you. The task force can handle this without me. They'll keep you out of the reports. We'll be okay, Estelle. I had a trouble youth too. I could've gone down a very bad path, but I was set straight.
From now on, you'll come right back home after school every day. No friends, no driving, no phone, nothing." great I'm going back to my old life before any of this happen, I fear this day might come, but I was hoping it didn't.
"Dad-"
He interrupted me. "You acted like child. I will treat you like one." he got to be kidding me, he can do this can he?
He glare at me for a moment, then he break his gaze away from me.
"You can't even look at me."
"This isn't the Estelle I knew." and at hat moment my heart felt like it shatter into millions of piece, it was already breaking when I found out about the baby. But now he can even look at me and say those words that hurt the most. But I can feel the same way about not knowing when he didn't tell me.
Without saying anything I stand up with my backpack and headed out the door. Before I can even open the door I hear speak again.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Taking a deep breathe to try and hold back the tr=ears that are trying to come out, I turn around to face him. "I think we shouldn't see each other for a while." it break my already broken heart to tell him this even after what happen during our talk. Some time away will help out to figure thing out and we need space to do or else thing might get worst between us and we say something that we'll regret. So it best to give us some space before talking more bout it and working things out between us.
"A while? What are you-"
"I'll see you soon, Dad." I said, interrupting him. I open the door and step outside and once I'm out it start to rain. Before the door close I hear my dad yelled out to me.
"Estelle! Estelle! You are my child! You will do what I say!" when the door closed behind me, I stand in the doorstep as the rain is coming down. My lip is trembling, and the tears that I was holding back have finally escape and ran down on my cheeks and on to the ground that is now little puddle from the rain that is stilling coming down.
I don't know why, but I waited at the door to see if Dad will open the door to chase me... but he doesn't. I walk a block away from my house to get to my car, where I left it. And once I got to my car, I drove way, to the only place I know I could go to.
When I got close to the garage my phone is going off, I let it go to voice mail, unless they call again when the car is parked. I decided to take a day off from school today because I don't want to see certain person and I don't know if I'll be able to focus what's going in all my classes. And Dad haven't called me, I though he would , but he probably decide against give me some space.
I park in front of the garage and just sitting here staring at the place, before getting out of the car. When I was about to go in the garage my phone went off. I look at the screen and see that it was Skye that is calling. I answer on the second ring.
"Estelle. Are you, okay?" I hear Skye voice through the phone. And she sound worried.
"Honesty, not really." I said, sounding blah.I took a seat on the hood of the car even it wet from the rain, that's still coming down.
"I really mess this up. I thought hiding the ring was enough, but this morning I found that traffic photo open on his desktop." she said, being sincere. "Did you... tell him about us?"
"No. It wouldn't have helped anyone."
"Oh. Okay, cool. Good to know." the way she said, sound weird for some reason, but then change back worried. "Hey, have you heard anything about this crew called Night Skull?"
"Yeah... I've heard of them. Why?" I asked curious to know anymore than I have from the crew.
"Word on the street is the Chicago Shadow Crew's been doing some jobs for them. They're big-time. Remember when I told you that a few car thieves meant nothing to me? Well, a gang like the Night Skull... Now that would be a bust."
"You want to use the crew... to lead you to the Night Skull?" sounding shouk and surprise that she wanted me to that even after gaining their trust. And I don't want to lose their trust, like Dad and I lost each other trust because look what happen in the matter of an hour. I don't know, if I can do that to them.
"I bet I could double, even triple my task force's budget to go after those guys. But here's the thing. They're dangerous, okay? They've killed people. So... we'll take it from here."
"Wait... you don't want my help still? After all this?" I should be relief about not getting involved in this anymore, but I don't. it feel like she doesn't want me anymore and just toss me to the side of the road, like I'm a nobody.
"I'm sorry, Estelle, but we've gotten nothing out of having you in there. I can't put you at risk for a dead-end." so she don't need me anymore since I give them nothing that indicate what been going on with them. "Say... where are you anyway?"
I looking up at the building trying to think if I should tell her or just lied for she don't ask more question if I told her where I'm really at.
"I'm at school."
"Good. You've gotta be studying for the finals anyway. Just give me some time, Estelle. Everything will be back to normal soon. I promise." but I don't want thing to go back, even if thing went so wrong, because I'll miss the people met, especial Tyler, who made me feel a way I've never felt before. He made my day, when thing go bad and protect me at no cost, even if he get hurt and listen what ever I have to say about something. So I don't want thing to back because then I won't be able see or hangout with them anymore, because once they know something is up they'll up and leave and I won't see them ever again.
