Alani's Quest

26. Complete Circle

2010-12-08T21:47:00.007-05:00

warning: language, mushy stuff, lack of photoshop usage

“Now start from the beginning.” The officer bellowed as he walked to the other end of the room after pressing the record button down on the old brittle tape recorder. Jackie blinked hard with a sigh, preparing to clear her mind once and for all.

“April 22, 1990, Donna called me-”

“State her entire name.” He interrupted, his voice calm but harsh.

Jackie huffed, rolling her eyes before she continued. They were lucky she was here in the first place. If they wanted the information that only she could provide, they’d better watch their tones and provide her with more than a warm cup of coffee! “Donna Edwards…” She raised her eyebrow out of irritation, “called me at work and asked me to meet her at a motel just outside of town. She seemed nervous. Insisted on speaking to me in person. Once I got there and saw the child sleep on the dirty stained sheets, I understood why. The adoption agency that I was working at recorded each phone call and Donna knew it.” She took a long pull from her cigarette. “She told me she needed to save her marriage. Tamon was ready to divorce her and threatened to take Paige with him since he legally adopted her as his child the day after they got married.” She explained, dumping the ashes into the small glass ashtray provided by the officer interviewing her. “I asked her where the child came from and she told me she saw her sitting outside with another child, a boy, not that much older than her. She told me she’d been watching this little girl for some time now and the family was no good for her so as soon as the opportunity presented itself, she ran into the yard and took her. To cover her tracks, she cut the child’s hair and pricked her foot, smearing the blood onto the clothes she was originally wearing and left them in the woods not too far from the child’s home. Donna wanted me to draw up official papers for the child to help conceal it further. Had she not given me $1,000 up front, I wouldn’t have believed she was going to pay me at all! So that night I took the girl home with me to study her, chart any special marks, moles, or freckles for the record. Donna came and got her from me, took her home, and 3 months later, Tamon was dead. After that I cut all ties with Donna. We haven’t said a word to each other since.” She ended with a sigh, a relieved sigh.

“And when her husband contacted you about the child?”

“I told him whatever I could to get him off my back but he wasn’t going for it. Became suspicious.”

The detective stood, walking slowly around the table, his eyes still planted firmly on Jackie, “Twenty plus years and now you’re turning yourself in? Why?” He rubbed his chin silently pleased with the amount of answers he was getting.

“Because,” She released a puff of smoke from her lips, “whoever talks first get’s the deal, right?” She winked before her face turned stone cold.

Locked away in the comfort of her quiet room for a little over two weeks, she ignored the non-stop ringing of the phone and knocks at the door. It wasn’t important. She was convinced of that. By now the word had spread, passed from mouth to mouth until it’d been misconstrued and made out to be a rejected soap opera episode. She hit the ignore button for the 8^th time in the row, rolling onto her back in a more comfortable position rubbing her puffy red eyes with the back of her hands, irritating them further. As the house phone began to ring, Alani sighed out of frustration, her cell phone ringing at the same time. At the end of each ring a message followed. Concerned voices, reaching out to her, begging her to pick up.

She’d made up her mind, gave up her search for parents to become one and in just ten minutes, she’d gain parents and lost the child she wanted more than anything. A message left a few days ago informed her of Mylie’s adoption. Someone came for her. Someone more suitable, a family with both parents. Alani cried and slept, slept and cried until her eyes were red and almost swollen shut. “At least she has a home now.” She mumbled to herself, peeling herself from her bed.

The phone rang again, as she sat on the soft stool of her vanity, a person unfamiliar to her starting back with the same sad expression. She didn’t know this girl, the one looking her in the eyes, eyes that weren’t her own. She touched her puffy lids that covered her hazel eyes, Pam’s hazel eyes. Her fingers trailed down the bridge of her nose, Joseph’s nose. Alani frowned, looked away from her face, Mya’s face. The sad lost little girl in the mirror. That sheet of paper was as clear as the features on her face. Pam and Joseph were in fact her parents. The kind of mother and father she’d always wish she had, were her’s all along.

As the answering machine cut on, an unexpected voice began to speak,

“I’m probably the last person you want to hear from but I thought I should tell you…” She paused, taking a deep breath, “the police arrested Donna this morning. Apparently Jackie turned herself in and told them everything. How she helped my mother cover up the kidnapping and created fake documents for her. She has been charged with kidnapping and they are trying to charge her with Tamon’s death. The detective said she refused to talk. She just sat there with a smirk, staring at the wall.” The sound of a train blasted through the phone before she spoke again, “Anyway, you’re going to get a package from me in a few days. A tape you really need to watch. With the tape will be a phone number for a guy named Lewis. Melvin Lewis. He was Tamon’s lawyer and is expecting a call from you.” Alani could hear the hesitation in her voice. “Alani…I’m sorry! Sorry…” The machine beeped at the end of the message.

“A tape…” She mumbled, recalling the tape being mentioned in the last entry of the journal. Pulling it off of the edge of the vanity, she flipped through the pages, scanning them until she found what she was looking for. Finally finding the page, she exhaled, reading it once again.

July 24, 1990,

It’s over. I’ve had enough of this marriage and all the things that come along with it. The fighting, fussing, the cruel treatment my girls face at the hands of the one person who is supposed to love them. They deserve more! Will have more if it’s the last thing I do! I made sure I excluded Donna from my estate this morning. The mother of my children or not, I’m done taking care of her and nurturing her selfish ways. I told her she has a few days to find her own place and this time I mean it! Our lives won’t get any better until she is gone! I have every intention of allowing her to visit the girls but, only if she get’s professional help to deal with her jealousy over the girls. It’s not normal. Nothing normal about it! I look at her now and question how I couldn’t ever fallen in love with such and evil person! I don’t regret it. Don’t regret my girls at all but, wish they didn’t have to deal with her. There is a feeling in my bones. Something telling me to watch my back. I doubt Donna would do anything to try to hurt me or the girls but then again, I didn’t think she’d be jealous of them either. I asked for a copy of the changes I made to the estate. Lewis suggested making a tape so the changes are stated with my own words. He seemed worried. Wasn’t too sure if I was losing my mind or really sure about this but I am! My girls are my world, my everything, and if by chance they have to grow up without me, they’d be set for life and never want for a thing.

Tamon

Before Alani had the chance to put a good amount of thought into this tape, there was a tap at the window. “Open the door Alani, we need to talk." He tapped again. The wind picked up, blowing snow into his face and hair, "C’mon Alani! It’s cold out here!” He wiped away the fog his breath caused on the ice cold glass. She moved slowly from her position on the stool yanking open the door, “Haven’t you heard” She dragged her feet across the floor, “Alani doesn’t exist.”

“Then who are you?” He followed behind her.

“I’m Mya! The daughter of a cop, kidnapped and raised in a family that treated me like shit and did everything they could to break me emotionally and you know what Quest? It worked! I am the biggest emotional wreck on this fucking planet! I cry about everything! Cried because I didn't have a family! Cried because I do have a family! I searched! Prayed for a family that would love me and be all that I dreamed and now that I have them, I don’t know what to do!”

Quest grabbed her arm, sitting her on the bed wrapping his arm around her, forcing her to face him, “I’ll tell you what you do. Go to them. Let them show you what real love is.”

“I can’t do that! I can’t just barge into their lives-”

“Stop!” He shushed her. “You wouldn’t be barging into their lives because they’ve always wanted you. Never would have let you go if there had been a choice. You have to understand Lani, they believed you were dead for more than twenty years and now that they know you’re not, they want you back! They want to make up for everything they missed with you!”

“But what if I'm not want they want?” Her eyes began to fill up again.

“You’re their daughter and sister! All they want is you!” He kissed her cheek gently, caressing her shoulder with his other hand. “Now, as much as I love to see you sitting here half naked, I need you to get dressed. We have somewhere to be.” Quest mumbled against her jaw.

“Where are you taking me?” She whispered, watching him move toward her closet.

“I'm taking you home.”

They must have been expecting her, stood in front of the window waiting for the black car to pull up with her in it. The door opened before as she reached the stairs, their faces held smiles, watery smiles of completion and happiness. Alani hesitated, grabbed Quests’ hand and squeezed it as hard as she could. Her heart was in her throat, tears threatening to smear the make-up she used to cover up the bags under her eyes. “Calm down!” Quest squeezed her hand back. As she stepped inside, Quest took her jacket, leaving her side for only a second.

A second too long, she thought as she stood before them, Pam, Joe, Ahmad, and Tiff. She played with her fingers, avoiding their gaze, a shy smile curling her lips. They stood there, staring at her as she stole glances from them, slowly lowering her hands. It was like looking at a ghost, staring into the face of their missing baby, lost sister. A baby who was no longer a baby, a sister who’d grown up to be a beautiful woman, an unrecognized success story. Without warning, Alani rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Pam, releasing half of the weight that was sitting on her chest. With her arms still tucked underneath Pam’s arms she motioned for Joe and Ahmad to join them.

This moment was surreal. Filled with overwhelming emotion that she never imagined. Wrapped tight in their arms felt like home. A place that Alani never wanted to leave, a place Mya would never have to leave. As they pulled away too happy for tears, Pam cupped her cheeks, a bright smile matching her own, “We can take it slow! Keep the relationship we had before all this. All of us.” She looked back at her husband and son. Alani shook her head within Pam’s hands, “I was hoping we could build a new one. As a family.” Pam pulled her into another hug, this time unable to hold back her tears. My mother... She thought as she tightened her her hug.

“Alani!!” She spun around at the sound of a child’s voice calling from the kitchen behind her. “Mylie?” She whispered, scooping her into her arms.

“Guess what!” Mylie screeched excitedly, “Me and Lulu get to live with you and have two grandma's, and a baby cousin!”

“But how- I thought you were adopt-” Alani stopped as she noticed Quest’s family walking out of the back room.

“Quest came up with the idea of sitting in the agency until the director changed her mind. With my dad and your dad there, a cop and a lawyer, she had no choice but to turn Mylie over to us!” Keetan beamed, rubbing Quests’ arm. “If all of us being there wasn’t enough, Quest signed the papers behind you. So Mylie has two parents now.”

"Yup!" Mylie added. "Mylie Edwards-Morell!" She giggled.

Alani’s jaw dropped. “He did? You did?” She faced him unable to hide her smile. Quest rubbed the back of his neck, “You were right! It’s impossible not to love her!” Alani threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek wildly. "I love you!" She kissed him tenderly. "You just keep amazing me! You saved me from a dark alley, gave me a home, and gave me the family I've always dreamed of! You're like my human good luck charm!" She laughed. He kissed her back, running his thumb across her chin, "As you are to me!" Staring into each others eyes, they smiled as they heard Mylie ramble on and on about what she’d call Pam and Carla. “Honey, I’m much too young to be called Grandma so we’re going to have to come up with something else!” Carla induced a chain of laughter. As Alani turned and watched them interact with Mylie, she felt the final weight fall from her chest. Her world felt completed, every worry within her heart diminished with the smiles around the room. The smiles of her family. She welcomed Quests’ arms around her waist as she cherished this moment. The moment of peace she'd always longed for. “Marry me.” He whispered in her ear, igniting an instant reaction. Alani spun around in his arms, “What?” Her brows pointed downward with her confusion.

“Marry me!” He repeated with a chuckle.

She shook her head in disbelief, “Quest, you really don’t-”

“I really do.” He placed his finger on her lips, shushing her for the second time today, “You’ve been all I could think about since the day you tried to hit me over the head with a table lamp. You pushed me to go back to what I loved and through that I discovered a new love! I am the happiest I’ve ever been and with you and Mylie, it can only get better! You once told me to give my heart what it wants, well, that’s you! Always has been you! Believe it or not, this is all because of you! I’ve fallen head over heels, madly, hopelessly in love with you Alani, and it’s all your fault!”

** I want to thank you all for traveling this road with Alani. For enduring her every emotion and setback in her quest for true happiness, and also for watching her grow. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time out to express their feelings toward my characters or just to let me know that they were reading this. THANK YOU!

25. To catch a spider

2010-12-06T13:26:00.001-05:00

warning: language, adult themes, mild sexual reference

Paige waited until she saw the old raggedy car pull off before she took the stairs two at a time, pushing open her mother’s bedroom door. That tape had to be in here somewhere. She boasted about burning it but Paige knew better. Donna was one who always needed to have something to dangle over your head to make you do whatever it was she wanted so there was no way in hell she was going to burn something she now knew Paige would be interested in.

Paige left no stones unturned as she pulled through all of Donna’s dresser drawers and the trash bags full of clothes she could no longer fit but refused to give away, in search of this mysterious tape. Behind the bed, in her shoe boxes, and even under her wigs, she found nothing. “She didn’t!” Paige mumbled, wondering if her mother had been smart enough to carry the tape with her. She passed off the idea to continue her search. Even if it wasn’t here, maybe she’d find something!

Paige eyed the dresser once more. Something about it wouldn’t let her be. Kept telling her to look again. Dropping to her knees she did a silent prayer before looking underneath. She smiled widely as her stomach turned with excitement. She stood quickly, cutting on the TV and pushing the tape deep inside the old VCR her mother still owned.

She nearly fell to pieces when Tamon’s face appeared on the screen. His smiling face that she’d almost forgotten, a smile she missed dearly. Running her hand along the bed for the remote without removing her eyes from the screen, she turned the volume up just enough to allow her to hear the door in case Donna showed up. As his voice became clearer she fought back tears to pay close attention.

“Hey girls!” His raspy voice flowed through the small built-in speakers, “Today is, July 24, 1990, as you can probably see at the bottom of the screen.” He pointed to the lower right corner. “If you’re watching this and I’m not old and balding, then I’m no longer with you and I’m sorry! I am not sick or anything like that but I,” He hesitated,” I can’t trust your mother to pass this message to you so I figured this was the best way. So… I’ll start with you Paige.” His lips quickly formed a smile as he said her name, “I was an empty vessel until I met you! I wanted to be a father so badly and you made that possible for me! I remember so clearly how you hated me when we first met but after a while we were inseparable! You’re so sweet and kind! I have no doubt that you’ll grow up to be a great woman!” His smile moved her, induced tears she was fighting so hard to restrain.

“Alani,” He began with another bright smile, “My days were beginning to gray and then suddenly the sun broke through in the form of you! You’ve completed my world! Made me realize that I need nothing else in this world if I have you and your sister! If by chance I do not have the pleasure of seeing you grow into the strong beautiful woman I know you’ll be, just know that I love you and will always be proud of you! I will always be proud of both of you!” His smile remained. “In life, I’d never let either of you suffer or go without so in death, the same applies. My grandfather, Milton King Edwards, was an oil tycoon and the best male role model I’ve ever had. When he passed, he left it all to me. Unfortunately, I’ve dipped into the money left to me to take care of you up to this point so I can only leave you what’s left. That means you, Paige and Alani will have to split the remaining two billion.”

Paige nearly choked on her own saliva. She was expecting a lower number. Something small along the lines of five or six hundred dollars, never six billion.

“I don’t plan on leaving you anytime soon but if I am not around when you watch this, know that I love you both very much and thank you for being my reasons for living!”

Wasting no time, Paige ran into her room scooping the clothes out of her drawers, burying the tape somewhere in the middle. Her heart was pounding, seconds away from jumping out of her chest and stopping with one last beat. It was lies, everything her mother told her was a lie! Tamon wasn’t planning to leave them. He loved them, planned on being there for them every step of the way. That tape was made the day before his death. The death he supposedly committed at his own hand. She’d been caught in her mother’s web, a sad little fly stuck on the sticky silk strings of lies she’d foolishly believed up until now. Harshly zipping up the bag, she bolted out the door leaving behind everything she thought she knew. With intent to have the tape copied, this one was web she was determined to shake herself free of. The original tape would be turned over to the detective that handled Tamon’s case, and a copy would be sent to it's rightful owner, Alani.

Quest walked coolly to the door, taking his time with each step. She’d been so cold and rude his entire time working with her, she could stand to be out in the blistering cold for a minutes longer. He yanked the door open, his face less than pleased. “You wanted to see me?” She pushed her way in then spun around slowly dragging her eyes from his knees to his face. He took note of the thin coat she wore, her bare legs held up by a pair of open toe red stilettos. "Yeah," he said flatly, keeping his arms crossed, "We need to talk about that shit you pulled-" He stopped the second she lowered her coat, letting it fall to her feet where she then kicked it to the side.

"You like?" She placed her hand on her hip, seductively speaking, "I figured you would!" She beamed, turning around in place, allowing him a full view. He wasn't moved. Held the same expression he'd answered the door with. "Cut the shit, Traci. I told you before, I'm not interested so you can put your coat back on now." He walked past her, stopping short of the couch as she grabbed his arm, turning him into her.

"Stop playing hard to get! No man has ever been able to resist me. You're no different! The second you stop thinking about...her...you'll see just what you have in front of you and be thanking me for getting rid of that inexperience distraction!" She slid her hands around his waist, allowing them to rest on his rear. "I saw the way she was with you. She couldn't handle it. Not like I could if you'd give me the chance." She purred against his lips, holding him tight to keep him from backing away. "What do you say? Let's add a little pleasure to this business!"
Quest smiled, lowering his lips to her left ear, she turned fully, allowing him access, "I say smile for the audience." He spoke louder than she expected. "How am I looking, Ahmad?"
"Good, man! Still rolling!" He answered back, laughing at the expression on Traci's face. So wrapped up in her own purpose for the night, she hadn't noticed the light on the webcam pointing straight at her.

"I called you over to talk but I knew your obsession with me would get the best of you and since you love media scandals so much...I figured you like of your own! Not only has he been watching and recording, but I am too." He continued to speak into her ear.
"This proves nothing!" She belted, pushing herself away. "You can email it to every magazine company you want, they'll just think the two of us were carrying on a sexual relationship!"
"Not exactly!" He walked over to the computer and hit the play back button. "I made sure I recorded our phone conversation as well." He smiled back at her before watching himself on the screen.

"Everyone knows that my agent, Traci Mackwood is one of the hardest agents to sign with. She is no for her no bullshit policy, and only signing those with drive that matches her own. What most of you don't know is that there is another way to get into Traci's good graces!"

