Candy Apple Red - Book Two

Chapter 26 - He Called Me Mommy?

As soon as I shut the front door, I jet upstairs to my room and open my closet door. I think I may have some construction paper, old coloring books with crates of crayons, markers, and colored pencils I can give to John Luke. It will give us something to do together. 

I scan the shelf above my clothes, pull down the items I plan to take with me tomorrow, and place them on my bed. Then I grab my tote and neatly pile everything inside. There... that ought to keep us busy tomorrow.

The rest of the evening, I sit alone at the house watching television until Momma comes strolling in around dinner time, "Well, what have you been up to?" I ask curiously as she peeks her head around the entry. 

"Oh, nothing, just out shopping," she replies casually as she slips off her flats, placing them on the shoe rack. 

"What did you buy?"

She eyes me suspiciously, "Why are you asking me so many questions?" 

I snicker, "No reason. I am just not used to you not being home." 

"Well, dear, don't take offense to this, but I had to find a life outside of you after you left." 

"Momma, I know this. It's fine. You will tell me when you are ready, I suppose."

She hangs her purse on the coat rack with her scarf. I wonder why she's all dolled up for? I bet she has a gentleman friend right now.  

"What's for dinner, Momma?" I ask. 

"Child, I already ate. Do you want me to fix you something real quick?"

I shake my head, "Nah, it's okay. I'll just eat a turkey sandwich or something."

"Well, I'm going upstairs if you need me. I'll warn ya, though, once I take my Ambien, an earthquake couldn't wake me."

I chuckle, "Oh, lord, not the Ambien." 

"Alright, sug, goodnight. By the way, you and I need to set aside some time to spend together before you go back to Knoxville."

I sit up and adjust myself on the sofa, "Momma, I'm not sure if I'm going back now." 

She quickly rushes over to the sofa, sitting down next to me, "You think you want to stay now? What changed your mind? Was it Seth?"

I nod my head, "Momma, I love him so much. Even though I was gone for four years at school, I never stopped thinking about him. I missed him terribly. He's so good to me."

She playfully elbows me, "I am glad that him having a child didn't change things for you." 

"Not in the least. That little boy is so adorable. I'm crazy about him. We went out on a lunch date today, and he took to me quickly."

She places her hand on my shoulder, "Oh darling, that is wonderful!"

"By the way, you never mentioned that he had a child; why not?"

"Well, I thought it would be too painful to hear. He needed to be the one to tell you anyway. Not to mention, you were with Patrick. I thought you two were happy." 

I shake my head from side to side, "We were at first, but he changed a few months before we broke up. I never told you, but I walked in on him with some chick who has been eyeing him for a long while. She was giving him oral sex at a frat party I attended with him a week before I got here. There was no coming back from that."

She places her hand over her mouth, "Oh my God! That must have been devastating to walk in on that!"

"Well, it wasn't one of my fondest moments. I can tell you that. It still makes me wanna hurl just thinking about it."