Skye hang up and I'm siting outside in the rain on the hood of my car staring at the garage watching as the sign blinking against the rain for a few more second before going inside.
I went over to the rolling bay door that is raised. I'm surprise that any one didn't see me pulled in or even hear, well I probably didn't hear from the rain, the way it pouring down. Inside, I see Tyler is working on a car's engine. But then he drop his tool when he saw me.
"Estelle." Tyler whisper, even though you can hear him clearly. He rushed over to me when I enter to get out of the rain. The rest of the crew notices that I arrived and wanders over here.
"Honey, you're soaked. Let me get you a towel." Rylee said, before walking away to get a dry towel for me. While she was doing that I looked at everyone standing around me looking all worried, especial Mateo and Nyla, for once.
Rylee came back with a towel and she even wraps it over my shoulders for me.
"What's wrong? What are you doing here?" Tyler said, looking worried and concerns.
"I... I ruined everything. My dad is the most important person in my life." I said, but I also wanted to says that included Tyler, but I kept that to myself and continue talking. "And now he's never gong to speak to me again." But that's not the only thing, he kept something from me this whole time until now. I wanted to says but not in front of everyone.
"He found out, didn't he? About this?"
"Oh, no..." Jordan said, but then got cut off before she can say anymore.
"Whatever happened between the two of you, I'm sure he'll speak to you again. The guy loves you." I'm not sure he anymore after what happen between us, and now that he have another kid on the way now.
"You didn't see the look in his face. Like I was dead to him." I could still see the look in my mind. But that probably going to change once the baby come, so all his time attention will on the baby. And he probably won't worried about me or try to get through this when I come home after giving us some space.
"He's an idiot for letting you go so easily." is he really for not stopping me to talk it out more to get passed it and see where we go from there, I guess we'll never know.
"Why'd you come here?" Mateo said, trying to figure out why I come here in the first place and not somewhere else, where they probably all get in trouble.
"Because, this is the only place people trust me." well some of them do anyway.
"Define 'trust'." Nyla said. I know she teasing to light up the mood, but it kind of didn't
Rylee elbow her in the rib little sharply to shut her up.
"Ow." she whisper under breathe.
Saul hobbles over on his crutch, keeping off his leg that is now bound in a splint. He looks at all of us, before saying anything.
"What's all this?" Saul said, looking confused.
"Estelle's dad found out she's been hanging out with us" Tyler said, looking at his Saul.
"Hm. Are we in danger?" he asked, wanting know if they should be prepare to leave any second when they hear any sirens coming this way any seconds now.
Maybe, I shouldn't have come here in the first place because I'm risking everything for them for being here, even if dad isn't on the case anymore. They could still be in trouble. I should of went somewhere for a while to figure out where to go and a place to stay for a while, maybe it's not to late. I could lied saying I have go to school and tell just forget everything.
"He means, more than usual." Nyla said, trying to make it like its no deal and they dealt with it before.
"My dad took himself off the case. He couldn't stay in charge now that he knows I'm involved with you. He wants to keep that quite. You don't have to worry about him anymore."
"I see..." is all Saul says.
"Who's leading it now?" Mateo ask.
"There's some special interagency task force that my dad had been working with. They've taken over."
"If you're gonna be staying here, that means you're with us. For real." Mateo said.
"Ignore him. You can leave whenever you want." Tyler said. Arousing me that I can go when I feel like it or when its the right time to go, after giving dad and myself some space.
"Go on then, Tyler. Show Estelle where she'll be sleeping." Saul said, nodding toward the door the lead up to the little apartment above the garage.
Tyler took me upstairs and lead me down the hallway to the door on the left side across from his room.
The room is kind of empty expect for queen size bed, two bedside table on each side of the bed, and a dresser on the other side of the room. And the room is painted off white color.
I turn around to see Tyler standing by at the door.
"So... is it just you that stay here?" I asked.
"Yeah, I got the whole place to myself. The other have their own place to stay and Saul have his own home."
"So what does he do with this?"
"Rented out to people that work for him." I nodded. "Alright, I'll let you settle in. If you need anything, you know where to find me."
Before he leave the room, I call out to him.
"Hey, Tyler. There something else I needed to says, but I didn't want to say in front of the other."
