Tia
I guess they were right. After they were done with their haul we went to get lunch. Mia and Maya didn't take much probably because they have so much that they don't wear. I heard them say to Maria that their closets are full of clothes that they'll never wear and they were happy to bring someone else. They loaded her with clothes, handbags and shoes. She tried denying all the things but our girls made her take it.I couldn't help but be proud of the girls. I was happy Allie and I tried together and Even happier that Mia and Maya had Each other.
During lunch they were talkative. Leah would take the reins. Maria was looking at us, Mia and I and Maya and Allie. We treated our daughters as daughters,we were their mothers first then their friends. They could always confide in us. They ran off leaving me and Leah alone with Maria. We didn't say anything.
“ Mrs Chase?”.
“ Yes Maria?”.
“ Thank you, Your entire family welcomed me. It's so warm and happy….. I was confused the first day ,Mia and the others sat down with me in the cafeteria. My…. I mean, I'm a loner. I'm an outcast….. These things that you and your sisters have given me…. I.I… it's not me. I'm not rich or even from a middle class family……. I grew up dirt poor…… I have Four jobs between classes just to get through college…… I don't…”
Leah patted her hands. “ Tia isn't my sister. We are friends,all of us have been friends since highschool…. There's a secret between me , Mel and Tia. You see, my mother and stepfather are alcoholics. They didn't want me to go to school. Sometimes they used to beat me black and blue and I would have to hide the bruises. I would sneak away and go to school.” Leah said, looking around.
“ Tia and Mel found out, because they saw me One day just lost and depressed on the road. Tia and Mel took me to Tia's place. They didn't ask me about it . They just let me be. Tia and Mel worked not because they needed money but because they wanted to. Tia and Mel put me through school, colleges,got me an apartment, helped me get away from my mother”.
“ They never told the others what they did for me. I always wondered Why they Did it. Their answer was simple. I was their friend and they wanted me to be happy and be successful,so I became successful and I made them proud. They're all loyal to the end and we always hoped that Mia and Maya would find that kind of friendship we have. They brought you here because they feel you need it ,so whatever is going on you can talk to Maya and Mia. They won't judge you or you can always talk to any of us okay”. Leah said, looking at her. She started crying.
“ He….he… She let him do it…… My stepfather… He rapes me”. She said quietly between tears.
“ Come on, we're going home, Maria”. Leah said, helping her up .She looked at me and I nodded. I paid and called the rest of them and told them to head home.
“ Leah Take her to your place. She seems more comfortable with you and is willing to share it with you. Talk to her”.
“ I will Tia”.
When we got home,I guess Dominic saw my face and knew something was up. We were sitting by the pool. I told them a little of what she said and Leah was talking to her. Mia and Maya just looked Sad. I guess we did it right. They knew when someone was in a bad place and needed help. The Men drifted off saying they're going to do something. The boys left with their grandfather's.
We were there for almost an hour when I saw Leah Walk out her front door and Leah did something I haven't seen her do since highschool. She stood there and started crying. Mel. And I went to her ,she just held onto us and cried.
“ Leah What happened?, are you okay?”.
“ No”. We led her back to the pool area and sat down.
“ Her mother is an addict and so is the father. She's been shuffled between houses. In a nutshell, When her mother needed a fix and she had no money she would sell Maria for a fix. Then her mother hooked up with a dealer and her mother let him use her too. She ran to her father but it was the same thing. One teacher saw her bruises and got CPS involved but when CPS visited. Her mother and the man had everything cleared away and CPS thought it was a lie. She tried telling them but no one believed her. They beat her black and blue and told her no one would believe her and if she did manage to get someone to believe her they'll deal with her “.
“ She said school was her only escape. She's brilliant and when the chance came to go to college she took it. She lied to her mother about the paperwork she signed. She said she stayed away until she knew they would be high and then lied saying the document was for money and her mother would get more drugs. She said after that she ran away. She already had the consent forms. She has multiple jobs, she gets her clothes from goodwill ,she said her mother knows where she is and she's scared. The fading bruises that she has was when her mother and the man found her just before orientation and he raped her and beat her “.
“ Jesus fucking Christ”. Mel said, standing up.
“ Allie?Can we get her away from them?I'll take responsibility for her. I'll take care of her. I…. Just… I see so much of myself in her.she ....”
“ We'll make sure we get her away and get her the help she needs. You girls have filled our lives with happiness. I see you all as my daughters and I'm happy seeing the Way you raised our grandkids and Now you're willing to take care of someone else. I'm proud of all of you. We'll do whatever we have to in order to get her away “. Elizabeth Said hugging Leah.
“ Thank you”.
“ I'll need to speak to her and I'll start the process “. Allie said.
We saw the door open, Maya and Mia went to get her and brought her over. Mom went over to her and hugged her.
“ You don't need to be worried or scared anymore. No one will hurt you. As of today we are all your Grandparents,aunts, Uncles and cousins”.
She started crying. “ It's okay sweet girl, Don't cry anymore”.
After dinner that evening, Allie took her for a Walk and explained what would happen with her parents. Allie told her some more about what was going to happen and that getting her away would be a piece of cake. When they were leaving on Sunday,we asked her where she was staying. Dominic and Bennett told the boys to get her stuff and have her move into the apartment with them. Leah Told her to quit her jobs so she could focus on her studies and that she would take care of her finances. She said no that she couldn't accept all of that.
“ Marcus told her ,none of the grandkids of the chase family has ever worked and she doesn't either. That she would be a part of the chase family soon and she will be treated like everyone else,so she should listen to her grandparents “. She started crying. It hurt me to see her like that . She was the same age as Mia and Maya and I couldn't imagine Them going through something like that. Hopefully Allie would be able to get her away, I guess Leah wanted to do this and we would all stand beside her as she did it.