He dialed the number, placing the phone on speaker,
"Good evening, Quest!" She purred.
"Traci, we need to talk about that picture you released of me and my girlfriend this morning." He kept his voice calm.
"Your what? I agree. We also need to talk about that label you just gave her! I'll be there shortly." She hung up obviously irritated.
A little less that a half an hour passed and there she was, standing in front of him in a short silk shirt with her ass hanging out the back, in perfect view of the camera.

Quest paused the video, standing up straight with his arms pressed against himself, very pleased with the footage he'd just revealed. "I'll be terminating that contract now." He said flatly, walking toward her balled up coat with the intent to hand it to her and lead her out the door.

"You can't!" She screamed, throwing her hands onto her hips.
"Actually he can." A male voice similar to Quests' followed the faces of two familiar females down the stairs. "Under section 4 of the contract both you and my client signed, at anytime he may terminate this contract without cause or reparation. Given the circumstances under which he has to conduct business with you, it is in his best interest to do so. Is that what you really want, Quest?" He asked, holding the contract firmly in his hand.
"Yes, Dad! I'm done!" He beamed from his position beside his sister.
Without anymore questions, James handed the small packet to Carla who seemed to take great pleasure in ripping it up.

Once it was in as many pieces as she could tear off, she stepped over the pile on the floor, angrily placing her finger on Traci's chest. "Everything in me is telling me to step out of character and beat your ass but I won't. I'll just enjoy watching you wallow in self pity after the fashion world sees how the great Traci Mackwood bargains sex for contracts!"
"Sounds like a high class hooker to me!" Keetan added with a smirk.

"Now get the hell out and stay the hell away from my son!" Carla belted, her left hand balled into a fist. All words had escaped Traci. There was nothing she could do or say to end up with the last word or the last laugh. With lust blinding her, she'd carelessly signed that contract agreeing to his terms, a mistake she'd never made before or who ever be able to live down. Snatching her coat from the floor, she threw it on quickly, leaving without looking back.

Quest pulled them all into a group hug, feeling a huge weight off his shoulders and an extra beat in his heart, "Thank you!" He closed his eyes and breathed a heavy sigh, "Ya'll know I love ya'll for this but there is one more thing I need you to do..."

**Next chapter is the last.

24. Proof

2010-12-02T10:14:00.000-05:00

warning: language, sexual reference

Ahmad looked from his mother to his father with the same expression of uncertainty. The sheet of paper in his hand was clear, in black and white and was all his mother needed to go off of. He watched her pace the floor, eyes glossed over as her hands continued to shake. “Ma, how did yo-”

“She came to see me a while ago and when she was leaving I noticed a stray hair on her shoulder. I purposely brushed it off of her shoulder and onto the table so when she left, I bagged it and both the fork and mug she used and sent it in.” She finally stopped pacing.

Ahmad shook his head in disbelief. His mind was picking up on all the obvious signs and similarities that he and his parents shared with Alani. She did look just like his mother with his smile and the shape of his Dad’s eyes. As quickly as the excitement began to grow within him, he hushed it, pushed it deep inside of his chest.

“Ma, you sent this through the mail. With all the snow we’ve had, it’s possible it could have been distorted.”

“If anything, the weather would have preserved it!” She argued. “It’s her Ahmad! There is nothing you or anyone can tell me that will change what’s on that paper!

“Ma please-”

“That is Mya!”

“Keep your voice down!”

That is my baby!” Her voice cracked as she raised it louder to get her point across. “That is your sister Ahmad! Can’t you see?”

“Dad?” He tried to reason with his father, hoping he’d back him up.

“How did you bag it, Pam?” He asked without adding anything else to avoid a stretch of the truth.

“I picked everything up with a napkin and placed them in separate bags. I never touched anything with my bare hands.”

Joe rubbed his chin looking over the sheet of paper once again, “She did everything right, Ahmad. There is no way these results could be wrong if she didn’t touch anything.”

“I didn’t touch anything!” Pam retorted.

Ahmad breathed sharply looking over his shoulder at Tiff. “She does look just like your mom!” She added, rubbing his back gently.

“So what do we do?” Pam moved forward, grabbing Ahmad and Joe’s hand.

“We ask her to take a DNA test. This time we’ll have it compared with all of ours just to be sure.” Joe looked around the small circle of his family.

“It’s her Joey! I knew it!” She leaned into him, burying her face into his arm. The sick feeling had disappeared with the knots she’d felt earlier that morning but quickly returned when she realized Alani was standing in the doorway holding the baby.

Alani ignore the buzzing against her leg as she stood in the doorway unsure of what to do. She looked back and forth, Pam to Joe, Joe to Pam, and then Ahmad who held a frightened expression on his face. She and Quest had been upstairs with the baby when they heard the commotion and a mentioning of Alani’s name. Curiosity got the best of them as they descended the stairs to see what was going on. She continued to stare with anxiety growing at a rapid speed. She’d given up her search for her parents. Once again, accepted the fact they she may never find them and yet they were possibly standing less than ten feet away from her. Been right in front of her all this time. The buzzing stopped the started again prompting her to remove it from her pocket, quickly glancing at the screen, “Codi, I’ll call you back!” She couldn’t hide the emotion in her voice. Before she could put her phone away it rang again, “I’ll call you later, Lex!” She hung up it up once again. Neither of them had said a word. Still, they continued to stare at each other, drinking in their reality.

“Alani,” Tiff moved from her position at Ahmad’s side, “you ok?” She caressed her arm gently. Alani nodded absently, her eyes still stuck on Joe and Pam. She handed the baby to Tiff as her phone began to ring once again. Furiously digging her hand into her pocket, she retrieved the phone, changing her voice with a forced smile,

“Hey Ms. Ruth…ok…what kind of problem?” The look on Alani’s face showed mortification. She sucked in a huge gulp of air, releasing with a stream of hot tears she refused to hide. “Ok. Thanks.” She hung up the phone and headed toward the door. “Lani!” Quest grabbed her arm before she could leave, “What’s wrong? Where are you going?”

Alani looked up, bit her lip until she could speak, “Home. A picture of us from last night was released. The director at the agency saw it and now they don’t want to give me Mylie.” She burst into tears, pulling away from him. Before storming out the door she turned in the direction of her possible parents, “On my way home, I’ll stop at that medical center next to the police station so they can swab me.”

Quest followed close behind her as she cut across the snow covered grass to get to her car. She ignored his pleas, yanked away from him each time he grabbed her arm. “Let me fix this!” He pleaded, catching her as she jammed the key into the door. She blocked him from wiping the tears from her face, afraid that that too would be publicized and made to humiliate her. “I’ll call you.” She said with a flat tone, jumping in the car, pulling off with him still standing there.

On his way back into the house, his phone alerted him of a text. He removed the phone in hopes that it was Alani saying something, anything, whatever she needed to say as long as she was communicating with him. He frowned reading the words in small black letters:

March 4, 11:02 a.m.

Since you couldn’t get rid of the distraction,

I took it upon myself to do so.

Traci

After having the inside of her cheeks swabbed, Alani made a quick detour off the path to her house. Her blood was boiling hotter than lava, her head was spinning with anger and confusion, her heart unsure about what to feel. She’d met Pam and Joe months ago. Seen what great parents they were and much they loved their daughter unconditionally, even in death. A death that may not have occurred after all. Pulling up in front of the old shabby row house she’d grown up in, she stormed up the stairs, banging on the door with her fist as hard as she could. Donna opened the door with extreme force, her eyes burning red, “You must have lost your fuckin’ mind bangin’ on my goddamn door like you the fuckin’ police! What the hell you want?” She wasted no time spitting venom at Alani.

“What I want is answers and you’re going to give them to me!” She pushed the door open, storming inside.

“Bitch, who the fuck do you think you are comin’ up in my house tellin’ me what I’m gonna do? I’m not one of them motherfuckers you got kissin’ ya ass up there in la la land! You speak to me with respect!” Donna demanded.

“Respect? You mean the respect you never gave me? I bowed down to you for too long because I was scared I’d ruin my chances of you ever loving me but that wasn’t going to happen anyway, was it?”

“Ha!” Donna smirked throwing her hand up on her hip, “Your little ass came into our lives and destroyed it! There was now way I was ever going to love one of the reasons why my husband stopped loving me!”

Alani fought back the tears that was sure to follow such hurtful words, turning it all into anger.

“Go ahead,” Donna taunted, “cry! The truth hurts bitch! You killed my husband and destroyed my life! You’re a sad piece of shit that no one wants! They only reason those people are falling all over you is because of your face which will soon fade and show them just how ugly you are! You mind as well get used to screwing you way to the top because that’s all you’re good for! Being someone’s hole to poke!”

Alani clenched her teeth with anger, her fists ball up so tight that her nails were digging into the palms of her hands. Everything in her wanted to rush toward Donna and wail until her heart was content but instead she took a deep breath with one step forward, calming herself before she spoke, “If it helps you sleep at night, Donna, label me whatever you want! At the end of the day, I’m still me! I have become more than you ever expected! Am doing more than you ever expected and while your fat ass sits here being bitter and lonely, I’m seeing the world and proving you wrong by the minute! So say what you want! Feel what you want! One day soon, I’ll be waving down at you from the top of the world! I'm already half way there!” She said proudly with a smile. “Fuck you and your answers! I’ve got all I need!”

Donna laughed as Alani turned her back to her, “You ain’t shit Alani. Never have been and never will be! You just think you’re somebody now that these people claim they love you but really they don’t! No one loves you!”
"Like my parents?" Alani spoke softly over her shoulder, "They do love me, Donna. They never stopped." She in a cold tone before slamming the door behind her. Donna backed away laughing hysterically, amused at the way Alani had just spoken to her. She looked up at Paige who’d watch the scene unfold from the stairs then disappeared into the kitchen. She was shaken. Couldn't let Paige see her break, show a single sign of fear.

Once she was out of earshot, Paige patted her pocket, the keeper of a small old crumpled picture she’d found in the safe. A picture of three smiling faces that were no longer smiling. Rubbing her pocket she sighed, “I do.”

23. Surprises

2010-11-30T10:19:00.000-05:00

warning: adult situations, sexual content

Alexio was going on and on about today's shoot as he combed the curls out of a small section of Alani’s hair. She barely heard him catching every other word, “the best, male, you’ll love it…” Her mind was stuck on Mylie and the tons of paper work she’d filled out to begin the process. It would take a while. Months to get everything submitted. Months she needed to prepare for this new step. She was excited; couldn’t believe she was about to be the one thing she always wished she had. A mother.

. “Lexie…” She hesitated, staring at the floor, “I’m adopting Mylie.” She shut her eyes as tight as she could, sighed with relief when her ears were met with silence and not screams.

He removed the comb from her hair, leaned down until they were eye level with his mouth agape “Are you crazy?” His voice was calmer than she expect. “What do you mean you’re adopting her?”

“I mean,” Alani paused, “I filled out all the forms and now I’m just waiting to see if they approve me.”

“Are you crazy?!” He repeated, spinning the chair around to face her.

“I love her Lex!” She answered quickly ignoring his question.

“I know you do, Lani! I love her too but…” He stopped, trying to find the right words, “Do you really think this lifestyle is best for her?” He questioned with honest concern.

“What else is there for her? She has been in that place her whole life! No one comes to see her and the older she gets, the slimmer her chances are!”

“But Lani, you live in a one bedroo-”

“I can always get my house extended!”

“Well what’s going to happen when you have to travel or do late shoots? She has to go to school and be able to be a kid and have a stable home!”

“I’ll take her with me! Hire a tutor to travel with us. That way she is still learning and getting to see the world at the same time! She’ll be a kid, Lex! She’ll have the best childhood! I put my life on that! If I can’t give her anything else, it will be a great childhood!” Alani’s voice took on a serious tone but her lips curled into a smile. She was serious. Already convinced that this was the right step for her and Mylie.

“Or you could leave her with Aunt Codi.” A voice called from the doorway, a huge smile plastered on her face. Alani rushed toward her, hugging her excitedly, “Thank you Codi!” She squeezed her tighter.

Alexio sighed his arms crossed tightly across his chest, “And Aunt Lex will be there to help too.” Alani grinned, peaked over her shoulder nodding for Alexio to join them. She pulled him into a hug the tight embrace she still had Codi in, breaking his serious expression. “I love ya’ll for this!” She laughed, pulling away with tears in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare cry!” Alexio belted, “I just spent an hour on that make-up!” He caught her tears before they could touch her cheeks. They all inhaled deeply, smile back and forth at each other, “C’mon,” Alexio rubbed her arm, “let’s get this shoot done so we can go out and celebrate!”

Alexio and Codi led the way as Alani trailed behind tugging on the straps of the black and pink panties that felt as if they were painted on her skin. She was surprisingly calm. Cold but calm. It was storming outside. Heavy blankets of snow falling by the minute and she was in this place half naked preparing to shoot for a magazine ad that was supposed to be sexy. She shivered, wrapped her arms around herself as she entered the room.

“Hey Lani…”

The sound of a familiar voice caused her to freeze. Stopping mid-step as she stood with her mouth open, hands falling slowly to her sides. He smiled widely, examining her from head to toe, loving the form that stood before him in pieces of black satin. Alexio and Codi stood quietly, watching the awkward exchange. “Angel Face…” Alexio snapped her out of her daze, “are you ok?”

“Yeah,” She sighed, her eyes still glued to Quest. “I’m…just…peachy.”

Quest smiled, moving closer to her to being the shoot. He turned her so that her back was toward him, pressing his chest against her back. She moved nervously, bringing her hand up over her chest to hide the beating she was sure he could see. Quest brought his hand up to her arm, moving her hair away as he blew gently on her ear. They heard the first click, and then bright flash filled the room.

“Listen Lani,” The photographer stood up straight, “Your face is coming across as nervous. Take a deep breath and relax! I used to do shoots with Quest a long time ago and I can assure you that you have nothing to be nervous about!” She smiled, taking her position behind the camera once again. Quest’s chuckle vibrated against her back, “Yes, relax Lani! I’m not going to bite you just yet!” He growled, moving into position for the next frame. With a new set of goose bumps crawling up her arm she sighed taking the deep breath she needed. Like a light switched, she turned on her confidence, determined to show him that she wasn’t at all as timid as before. After the second shot was taken, she turned in his arms, placing her hands under his arm and around her back with her head turned sideways into his neck. She was encouraged by the photographer’s cheerful comments. It fueled her, pushed her to take it a step forward. With the next frame she remained in the same position, this time kissing down his neck while looking into the camera. She felt him shiver, the instant reaction pressing against her thigh. She smirked at the thought of turning the tables on him.

“Ok guys; let’s get some poses on the bed. Lani you sit with your back against the pillow and Quest, sit between her legs.”

They followed her direction, adding their own little flare to it after a few frames. He titled his head back, kissing her chin as she snaked her hand down his chest. It’d become a competition, who could make who crumble the most. The flashing of the camera being their cue to go. As the photographer took the camera from the tripod, she moved forward, catching each position of different angles, encouraging each move they made. She reacted the most when Quest turned to his stomach and climbed to his knees, kissing a trail down Alani’s chest. “That’s perfect!” She beamed, snapping three and four pictures from that one position. Feeling as if it were a challenge, Alani leaned up pushing Quest to the side as she threw one leg over him and the other between his legs.

“Yes Lani! That’s it! I think we got the shot we need! Great job guys!” The photographer backed away, slowly breaking down her equipment. Alani and Quest remained still, staring at each other intensely, neither wanting to be the first to move. “How soon can you leave?” Quest finally spoke, his voice husky, serious.

“As soon as Lexi says I can…” She replied softly, looking over her shoulder at her friends. “You remember where Tiff and Ahmad live? I brought the house next door. Meet me there as soon as you can get out of here.” Quest leaned toward her, teasingly kissing the corner of her mouth seductively, “We have a lot of time to make up for.” He released her chin, waving at Alexio as he stood a few feet away from them looking on in amazement.

“Well,” Codi fiddled with the buttons on her jacket, “I didn’t know she had that in her…”

Alexio snorted rubbing his chin, “Honey, never be surprised when Quest is involved! Be jealous!” They broke into light laughter as Alani sat on the bed, caressing the spot that’d just been kissed. She looked up at Alexio and Codi, her eyes cloudy, fogged over in a daze. “Go!” Alexio waved playfully, “We will celebrate another time!” Without hesitation, Alani threw on her clothes and made for the door.

Quest greeted her with a smile as he stepped aside to allow her in. He was in awe over how much she changed. He closed the door behind her, sizing her up as she explored the first floor of his house quickly turning her gaze back to him. He bit his lip as his body began to react once again. “Big change in such a short time!” He beamed, stopping a few inches in front of her. “I could say the same about you!” She leaned forward, running her hand across his head.

“Yeah,” He chuckled rubbing his own head shyly, letting his hand slid down the back of his neck, “I lost you and lost my mind...let everything go. Including my hair.”

Alani bit back a smile, pulling her lips inward, squeezing them between her teeth. She’d thought about him just about everyday and what she’d do when she finally stood before him and now that she was here, she was lost, didn’t know if she should rush forward and crush her lips against his or ask him about the last four months of his life. As if he could read her mind, he grabbed her hand as it hung loosely by her and pulled her into a tight hug that said just how much they missed each other and telling the other to never leave again. Quest turned his face toward her cheek, laying gentle kisses that went from sweet and innocent to hungry and urgent as he made contact with her lips. Alani complied with the demands his tongue was making, demanding her own as she pulled at the bottom of his shirt, intensifying the kiss. “You sure?” He mumbled against her lips, slowly pulling away. Alani nodded catching his lips as his shirt came over his head. At that point, Quest took over, snatching her clothes from her and backing her toward the couch. “Not in front of the-” He shushed her with his lips against hers as he pulled her on top of him, gripping her hips.

“Quest…” She whispered, still in protest. He answered with a groan, pulling her down on him. Alani released a loud moan against his lips, her hands on the back of his neck. That quickly, she’d forgotten what she was protesting for and mind went blank. Every bit of worry that was in her body, holding tight like a stretched rubber band had popped, disappeared with every movement, every moan they shared. Quest eventually carried her to the floor where Alani felt more comfortable and allowed her mind to be free the rest of the way. This was what they’d been waiting for, wanting for much too long, to be alone without restrictions. No annoying girlfriend knocking down the door. No flirtation friend trying to inch his way into her bed. Just them…only them. Little did they know, that move to the floor came a little too late.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Pam woke up in a strange mood. Her stomach was in knots, turning uncontrollably as a sick feeling had come out of nowhere. She couldn’t shake this feeling that something was going to happen. Was bound to happen. It’d taken all of her strength to pull herself out of bed but she managed, moving along with her day normally to keep Joe from becoming concerned. As Joe sat in his favorite chair in the living room, she forced herself to fix them both something to eat. Something fast, simple, and to settle her stomach.

