Chapter 14: Ahliyah

Lorenzo came over to talk to Carter and even though I didn't like him. I treated him like everyone else because he was still Carter's friend. Non- existent. Instead of waiting for them to finish talking I went in my room and talked to my mother instead. I was focused one myself and my relationship with Carter and I never did call her to find out if they discharged her from the hospital.

" Oh, sweetie, don't you have other things to worry about than me. I'm fine. I'm not dead yet and I'm not going to allow lupus to take me either. " She said. I could tell she was smiling because that was my mother always optimistic about her problems.

" I thought you would like me calling you everyday to check up on you. Anyways, I wanted to know if they discharged you from the hospital." The line on her end went silent and it took her awhile to answer my question.

" Yes, sweetie. They discharged me awhile ago." She said.

Why didn't she tell me that the discharged her? I could've been there for her to take her back home, or we could've spent the day out together. I stopped worry about when she was discharged and worried about who picked her up from the hospital.

" Don't worry about me Ahliyah, please. Tell me about this boy you've been staying with?" She asked.

" Well, we're doing fine. Same as usual. Stop worrying about my love life, are you okay and who picked you up from the hospital?" I asked.

" Ahliyah, please stop worrying."

" Who picked you up, mom?" I asked sternly.

She sighed and spoke softly. " Your father, Ahliyah. I needed help and he was the only person there. I didn't want to disturb you and what you got going on, so I called your father," she said. " I'm okay I have not forgotten the past, but it's time we let that go and move on. Enjoy yourself with your boyfriend and have fun please."

She ended the call and I cried. I didn't know why I was worried about being with my so called father. I was forgiving myself, trying to forgive him too. Something didn't feel right. He hasn't been in his house since I've been here and somehow he showed up to pick my mom up from the hospital.

I didn't know what it was, but something was off. Way off.

I walked out the my room no longer thinking about the strange feeling that was bothering me. Carter and Lorenzo were still talking and I sat on the couch staring at the wall. Carter went in the kitchen to grab something to eat, he was no longer happy though. Whatever Carter and Lorenzo were talking about must've been bad.

" I'm sorry I didn't think this talk with Lorenzo would be so long. He's about to leave anyway, I need to talk to you though." He said running his hands through his hair.

" What's wrong?"

" Well, we are going to have to have dinner with my dad and step mom. I don't want to but I know what my step mom is capable of. We'll go and have dinner and once it's over we can come back." He said.

He held my hands, sighing. " I'll be okay. She can't hurt me anymore and I know she going to try to say something to hurt me. But, I think I owe it to myself to go and sit down with them and listen to them

" Are you sure you want to go? I mean it's okay I'll go. I want to make sure your okay first." I knew that whatever was said between Lorenzo and Carter the decision to go see his step mother was hard. I was going to be with him through it all no matter what because he deserved it.

" When do we leave for the dinner?" I asked.

" Tomorrow. Don't worry about whatever my step mother has to say because she is going to make her opinions known." He said sadly.

Lorenzo left later that afternoon and Carter laid on my lap. I knew whatever Carter was dealing with he had to go through it by himself. There were something he wasn't going to tell or share with me, and I knew going to back to the home where he was hurt was going to bring some unpleasant memories back. One day, whatever we were going through separately we would one day share together.

Until then Carter was going to fight this battle on his own.

" I won't allow her to say anything to you, or hurt you either. I do need some closer from them though and I hope going to this dinner will give me some of the closer I need." He said sitting up. I saw the sadness in his eyes and knowing that pain he was feeling was way deeper then he was letting on.

" We'll be okay. We've gotten this far together and I'm sure one night with your parents won't be so bad." I smiled.

Carter sat up holding my face in his hands. " Yeah, we'll be okay. I need to get some sleep if I'm going to dinner tomorrow." He kissed my forehead and walked into our room.

The last couple of days has showed me not to take things for granted. I was hopeful now that I could change and forget the past, and try to move on. But, it was different for Carter though because his past and his pain ran deeper than mine did. I didn't know what I was going to expect tomorrow but I was going to be there for him no matter what.

I thought back on my mom and how she would share her bits of wisdom with me when I needed it the most. She used to tell me " Ahliyah, this world is going to beat you up and show you things. But, baby girl, you are strong and forgiveness and moving on will be your best friends." I didn't know what any of that meant until now.

I was going to take my moms advice to enjoy my life with Carter because living in this world was brutal. Some of life's lessons will hurt the most, but give the most meaning in the end.