Chapter 23
Aubrey:
After I had finished packing, Alexis and I sat in my bedroom in silence. It had just hit seven in the morning and I could that she was pretty tired. "I think you should go to your room now. The last thing I need is for you to be here when my mother goes ape shit."
"Wait. I want to give you something." Alexis ran out of my room and re-entered with a gold chain with a small cross dangling from it. "It's not much but I want you to have it. I used to wear it all the time my freshman and sophomore year." I smiled and lifted my hair so that she could put the necklace around my neck.
We kissed passionately for a few minutes and said our goodbyes before I shooed her away to her room.
I sat on my bed staring blankly at the wall. I had taken a shower, washed my hair, and got dressed. My outfit consisted of black ripped jeans, a charcoal white V-neck, a black leather jacket, and white converse sneakers. My hair was in a messy bun and the necklace that Alexis had given me dangled from my neck.
When my mother arrived, Hank was nowhere in sight. "Mom, I'm sor—" but she paused my words with a hard slap across my face. I quickly grabbed the right side that she had attacked in an attempt to ease the stinging that instantly began.
"Don't say a word to me," my mother stated. "I can't even look at you. You disgust me. A lesbian? You're filth. I'm surprised you're not burning in hell right now. You're a sinner."
"And that Alexis. I knew she was up to something. Corrupting you. You know, I passed out when I saw the video from the restaurant. Hank had to throw a bucket of ice water onto my face." She eyed the luggage that sat beside me, grabbed them, and proceeded to throw them outside the door.
"You don't have to throw my things," I spoke.
"Don't tell me what to do. You're not my daughter anymore!" she yelled.
"Anymore? Are you seriously treating her like this?" My mother and I followed the voice that was descending from the staircase. It was Alexis.
"Great. The girl who polluted my daughter. I'm glad Aubrey is going away. The last thing I need is you including Aubrey any more in your satanic lesbian fest," My mother spat at her.
Alexis and I shared a confused look. Sending me away? I couldn't believe this.
"Where am I going?" I questioned, completely astonished. My mother shrugged and continued to push my luggage outside the double doors. "To be with your grandmother. She'll take everything from there."
As my mother threw my last bag out the door, I rushed over to Alexis and threw my arms around her. "I love you." I whispered into her ear.
"I love you more, princess," she said, about to let go. Before I let go, I pressed my lips against Alexis's once last time.
"Stop it! Stop it, now!" I heard my mother screaming. Ignoring her, we deepened the kiss and let our tongues dance against each other's.
My mother used her arm to cut Alexis and I apart. Once we were detached, she yanked me by the arm and pulled me towards the door, away from Alexis.
"Stop!" I yelled, still being dragged away from my girlfriend.
"I love you, Aubrey," Alexis called after me.
"I love you more, Alexis. Forever," I managed to get out, just before my mother slammed the door behind us.
My grandmother's house in Vermont was simply beautiful. It was small, which made it simple, but the outside was a dusty rose color, which made it beautiful. She lived in town, just around the corner from the towns shopping center. The city wasn't very populated but my old friends still lived here.
When my cab dropped me off in front of the house, my grandmother was standing on the porch with a smile on her face. I stacked my duffle bags on the top of my suitcase and lugged everything up the steps to greet her. But before I could get any words out, I burst into tears.
"Oh, sweetheart. Everything will okay. I'm here. You'll be fine." My grandmother pulled me into a tight hug and gently rubbed my back. "Come inside, it's a little nippy out here. I've got some chicken noodle soup heating on the stove." She lifted my luggage and guided me inside the house.
As soon as I dropped my purse in the den, my nose caught a whiff of the sweetest thing. Apple pie. My favorite dessert in the entire world and my grandmother's. The one that I adored.
I found her in the kitchen pouring the chicken noodle soup into her favorite Chinese bowls and pouring lemon water into clear glass cups. She sat the silverware on the table and motioned for me to sit down. "So you're gay, huh?" My grandmother blurted out, erupting into giggles. A huge grin appeared across my face. "Grandma, it's not funny." I frowned, dipping my spoon into the bowl.
"You're young. It's fine to experiment. Hell, I did. Especially in high school. I had more girlfriends than I could count on my hands." She took a sip of water and shrugged. "What?" I exclaimed, very surprised. My grandmother had messed around with women before?
"Yes. Before your grandfather, god rest his soul, I dated men and women. It just so happened I ended up liking a specific body part on a male much more than women." She let out. Was she seriously releasing this information? "Grandma!" I exclaimed, laughing. "You know, I always told your mother to go out and live her life as a teenager but instead she chased the preachers son who worked at a diner. I blame your grandfather for that one." She told me.
We sat at the table finishing the soup and apple pie off. Grandma told me a bunch of stories about our family. "What are we doing tomorrow? It's going to be Monday. Am I starting school?" I questioned with my eyebrows raised. Truthfully, I was kind of excited to be getting back to my old friends.
"We'll talk about that tomorrow. For now, let's get you settled and put to bed." My grandmother gave me a warm smile and helped me bring my things upstairs.