“I need help!” She mumbled under her breath, thinking about the triggered memories of the past that were still causing an ache in the center of her heart. It’d been over twenty years and the fact that she hadn’t even made one step towards letting go of Mya was damaging her and put a dent in their marriage that they’d worked hard to correct. “Why can’t I let got?” She looked to the ceiling to brush back tears. She remembered everything about that day so vividly. How she’d gotten up early to fix Mya and Ahmad breakfast, then played with them to get her mind off of her sick mother. To this very day she was still kicking herself for leaving them to get the phone. Memories of the funeral were still heavy on her. She had to bury her mother, and have a memorial service for two babies too close together. The pain was still unbearable. Just as hard as it had always been. The slamming of the mail box caught her attention. She wiped furiously to remove her tears before walking past Joseph and out the door. Recovering a envelop that she’d been waiting for she rushed into the house, ripping it open, dropping it carelessly on the floor. Reading the sheet of paper clenched between her fingers, her hands began to shake. Pam slid down on the couch, visibly shaken, drawing Joe’s eyes to her. “What is it, Pammy?” He dropped the newspaper.

She gasped, shaking even harder than before, “We have to go, Joe! We have to go right now!”

22. Never been so sure

2010-11-24T09:44:00.000-05:00

Warning: language

“Alani!” Ruth moved quickly to the door, pulling her into a warm hug. “How are you, Sweety? Any good news?” She asked with hopeful eyes. Alani sighed, shaking her head slowly. “Oh.” Ruth's smile faded as she continued to rub Alani’s arm. A big part of her knew Jackie wouldn’t give up any information since she’d failed to do so in order to keep her own job. Not wanting to be another person to slam a door in Alani’s face, she gave her what she could and hoped for the best.

“Well, you picked a great day to come back!” Ruth grabbed Alani’s hand, leading her to a small colorful room filled with toys. She pointed to the corner, a little girl sitting alone, playing with a dollhouse.

“That’s Mylie. While all the other children are meeting with potential parents, she sits in here and plays alone. Every Saturday.” Alani sighed, remembering her own lonely childhood and how she had to entertain herself, imagining her only doll was a real person. Her best friend, her family. “No one comes for her at all?” Alani questioned with sadness. Ruth shook her head, returning her gaze to the little girl. “Why don’t you go and keep her company!” Ruth encouraged with a gentle hand on Alani’s back. Alani hesitated then took small steps into the room, trying to block out her how issues as she approach the little girl from behind. “Hi!” The little girl glanced over her shoulder quickly stopping Alani in her tracks. “H-Hi…” Alani replied, stopping a few short feet away for her. “Wanna play?” She looked over her shoulder once again, allowing Alani the chance to get a good look at her face. Her fiery red hair against tanned skin caused her eyes to appear to be a bright blue, a color she’d never seen before. Without waiting for an answer she slid over to make room Alani to sit next to her.

“My name is Mylie,” She handed Alani one of the dolls, “and this is Lulu.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mylie and it’s nice to meet you too, Lulu! My name is Alani.”

Mylie giggled. “You have pretty hair!” She touched the end of Alani’s ponytail. “Not as pretty as yours!” Alani retorted. “Uh huh! Kimmy said red hair is ugly and she said that’s why I won’t get parents! She always makes fun of me!” She lowered her eyes to the floor. Alani lifted her chin with her finger, forcing Mylie to look at her, “There is nothing ugly about your hair! You know what you do the next time she teases you about your hair?”

Mylie shook her head no. “You put your hands on your hips like this,” Alani stood, placing both hands on her hips, “and you say, ‘Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me!’” Mylie’s infections laughter filled the room as she attempted to repeat what she just saw. “I put my hands up like this, and say, ‘Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me, little girl!’, like that?”

Alani keeled over in laughter at the additional words Mylie added. “Yes, just like that!” She gave her a quick hi-five. As the other children began to file into the room, Mylie’s happy expression faded. “I gotta go now. It was nice to meet you.” She lowered her head, turning to walk away.

“Mylie?” She waited for her to turn around before she continued, “See you Monday!”

Mylie smiled, waving at Alani before skipping away happily.

It’d become a part of her routine to go see Mylie. She’d go and see her after all her shoots and after a while, she was given permission to take her with her to the shoots. Mylie’s infections laughter and beautiful personality had attracted the attention of everyone on the set, especially Alexio and Codi, who’d also, formed a strong bond with her.

“Happy Birthday to Mylie and Alani! Happy Birthday to you!!” They sang as Mylie moved in to blow out the candles on her small yellow and white birthday cake. “Make a wish, Mylie!” The kids urged, ready for a slice of cake. “You too, Alani!” Mylie beamed. They both closed their eyes, before Mylie took a deep breath and blew out the candles. This was one of the only birthday parties Alani had been to and one of the only times she remembered caring about the day.

“Okay, who wants cake?” Alexio caused the kids to jump and shout with their hands up in the air.

Alani backed away, observing the way her friend were interacting with Mylie and the happy expression on Mylie’s face. She was happy. It made her happy to see Mylie happy. She felt a gentle touch caress her arm, “You know what I’m thinking, don’t you?” Alani smiled at Ruth as she too smiled at Mylie. “I do.” She answered with a quick nod. “You’re young! You have places to go, people to see, and much more life to live! You sure that’s what you want?”

Alani nodded, “Ms. Ruth, I've never been so sure!”

The sound of applause ripped through the studio, bringing a smile to Quest’s face. At the end of his first week filming, he’d felt accomplished, comfortable, and ecstatic over the ratings. As a part of his short term contract, he’d made sure he would be paid for each recipe downloaded from the stations official site. After one day, the numbers had reached close to 1,000 with several requested recipes that he would present on air. “Well done!” Mr. Bundy shook his hand, a smile as wide as his, “I’ve had another contract drawn up,”

He took the clipboard from his assistant to go over it with him, “this one states that you will film as many episodes as you want, for as long as you want, and will still own all rights to recipes submitted to the site. Of course you know that we will get a small percentage, listed,” He ran the pen across the paper, “here. Aside from that, everything is yours.” Quest’s grin widened as he quickly signed his name on the bottom. “Oh, we’ll need a weekly schedule for your shoots so we can film around them.”

“Will do!” Quest assured, shaking his hand once again. As Mr. Bundy walked away, Quest threw his fist into the air, excited, happy again for the first time in years.

“So now you have two contracts?” A bitter voice ripped through his happiness like a knife.

He turned slowly, replacing his smile with an irritated frown. “And?”

“You barely do what you’re supposed to for me; these people won’t tolerate your slacking!” She huffed, crossing her arms with anger.
“There’s a difference, they’re not trying to screw me, in more ways than one!” He retorted. “Speaking of, where the hell is my check from the last shoot?”

“Probably still in the islands! If you had stayed your ass there you would have had it by now!” She smiled internally at her ability to think of a quick cover.

“That’s bullshit, Traci and you know it! You always handed me my checks so you had a reason to touch me!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! It’s business!” She shot back.

“Business my ass, Traci! Tell you what. Until you come up with my check, I’m done! This next shoot will be my last under you!” He watched her eyes widened before he stormed off.

Traci nibbled on the inside of her lip. There was no way she could get that money back now. It was already spent. Invested in an apartment close his new home by the beach where she could watch him, make sure he wasn't enjoying the company of a certain female who she was sure had been the reason for his return to this awful city. Losing his was not an option. He was her big name. Her only model, meal ticket. She scratched her head, thinking of a way to keep him where she wanted. She needed to fix this, quick fast and in a hurray.

** Six more chapters left. Maybe seven.

.21 Square One

2010-10-03T20:00:00.005-04:00

Warning: langage, some crappy pictures.
------

As the wind whipped sending huge flakes of snow into her hair, Alani jammed the key into the door harshly, wincing as she gripped the ice cold knob. “I really need to start wearing gloves!” She mumbled through chattering teeth.

Inside the house, she instantly kicked her off shoes and yanked her jacket off in one swift motion. The number she’d gotten from Ms. Ruth had been burning a hole in her pocket since she left the agency. The whole ride home, she questioned what she’d say and how to say it. Dialing the number, she prepped herself, breathing like a woman in labor. If this woman was friends with Donna, she certainly wouldn’t be pleasant.

The phone rang twice, Alani considered hanging up, moving her thumb toward the ‘End’ button. “It’s now or never!” She slid her thumb away, pacing the floor. On the third ring, Alani heard a deep cough, on that she’d quickly identified as a ‘smoker’s cough’ answer, “Hello?” The woman’s voice was agitated. “Hello?” She asked again, becoming angry with the silence on the other end of the phone.

“Hello, Is this Ms.Velkham? Jacqueline Velkham?” She was sure her nerves were obvious to this woman.
“And you are?” Her voice carried the same tone.
“My name is Alani Edwards. I was told you handle my adoption and I-”
“Adoption? I don’t work there no more, haven’t for years so I can’t help you!”
“Yes, I know!” Alani spoke quickly, fearing the woman would hang up on her. “It was in 1990. Please, you’re the only one that can help me!”
After a minute of silence, the woman cleared her throat, “What did you say ya name was again?”
“Alani Edwards.”
“Edwards?”

“Oh my lord!” She gasped, “When? How? How did Donna die?”

“No no no… she isn’t dead!” Alani answered quickly.
“Then how in the hell did you get my damn number?!” The woman snapped, coughing at the end of her question.
“I-”

“Ma! Brittany is using my tooth brush to brush her doll’s hair!”
“Brittany!! How many times did I tell ya ass not to use your brother’s tooth brush on that nappy headed doll’s hair? Put his shit back and come pick up these motherfuckin’ toys!” Alani grew quiet as she listened to familiar words that sparked a series of memories. As a little girl she had one toy. A doll that used to be Paige’s. She was missing a leg, had a loose arm, and her hair was streaked in pink from what she assumed was the ink from a marker.

“Now, answer my question. How did you get my number? That old bat Ruth gave it to ya didn’t she?
“No, Ma’am, I’ve always known about my adoption and how you helped my family.”
“Yeah I helped alright…and that wasn’t enough for you?”
“Ma’am-”

“Listen to me little girl! Helping you and your family, I lost my job! Now I work for $7.20 a fuckin’ hour spraying shoes for bratty ass teenagers and old men! I’ve done enough and I don’t appreciate ya ungrateful ass callin’ me either!” She hung up the phone before Alani could speak. She pressed the phone against her chest, staring blankly out of the window.

Jackie sat down in the battered chair, lowering the phone to her lap. This was the second time this week that she’d received a call about this particular case and she was beginning to worry. After her termination, she’d severed all ties with Donna and planned to keep it that way. Sparking a new cigarette, she sat back pondering ways to get out of this situation before it boiled over and burned the bottoms of her feet. She exhaled lungs full of smoke, tapping the end to rid it of ashes. Each breath relieved her of the stress that was turning her hair gray, stress that’d caused lines and wrinkles in her face, stress that she’d felt weighing heavy on her shoulders each day that she’d kept Donna’s secret.

------
** Sorry about the crappy pictures of Alani, I was still using the "c" key to take pictures when I took those and the other pictures were taken with Gadwin over the weekend. I wanted to at least get to this point before I put time in Colorblind I am going to try my best to keep all three updated! Thanks for reading!

.20 Helping Hand

2010-09-21T23:14:00.003-04:00

His three hard knocks went unanswered. This was a mistake. Felt like a mistake. He’d been gone all this time and here he was, popping up out of nowhere without so much as a phone call to announce himself. He turned his back to the door, ready to leave and forget that he’d even attempted this.

He stopped mid-step as he heard the clicking of the door locks turning behind him.
“Quest?”

Her tired expression quickly vanished as she pulled him into a hug. “Quest!” She squeezed tighter, rubbing his back gently. She pulled away to take a look at him before punching him in the chest, then pulling him into another hug. He laughed through his nose as she began to squeeze him again. “I missed you too, Kee! Now can I come in? It’s kind of snowing out here!”

She released him, moving to the side, “Don’t trace snow in my house!”
“Fine, I’ll take me shoes off.”
“And smell up my house?”
Quest turned to face her with a smirk. Ignoring what she said, he continued into the house.

“Damn, Kee, still… with the pink and purple?” He complained about her choice of home décor.
“You still dress like a depressed teenager so you can’t complain!” She threw her hands on her hips, “Umm, don’t get comfortable!” She caught him before he could sit on her sofa. “The kitchen is that way. You can make us some breakfast while we talk!” She dropped one hand from her hip to point.

“Me? I’m a guest!” He laughed crossing his arms.
“No, you’re my brother. Now, I’d like bacon, eggs, and toast.” She tried to hide a smile.
“You are not serious, Keetan!” He tilted his head, waiting for her to smile. As if on cue, she cracked a smile.
“Seriously, Quest, can you make us some breakfast?”
“You know how to cook!”
“Yeah but I want you to do it.”
Quest laughed with his arms still folded. This was typical Keetan. The baby of the two. Spoiled by everyone that ever met her and able to get what she wanted just by batting her eyes. He walked toward the kitchen, shaking his head her, “Brat.” He mumbled.
“Loser.” She replied.
“Punk.”
“Jerk!”

Quest yanked the refrigerator door open to reveal shelves over stacked with carryout containers. “Do you ever cook?” He fussed, pushing aside the cartons.
“Nope!”
Quest shook his head once again, placing the items he needed on the counter.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m here?” Quest looked over his shoulder quickly.
“Don’t have to. I know why you’re here.”
“Then why am I here?” He smirked with is back turned.
“For Alani.”

Quest nearly dropped the frying pan onto the stove.
“How-”
“Do I know? We’re practically twins, Quest. Those 11 months between us mean nothing. I can still sense what you’re feeling just like I know you can still do the same with me. Oh and Tiff told me everything! You know she is going to kick your ass for leaving like that, right?”
He chuckled while plating the food, “I’ve decided I’m going to accept my ass kicking like a man. Here,” he handed her a plate, “you can brew your own coffee!”
Keetan huffed, “That wasn’t part of the deal!”
“What deal, Keetan! You just pressured me into cooking-”
“I did no such thing!” She threw on an innocent expression.
“Whatever, Kee!” They broke into laughter.
“God I missed you!” She spoke through her smile.

She looked up from the machine with a softened expression. “I understand why you left and I don’t fault you for it but being without you is like being without functioning hands.”

“Yeah,” He smiled, “like the ones you have now.”
“They work… trust me!”
“Spare me…PLEASE!” He threw his hands up.
“Your fault. You walked into that one! So…” She sat down across from him, “It’s been what… four months? Why are you just coming back for her now?”

“We both needed room to grow. I was trying to give it as much time as possible but I can’t take it anymore. Have you met her?”
“The last for months I’ve been in East Asia doing shoots so no, not yet. Back to you… so what’s your plan to get her back?”
“I don’t know yet.”

Keetan squinted behind her cup, “Are you serious? You just packed up your life and came back here with no plan? Speaking of, where are you staying? Tiff said you sold your house.”
“A hotel for now.”
Keetan’s eyebrow went up, “Look, you can stay here until you find a house, apartment or whatever… as long as you keep cooking! But we really need to start working on your plan.”

“Working on it? You make it seem like brain surgery!” He sat back, slouched in the chair.
“She is a part of the fashion world and right now, she is the hottest thing since sliced bread! Not only do you have a lot of time to make up for, but you probably have competition that we need to eliminate as well. Like I said, WE need to get to work.”

Placing his elbow on the table, he rested his cheek against his hand, silently kicking himself. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. What if she did have someone else? What if the feelings she once had were gone? What if he was too late? The images in his head from last night’s dream came crashing back like a recent event. If she had moved on, he wouldn’t just give up and walk away. He couldn’t. His mind, his body, his heart, and now Keetan, would not allow that to happen.

.19 Looking up and turning back

2010-09-16T13:13:00.007-04:00

warning: HUGE chapter, 19 pics

May 1, 1990
As fate would have it, I had to miss out on my baby girl’s first doctor’s appointment because of a mandatory office meeting. Donna said she carried on the entire time, crying and screaming at the top of her lungs from the very second they entered the exam room until they were back in the car. I imagine the fact that Donna isn’t at all gentle with her played a big part in how she behaved today. I was also told that we shouldn’t be concerned about her size since children develop at their own rate. I’m not so sure about that! Maybe Alani is just an advanced child but you’d think a child that came from an abusive, drug infested home would be delayed in most areas. Maybe something isn’t right with that story. Maybe Alani is a miracle.

To make up for not being there, I took my girls to the park. I love the way Paige is with her! So gentle and nurturing like a big sister should be. I had every intention of making the day up to Donna but instead, I’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight. She has begun to complain about the amount of time I spend with the kids and not her. On my days off, she thinks I should be up under her, rubbing her feet, and catering to her instead of doing the things I do with Alani. I invite her to join us on our walks but she declines. I try to encourage her to join in when we’re playing together, Alani, Paige, and I, but she declines. She doesn’t smile anymore. The only time she seems to be in a decent mood is when we’re alone and that’s when I’m the most uncomfortable. Though I’m making this work for my kids, there is a limit to the intimacy between us. In my mind, this marriage ended long ago. In my heart, I want my girls to have the complete family they deserve but I don’t know how much longer I can do this.

Tamon
_____________________________________________________

Alani exhaled deeply walking into the small adoption agency located not to far from the house she grew up in. Immediately her eyes were glued to the pictures on the wall. One in particular held her gaze. A colorful picture of a Christmas tree with a couple, smiling. She smiled sweetly as she inspected the rest of the pictures before returning to the first drawing. “Beautiful aren’t they?” An older woman called from the front desk before walking around the wall to greet her. “I asked them to draw a picture of what they dream of. See,” She pointed to the picture beside the Christmas tree, “Allen wants his very own alien!” They shared a light giggle.
“And this one,” Alani leaned in to see the name at the bottom, “Mylie…”

“She dreams of the perfect family. She had such a sweet personality! No matter what, she has faith that she will be adopted and live happily ever after! Neither I nor anyone else here has the heart to tell her that the older she gets, the slimmer the chance.”
“No one wants an older child…” Alani’s voice took on a sad tone.
“Correct. Sad isn’t it? If I could, I’d adopt them all.”
“How old is she?”
“She is 7. She will be 8 on the 27th of this month.”

