Saving Mona

Chapter 24 (Part two) 👠

"Aunt Swale might be annoying and insufferable at times, but she doesn't have that spot. My father's brother does. Uncle Mart thinks the world is created for him and anyone who doesn't share the same beliefs and goals as he, is inferior and suffering from poverty of the mind. How incredulous is that? I'm so happy he and dad got into a serious fight. I know it sounds awful, but this man is worth it."

"Aww! Poor you!" Layla moved closer and offered him one of her infamous hugs. His left lips twitched into a crooked smile and he accepted the hug.

"I don't think I'll be able to visit again unless she's gone. Now I have to find another color." Mel grumbled and started searching her purse.

'What happened to the one you used before?" I asked.

She paused in the middle of her search to brush away a wayward strand of hair and reply my question.

"I don't like it anymore. Dosi ruined it for me and I discovered it wasn't going to work for me. It doesn't blend well with my eyes." And then she continued.

I caught the time on Jarod's clock and stood up from the bed.

"Bye guys, I have a dinner meeting with my mother and the mayor."

"Mother? So formal, I don't like her. Mr. Broadwich on the other hand is an okay man. Have fun!" Mel noted not once looking up.

"No wonder you dressed all fancy. Here I was, getting ahead of myself and thinking it was all for me. Oh, my poor heart! However, will I survive this heartbreak?" Jarod winked and I rolled my eyes.

"It was nice having you here with us Mona, let's do it more often." Layla smiled and I returned the gesture.

"I like that."

Fortunately for me, on my way out, I didn't encounter Dosi, so my exit was quick and uneventful.

The driver mother sent to pick me up was already waiting so I entered, and we drove off. Twenty minutes later, I was sitting across mother while she viciously stripped me naked with her eyes.

"Come on Mona, of all the clothes you own, is this the best you could do? You look like a beggar in that washed up brandless piece of fabric."

I was wearing a mauve colored gown with loose lace sleeves and matching shoes coupled with silver tear-drop earrings and a silver purse. I personally saw nothing wrong with my dressing and my light makeup was still intact. Dare I say, but I looked good.

She huffed when I didn't reply as expected and took a sip of the complimentary wine we had received from the restaurant owner. Mr. Broadwich was running late, and mother was getting impatient. She however couldn't express anything other than a smile because people were watching and filming.

I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that was part of her plan to finally put the news about her being an abusive mother to rest.

Mother had just excused herself to the restroom when I got a call.

"Hello?"

"Lisa..."

*******

"Miss Del Lana! What brings you here?" the officer exclaimed.

"I'm here for Dwayne Blacke," I answered curtly and sauntered towards the chief's office, not bothering to wait for a reply. I was met with the same surprised reaction and I impatiently repeated my request.

The chief looked stumped as he replied carefully.

"I'm sorry, Miss Del Lana but that's impossible. The person you ask for has been detained for assault on a man and will only get out when he gets bailed and-"

"I'll do it."

"What?" he then noticed the officer from earlier and indicated for him to leave us.

"I said I'll do it, bail him out. How much is that?"

The chief lowered to his seat and laughed uneasily.

"Umm no offense, but you can't. He needs an adult to bail him out, but he refused to give any information on his parents and insisted he should be allowed to contact you-"

My phone rang out, cutting short his speech. I excused myself and answered the phone.

"Monalisa, where are you?"

"Mo-mother, I-"

"How is it that when I came back from the restroom, you were no longer on your seat? Where are you?" I could hear the controlled anger in her voice.

I'm sorry mother but I'll explain when I get home. Bye!" I cut the call before I could think about the consequences for my action and headed back into the station office, a plan forming in my head.

"It seems like I wasn't clear before Chief, so I won't make that mistake again. I said I will pay for the bail. Do you know who I was on the phone with? That's right, Carmen Del Lana, my mother. How do you think she'll react if she finds out about this? For your conscience, you can think of it as indirectly having an adult pay the bail money. So what do you say? Will you let me pay or would you like an audience with my mother?"

*******

“Dwayne!"

"Lisa! Oh, Lisa! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. How did you get me out?"

"Don't worry about that." I waved. "What happened? Look at your face?"

Dwayne absently touched his slightly swollen face like he wasn't even aware of it and hugged me again.

"Tell me, Dwayne, what happened?"

And he told me. The reason why our date ended awkwardly, his father's relapse, the twins' fear, their decision for him to go into rehabilitation, and a drug supplier named Dean's part in it. I faintly recalled the name in distant memory, but it faded away before I could firmly grasp what the memory was.

"My intention when going there wasn't to fight. I just wanted to ask why he talked dad into going back after I talked to him about dad's decision to quit. I needed a more tangible explanation other than 'I'm a businessman'. But things got out of hand and one thing led to another. A customer called the cops on me and you know the rest."

He closed his eyes and leaned back into his car's seats. "One of the cops was nice enough to drive it to the station."

"Thank you for coming, Lisa. I couldn't give them dad's number. I know he would be so disappointed, and I can't handle that now. You don't know how grateful I am." He smiled and suddenly everything was worth it; Mother's wrath, Mr. Broadwich's uneasiness at the scheduled meeting if he showed up, and the inspector possible snitching on me to mother. It was all worth seeing him okay and smiling.

I leaned forward to kiss him slightly on his bruised lips. It was meant to end at that, but Dwayne ended up deepening the kiss, all the while ignoring the pain.

He pulled back when he could no longer hold back the wince and smiled deeply.

"I think if we do that again, I'll be fine again." He said slyly.

My cheeks burned as I giggled.

"Come on, let's go clean you up," I remarked, hiding my red face from his sight.

"Yes, babe." A dimple peeked and I think I died.