"What is it?" he said, coming in the room. "You know you can talk to me, if you want, Estelle."
"My dad kept something from me this whole time."
"What that?"
I walk over to the bed and take a seat on the edge and after right I did, Tyler came over and sit next to me. Looking at me waiting for to say more.
"When drop me off home, after the mission my dad came a few minutes after I did, but he wasn't alone. He bring a woman over, but that's not what bothering me. Its something they were talking about that he didn't tell me. I was worried about him that something is gong on with him, but he'll tell this woman." I know I'm getting to point but I have to tell from the beginning. "I guess I was worried for nothing. The secret he kept from is that he got a woman pregnant."
Tyler didn't say anything for a second, probably trying to understand how I'm feeling about this news and the fact that I left home all in one day.
"I'm sorry, Estelle. That he didn't trust you enough to tell about it, but kept it from you." he didn't have to apologized, but he did because that the only thing you says to someone when there going through something or don't know what else to says in certain situation. "Do you know this woman?"
I nodded. "Yeah. She my best friend mom. And you want know something else. My friend also know about it too. When I ask if there something going with my dad, she just flat out lied to me. She says she don't know anything."
"Is it Mack or Kendra. The friend that didn't tell you."
"Kendra."
Tyler shake his head. "I thought friends suppose to have your back even if they don't listen to their parent when they ask them not to tell. But they still tell you anyway."
"Yeah, well mot mine, I guess."
"When is she due? If you don't mind me asking and you don't have to answer if you want."
"She's due in a couple of weeks."
"Wait? He didn't tell you that he having another kid for almost nine month." I nodded. "Wow. I can't believe he would do that to his own daughter. Was he ever going to tell you?"
"I don't know, probably after the baby is born or maybe a few days before it born." without thinking I lay my head on his shoulder and just stare at the wall. Tyler out an arm round me and kiss the top of my head before lay his head on top of mine.
After a second I yawn little and rubbed my eyes, who know after a few hour being a wake and now I kind feel exhausted all in one morning.
"Why don't you lay don't for a bit."
"Okay." I lay down on the bed, but then remember something that I wanted to say to Tyler. I called out to him. "Thanks for letting me stay here. I'll make it up to you."
The corner of his lip turn up a bit. "Your welcome, and you don't owe us anything. Now get some rest will ya." I nodded.
After he closed the door behind him, I finally drift of to sleep within seconds.
I woke up a few hours later, feeling little wide wake. I check my phone to see if I missed any calls or texts. The only thing I got is three miss text from Mack, saying that she cover for me when I didn't show up to first hour this morning, the second text says if I skipped school without telling her and she feel left out, and the last text says I started my weekend early. And I guess she kind right, that I'm starting my weekend early, but I wasn't planning on it if things didn't go wrong. I send her a quick text.
Me: Things kind of blew up with my dad today. He found out about Tyler.
Shortly after sending the text she text back immediately.
Mack: What?? Are you all right?
Mack: Where are? I can be there in a flash.
And she would for me, because she knows how things are between dad and I and how I feel about everything that I couldn't tell but I tell Mack and Kendra. I'm surprise that Kendra hasn't ratted me out about hanging out with the crew since she haven't told me about our parent being together this whole time. And the I gotten to thinking what if he spend some of his nights with them when he says he's at work, working late and won't be home until after midnight or when he have his days off. Could he have been lying to me and only spend certain amount of time with but more with them. But, why? I wanted to know, but don't want to ask right now maybe when I wanted to talk to him again after all this is over, when I'm ready to go back home.
Me: I really appreciate that Mack. But I think I just need some time alone right now?
Mack: Are you sure. You know you can talk to me whenever or come over if you wanted.
Me: Yeah, I'll be fine. See you at school on Monday.
Mack: Okay.The door is always open if you ever change your mind.
Me: I'll keep that in mind. Have a great weekend.
Getting out of bed, I went downstairs to the back room where Nyla, Rylee, and Jordan are. Nyla is in a chair, sitting backward on it and she have her shirt off and Rylee is standing behind her with some kind of tool in her hand that's making a buzzing noise. Jordan is leaning the table watching them.
"Afternoon, princess." Nyla say, smiling.
"What's going on, here?" I ask, looking between all of them.
"Getting inked. What does it look like?"
"I was a tattoo artist back in the day. I like to keep it up as a side-hustle." Rylee said, still focus on doing Nyla tattoo on her back shoulder.