Alani smiled from ear to ear, “My birthday…” She mumbled. “I’m sorry!” She shook her head, snapping back into reality, “Is Jacqueline Velkham here today?”
“Jacqueline? She hasn’t worked here in... over 20 years.” She scratched her head.
“Really?” Alani revealed a frown. “You can’t tell me why… can you?”
“Well,” She looked both ways before she continued, “you didn’t hear this from old Ruth but, Jacqueline was fired for tampering with files. A man came in trying to get some information on a baby he and his wife adopted and Jacqueline claimed she couldn’t find the file. Now, I’ve been here for 35 years and I have never misplaced a file! I spoke to him to calm him down and assured him that I’d locate it. I searched high and low for that file and when I finally found it, there was important documents missing. That was such a scene that it resulted in the checking of the security cameras and what do you know?! That Jacqueline was seen stuffing documents from a file into her purse!”
Alani’s eyebrow went up at the first mentioning of a man raising hell. She knew her next questions probably wouldn’t result in the answer she was looking for but gave it a shot anyway. “I was adopted from this agency and I believe Jacqueline handled my case. Is it possible for you to let me look through my file or give me a number for Jacqueline so I can ask her questions about my adoption?” She ended with a sweet smile hoping it would help the woman make her decision.
“Sign you name in the book on the counter and I’ll see if I can pull the file for you. What’s your name, Sweetheart?”
“Alani Edwards.” Alani felt excitement grow inside of her as she rushed over to the desk.

The older lady scanned the shelves for the file before pulling one from the bottom and flipping through it. With a slight frown, she turned around, “According to this note, it was your file that Jacqueline stole documents from. I sorry, Baby, there is nothing in here but your new birth certificate, signed by your adopted parents and medical documents from the agency doctor.”

Overcome with disappointment, she brought her elbow up as she rested her chin against her fist. “What am I going to do now?” She said above a whisper.

The older lady flipped through the cards on her desk, scribbling something on a piece of paper. “You didn’t get this from old Ruth!” She gave Alani a warm smile as she slide the piece of paper into her hand. She unfolded the small piece of paper before rushing in to give the older woman a hug. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome, Sweetness! Just bring old Ruth one of those male models next time you come in here!” She winked.
Alani covered her mouth as she laughed. “I will, Ms. Ruth! I will!”

Alani took one last look at the Christmas picture before she turned to leave. Something about it drew her in. Maybe the fact that even though she had been adopted, she too wanted that perfect family to be surrounded by during the holidays. “Ms. Ruth? Is it ok if I come back… and meet the kids?”

Ruth smiled and nodded, “Of course! You’re welcome to come back any time!”

Turning to leave the building, her phone gave her a quick jolt. She pulled it from her pocket and answered without caring who it was, “Alani, its Carla. Are you able to meet me at Silver Moon in about 20 minutes? We need to talk.”

_____________________________________

“Hello, Darling!” Carla stood, greeting Alani with air kisses. “Hungry? I figured we’d eat while we chitchat. I ordered for you, hope you don’t mind.”
Alani replied with only a smile. Worry filled her as she thought about her conversation with Alexio. His words “If that was the case, Carla would have called you and asked you to meet with her.” She sat down, nervously awaiting the dreaded conversation.

“Well, how is everything?” Carla put her hands together on top of the table.
“Good!” Alani answered quickly. “How about you?”
“Things are great on my end. Had your first media scandal I see.”
A crooked smile graced her lips as she internally braced herself. “Yes…I guess.”
“Alani-”
“Please don’t terminate my contract over this! I am working on finding my parents now so I can put an end to this bull!” She blurted.

Carla laughed, “That’s good to hear but that’s not what I was going to say!”
“It’s not?” She suddenly felt embarrassed.
“No!” She laughed again. “I was about to apologize for not schooling you on the media before this point! I should have warned you to watch what you do and what you say. Oh and how you leave the house. If they can catch you in a bath towel, they will have a story on it! Everything you do now is going to be public. Ever move you make, every change to your appearance, and of course every man you’re spotted with! I make it a point with my models to ignore anything they didn’t personally speak on so I advise you to do the same. If there is an article about you giving birth to a polar bear, ignore it!” Carla broke off as she began to take small bites from her plate.

Finally clam enough to eat, Alani pick up her fork and brought it to her lips.
“There is one thing I do ask of you, as I do with everyone,” Carla waved her hand casually, “if you have had or are considering a relationship with another person that is known to the media, please let me know. I like to be informed by my models before the tabloids.”

Alani nearly choked on her food. When she resurfaced, she told them every detail of her life but failed to mention Quest’s name, fearing his status with his family would hurt her chances. Swallowing hard she turned on an innocent voice, “When you say known to the media, you mean...”
“Rock stars, actors, other models... My son,” She took an uneasy breath before she continued, “used to date other models all the time and because he wasn’t a big fan of my rule, he was always on the cover of some supermarket tabloid!”
Alani picked up on the look in Carla’s eyes as she spoke of Quest. He was still clearly her pride and joy and she could see that Carla missed him just as much as he missed her.
“Speaking of Quest,” Alani saw Carla’s face change as she began to speak. “He is the…knight in shining armor I told you about. He saved me from my attacker and showed me kindness I’d never known before. He told me he didn't want to be a part of this world anymore so I didn't want to drag his back into it.”

“You’re telling me all that time, you were with him?”

“Yes.” Alani pulled her lips in with nothing more to add. She waited for Carla to get angry, curse her out, or storm away from the table. Instead, she closed her eyes as she brushed away a tear that’d slipped out of her eye unwillingly. She quickly pulled a small compact mirror from her purse to check her make-up, “He’s doing ok?”
“Better than ok. He misses you, all of you but other than that he was doing fine the last time I saw him.” She fought the urge to smirk when the thought of Zia crossed her mind.
“He told you he missed us?”
“He didn’t have to! I could see it in his eyes when he spoke of your family. Feel it in his tone as he spoke. The connection that Quest and I have…had…was so strong that a lot of things with us were unspoken but very clear to us and that is one thing I’m sure of!”

“Is that why there is such sadness behind your smile? You were in love with my son…but not anymore?” Carla sniffed, still trying to regain her composure.

Alani took a deep breath as she sat back in the chair and rubbed her neck. She hadn’t acknowledged her feelings for Quest or the situation since she’d had that conversation with Pam and hoped to never revisit them since she couldn’t act on those feelings. If she had to admit what she was feeling, this was the time she’d have to do it and she made sure her words were loud and clear. With a smile she answered, “I still am in love with Quest.”
________________________________________

He woke up in a cold sweat, his pillow nearly drenched. Thoughts of her had taken over his mind completely as he could no longer sleep soundly throughout the night. Each dream contained her. Some more than others. Tonight’s dream had been the first of its kind. This time he could hear her voice calling to him, see every detail of her face down to the curve of her lips. Why had he awakened? Why hadn’t he kept his eyes closed for just five more minutes? To feel her touch. To hear her seductively whisper his name. He couldn’t fight it anymore. Didn’t want to. Flipping on the lights, he rushed from corner to corner then underneath his bed. Snatching his phone from the bedside table, he made a call that would not be received well.

“You’re either going to have to terminate the contract or find yourself a house in Crofton and open up shop because I’m going home!”

18. Desicions

2010-09-02T11:52:00.005-04:00

warning: language

“Ma?” Paige called out to a pair of feet that stood out from behind a few dusty crates of Southern Comfort. “What are you doing?” Paige only heard mumbling in response to her question, “Where is it! She took it! Sneaky bitch! It better be here!”

“Ma?” She called out again, her eyebrows raised out of confusion. “The tape…” Donna screamed as she pushed aside heavy boxes with her hands and kicked furiously as the pile of dirty laundry that her foot was caught in, “it better be down here!” Donna sat back on her knees before struggling to get to her feet. “The safe!” She rushed toward the side of the washing machine, flinging the dirty articles of clothing across the room. Uncovering the small tope, dust covered safe, she turned the dial harshly with no luck. “That bitch’s birthday! Two-Two-Seven!” She continued to mumble. “Fuck! That’s not it! Slick bastard! Changed the combination on me!” She threw her elbow into the washing machine. "Ma?" Paige began to sweat as she thought about the journal. She’d discovered it while looking for a picture of Tamon to keep in her locker at work. With everything she’d read in the journal, she assumed her mother knew nothing about it since the book hadn’t been destroyed but now that she was furiously search from something, in the same musty area that she’d found the journal, she wasn’t so sure.

“Wait! I bet it’s…. Eight-Three-Twenty Seven…” The safe door shot open with a wave of dust. “Ha!” Donna snatched the tape out of the safe. “Tricky but not tricky enough! He changed it to your birthday August 3rd and the 27 from her birthday!” Donna sat back on her knees and smiled up at Paige. Climbing to her feet once again, she dusted off her pants with a huge grin from ear to ear. “All that shit about her parents looking for her, bitch won’t get no help from me or Tamon if I can help it!” She laughed, slapping Paige on the arm as she passed her.
“What’s on the tape, Ma?” Paige silently released a small sigh of relief.
“Some shit your father left. Looks like we’re having a BBQ tonight!” She held up the tape and laughed.

Paige’s mind raced with questions. What could be on the tape? Should I switch the tape and see what's on it? Should I even bother telling Alani about the tape? Using the collar of her shirt to remove the sweat from her neck, Paige caught her mother before she made it back up the stairs, “Ma,” She paused, “if you never wanted Alani, why not give her what she needs to find her real family?” Donna’s reaction and response surprised them both. Instead of taking off her shoe and throwing it at Paige’s head, she stopped on the stairs with her smile still in place, “She was brought here to fix things and instead, she joined you and stole his heart from me! He didn’t leave this for just her, silly child! It was for you too!” She looked over her shoulder at Paige as her smile flipped into a frown. “Get them fucking clothes off the floor while you down here!” She continued up the stairs, slamming the door behind her.
_________________________________________

Quest flopped down into the chair, clicking quickly to begin the web call he was already 5 minutes late for.

“Mr. Bundy, I apologize for being late, my shoot ran a little later than I expected.” Quest sat up straight as he addressed the owner the Let’s Eat! Channel he was writing recipes for.
“No need to apologize! I understand that you’re a busy man. Let’s get started, shall we?”
Quest nodded, making himself comfortable in the leather desk chair.
“Since we asked you to start writing recipes for our chiefs, there has been a dramatic increase in our ratings. We’ve also experienced an increase in downloads of the recipes which is why you’ve been receiving more money. After some carefully thinking, we’ve decided to offer you a time slot on the network. This way, you don’t have to write the recipes or teach them how to make it, you’ll be doing it live and getting paid much more than you’re making now.” He concluded as he watched Quest’s face light up.

“Let me get this straight, you want me to stop ghost writing for my own show? You know I’m a self taught chief? No professional training at all!”
“Not exactly. Instead of just writing them and sending them recorded tutorials on how to prepare the dishes, we are going to pay you to teach them as well as pay you for doing your own show. We are well aware of that but with your history, and name, we believe everything will work out perfectly! What woman wouldn’t sit in front of the TV for an hour to watch a famous male model bake an apple pie?” They both laughed.
Quest could not believe his ears! When he moved to the island and began writing, he intended for it to be a side job that would keep his mind off of a woman he couldn’t have. Now it was taking him further than he could have ever dreamed. “This all sounds great but what’s the catch, Mr. Bundy?” Quest prepared himself for a serious left down.
“The only condition is,” He paused, taking note of Quest’s expression to detect a change, “you’ll have to move back to Crofton.”

“That’s it?!!” Quest grew excited though his face didn't show it.
“That’s it!”

Quest was overcome with joy as he thought about the plus side to this. Not only would he be back home close to his friends, but he’d be able to work towards rebuilding a relationship with his family. The only downside was that he’d be close to her with restrictions. He wanted so badly to reclaim what he had with her and more, but Traci clearly had and issue with Carla and Quest knew she wasn’t above stupid stunts that would fall back on either Alani or himself. Although being close to her, being with her was all he really wanted, he wasn’t keen on the idea of barging back into her life and disrupting it in the process.

“I appreciate the offer,” He sat back in the chair with his hands resting behind his head, “but can I have some time to think about it?” He asked respectfully.
“Of course!” Mr. Bundy replied. “I’ll give you a call back, a week from today.”
“Thank you!” Quest smiled again, “Don’t change your mind on me!”
Mr. Bundy laughed, “That would be a huge mistake if I did! Good-Bye Mr. Morell.” He closed out the conference call window after Quest gave a quick wave.

No matter how hard he tried, Quest couldn’t erase the smile from his face. Chances like this never knocked on anyone’s door but had just come to him through a video chat. Within the next seven days, he’d have to decide if he was going to stay and continue with this new life he created and was content with or go back and have to be strong enough to stay away from her.

17. The Source

2010-08-31T11:28:00.009-04:00

____________________________________________

“Whose ya momma?” Alani looked up at Alexio confusedly. “Keep reading.” Alexio took a sip from his coffee nodding in the direction of the open magazine in her hands.

“It appears that the fashion world and horny teenage boys aren’t the only ones dying for a bite of this cupcake! A source in connection with Carla Morell’s newest model, Lani E., tells the Superstar Report that as many as 3 couples have come forward, claiming to be her birth parents. Calls, letters, and even appearances at the agency have begun since January’s issue of Vague revealed details about the model’s abusive childhood. The source tells us that Carla is beginning to get fed up with this mess and may be releasing Lani from her contract!” Alani raised her voice with the last word. “Released? Lex, why hasn’t she said anything to me about this?!” She slammed the magazine down on the table, causing her plate and the silverware to bang against the table.

“Because it’s not true. If that was the case, Carla would have called you and asked you to meet with her.” He said calmly, taking a small bite from his slice of pie.
“How do they even know about any of this? You don’t think Codi…”

“They don’t know, Angel Face! They’re like fishing cavemen. They run into the water and grab whatever they can. As long as they get fed, nothing else matters! Welcome to the tabloids, Sweetheart!” He raised his cup in a toasting motion before taking another sip.” At least it was something simple like this and not a huge scandal like you're sleeping with Carla to keep your contract!”

“The source has to be someone in the agency. This person has to be there all the time to know about phone calls and letters. Mindy maybe?”
“Girl, Ms. Mindy is mousy! She isn’t talking to anyone! I’ll tell you who it was,” Alexio held his finger up to signal he needed a second, inhaling his last bite, “Felicia.”
“Felicia?” Alani’s eyes mirrored her confusion. “I’ve never even met her! What would she have to gain?”
“Think about it, Lani! She was the star before we saw you walking down the street. You stole her shine without even trying! The question isn’t what she has to gain because she has everything to gain. It’s what she has to lose.” He eyed her untouched strawberry tart, “I’ll just take care of this for you!” Alani slapped his hand as he dragged her plate across the table,“So what do I do about this? I don’t want to be a part of this bull.”

Despite her attempt to guard the strawberry tart, Alexio picked up his fork and stole bite after bite between words, “Find you parents.”

Alani looked up from her plate. If she considered what Tamon said in the journal, Alexio would be the third person to say that to her and the fact that everyone was on her back about this was beginning to annoy her. Why did it matter to them if she’d found these mystery people. At the end, she’d be the one that would have to deal with the heartache if they turned out to be just like Donna. After a minute of silence, she watched Alexio devour her dessert, “How? I’ll be damned if I’m going to ask Donna anything!” She lowered her head and stretched her arms across the table, pushing the half eaten tart in front of Alexio as she gave up on guarding it. "These people don't like me Lex. Never have and never will. I couldn't get them to treat me like I was family, how am I going to get them to tell me about my adoption? Where do I begin with something like that?"

Lifting the last bite of the tart from the plate, Alexio fed it to Alani, laughing at the look on her face as she chewed it slowly. “You begin with the one person who’ll give you answers.”
______________________________________________________

“Make it quick! I only have 30 minutes and I planned on eating during my break!” Paige plopped down in the booth.

Alani pulled her lips in with a deep breath to suppress the anger she felt from sitting across from Paige. “Why did you give me the journal?” Her eyes focused on her sister’s every move.
“I figured you needed to see it.”
“Why do you care what I see? You never have before!”
Paige laughed, scratching the back of her neck as she spoke, “You obviously didn’t get very far, did you?”
Alani paused, looking over Paige with red eyes. The fact that she’d just laughed when there was nothing to laugh at pissed her off even more. “What do you know about my adoption?” She asked through clenched teeth.
“Down girl!” Paige smiled to irritate Alani further. “All I know is, ma, oh wait… you don’t call her that do you?” She laughed once again at Alani’s frown. “Donna brought you home on a Saturday. She said her friend Jackie arranged everything. That’s it.”

“And what’s Jackie’s last name?” She felt what was left of her nails dig into the palms of her tightly clenched hands.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with that nice little section about you in the Superstar Report now would it?”

“What’s her last name, Paige!” Alani stood up and shouted.
Paige quickly removed the smile from her face at the sight of Alani’s anger. She’d always been a timid pushover that you could throw stones at and expect nothing in return. The Alani before her was different, not to be played with. “Velkham. Jacqueline Velkham. A Perfect Place Adoption Agency.” Paige looked on in amazement. “I think I like this new you. A hot headed bitch!” She pushed her way out of the booth. “It looks good on you!” She nodded, slapping Alani’s arm playfully. "Next time, bring me a signed copy of your gossip ads and lunch will be on me!"
_________________________________________________________

** Man I'm tired! So I had to leave you with and update on Quest. One that words can not really explain. That is something I am not proud of but hey... it's and update!

.16 Interruption

2010-08-25T18:07:00.005-04:00

April 26, 1990

I had the chance to spend the entire day with Alani. I made us both a huge bowl of oatmeal, which I now know she doesn't like by the way she turned the bowl over and then placed it on her head. It nearly broke my heart to hear her cry as I tried to wash it out. I felt so bad that once it was over I had to give her a huge hug and tell her I was sorry.

