Jolene

Everything seemed perfect at Sunday's dinner mom made her famous homemade apple pie with the flakiest crust and perfect apple slices. I was already sitting down waiting for mom to bring out the drinks. I turn to my left side and notice something was missing, it was dad's and I's photo from my Senior year of high school last year when I was sixteen. once I took notice of this, I called my mom over and asked her.

"Mom, why is my father's and I's photo missing? you know how much it means to me to have it up"

"I'm Sorry Jolene but Jared doesn't want that picture up he thinks it gives you more pain than joy looking at it. and frankly, I agree with him. it has made you even more upset throughout this entire year."

"So we're just going to forget about dad, just like that? It's no one's fault he passed away from a car accident but yours's and now you're going to let your little boyfriend come into dad's house and just prance around in his robe while telling me I can't have the one thing that keeps me going? Fuck you and Jared"

"I can't believe you, Jolene, go to your room right now!"

I immediately push my chair in forcefully and as I would take each step on the bonze wooden staircase, I would stomp on each step that led to my pearly white bedroom door. I just couldn't believe how my mother could be so insensitive about how I feel about my dad. How could she let someone new, let alone someone like Jared dictate how things should be done in the house my dad built for us? well, that's beyond me. I would never forget the day my father and I listened to one of his favorite songs by Foo Fighters, Everlong. this song to this day resonates with me, and it explicitly describes how I feel inside.

Three Knocks on my room door.

"Not now mom"

"It's Jared, do you mind if I come in and speak with you"?

"Go away!"

Opening the door all the way and entering my room Jared stood at the doorway. "Look, I know it's been hard for you to process all of this, there's so much happening all at once. I am so sorry your dad passed away but I also don't think it's fair to blame his death on your mother. she is doing her best to get by as a widower and I'm just here to take care of you both."

"Take care of us? we're fine before you and we'll be fine after you"

"Jolene, that's no way to speak to someone who cares about you"

He then went to touch my shoulder softly and placed his lips next to mine.

I shoved him with my arms pushed all the way out and I shouted.

"Get the fuck away from me you creep, how can you say you care about us when you two just got together three months ago. You can leave now!"

"Listen," he said softly in my ear from behind "I'm not going anywhere for a long time so just get used to me"

"No, you don't deserve to be here, in the house my father built for us, and you have some nerve telling me how to process my father's death."

"Stay in your room till further notice let me know when you're ready to play house with me like your mother does" he winks at me and leaves the door wide open. I burst into tears; my mother comes upstairs from hearing my loud weeping. "What's the matter Jolene?" I looked her right into her soul and told her what just happened with Jared. "Mom Jared has been acting funny towards me, he tells me to call him when I want to play house with him like you do. what does that even mean?"

"Sighs."

"Jolene why can't you see that I am happy with Jared? yes, he's 23-years-younger than I am but I am really happy with him."

"But mom he does these things towards me and it really creeps me out"

"No Jolene, you're being a drama queen once again, I love you but why can't you see your mother happy when she hasn't been happy in such a long time?"

"Mom I'm telling you, he wants to sleep with me, he's been touching my shoulder and speaking softly in my ears. Jared has also almost kissed me, had I not shoved him away he would've done it."

"Stop it! stop it this instance, with your lies and jealousy"

"Jealous? I don't like how he's turned into this."

"This what?"

"Monster!"

My mother slaps me across the face, leaving me a bright red mark on the left side of my face and while it stung, my heart stung even more.

She then leaves my room shutting it all the way.

I hugged my knees to my chest, with shivers of angst taking over.

I did not know how just yet, but I knew I had to get rid of Jared.

The next day came, I decided to creep down the wooden staircase to hear their conversation and of course with each squeak like a mouse, the staircase snitched me out.

"Jolene, you can come down now, we all need to talk."

"Okay" I said with an unwavering tone.

We all took a seat in the soft-grey living room sectional. Jared and mom were sitting close to each other. I was sitting just how I felt, alone.

"So, you wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes, we both did, Jared and I have been discussing everything pertaining to you, and we believe it's not going to work out."

With a large grin from ear to ear I said, "You mean Jared is leaving!"

"No, you have to find someplace else, Jared and I are fine"

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me Jolene, and I mean it! go pack your stuff and be on your way now"

"But mom, how could you trade me in from him?" I couldn't hold it in any longer, my heart fell apart and broke into a million pieces, with my eyes bursting into tears that could fill a river.

"Just go!"

"Fuck you! Fuck the both of Yous!"

I rush up the stairs to my room, I grab my plain frosty white suite case and I packed the most important items. my shampoo, conditioner, clothing, feminine products, hygiene products, and of course my computer, and phone.

I had nowhere to go, no one I trusted to turn to. I make it down the squeaky stairs and stood at the doorway of the front door.

"If I walk out this door right now, I will never return to you as anything. Not your daughter, friend, associate, anything."

"Just leave!" we'll be happy alone together you liar."

"Liar?" I said with a furrowed brow.