"She did my whole arm." Nyla say, holding out the arm that is cover half the upper of her arm. It's a Phoenix with its wings spread out little.
"I got mine done by Rye. On my shoulder and she did fantastic job of it." Jordan said, watching Rylee do some detail of Nyla tattoo.
"Let me guess, its a heart with something in the middle of the heart." I said.
"No. Its a half moon with a rose on the bottom of the moon and three stars." she lift the sleeve of her shirt to her tattoo. The rose is colored in to light red and the leaf of the rose is green.
"Nice."
I walk around behind Rylee to watch her work. It's a dagger with vine wrapped around the dagger and there three rose on the vine. And it looks like the tattoo is almost the size of a hand.
"Alright, we're done." Rylee said, after putting the finishing touch on the tattoo.
Nyla gets up off the chair and check the tattoo in the room they have in the in the corner.
"Nice work, R." Nyla said, looking over the detail in the mirror, before coming back over here.
"Why do you all like getting tattoos?" I asked. I ask Mack before and she says like the feeling of the pain. So I wanna know if there is different from Mack.
"They're a way to express yourself with your body or with other, like personality." Rylee answer, since she know these kind of thing.
"Well, I just think they look badass." Nyla said, in her own option.
"Why do you ask? Are you up next?" Rylee says, with a little smile on the corner of her lips.
"I just wondering, that's it." I wanted to say because my friend had on and she like the feeling pain, for some reason. But I didn't because it probably best to leave her out of it for now. "And I never even thought of getting one." even after Mack asked me when she got her. She asked if I ever consider of getting one and since then I think about it.
"Everyone knows that's the best time to get a tattoo!" Jordan said, sounding a little excited about this. Maybe she should be the one getting another one since Rylee got the tool out to do them. Because I don't if I should even get on, and if I did what would it be, something not like a person a predict like a heart nor flowers nor something else that might seems commons that someone would get for their first ever tattoo.
"Is it?"
"What would you like? Take a look at some pictures." Rylee said, handing me her phone with some tattoos ideas in Google image search bar.
"Whiling she looking I already got an idea I want. If you're ready to go." Jordan said to Rylee. Taking the seat that Nyla was once in.
"Alright, show me, what it is?"
While Jordan is showing Rylee the design she want as her tattoo and where to put it, I was still looking at design with Nyla looking over my shoulder point out a few that would look great for me and where to put it, and they do but I'll keep an open mind until I see the one I liked the most and could picture of me of having one and where I want it to be.
After a few more scroll of looking at tattoos, I finally found on that caught my eyes and apparently Nyla too.
"That's the one. You should get it on the back of your shoulder blade." Nyla said, looking that the picture on the phone.
"You think, so?" I asked, her, even though I liked it, but hearing someone else that liked it too give little bit of confidante to do it.
"Hell yeah, you should. That will look great on you."
"Okay. I'll then."
I walked over to Jordan and Rylee to see what she working on, Jordan getting her tattoo inner arm.
"You found one that you want?" Rylee said, focusing on her work.
"Yeah, I did." I said.
"Alright, just give some time to finish up Jordan, then you're up next."
"Okay." is all I says, and then take a seat at the table and watch them from here along with Nyla.
An hour later Rylee finishing doing Jordan tattoo. Her tattoo is a two wrench making an X and a screwdriver in the middle of it is a ribbon with the word Mechanic For Life on the ribbon. Rylee did a pretty good on both Nyla and Jordan tattoo.
Rylee called me over taking the chair the Jordan was in, I showed the tattoo I wanted to get ans she point out some place where to put that I will feel less pain in certain area. The tattoo I picked out is dreamcatcher wolf, but instead of having the wolf in the middle of it, the wolf is actually the dreamcatcher with three string hanging from the wolf and tied at the end of the string is feathers. And I'm putting in the back of my shoulder blade, like Nyla says would look great to be at and she says it might take between one to two hours to finish, but that's alright. Because we have nothing to do today beside hanging out with each other.
I took my cardigan and shirt off and pulled down the strap of my bra and putting my hair in a side ponytail. After getting everything set she get to work while Jordan and Nyla watched.
The instant I hear the buzzing noise, I started to get nervous but try to relax. When I feeling the needle against my skin and going across my skin, I feel little pain probably about maybe between 2 or 3 out of ten of level of pain for now until it get more into the detail of the design. While Rylee jabbing the needle against my skin, I'll try to distracted myself by not thinking of the pain I be feeling for the hour or so.