I've learned that she loves to play peek-a-boo. Her laughter is infectious and brings a smile to my face each time she does it. The connection between us is almost like one of a biological father and child. I've quickly discovered her likes and dislike, as well as her sleeping schedule. She is such and amazing and advanced child that I have no question in my mind that she'll be anything but a great woman! One thing that does concern me though is her size. The story Donna told me about the life she lived doesn't match her size at all. She looks to be in good health! In fact, she appears to be in great health and is bigger than the average one year old. She called me Dada today and when I sat her on the floor so I could read to her, she stood up and walked behind me. As she napped, I made her first doctor's appointment. I also called Jackie for further information and as I expected, it wasn't much. Morgan Marie Reyes, born Feb 27, 1989, parents unlisted. She made a big deal about how that shouldn't matter and I suppose that it doesn't since she is ours now but I would like to be able to tell her about her real family when she comes to me about it in the future. I guess all I can do is tell her what I know and assist her when she is ready to find them. Donna doesn't want her to know she is adopted at all but I don't think that's the best idea. To really love someone means you want the best for them. The best could be something that will hurt them for a second, or something that could hurt you for a lifetime, but the best is always done out of love. If and when she comes to me about it, I'll support her 100% and guide her every step of the way.

Time to end this for the night. I promised Paige we'd have a Duck Hunt battle before she goes to bed.

Tamon

As the phone began to ring furiously on the nightstand, Alani laid the open book down on the edge of the bed. Snatching it from the base and almost knocking it in the floor, she jumped to her feet, throwing on a cool and claim voice, "Hello?".

Her voice echoed in the phone. "Hello??" She became impatient as she looked over her shoulder at the journal that'd kept her up half the night. "Going once..." She glanced at the caller ID just as the number vanished. "Going twice..." She nibbled on her lower lip. "Good Night!" Alani dropped the handset down on the base, jumping onto the bed like a little kid. Reaching for the journal and readjusting the pillows, the phone began to ring again. Rolling her eyes, she tossed her feet over the side of the bed and answered again, "Hello?" She noticed the same number as before. "Ahem!" She heard someone clear their throat before the line went dead. Alani immediately hung up and redialed the number only to be greeted by a busy signal. Frustrated and annoyed, she ended the call and hesitantly returned to her reading.

Three lines into the next journal entry, the phone rang once again. "For real?!" Alani shouted slamming the book closed. "What the fuck!" She screamed, panting like a mad woman, ready to pounce through the phone.

"Having a moment, Angel Face?" Alexio laughed on the other end of the line. Alani palmed her face, feeling embarrassed for the outburst, "I'm so sorry Lex! I just picked up without looking at the ID."
"So that's how you greet other people?" He continued to laugh.

"Only when they call my house at 11:48! What are you doing up anyway?" She looked down at her nails, choosing one to nibble on.
"You weren't answering either phone earlier. I wanted to see if we're still on for tomorrow and stop biting your nails!" He ended with his voice raised.
"I'm not!" She quickly dropped her hand away from her mouth.
"Yeah, whatever you say. So I'll see you around 9?"
"Umm, 9ish..." She glanced over at the journal, anxious to get back to it.
"Alright. Go to sleep." He blew a kiss through the phone.
"You too!" She mimicked the air kiss, ending the call.
Turning the ringer off on the handset, Alani placed it back on the based and lost herself within the pages of the journal.
________________________________________________________

"Ahem!"
Quest glanced quickly over his shoulder. He harshly pressed a button, not realizing he'd cut the phone back on. Now facing her, his eyes presented displeasure as he watched her enjoy the sight before her. "Please, please tell me you weren't about to make that mistake!" Her eyes finally made it's way back up to his face. "Were you?"

"What's it to you? Your job isn't to be my life coach." He snatched his beer off the wall, pushing pass her to place the phone back in place. He brought the bottle to his lips, turning it up to the ceiling. Calling Alani was a mistake. She'd been haunting his dreams since the day she entered his life and now the dreams were worse. Hearing her soft and innocent voice would only dampen the situation further and cause him to want her more. "What do you want, Traci?" He said flatly once again glancing over his shoulder.

"I originally came to talk to you about this side job of yours," She ran her finger along the back of the sofa he was sitting on, "but now, we have to talk about this girl."
"We've been through this how many times? My answer is still the same. No, I'm not going to stop ghost writing recipes for the cooking shows back in Crofton and what about Alani do we need to talk about?" She could feel the heat of his words from behind him. Especially when saying the girl's name."Quest," She used her hands to express her concern, "As your agent, It's my job to do what's best for you. At one time, you were the most desired model in the industry! I'm trying to help you get back to that point but writing and that...Alani," She said the name through clenched teeth, "will just distract-"
"Let's be real here, Traci! You want me to focus exclusively on modeling for your own benefit. Right now, my mother's agency and name is being glorified and you can't stand it!" Quest then stood up and walked around the sofa, furious and overly irritated. "I agreed to work under you but you need to remember that it's under my terms! I agreed to help you get back into things but I will not help you battle my mother!"

Traci shuttered at the thought of how close he was to her. Though 20 years her junior, she found herself hypnotised by his every movement. Quickly brushing her hair back with her hand to regain her composure, she blinked away images of him outside of those jeans. "I just want the best for you, Quest." She spoke soft and seductively, raising her hand to stroke his face.

Quest pushed her hand away before she could make contact. "Then stop walking in my house like you live here and looking at me like a piece of candy!" He released her hand with force and walked around her.

"Alright..." She laughed, throwing her hands up in defeat and backing up toward the front door, "but a sweet tooth such as mine is very hard to deny."

.15 Unexpected Gift

2010-08-20T12:44:00.003-04:00

warning: language

As the darkness of night fell upon the sky with huge storm clouds that continued to dump snow on the city, Alani finally reached the warm confines of her home. Pulling into the driveway, she noticed someone was walking away from her front door. The huge snowflakes blew harshly in the wind blurring her vision. Quickly turning off the car, she jumped out, slamming the door behind her, "May I help you?" She walked over to get a closer look.

"Paige? What are you doing here?" She couldn't hide the disgust in her voice. "How did you get my address?"
"I have my ways!" She snapped, moving closer to Alani on the snowy walkway. "Your story was... nice. I especially loved how you painted that picture of me being the evil bitch sister!"
"Well if the shoe fits..." Alani shifted her weight and threw her hand up on her hip.

"Just because it never happened in front of you doesn't mean she didn't treat me the same way! You must have forgotten that I was there, alone, long before you entered the picture!"

"Oh cry me a fucking river Paige! Is that really supposed to make me rethink my opinion of you? You must have forgotten how you stood by and just watched her treat me like shit and how you joined in when she belittled me! As often as she was away, you could have helped me! Interacted with me! We could have been friends!"
"What did you expect me to do? Save you and bring pain on myself?"
"Of course not Paige! I'd never expect you to think of anyone other than yourself! After all, you are her child!"
Paige snatched her purse open and pulled a dingy old white book. "Here!" She shoved the book into Alani's chest with force. "Now, you can never say I didn't try to help you!" Paige turned on her heels and disappeared into the darkness.

After a quick shower to warm her bones, she retrieved the book and began to flip through the pages. From the cover it appeared to be a child's book but as she continued to look over the pages, she came upon neatly handwritten words, dates, and a name she'd never expect.

Working a comfortable groove into her bed, Alani adjusted her pillows so that they were resting against her back. Turning to the first page, she took a deep breath and began to read,

April 23, 1990,
Today, I'd awaken with my mind made up. I'd made peace with the fact that this marriage has run it's course and there is nothing left to be saved. Paige is the only reason why I've kept this going for so long. I love her like my own and feared that saying good-bye to Donna would mean I'd have to say good-bye to Paige as well. I'd had it set in my mind that I'd spend today with my lawyer and searching for a place big enough for Paige and I since I'd had no intention of excluding her from my life. Then Donna walks through the door with a baby that she adopted without my consent! A beautiful little girl with eyes that caught me the second she looked my way. I tried, fought to keep my composure but she had me! Drew me in and had me wrapped around her finger just as Paige had. Here I am now, head over heels in love again and painting the walls of my old study, pink. I am the happiest I've ever been but not because of one... but two. My girls. My reasons for giving this thing with Donna another go round despite my better judgement. My daughters, Paige and Alani.

Tamon

**I've decided not to end this story just yet and add a little something extra into it: Letters from Tamon.
That is all. :)

.14 News

2010-08-18T16:00:00.007-04:00

A wave of contentment washed over Alani as she shuttered from a small winter draft that swept across her bare arm. The past four months had brought about more than just a new season. In those four months she'd went from being a poor girl that went wherever her feet took her to a confident women with a nice house and a car that she called her little blue lover for the way the leather interior hugged her behind and kept her warm like the arms of a lover, determined to keep her safe. "Oh! Listen to this one..." She heard Codi excitedly speak about the fan-mail she loved to read. A flooded inbox of letters expressing their love, asking for advice, and pictures they wanted her to hand over to Carla in hopes of getting signed. "That was nice, huh?" Codi looked over her shoulder at Alani, "...and you're not even listening to me!" Codi sighed, returning her eyes to the screen. "I'm sorry!" Alani giggled, "What were you saying?"

"Nothing." Codi smiled and shook her head as she continuously clicked the mouse. The roar of the wind blowing huge snowflakes against the window ended the silence that suddenly fell upon the room. "No crazy letters tonight?" Alani raised her eyebrows as she watched Codi open another e-mail. "Not ye..." She broke off as she began to read to herself.

"Oh my God! Lex!" Codi shouted over her shoulder. "Lex!!"

"Read this!!" She pointed to the screen as she heard his footsteps behind her. He smoothly placed his hand on the wall and digested the words that left him wide eyed and somewhat excited.
"What is it?" Alani asked anxiously. She jumped off of the lounge chair.

Dear Lani E.,
My name is Trisha Vance. When I was 15 years old, my first love and I found out I we were going to be parents. As soon as my parents discovered the pregnancy, I was sent to a special school for unwed mothers and forced to give my baby away. A baby girl, 6 lbs 2 oz, born Feb 27, 1989 with jet black hair and eyes just like yours. Please don't think I'm crazy but I think you're our baby girl! My first love whose now my husband, and I would love to meet with you. Please contact us at 555-0817.

Trisha & Kendal Vance
Alani started at the screen unblinkingly, suddenly replaying the scene that unfolded the night she met Ahmad's parents.

"You ok, AngelFace?" Alexio watched her lips curl into a frown. "Yeah... It's just..since I started doing the shoots, and interviews, I've had marriage proposals, and letters asking for 'just one night"... I don't think this isn't any different."
"How do you know this isn't real?" Codi looked up from the screen. All the years that I've known you, you've always said you wanted a real family! Why pass this up?"

"You just answered your own question, Codi. I'm passing it up because I don't know if it's real. Besides," She turned her head toward the sound of branches scraping the window with a worried expression, "you and Lexie are my real family."

___________________________________________

"Alani?"
"Hi," Alani smiled nervously, "I'm sorry I just popped up like this but I uh...I just umm... wanted to come and apologize to you." Her eyes trailed down to the small traces of snow she tracked onto the porch.
Pam stepped forward to look at the driveway, "You drove all the way over here in this storm, to apologize?"
Alani rubbed at the tiny drops of sweat that were forming on the back of her neck, "Yes..."
Pam stepped back, allowing the door to open all the way, "Girl you must have lost your mind! Come on in here!" She nodded. "How about a cup of hot tea?"

She tugged at the sleeves of Alani's leather jacket then placing it on the back of the sofa.
"So," Pam removed two cups from the cabinet above the sink then filling them with steaming hot water, "how have you been?"
"Great! Everything took off sort of fast and I'm still trying to adjust but, I'm great."

"That's good to hear!" Pam placed both cups of tea on the table. "Careful now!" Her voice was warm and soothing.

"How have you been?" Alani followed.

"I'm wonderful, Sugar! Just became a grandmother so you know I'm having a ball with that!"

"Congratulations Nanna! What did they have?"

"A girl! They named her Mya Jade after..." Pam paused as her smile dissolved into a slight frown, "after Ahmad's sister. Strawberry cheesecake?" She quickly changed the subject.

Alani's face lit up with the words. "Of course! Anything strawberry, I want!" She ended with a smile.

"You sound like Joe! I caught him in here licking the bowl about 30 minutes before you got here!"

The two talked for what seemed like hours, inhaling piece after piece of cheesecake and numerous cups of tea. The laughs they shared continued until Alani finally asked the one question that'd been dancing around her brain since she'd sat down, "How's Quest?"

"Well," Pam brought her hands together on top of the table and twiddled her thumbs, "a week after you left, he brought a house in the Aetond Islands and he hasn't been heard from since."

"Oh." Alani swallowed hard. She'd spent the last four months questioning if she'd made the right choice. If she should have stayed and enjoyed the happiness for as long as it lasted. For once she'd felt that she'd made the right moved toward a better future but those last five words made her question if letting him go was a mistake.

"Don't you get yourself all worked up over that!" She gently grabbed Alani's chin as she watched sadness cover her face. "I know him just as well as I know my son so I'm sure hes okay!"

Alani laughed back the tears that threatened to run down her cheeks and pool in Pam's hand, "I just... thought..." Her tears forced their way out, "I don't know what I thought!" She ended with laughter.

Pam pulled her napkin from underneath her plate to catch her tears. Her heart ached at the sight of Alani's sorrow. As Pam continued to wipe Alani's face clean, she noticed she was tapping her foot lightly against the floor. "I'm sorry!" Alani spoke when she noticed Pam looking under the table. "I do that when I'm trying to control my emotions."

"I do that too." Pam whispered as she looked on with curiosity. "What do you know about your birth family?" Pam cut them both a new slice of cheesecake.

"Nothing." She sniffled. "Donna never told me anything but they didn't want me. I don't know any of the details about my adoption. Honestly, I'm not sure I really want to know."

"You're not curious to know who they are?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I've learned to be thankful for the people I already have. Finding my birth family would be... a dream come true," She laughed, "but I don't want to get my hopes up for something that may not happen or find them and realize they are no better than the so called family I was adopted into."

"But if they were a good family-"

"Then I'd welcome them with open arms!" Alani cut in with a smile. "And lots of tears!" They laughed in unison.

"Well, I'm going to get going before my stylist and fan-mail reader start to worry and that snow gets any deeper!" She stood up, picking up the dishes.

"Put those down!" Pam ordered. "You're a guest! Your second time in this house is when I'll put you to work!" She smiled sweetly. "If you ever need some advice or you just feel like chatting with an old goose, come see me!" She walked around the table and took Alani into her arms.

Smoothing her hair down as she rubbed her back, Pam's mind race with memories of Mya. She imagined what Mya's voice would sound like, and if they would've shared moments like she and Alani just had. Releasing Alani from the embrace, she watched her exit the house and stride down the snow covered driveway. As Alani delivered one final wave good-bye, Pam's eyes filled with tears, "Good-bye Mya."

**I cut some things out so I was able to deliver this sooner than I thought! Everyone seems to be on some kind of hiatus so I guess it's up to me to try and keep the updates rolling in to meet your reading needs. :)

.13 Shining Star

2010-08-15T11:31:00.000-04:00

** Heres more for you. :D
I had this set to post tomorrow but what's the point in waiting to tease more?

.12.5 Rising

2010-08-13T16:30:00.004-04:00

** I hope you like :)
The next two parts of this story will require some time so I wanted to give you a little taste of what's to come.

.12 Go to grow

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Her clothes were soaked from the heavy rain that poured through the palm leaves. As she slowed her running into a jogging and then walking, she kicked up water that left her socks drenched and the insoles of her shoes oozing with water between her toes. It didn't matter. None of it did.

"Lani!" She heard a faint voice call to her. "Lani!" It grew louder as the splashing of car tires cut
through the water that littered the street. She kept walking. She knew who it was. The ability to sit through being yelled at and called names had died with the life that she'd left behind when Donna threw her out of the house. "Lani wait!" Quest jumped out of the car, ducking his head as if he was trying to avoid getting wet.

"Leave me alone!" She stepped around him into a muddy puddle. "Damn!" She swore to herself, tapping her foot clean against curb. "Lani, let me talk to you!" He grabbed her by the arm to regain her attention. She tugged her arm away harshly, "What else is there to talk about?"
"You. I want to know if it's true and if what you told me about your life was the truth." The wind began to pick up speed, causing him to yell. "Is that why you didn't want to talk about it? You didn't want me to know who you really were?"

Alani's lip quivered with a flash back of her childhood. She wiped away a single tear as she drifted off to the dark memory of going to Tamon's grave with Donna, watching her cry and fall to the ground screaming to the heavens. She yanked Alani by the hand as if she wanted to dislocate it and dragged her over to the tombstone, "This...this is all your fault! You'll never be more than a walking curse. No matter how pretty your face is, underneath, you'll only bring pain to those who cross your path!" Alani snapped out of her daze with a rush of tears.

"No Quest," She whispered, "It wasn't the truth! I down played the whole thing! Compared to what it really was, I made it seem like a pretty picture that just had a scratch here and there. Tiny imperfections! For as long as I can remember, I've been told that I wasn't worth the air that I breath. Made to suffer for the pain that I will forever cause those who allow me to be a part of their life! You know why I didn't want to tell you who I really was?" She cried harder as she screamed over the heavy downpour, "Because...I am ashamed! Ashamed that I grew up in a damp smelly basement unloved and unwanted. Ashamed that just a few weeks ago, I was sleeping on dirt stained public benches and eating food that even animals wouldn't touch just to survive! I just happened to be walking down the street when the opportunity to make some extra money came about. I had no idea what they were going to do with those pictures! Once it was over, I got my money and left! A few hours later, I was attacked in an alley and woke up to you!" She stopped to caught her breath, "Do you understand now? Nothing about my past, about who I was before today is worth reliving!"

Quest pulled his lips in, deeply saddened, angry, and speechless. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she stood there trying to brush back the tears that even the heavy rain couldn't mask. Hearing everything she'd been through and seeing how she still managed to keep such a sunny disposition made him fall even deeper. He took a step closer to her, "Lani I'm sorry! I promise, if you come back with me, I will spend the rest of my life making up for all the years you were unhappy!" He held her close to his chest, rubbing her wet back and shoulders, "I will see to it that you never want for anything and never have a reason to stop smiling. It'll be just me and you."

"No," She slide out of his arms, taking small steps away from him, "I can't let you do that."
"Yes you can!" He followed her steps.
"No, Quest, I can't!" She placed her hand on his chest to keep the distance. "We're happy now but will we still be happy 5...10...15 years from now?" When he didn't answer, a worried smile curled her lips. "You left your first love to find true love and happiness... but you're miserable. You miss your family and your old life, Quest. You just think your search has ended with me."
Telling her that she was wrong about what his life was lacking would have been a lie and they both knew it. "I do miss it Lani, but as long as I have you, I'll be ok."