"You are ridiculous, what mother throws out her seventeen-year-old daughter over some guy that was trying to hit on her daughter?"

Jared stood up and walked towards me from the soft-grey sectional "Jolene! you can stop with your lies now!"

"Mom?" I said with a cracking voice.

She walked to the door and looked down to the floor all she could see was the brown oak lamented wooden floor.

"Sighs, please just go"

I nodded my head sternly, with a straight face and I said, "Good-bye forever."

As I walked out the door, I felt a sense of wanting to bite my nails to feeling like an eagle.

There was this breath of fresh air that rushed all over me.

Walking till I couldn't walk anymore.

I check my cell phone to see that it is, 11:45pm. and I don't have a miss call from her. "What a shameful bitch I thought." I journeyed on to the nearest gas station.

I felt like I was going to pass out, with my stomach rumbling.

As I approach the door of the gas station, I quickly took notice of a guy that mesmerized me with his dirty blonde hair and dreamy sky blue eyes. I took a look at him, and he had given me a smile, a smile so contagious that I forgot about this day I was having.

So, he walks up to me, wearing an eggshell white shirt, khaki slacks, and black dress shoes.

I paused for a momentarily, just to take in this moment.

I looked up to this 6'4 man, then he said.

"You walk on like a woman in misery, tell me why?"

I was flabbergasted because he wasn't wrong but at the same time it wasn't something I felt like I could control.

"What did you mean by that?"

"I mean such a beautiful youngin yet your face says misery all over it, I'm Brian by the way. You are?

"Jolene".

"What a beautiful name" he said as he looked me up and down with a smirk showing only half of his crooked smile. "Golley, why is there a purple bruise on your face?" He then reached both of his hands out, the right one to hold my chin and the left one to gently touch my bruised purple right eye. I stung when he touched it, nonetheless I said,

"Oh, it's really nothing, I walked into a door in the house a few weeks ago."

"It looks freshly bruised, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"No, I already told you, I walked into a door."

"Well, alrighty" he said with a head nod. so, what brings you here this late?"

I looked to the gum squished next to my flip-flops on the gravel ground. "It's a long story that I don't have time to tell."

"Allright, that's fair."

Rumbling emerges from my stomach.

"Hey, let me buy you something to eat"

"No Brian that's okay"

"Oh, c'mon it's the least I can do"

"I sighed, fine but only this once"

"I wanted to ask why you have a suitcase with you with miscellaneous items? What are you doing running away?"

Brian and I both made our way to the gas station where I scurried around to find something filling to eat. I came across a scent that resembled the way my mother would make breakfast. Though I was distraught over the situation, I couldn’t deny her cooking was amazing. I grabbed the croissant egg and sausage; I picked up two of these with an icy-cold Arizona watermelon drink. Brian waited for me at the register, as I walked up to it and placed my items down at the register's scruffy, dingey counter. I looked away from the cashier, so he didn’t see my fresh black and blue eye. (Beep, Beep, Beep) that was the sound of the food ringing up after Brian paid for it, we walked back to his rustic looking Chevy pick-up truck. I held the black pigmented plastic bag the food came in around my wrist. Brian then opened the door for me to sit in his truck and once I sat down, he closed the door and went around to the other side and sat down in the driver’s seat. He started his engine and gave me a gentle, soft smirk.

I asked, “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere to get you cleaned up, and well rested.”

“Hmm, alright that sounds okay to me.”

Brain droves just 15 miles from the gas station, we arrived at an Odom-designed house with a gate around it and a wrapped around driveway. My first initial thought was I had no idea this dude was rich or comes from some type of wealth. Once Brian stopped at the front entrance, he looked over at me and told me to gather as many items as I could, and he’ll carry whatever I can’t carry. So, I gathered what I could and stood at the front door entrance. He came around with my pearly white suitcase and I was eating my food from the gas station, he then knocked on the door and a butler opened the door. “Hell Mr. Williams, would you like me to take these items up to the guest room?”

“Yes, please.” I felt out of place with my outfit and manners, I’m just blessed to have someone like Brian to take me in.

“Go get settled, dinner will be ready shortly.” I went to go take a bird bath and change into something more decent for the occasion. I went down to the dining room table, and I smiled at him, “thank you for having me.”

“It’s my pleasure”. “So, Jolene when are you going to tell me what happened?”

“I suppose now would be best, huh?”

“I agree with that notion Jolene, so please do tell.”

“We’ll my mother Ruth, her boyfriend Jared tried to come on to me and once I told my mother she insisted I was jealous of her, so she threw me out and chose to be with him over me, her seventeen-year-old daughter. Not to mention, my past away and I have no family outside my parents and my friends well, they all moved out of state for university. I’m taking a gap year so I can try to get a scholarship.”

“I, I am so sorry this happened to you Jolene. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I am not sure Brian, without my father being here I feel hallow like a drum inside” I Bursted into tears.

“No, Jolene please don’t look at me with your sappy eyes, please do not cry your eyes out, I will see what I can do.

I sniffled, “really?”

“Absolutely!”

“Thank you so much Brian!”