Alani shook her head and smiled at how hard he was fighting to keep her. She moved forward to leave a tender kiss on his chin then lowered her head to rest against his chest. "Go, give your heart what it really wants, Q. These substitutes will only keep you happy temporarily." She stood on her toes to kiss his lips before turning her back to him. His pleas went unanswered as she kept walking and never looked back.
____________________________________________________________

.11 Blown Up

2010-08-11T12:00:00.001-04:00

warning: some language

"Hey Zee. Thanks for coming so late." Quest greeted her with a warm hug. She held on longer than he expected, turning her face into his neck, allowing her lips to graze his skin. "Mmm," She moaned, "you know time isn't an issue, Baby." She finally let him out of the embrace after he gently pushed her away. Taking a few steps back Quest sat down on the middle step, preparing for what he was sure would be hell on earth.

"Zia," He took in a deep breath with a quick glance back at the house than her. "I didn't want to tell you this over the phone but, I don't want to be in this relation-"
"Don't! Don't you dare break up with me for that bitch!" Zia flew into a rage, stomping her foot on the hard concrete and throwing her hands on her hips.
"First, don't disrespect her like that! She has a name! Second, you and I both know this thing between us was on the rocks long before she came into the picture, Zee!"
"You want to be with her?"
Quest deeply exhaled as he thought about his answer. He wanted this to be a clean break with no unanswered questions since the chances of remaining friends was not going to happen. "Yes. I want to be with Alani."

Zia flew up the stairs and through the door before Quest realized what she was doing. "Where is she?!" She screamed as she stomped through the house.
"This is why we won't work, Zia! I can't deal with your nasty ass attitude! Why can't you just except it for what it is and just let it go?" He jumped in front of her.
"Because it's not fair! You basically hated me for trying to push you back into modeling because you claim you don't want anything to do with that world but you're leaving me for a model!"
Quest dropped his arms to his side. He was almost positive that this was some kind of trick to keep him but a sick feeling filled his stomach each time he replayed the words in his mind. "What are you talking about? Alani isn't a model!"

"She is! She is one of your mother's models!" She pulled the rolled up magazines from her bulging back pocket. "Here, this one you can clearly see her face and this one," She pointed to the second magazine, "has a article about how LeVaughn Cosmetics has had a major boost in sales because of her." Quest quickly flipped through the pages and couldn't believe his eyes. Even after the conversation they had about his past and his family, she failed to mention that she too was a model. Not just any model but a model under his mother. A feeling of betrayal smothered his heart as it slow broke within his chest.
"Lani!" He called to her as he rounded the corner to the kitchen.

His face caught her. Froze her in place as Zia shot her dirty looks and an evil grin. "Wh...What's wrong?" She felt uneasy with both pair of eyes glued on her.
"You've been found out! He knows the truth now!" Zia spat with as much anger as she could.
"The truth about what?" Alani shrugged as she shook her head. "You know what we're talking about, Bitch!"
"Zia!" Quest threw his hands up to signal that he had had enough. "Let me handle this!" He gave her a stern look, returning his gaze to Alani. "Why didn't you tell me that you're a model?"
"I'm not a model!"
Quest threw the magazines down on the table open to both pages. "According to this you are!" His voice was flat and kind of harsh.

Alani shook her head in disbelief. "Quest," Tears filled her eyes as she realized how things looked, "I had no clue about this! They never told me they were going to put that picture in a magazine!"
"She you didn't! Just like you had no clue that he is Carla's son, right?"
Feeling that this was only going to get worse, hot tears stream down her face, Alani ran pass them and out the door.

"Lani!" He followed close behind with Zia hot on his trail. "Let her go, Quest! She lied to you! She was only here because of Carla!" Quest ignored her as he pushed through the door, "Lani wait!" He stopped with Zia pulling harshly on the back of his shirt. "Let her go, Baby! Let her go!"

10. Closer

2010-08-10T19:14:00.004-04:00

Looking down every street and ally way as he drove around the impoverished neighborhood, there was no sign of her. He’d dropped Ellie off at the office to explain things to Carla and continued his search alone. “Where could she be?” He thought to himself as he made a left turn onto Petry St. Parking his car in front of the Coffee Shop that she’d not been to in almost two weeks, he exhaled deeply and thought back to the day they met her. Something about her eyes carried sadness. They told a story. One worth reading and then telling everyone you know about it. Whatever it was that caused her pain, placed the dark light behind her eyes, he felt he could relate. He’d grown up in a family that treated him less like a human and more like a pet. When he finally put his foot down and decided to leave, Ellie followed. She deemed the world unworthy of them both and set out to make the world in their image.

His stomach growled as he broke away from his thoughts. “I hope they still have the free danish special.” He mumbled, rubbing his stomach while pushing through the glass door.

“She hasn’t been here in 2 weeks?” He heard pretty the young girl standing at the counter. “…and you couldn’t reach her at home?”
“No, I’m sorry, Codi!” Chloe frowned before throwing a smile on “Welcome to 45 and Petry!”

Alexio’s eyes followed the girl as she stepped out of the line with worried knitted in her brows. “Wait, are you Alani’s sister?” He moved forward, with his arms crossed.
“… You could say that. You know where she is?” Codi hesitated to answer.
“No, I’m sorry but I’m looking for her too. Alexio Zindel.” He extended his hand.
“The Stylist?!” She put on a look of amazement as he nodded and she took his hand. “I thought you looked familiar! Oh my God! I love your work! I’ve been following your career since you were on the “Make Me Over” show! My name is Codi! Wait, how do you know Alani?”
Alexio couldn’t help but blush and laugh. All his years working to become the best he thought he could be, he’d never had anyone react that way. “Thank You, Codi!” Why don’t you and I get a table and a few of those free bagels and I’ll explain everything.”

_____________________________________________________

The front door swung open before she could reach the knob. A look of surprise laced her face as she was greeted with a fake yawn. "Hey..." he stretched, pretending he had been standing by the window for that last 30 minutes, waiting for her return.
"Did you really just fake yawn?" She smiled from ear to ear.
"No..." Quest tried to hold his serious expression until Alani burst into laughter. "You failed!" She walked by lightly slapping his bare arm.

On her way to the stairs, she waited for him to speak. To ask the question that had she knew he wanted to ask. "So... how was it?" He finally spoke, causing her to smile. "I knew you were going to ask me that! It was nice!" She nodded with a faint smile. "Oh." He replied in disappointment. "Plans for tomorrow?" He nervously rubbed the back of his head then down his neck. "Mavin wants to have breakfast on the beach..." She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. The disappointment in his eyes grew deeper as he sighed the same reply, "Oh."
"Well Good Night." She smiled before turning to head upstairs.

When Quest said nothing back, she whipped around to face him, "You question where I was going before I left, waited up for me til I got home, asked me about future plans with Mavin, and all you can say is Oh?"

Quest laughed, shocked at the sudden outburst. "What do you want me to say, Lani?"
"Umm," She tapped her finger against her lips, "How about whatever is on your mind because it's clear there is something bothering you!"

"Ok..." He closed the gap between them.

_______________________________________________

"I told you I didn't mind you staying here as long as you didn't smoke in the house!" Mavin's irritated tone ripped through the silent room like thunder.

"Quit whining!" Zia brought the wine glass to her lips. "You're home early. Have fun?" Her grin widened at the end of her question.
"Of course! She is an amazing girl!" He began to smile and stare at the floor.
"Yeah, an amazing liar!" She laughed into her glass as Mavin's confused expression covered his entire face.

"Here," She patted her hand on the seat next to her, "I want to show you something."

** I know.. Lazy shots. Bare with me though. The next chapter is the same way and is set to show up at Noon tomorrow.

09. Admired

2010-07-30T13:19:00.006-04:00

Day 12

She sat in a daze, her eyes planted on the huge bowl of green and red vegetables that harbored a scent that she easily identified as some kind of vinegar dressing. Moving her cranberry juice filled glass around the table between her fingers, her mind drifted. He knocked on the bedroom door with an apology and an offer to make up for the night before. The disappointed expression on his when she'd told him where she was going and with who, filled her with guilt. "Oh. Fancy." Quest replied dryly. He'd stood in the door and watched as Mavin opened the car door and closed it behind her. Their eyes connected, mimicking the same emotion. The same conflict.

"You alright, Lani?" Mavin broke the silence she used to think about where she'd rather be.

"Lani?" He repeated.
"Huh, yes?"
Mavin chuckled. "I was asking if you're ok. You seem like your mind is somewhere else."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mavin. I just have some things on my mind."
"Last night?"
"...Yes. Last night." She smile with the lie.

Mavin rubbed his foot against hers. "Well, how about we try to clear you mind." He grinned while picking up his glass.
"To a new friendship and the great things to come from it."

To come? Alani laughed behind her glass. All night, Marvin had hidden messages in everything he said. She didn't have enough experience to know when a man was courting her but she was pretty sure he was after something.

Mavin groaned as he pulled the glass away from his lips. "Taste this." He handed her his glass.
"No thanks!" She smiled, waving her hand.
"Com'on, just a sip! You have to see what you're missing!"

She took the glass reluctantly.

Mavin laughed as she forced the liquid down. "That was... different." She squeezed through tightly closed eyes and a disgusted expression.
"You'll get it-" Mavin was interrupted by a loud scream.

"Oh..My..God! It's you! You're so pretty! Me and My best friend went out and brought that whole line! Can I please take a picture of you? She is not going to believe this!" She pulled out her phone and snapped a shot before Alani could answer. "Sorry for interrupting your dinner!" She hurried off, shooting a quick smile at Mavin.

Mavin's face held a curious smile. "What was that about?" He asked, rubbing his neck.
Alani looked to him with confusion knitted in her eyebrows, "You saw that too? I thought it was the wine!"

** I planned for this to be longer but I have fallen in love with the short posts. Since I want this to end soon, there will be a mega chapter soon. I don't know if it will be the next, but there will be one.. or two.

08. About Mya

2010-07-18T11:26:00.008-04:00

Warning: lame photoshoped tears

“Mya baby, it’s Mommy! Remember me? I kept my hair short all these years so you’d remember me! Please say you do! Remember our night poem? “Now it's time to say Good Night.
I'll see you in the morning's light.
If I am gone, still hold me dear, cause my love for you is always here,
No matter if we’re worlds apart, Mya is forever in my heart!”
“Pam!”
“It’s her, Joe! Can’t you see!”

“That woman lost it because of me! Dropped to her knees and cried for whoever she thought I was. This …Mya.” Alani fought back tears as she thought about the scene.

The smell of salt water erased her mind for only a second. A gentle wind brushed against her face reminder her of the ugly bruise hidden under layers of foundation and the drama she’d just caused.

“What are you doing all the way over here?” Mavin walked up, causing her to jump and quickly banish the stray tear rolling down her cheek.
“Escaping the madness I caused.” She looked at him briefly, returning her attention to the crashing waves.
“You?” He laughed a deep laugh, “No, it’s always like this! Minus the ‘Mya’ part.”
“Can I ask you something?" She changed her position on the bolder, "Whose Mya?"

As he sat down he sighed, preparing for a long story. “Mya is… was Ahmad’s little sister. Twenty years ago, Pam and the kids were outside when she started to have contractions. Being only 4 months along, she panicked. She ran in the house to grab the cordless leaving Ahmad and Mya in the fenced in front yard for just a few minutes. Ahmad said he ran to the back yard to get something… his remote control car I think but anyway, when they came back Mya was gone. All of them took it hard! I mean, really hard! Pam lost the baby, Joe worked back to back shifts to avoid going home, and Ahmad refused to talk for about 3 months. They searched high and low for over two years until the police found her clothes with dried blood on them. Since it was exposed to the elements for so long, the DNA was almost too degraded. The sample they were able to use came back as a match. So Pam had to deal with losing two children... I guess shes still dealing with it.”

“That’s really sad! They never found her body?” Alani’s eyes held back tears.
“No. Just bloody clothes.”
“And I look like her... Mya?”
“She was a baby. Just two years old. I really don’t know why Pam reacted that way. I guess in her eyes you do.”

Almost instantly, Alani slide off of the rock “Can you do me a favor? Tell everyone I’m sorry and tell Quest I said thank you for everything!”
“And where are you going?” He stood up before she could walk away.
“I don’t know. Anywhere but here I guess. I’m pretty sure I put a dent in Quest and Zia’s relationship just by being here and I really don’t want to cause Ahmad and his family any more heartache than I have tonight!”

“Listen,” He moved closer to her, “before you came along, we were like one big dysfunctional family anyway! If you didn’t cause a little bit of trouble, you wouldn’t fit in and we’d think something was wrong with you!" He laughed. "Com'on! Tiff told me not to come back without you. She already has it set in her head that you're our newest family member!"

Alani gave a half smile, “She does?”
Mavin smiled and nodded. "I don’t know what you did," He inched closer and looked up at the sky before making eye contact with her, "but it seems as if they fell in love you and you can’t go anywhere without letting me find out why.”

**Small chapter, just to answer that one question.

07. Meetings

2010-07-15T20:25:00.006-04:00

warning: language, wordy, image heavy

“Are you sure this is it?” Ellie looked at Alexio with a worried expression.
“103 Unity Street.” He looked down at a printed sheet of paper before folding it and pushing it deep into his pocket.

After three hard knocks on the door, it swung open, “We don’t want none!” A woman shouted before slamming it shut. “Well,” Alexio smiled, “She was pleasant!”
Elise knocked on the door again.

“What cha can’t hear? I said-“
“Ma’am, we’re not selling anything! We are looking for Alani. Your daughter?”
“Whatever she did has nothin’ to do with me! I threw her ass out into the street weeks ago!”
“So you don’t know where we can find here?” Alexio stopped her from closing the door.
“I didn’t catch your names.” Donna relaxed, remembering what Paige reported the other night.
“Alexio & Elise Zindel of Mordel Models.”
“Models huh? And what? So you got a check or some shit for her?”
Alexio’s eyebrows raised as he caught on to Donna’s sudden interest.
“We want-“
“Ellie, didn’t you hear her? She said she threw her out weeks ago. There’s nothing else to discuss so let’s go.” He tugged at her arm.

“Oh no, I..umm…just uh… thought she was in trouble or somethin’. She still lives here! She’s- “
“Good day, Ma’ma!” Alexio shot her a stern look before descending the stairs.

Lexie?!” Elise rubbed her now aching head.
“She switched up real quick once you told her who we were, you didn’t catch that? She would’ve just told us whatever she thought we wanted to hear.”
“If she is on the streets, who knows where she could be! So what do we do now? Just give up?” Ellie huffed digging in her purse for her cigarettes.
“No... We keep looking.”
______________________________________________________
Day 11

“How does my hair look?”
“Good.”
“That lady at the department store said she could cover up the scar on my chin, did it work? Can you see it? See, look-”
“Would you chill, Lani!” Quest laughed.
“I’m nervous!”
“I can tell! Just relax and have fun!”
“Ok.” Alani smiled, following close behind him. “Wait!” She stopped. “I left my purse in the car!”

“Oh come on!” Quest took her by the hand and led her to the house.”

“Hey guys!” Ahmad and Tiffani greeted them before they could reach the door.
“Damn! Ya’ll were watching for us?” Quest joked.
“Of course we were! It’s nice to meet you Alani! Quest has told us so much about you!” Tiffani pushed Ahmad out of her way.
“He has?” Alani looked at Quest with a wide grin. “You were talking about me?”
“Yeah, I told them how you almost killed us trying to make chilly!”

Tiff pulled Alani into a hug as Ahmad and Quest exchanged looks. “I feel like I know you already!” She smiled sweetly. Ahmad moved in behind her, extending his hand, “It’s nice to meet you.” He matched Tiffani’s smile. “Ok ok!" She pushed Ahmad away for the second time. Let’s go have a chat while they go and do whatever it is men do!” She pulled Alani into the kitchen then out on the deck.

“So you all grew up together?”
“Something like that.” Tiffani quickly swallowed a hunk of grapefruit. “I actually met Quest first. He was my best friend and also my boyfriend for about a month.”
“Really?” Alani responded with obvious shock.
“Yeah! Let me tell you, he asked me to meet him at this ice cream shop we used to hang out at. When I got there, he was sitting at a table with Ahmad. He introduced us and said 'I’ve never met two people who were more perfect for each other! You both know how to get on my nerves.' He kissed me on my check and told us he’d see us later. And now here I am, fat as a beach whale and engaged!”
“I really didn’t know that!”
“That's because he doesn't like to be praised.”
“And things just took off with you and Ahmad?”

“Yup.” Tiffani nodded and smiled, “And still is! Each time he looks at me, I see love in his eyes that makes me love him even more. You know. Like the way Quest looks at you.”
“Wha-“

“Babe! I asked you to try not to eat anything else until everyone got here!” Ahmad burst through the door with a cigarette tightly clinched in his hand.
“I know!” She turned slightly in her chair, “It was calling my name!”
“Uh huh, I bet it was! Can you please fix some more before my parents get here!”
“You just want me to go in the house so you can smoke!”
“Yeah, that too but for real, before my parents get here?”

“Come on, Lani.” Tiff slowly eased out of the deck chair.

"Now where were we? Oh yeah, you and Quest." Tiffani looked over her shoulder as Alani climbed onto the bar stool.

"What did you mean by the way he looks at me?"
Tiffani threw her hands on her hips as she shot Alani a serious look, "For real? You haven't noticed? If he isn't in love with you already, he is getting there!"
"No..."
"Yes! I was looking at his face when I hugged you! I've never seen him that happy before!" Tiffani smiled, looking off into the distance. "The feeling isn't mutual?" She returned her eyes to Alani.

"Well," Alani began to play in her hair nervously, "I love a lot of things about him. He is the sweetest person I've even met and he know how to make me laugh! What I love most is that hes like an open book..."

"but with a few missing pages. And even thought those pages are missing..."

"I don't want to put the book down! Then I stop and realize that there is..."

"Zia! I feel like Alani is supposed to be the next chapter in my book, but this one hasn't ended yet! Even when I try to push what I feel for her in the darkest corner of my mind, I catch myself smiling and she is the reason why!"

"That's love, Baby!"

"No matter what way you try to spin it!" Ahmad laughed, smoke escaped through his lips.

"Love?" Quest took a seat on the steps, placing his bottle on the lowest step.
"Love!"
"Naw man, it can't b-"
"Why not?"
"How can I love someone I just met? How can I love her and I'm not even at that point with Zee?"
"From what I see, they are two different people. One is pretty and according to you, a female version of me. The other, a stuck up, hair dying, money hungry, wanna-be-"
"Ok, Man! I get it!" Quest threw up his hands. "So what do I do?"
"Follow your heart! No matter who it leads you to."

Quest pushed himself off of the step, "A silver car just pulled up. You know who that is?"
"Probably Mavin." Ahmad looked over his shoulder, flicking his cigarette.
"Did he say he was bringing someone?"
"No. That better not be- get the fuck out of here!" Ahmad turned his back to his new guests.

"Dammit! You think she can go all night without making a scene?" Ahmad rubbed the back of his head.
"Hell no!" Quest moved forward.

"Hello loser!" Zia approached Ahmad with an attitude.
"You talking to me, Booji Beach Barbie?"
"Of course I am, Assho-"
"Zee-" Quest was quickly interrupted.
"Guys, Tiff said come on in, the game is about to start."
"Mmmm, who is that? Mavin smiled, looking past Quest.

Ahmad laughed as Zia's eyes shot to Alani then Quest. "Tell her we're coming Lani, as soon as we get a muzzle for this bi-"
"I dare you call me a bitch!"
"Bit-"
"Fuck you, Ahamad! Now who is that bitch?" She pointed to Alani with red eyes.
"Zee, this is my friend Alani." Alani stepped down the stairs with her hand extended to greet her."
"Friend? No, can't be! I don't know her!"
"You don't know my grandmother either but that doesn't mean she doesn't exist!"
"There is a difference between her and your grandmother!"
"You mind getting to the point!" Ahamd cut in as Mavin continued to stare at Alani. "My parents just pulled up and I don't want them to have to listen to you whine!"
"You have one more time to speak to me like that and-"
"What are you gonna do?"

"What's all this noise, children?" Pam walked up behind them.
"It's nothing, Ma! Just a little friendly argument."
"Doesn't sound friendly to me!" Joe cut in from behind Pam.
"Anyway Ma, Pop, this is our new friend Alani." Ahmad motioned toward Alani.

"Oh my God, Joe! It's Mya!"

** I hope this isn't too much! It took me about 4 days to get all these shots. My original plan was to spread this across 4 chapters but then I figured, why not push it together! Hope you enjoy!

06. Connections

2010-07-09T11:34:00.004-04:00

Day 3......

"I may not be a great doctor but I'm one hell of a cook!" Quest smiled as he sprinkled a pinch of his own blended seasonings over several fresh fish.

"Yeah... so that's why you almost burned the house down with those frozen toaster pastries yesterday morning and nearly killed us with your chilly the night before?" Alani giggled.
Quest smiled from ear to ear, "That was just nerves, Baby Girl!"
"Oh yeah? So are you always nervous when you bring strangers home and feed them?"
"Only when they're beautiful!" He looked up and winked.

Alani nervously ran her fingers through her hair, smiling down at the counter. Never in her life had she heard those words and believed the person speaking them. "That wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you've seen me half naked would it?"

"Hmmm, I'm pretty sure it does but you're beautiful with clothes on too!" He grinned again, dodging a stray lemon slice that Alani tossed at his head. "Aye! I was joking!"
"I bet!"
"You really are beautiful though."
"You really thing so?" She mumbled.
"Yes! What? You've never heard that before?" He looked over his shoulder from the stove. Alani slowly nodded.
"You've never had a boyfriend or some poor love sick little boy tell you that?"
"I've never had either of those." She lowered her eyes.
"Now I don't believe you!"
"My mother didn't even allow me to-" Alani caught herself.
"Didn't allow you to what?"
"Nothing." She wiggled on the bar stool.
Quest turned his attention back to the stove, sensing she really didn't want to talk about it.

"Ok, favorite food?"
"Anything strawberry. Yours?"
"I love strawberry too but my favorite is anything spicy." He took a small sip from his glass.
"I love spicy food too. Maybe that's why I liked your burnt chilly!" She smiled.
"See, I knew you did! What don't you eat?"
"I hate hate HATE mac-n-cheese!" Alani frowned.
"For real? I do too!"
"That's crazy! I've never met another person that didn't like it! My girl Codi used to tell me I wasn't normal because I hate it so much!"
"Codi? She said she has no friends." He thought, taking his glass to his lips again.

"You played with bugs?" Quest seemed shocked.
"Of course! I'd line the bottom of a shoe box with leaved and put caterpillar in it until they became butterflies."
"Really? Me and my best buddy Ahmad used to do that too but we were kind of sick with it. Once we opened the cocoon to see what it looked like."
"Gross. What did it look like?"
Quest laughed.
"What? Is it gross that I want to know while we're eating?"
"Yeah kind of but it's funny cause most girls wouldn't want to know."
"I'm not like most girls, Q!"
"I see that..." His voice trailed off as he caught himself staring at her.
............................................. .....................................

Day 6

"You have a ton of books! Fantasy, Horror, Roman- Romance??" Alani turned to see Quest with his eyes glued to the TV.

"Q? Quest?!"
"Huh?" He jumped, never removing his eyes from the game.
"I was asking you which one of these books you'd recommend."
"All of them." He turned his head back to the game. "You can read them tomorrow. Come watch this with me." He waved.

"I made this for you." He slid her a slice of strawberry cheesecake as she comfortably positioned herself on the floor.
"Oh my God!" She moaned. "You made this?"
"Of course I did!"
"Stop! You're going to spoil me and make me not want to leave!" She shoved another bite into her mouth.
Quest matched her smile and waited for their eyes to meet, "That's fine with me."
Feeling her cheek burn from smiling so hard, Alani looked away. "Forgive me for smiling like that. I..uh.. just never seen someone with perfectly... straight... white teeth." She kicked herself for such a stupid excuse.

"That's my mother's doing! She had me and my sister modeling at a young age so everything had to be perfect about us."
"You're a model?" She smiled, turning her head to the side.
"Used to be." His face straightened while he brushed away a piece of imaginary lent.
"That's why you have a box full of magazines and pictures sitting in the bottom of your closet?"
Quest looked at her with his eyebrows raised.
"What? I saw it when I was hanging up that tiny shirt you had me wearing!"
Quest laughed through his nose, thinking back to how she kept trying to pull the shirt down.

"Why'd you stop?"
"Because," He released a deep sigh from his chest, "I lost my love for it. I started waking up feeling like I didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't want to be catered to, be followed everywhere I went, or have to date females that were also in the public eye to please the media. From the outside, it looked like I had everything but to me, I was missing the one thing money could never buy me."
"What's that?" Alani asked softly.
"A family to go home to. What's the point of having it all when you have no one to share it with?"
"What about your girlfriend?"
Quest released another deep sigh, "I still questioning why she has that title! Zia is very materialistic. She keeps pushing me to go back to it."
"Do you want to go back to it?"
"Maybe. If I find a new source of inspiration."
"You will! I have a good feeling about that! When you do, you'll have everything! Including the family you want."

Quest found himself staring at her once again. Her pretty hazel eyes gave off a warm feeling as her full lips formed a smile that made him feel at ease. "It's crazy how I feel like I can tell you anything. Like I want to tell you everything."
"I feel the same way." She whispered.

"So what's your story? You told me you don't have anyone but during dinner the other day, you mentioned your mother."
"I did?"
"Yes, you mentioned someone named Codi too."
Alani sat up, looking away to hid the expression of sadness that overcame her. Rubbing the back of her head gently, she thought of a way to get out of this conversation. "Well," She swallowed hard, returning her eyes to his. "I can't, Q." A single tear escaped her left eye, she wiped it quickly, hoping he didn't notice.

"Lani, you just got finished saying you can tell me anything!"
"I can..but not that." She mumbled.
"Lani, I don't know if you think I'm going to judge you or something but that's not going to happen! We're friends. At least I thought I we were."
"We are."
"Then talk to me!"
Alani looked up at the ceiling to fight back tears. "I can't tell him." She thought, using her hand to fan her eyes. "Don't tell him!" Her chest began to move with each deep breath she took. Quest grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, "Let it out." He spoke softly, with the same tone she'd remember from that night he saved her. Laced with kindness and concern.

"I'm a curse!" She broke out into tears. "My birth parents didn't want me! I was adopted and became too much to handle so my adopted father killed himself. I cause that man so much heartache, as an infant, that he took his own life!" Her voice cracked with the overflow of tears.

"That's why I have to get out of here! I'll ruin your life too!" She snatched her hand away, jumping to her feet.

"Lani!" He sprung to his feet, following close behind her. Grabbing her wrist to stop her as she reached the stairs, Quest turned her to face him. Feeling a surge of electricity between them, she pulled her arm away, cradling herself like a scared child. "I appreciate everything but I -."

"You're not leaving, Lani! Until I know for a fact that you're going to be safe and HAPPY every second of your life, wherever you go, you're not leaving!"
"It's impossible to know if someone is happy every second of their life!"
"I guess that means you're not going anywhere then, huh?"

"I can't sta-"
"You can and you will. I'm not letting you leave!"
"I don't know how and when I'll be able to repay you for any of this, Quest."
"You can start by drying those tears." He moved her hair out of her eyes.

Alani leaned forward, wrapper her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much!" She blurted out before realizing what she had done.

Backing away slowly, their eyes met. Feeling their hearts take on the same rhythm, they pulled away completely. "Uh, Good night!" She nervously nibbled on her lower lip, rushing up the stairs.

"Good night." He repeated as she disappeared into the dark hall.

**** The fourth picture for the bottom, LOL looks like he is about to smack her ass! That was the picture I didn't want to use and didn't realize it til after I uploaded it. Sorry about that!

.05 Good Hands

2010-06-21T20:18:00.008-04:00

A sweet yet buttery smell filled Alani's nose as she turned over slowly.

Unable to ignore the enticing smell any longer, Alani pushed her way up, forcing her sore eyes open. A sharp pain shot from her neck and down her back as she eyed the streaming hot cup of coffee on the nightstand.

"She lives." A raspy voice called for the right side of the bedroom. Alani whipped her head around to face him, "W...Who are you?" She jumped from the bed, knocking the sheet and blanket into the floor. "Be easy!" He stood up, holding his hands slightly above his head. "You don't remember anything?" His eyebrows connected to form a frown.

"I was attacked!" Alani snatched the lamp from the nightstand, holding it like a baseball bat, ready to swing.

"But you didn't see his face?" He asked her, inching a little closer. Without a second thought, Alani dropped the lamp on the bed and bolted from the room. "Hey!" He called behind her. "Just hang on!"

"That voice... those words!" Alani stopped a short distance from the stairs. She remembered that voice pulling her from the darkness. Speaking with a concerned tone that she'd never known. "You were there..." She asked with her back still turned.

"Yes, but I didn't hurt you!"
"I know...now." She turned to get a good look at him. "I take it you didn't see his face either then?" Alani searched his face for an answer before he spoke.
"No, I'm sorry!"

Alani looked down, her face covered with disappointment. "What happened to my clothes?" She cradled herself, trying to cover the little bit of cleavage revealed by the missing button. "They had blood on them so, I washed them... but that's an old shirt so you can keep it."

"From when, elementary school?" She used her left hand to pull the shirt down while she kept her chest covered.

"No," He laughed, "but close enough!" He watched Alani walk peek over the railing, "This is my house. I...brought you here because you said you didn't want to go to the hospital, so... yeah."

"By the way..." He smiled, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm sorry about your face!"

"My face?!" Alani felt her face frantically, "What's wrong with my face?!"

"I umm, kind of wallpapered you with band-aids!"

Alani's eyes narrowed, "Where's your bathroom?!"

"Ther-" Alani rush past him before he could finish.

"Oh my God!" She screamed at the sight of her bruises. He stood at the door with his hand palming his face, "I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"
"No...It's not that!" She began to cry, touching her bruised eye.

Huge tears dropped from Alani's eyes as she slid down against the wall, soaking the thin linen
shirt that hugged her body.
"No, don't do that!" He knelt down next to her, his voice matching the tone she'd heard that night, "I know I'm not a doctor but I'm sure everything will heal! It's just surface wounds."
Alani hugged her knees tighter, turning away from his hand that was brushing her hair away from her face.

He pulled his hand back, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, "Is there someone you want me to call?"
"No." She whispered.
"No family? Friends?"
"No..." She decided against giving him Codi's number. Codi would just question why she was on Canal St and she couldn't bring herself to tell him that only family she had, left her to sleep on disgusting public benches and eat food that animals wouldn't even touch. "I have no one." She lowered her head against her knee.

When Alani began to sob again, he stood up, helping her up along the way. "Listen, I don't feel right letting you leave here with no where to go and no one to look out for you."

"I'll be ok." She quickly nodded.
"For some reason, I don't believe you!" He crossed his arms, adding bass to his voice.
"Just stay here until your face heals. So I'll know you're ok.
"I can't-"
"It's either here, or I'm taking you to the hospital! Your pick!" When Alani didn't respond, he titled her head back to level her eyes with his. "I don't know if you're used to being alone or just used to getting your way but, that's not happening here! Even if you are cute!"

Alani laughed, whipping the last of her tears from her face.
"There is one thing..." He rubbed the back of his head once again, "That night, I believe you told me your name but I kind of forgot it!"
"Alani Edwards." She smiled softly, "So what's yours, Captain Hero?"

He smiled slyly, taking her hand into his, "It's Quest... Quest Morell."

____________________________________________

I knew where I wanted to go with this chapter but I had a few issues pulling it together. Ah well, it is what it is. Enjoy !

.04 Dead end

2010-05-28T01:03:00.008-04:00

warning: little blood

"Welcome to Petry Cafe'!" A young blond girl beamed from behind the counter. "We have a special going on today! A free bagel, danish or blueberry muffin with the purchase of our new double chocolate latte!"
"That sounds absolutely-"
"Delightful!" Alexio interrupted. "I'll take one in a mug with a cream cheese bagel oh and one of those sesame seed bagel?!"
"Lexie!"
"What?! How do you pass up a free bagel, danish, or muffin?!"

Ellie rolled her eyes. "We're looking for a young lady that works here. Light brown skin, black hair-"
"Dreadful green hat!" Lexie added before walking away with his plate and mug.

"Sorry," The blond blinked hard between her words, "doesn't sound familiar."
Ellie dropped her head.
"Alani wears a green hat but you said dreadful though. I don't think it's dreadful. It's kind of cut-"
"Alani? Is she working tonight."
"No. She hasn't been here in a week. That's funny. Her friend with the long brown hair has been looking for her too. She is so pretty but kind of mea-"
"Miss! Does she still work here?" Ellie was becoming frustrated.
"Oh umm, I think so."
"Can you tell me her last name?"
"I don't know if I'm suppos-"
"Chloe is it? My name is Elise Zindel, of Mordel Models. I am trying to locate Alani because I have some important business to discuss with her. Can you please just give me the information I'm seeking?!"

"Here, a bite and a sip won't hurt you!" Alexio pushed his plate and mug across the polished fake wood table. Elise looked down at the plate then back to her brother with the same disappointed expression.
"Did she tell you anything else?"
"Just her last name. It's Edwards."
"Well that's more than we had. I can definitely search that and look for an address."
"She hasn't been here in a week, Lex!"
"If Carla wants her like you said, she'll put out an Ad and a reward! We will find her! Stop acting like it's the end of the world, Ellie! You know stress is bad for your complexion!"
"You're right Lexie, I'll just tell Carla we tried. Let her take if from here."

"Aye, Ma? Looks like we're not the only ones looking for her!"
_________________________________________

After the shoot...

After buying some new clothes, Alani decided it was best to stay at the cheapest motel in town. Spending just $20 a night for a hole in a wall with a lock on the door was better than sleeping on a nasty bench out in the open. Walking down the street, taking large steps, Alani felt uneasy. Feeling like eyes were watching her, she quickened each step, looking around to see no one.

What sounded like feet behind her increased her heart rate. A rat jumping from an open bag of garbage nearly scared her to death. Still hearing the paddle of feet, she stepped over the pile and kept moving.

Hearing the footsteps move through the pile of spilled garbage, Alani began to run. The sound was not her ears playing tricks on her. Someone was there. Closing in on her. Hunting her.

Looking back to see no one, she sat behind a rusty black dumpster on a damp smelly piece of cardboard. A mixture of old food and what smelled like a dead animal irritated Alani's nose, forcing her to gag. Her cheeks filled up with the sour taste of her last meal. Swallowing hard to avoid giving up her position, she took in silent deep breaths. No longer hearing the footsteps, she used the slimy wall to pull herself up, dropping her purse in the process.

The sound of footsteps began again. Her heart sank deep into her stomach. The thoughts of what they'd do if they caught her, raced through her mind, scaring her even more. Reaching the end of the alley she could see the motel sign and lights from passing cars. She smiled at the sight. The burn from air rushing in and out of her lungs filled her chest. The steps were closer. She could hear breathing now. Turning the corner, to the main street Alani felt something grip the back of her head.

Trying to pull herself free without looking back and without stopping, she tripped over her own feet. Crashing into the cold concrete face first, blood poured from Alani's mouth and through the now own wound on her chin. The footsteps behind her stopped but she could still feel him. A pair of hands gripped her ankles, pulling her back into the darkness. Her face burned as her skin scrapped the jagged edges of the sidewalk, mixed with chipped glass and rocks.

"Hey!" She heard a voice call out.

"Hey!!!!" She heard footsteps again. This time, two pair.

A warm set of hands gripped her. Carefully sitting her up against the wall. Taking extra care of her neck and head. "Hey, can you hear me?" She heard the voice again. Warm, soothing. "Can you open your eyes or squeeze my hand for me?" He rubbed her cheek with a gentle touch with one hand while holding her hand with the other.

Able to open one eye, she saw two staring back at her. "There you go!" He spoke to her again. "Help is on the way! Please, just stay with me!" His voice was concerned. Only once could she remember hearing a voice so kind. "Alexio?" She spoke below a whisper. "I can't hear you, Sweety! Just hold on, I'm getting you some help!"

"No..." She managed to whisper at the eyes she was looking into, "no... hosp-" her voice trailed off before everything went black.

.03 Googled

2010-05-19T11:59:00.005-04:00

"How do you expect me to find someone on facebook without a name?!"
"I don't know! You're 'The Great Alexio'! Figure it out!"
"Watch it, Bitch!" Alexio snapped. "Maybe we'll find something if we google the magazine ad."
"Good idea!" Ellie tapped him as he keyed in 'Le'Vaughn September Ad'.

"1,000 results?!" Ellie whined, pacing back and forth behind Alexio's chair.
"Calm down! Let's try something else." Alexio then typed 'Who is Le'Vaughn September model'. "How in the hell are they supposed to know and we don't know?!" A link to a forum with the highlighted question popped up as the first result. He clicked the link and scrolled down the page, glancing at the replies to the question that they too need an answer for.

"See!" Lexie shouted and rolled his eyes. "Whose the baddest bitch you know?"

"babygirl214! Now let's go to this Cafe' before it closes!"

_________________________________________

VERY short post I know! I just wanted to put something out there so I won't and my readers won't forget about this story. please excuse the smoke and the forum, I created both with a headache and one eye open!

.02 on the hunt

2010-02-22T20:19:00.018-05:00

*2:07 a.m.. please forgive any typos or disconnection!*
(someone please point me in the direction of a photo improving tutorial!)

"What the hell do you mean you're not going to make it?!" Elise growled through her teeth.
"How are you just going to cancel on me like this? Not the day before but 30 minutes!" She continued.

"Don't waste your time on her, Ellie."
"Start looking for a new job, Bitch!" Elise hit the End button on her phone before shoving it back into her pocket harshly.

"Can you believe that bitch, Lexie? She really thinks I won't replace her!"
"Maybe that's because you've given her too many chances meaning you're not going to replace her!"
"I really can't replace her! Felicia is Carla's favorite. She'd have my head before she'd terminate her contract! Besides, who could bring in clients like Felicia?" Elise questioned.
"You just have to keep your eyes open. The next person that walks by could be full of potential but you have to have your eyes open to see it, Sweety!"

"Damn, I love being right all the time!" The corners of Alexio's mouth curled into a small smile as he kept his eye focused on his target.
"Right about-"

"Excuse me, Beautiful, may I have a second of your time?"
Alani looked all around her before shooting the man a confused expression. "Me?"
"Yes, you! I am The Great Alexio Zindel and this is my sister Elise. Would you be interested in making some extra money?"

Elise began to babble before Alani could even reply. The woman's words went through one ear and out the other. Her mouth was going a mile a minute. Unable to keep up with everything that was said, Alani zoned out. Thinking about what she was going to do with the money instead of how she was going to get it.

"So that's pretty much it." Was the only thing Alani heard. Instead of asking the woman to repeat herself, she painted a confused expression on her face, hoping she'd sum it up for her.
"You up for it?"
"Umm, sure." Alani said hesitantly.
"Great, let's get started then!"

Alani followed the two into the building. The receptionist followed her with her eyes from the time she walked through the door til she reach her desk. "Why do people keep looking at me like that?!" She quizzed.
"This way!" Elise waved.
Following Elise and Alexio out of the elevator, Alani spotted several portraits. All of different woman.

Continuing through a second set of glass doors, Alani froze. "What did I just get myself into?" She questioned.

Using his hand to brush away a small amount of hair clippings, Alexio directed Alani to the chair.
"Let's see what we have here." He said, reaching for her hat.
"Whoa! Alani threw her hand up.
"Relax, Angel face! You are in good hands!"

Sweat began to form around Alani's hairline as she though of how her hair might smell. Gripping the arms of the chair, she closed her eyes as tights as she could.

"Listen, I can tell that you're nervous. Please trust me! I promise, you have nothing to fear with me! Look at this face, how can you be so scared of a face like this?" Alani squinted slightly to see Alexio smiling at her. Releasing the arms of the chair, she relaxed her body and returned a smile.

"Now, watch me do me!"
.....................................................................................................................................

The day had come and gone and Elise thought she was off the hook yet again until Carla asked to see her. Elise entered her office nervously, taking a seat in front of Carla's desk. "Yes. You too. I'll be in touch, Daring."

"Elise, That was Horace Le'Vaughn. Tell me... who did you book for that shoot?" Carla asked calmly while taking a seat at her desk.

Trying to swallow pass the lump that formed in her throat, Elise too a deep breath before blurting it out.
"Felicia canceled on me at that last minute so you know I was pissed. Lexie was trying to calm me down, with all his gay words of wisdom, you know how he is! He says something about opening my eyes and blah blah blah... we saw this girl and asked her if she wanted to make some extra money. Lexie worked his magic on her and... I sent the photo in."
"Ellie-"
"I know Felicia is your favorite but I know how bad you wanted that Le'Vaughn Cosmetics contract..."
"Ellie-"
"This girl really wasn't that bad and-"
"ELLIE!" Carla screamed.

Lowering her voice, she proceeded to pull a magazine from her desk drawer. "What's her name?"
Ellie's eyes widen as she tried to remember her name. "Umm, Angel face?"

"You don't know her name?"
"I let Lexie do most of the talking. I'm sure he knows it!"
Carla smirked at the comment before pushing awake from her desk. The sun had fallen behind the build and the street lights were slowly coming on. Peering out of her office window, she tuned out Elise's rambling and enjoyed the last bit of the day's sun.

"I put my heart and soul into this agency, Ellie. I asked you to be my partner, to do the things I put you in charge of because I thought you could handle it. Obviously, I was right. You did what I would have done. A door was shut so you took the window. Other than the fact that you don't know who she is, you did a job well done!" Carla said calmly.

"I'm sorry, Carla! My mission at the time was just to get us that contract."
"Well now your mission is to find this girl... cause she got it!"
.....................................................................................................................................

"Paige! Paigeeeeeeee!" Donna shouted not allowing her daughter enough time to answer.
"Get your ass in here and clean this shit up!"

"Momma, I'm tired and I just-"
"I didn't ask you if you were tired! I said get your ass in here and clean this shit up!"

Paige filled the sink with hot soapy water. Placing the silverware and a few other dishes into the water, she chipped a nail on the edge of a knife.
A breeze carrying the scent of old Chinese food brushed passed Donna's nose. "Hurry up and get this shit! It should have been done! Alani has been gone damned near 2 weeks and this shit is still here!"

Slamming the sponge down on the the counter, water splashed into Paige's face and hair.
"Fuck!" She swore under her breath.
"Do I have to do this right now, Momma?!" She whinnied.
"Just get it done, Paige! If you can't pull your own weight around this motherfucker then I'll put you out just like I did with Alani!"

"She's probably happy to be gone!" Paige mumbled.
"What the fuck did you say?!" Donna screamed as she jumped from the chair, ready to pounce.
"I said umm, I didn't do nothing wrong!"
"No... you didn't but like I said, this shit needs to be cleaned up and I'm not doing it!"
"Why don't you just let Alani come back?"
"Hell no! That good for nothing little bitch won't ever step foot in this motherfucker as long as I'm living!"
"I'm just saying, Momma, the house was in order when she was here."
"Whatever!" Donna huffed as she made her way back to her chair.

"Go check the mail." Donna ordered. "Make sure you hide that Final Notice on the bottom! I don't need these nosey ass people knowing that they are about to cut our shit off!"
Donna watched her daughter disappear through the hall and out the front door.

Only to return with a stack of magazines and her mouth wide open.
"What the hell is-"
"Look!" Paige yelled as she handed her mother the opened magazine.
The room fell quiet as Donna stared at the page.
"Paige, bring Alani back." She spoke barely above a whisper.

Donna slammed the magazine down on the table, knocking several cans of tomato sauce onto the floor.
"But Momma, you said-"
"Don't sass me little girl! I said... go find your sister!"
.....................................................................................................................................

.01 Where to go

2010-01-31T19:00:00.001-05:00

The usual sounds of the city danced through Alani's ear as cool drops of rain bounced off of her face. Car horns honking. The beeping of a truck backing up. The roar of a school bus engine. Someone yelling over a parking spot. It soothed her. Easing her mind of the very reason why she had been sleeping on dirty public benches.

The ringing of a train pulling in after it's last stop, woke Alani from a dreamless sleep. Using both hands to steady herself, she swung her legs over the side of the bench and rose to her feet. This wasn't getting any easier and she didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. Part of her just wanted to go crawling back to her mother but she knew from that point on, her life would be worse than it had been before.

A man yelling for someone to hold the train for him caught Alani's attention, snapping her out of her thoughts. She welcomed the simple distractions. They just didn't seem to last as long as she prayed for.

Just as quickly as her brain stopped running, it began again. Everything she saw, smelled, and heard triggered a memory that sent her back into the dark corners of her mind.

The sun began to peak through the thick gray clouds as she neared the coffee shop on the corner of 45th and Petry St. She had been working there for about a month and already hated the place. It was almost like she was working for Donna. Everything was her responsibility and she was punished for things she didn't do. The $8.10 plus tips she got for serving coffee wasn't worth the bullshit she had to endure but it was easy money. Money she was definitely in need of right now.

Anxiety began to set in as she passed a couple sitting outside of the coffee shop. The woman shot Alani a cold expression before turning her attention back to her food. "What?" she thought to herself. "She can smell me or something!". Alani raised her arm, pretending she was adjusting her hat and took in a deep breath. She'd been wearing the same clothes for the last 4 days and she was pretty sure someone had noticed.

"Look at what the cat dragged in!" Nicole hissed when Alani pushed through the front door.
"Hey Al, Jerry told me to tell you-"
"Hold that thought, Chloe. I'll be right back!" Alani interrupted.

Still worried that there might be a smell, Alani filled the bathroom sink with water and allowed a paper towel to soak in it. Removing her clothes and laying them neatly on a dry edge of the sink, she lathered the thin bar of soap onto the paper towel. After scrubbing each part of her body, Alani felt a little better.

Needing to get rid of the hunger pains, Alani searched through the shop's fridge to find nothing but a pack of lunch meat that she could smell as soon as she opened the door and a loaf of bread with green spots on it. The smell was nauseating but the need to eat was stronger. Picking the green spots off of the dry crusty bread, Alani took a bite and felt instant relief. Before she knew it, the sandwich was gone and so were the pains.

Alani exited the staff area with a small smile on her face. "Ok, Chloe, what were you saying?"
Chloe shot Alani a confused look before bursting into laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"I was supposed to tell you something important but I forgot what it was!" Chloe giggled.
"It was something about Jerry..." Alani replied with a frustrated tone to her voice.

"Hmmmm...about... Jerry...Oh I know! Jerry told me to tell you that your check will be late because Rodney didn't turn in your time sheet in on time."
Alani felt anger building up in her chest. She calmed herself down before asking another question. "Is Rodney's check late too?
"No. His was on top is mine when I picked them up this morning."
Alani's mood took a turn for the worse. "What am I gonna do?! I needed that money now! I need clothes and I can't take sleeping on a bench, one more night!" She thought to herself. "I need that money now! I can't take--" She caught herself. Alani was in a bad position. Though Donna had knocked every ounce of confidence out of Alani and destroyed her faith, Alani still had her pride. She dropped her hands to her side and took a deep breath. Putting on the rest of her uniform, she took her place at the counter and tried to hide her disappointment.

Customers came and went, providing Alani with a long boring day. Still questioning what she was going to do, she didn't notice the lady standing at the counter.

"Hello!"
"I'm sorry! May I help you?'
"Yes, I'd like a small cup of coffee with 2 sugars, please."
Alani moved sluggishly over to the coffee grinder. Placing 2 cups under the spout, she filled one up to the rim and carried it slowly to the customer.

"Wait!" The lady shouted, drawing every one's attention. "Are those beans organic? I put nothing but natural things on and in my body."
Alani stood there with a "bitch please" expression on her face before sitting the coffee down on the counter. "Yes Ma'am! They were grown in the Ualie jungle off the coast of Africa! These beans are very rare and can only be picked during the rainy season! That will be $2.05!"

The woman's eyes lit up a she handed Alani the exact amount. She dropped a $5 bill in Alani's tip jar before picking up the coffee. She closed her eyes as she took in the scent of the coffee. With her eyes still closed, she took a sip. "Mmmmmmmm! She moaned! She shot Alani a satisfied smile and walked off.

Alani covered her face to hide her amusement. "Ualie jungle" she repeated with laughter as she began to count her register down.

"Excuse me!" an angry voice called out to Alani.

"See, this why I'm not your friend anymore! You can't call and say Hi, Codi..How are you, Codi.. Oh I'm fine, Codi!"
Alani chuckled. "Hi Codi! How are you, Codi? I'm fine, Codi!"
"That's better!" She smiled. "What time are you getting off?"
"Now. Give me a second to change my clothes."

Alani came back out to see Codi brewing her own coffee. "Codi!" She yelled. "You are not supposed to be back here!"
"Well the red head broad was just standing there like she didn't want to serve me. I should have slapped her!" Codi said while eyeing the girl.
Alani laughed and directed Codi to a table. "What made you come here?"
"Well, I called your house for you and the wicked bitch of the west and her spawn kept leaving me on hold and a few times they just hung up on me. So before I rode over there and caught a case, I said to myself Codi, check the coffee shop first. So I did, and avoided jail time once again!"
Alani giggled at Codi's facial expressions. Codi was the only friend she had ever had and the one person she could count on for a smile. "So where you been?" Codi asked before taking a sip of her coffee.
Alani dropped her head slightly. Though Codi was her best friend, she couldn't tell her that she was homeless. Codi didn't even know all of the details of Alani's life. She just knew that Alani was adopted and that Donna and Paige were not the nicest people in the world.

"I got into it with my mother. So I've been spending most of my time here than there." She lied.
"How are things at the bar?' Alani asked to avoid further questioning.
"A mess! Girl, they run me like I'm Flo Jo! By the time I get home, my feet are red and have smoke coming from them! Speaking of, I need to get going! They got me working all early now!"
Codi pushed herself away from the table. "Walk me to the corner?"

"Alright, Girl! Don't disappear on me like that again! Next time I have to come looking for you, there will be hell to pay!"
"OK, Codi!"
"I'll give you a call... you give me a call when you get home!" Codi laughed.
"I will." Alani said in a low tone.

Codi crossed the street just as the train was pulling up. "I need a car! I'm too cute for this public transportation shit!" she shouted back at Alani.

Alani kicked herself for not asking to stay with Codi for a few days. "I could have told her I just needed a break from my family!" The bar Codi worked at was near the wealthy part of town. You had to take 2 trains to get there and all Alani had was a few dollars from her tips. Rubbing the back of her neck, she contemplated where she was going to go tonight.

The sky grew darker with each passing minute. The rain had stopped long ago but there were puddles of water in the street and on the sidewalk. This meant, any bench she went to would still be wet. So where would she go? She didn't get much sleep as it was. Too scared to let her guard down completely, she'd sleep a few minutes at a time and never slept in the same place twice. She'd look for places close to the coffee shop to avoid being late. Tonight, she just walked with no set destination, thinking about life on the way. A memory of her childhood dream flashed in her mind. She smiled at the thought. She wanted to become a chef, with a model boyfriend, and live in a big house by the beach. Donna had crushed that dream years ago and though she wasn't here now to tell Alani she couldn't do it, her words played on repeat in her head. "Fuck your dreams! You will never be more than a lonely little girl that nobody loves!" Tears formed in Alani's eyes. "But I can do it! I will be something! I just don't know where to start." she whispered to herself! Continuing her walk to nowhere, Alani dried her eyes and planned her next move.

They say, "It's not where you came from, but where you are going".

And at this point in time, Alani knew neither.

.prologue

2010-01-06T03:00:00.001-05:00

"This better work!" Donna huffed as she made her way up the stairs.

"Good Morning, Daddy!"

Tamon looked up from his coffee mug to see Donna holding a small child.
"Daddy? Where did--"
"Just let me explain!" Donna interrupted. "I told my friend Jackie, who works at an adoption agency that we were having a little trouble conceiving. She called me about 2 weeks ago and told me she had a baby for us, so I went and got her this morning."

"We wanted to surprise Daddy, didn't we?" Donna cooed, rubbing the baby's head.

Taking the baby from Donna's arms, he caressed her back as she placed her head on his chest and nibbled on the buttons of his blazer.
"What's her name?" he whispered, trying to hold in a smile.
"Jackie said they were calling her Morgan, but we can name her whatever we'd like!"

Tamon looked down at the baby then brought his eyes back up to Donna's. "How did you do this without my consent?" He asked her sternly.
Donna chuckled. "I told you, my friend Jackie works there! She took care of everything!"

Holding the baby away from him, her eyes met his, causing a smile to break through."How about... Alani? Alani Monae'?"
Tamon laughed as she held his face and began to babble.

Donna watched from a distance as Tamon exchanged smiles with Alani. "Baby, maybe now that we have her, we can work on --"
" Can you say Daddy? Da da? Say, Da da." Tamon cooed, ignoring Donna.

"Daddy has to paint your room, get you a crib, a highchair and spoil you rotten!"

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

3 months later

Broken words penetrated the walls as Paige stood outside her mother and step-father's bedroom.
"Alani ... affection ... in years."
Trying not to step on the creaking floorboard, she inched closed to the door.

"You're walking around here kissing on Alani and hugging Paige but you won't sleep next to me!"
"You're mad cause I'm showing my kids affection?!"
"I'm mad because I brought Alani here because thinking she'd help our marriage but now I see how big of a mistake I made! You have always put people before me, Tamon! First it was Paige and now Alani!" Donna whinnied.
"Listen to yourself, Donna! You're jealous of your own kids!"
"I'm not jealous of shit! And what the fuck do you mean kids? I didn't give birth to that brat!"

Anger covered Tamon's face as the words fell from Donna's lips. "So you brought an innocent child into this house just to benefit you?!"
Donna bit her lip as she realized what she said. "Tamon!"

Turning to leave the room he felt Donna grab his arm. "Tamon!" She cried.
Tamon yanked his arm away, causing Donna to stubble backwards. He turned on his heels to face Donna one last time, "The day I married you, I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with you! Now, I can't stand to be with you for another second!"

"Baby, please! We can work this out!"
"The girls will be better off without you! You have until noon to get out!"
"Tam-"

"Go to bed, Paige."

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

"Oh. Alani!"

"Daddy is gone, Baby..."

"and it's all your fault."