Chapter 19. Reappeared rich.

Three days and her mother hadn't returned. She kept the house in a presentable state and ordered takeout food with what was left of her salary but that was also drying out. Money. She needed it.

An extra job would help but how long would she continue eating out before her mother came home?

The loud revving of an engine had her stumbling to the window beside the door to look out into the porch.

A black motorcycle,  with two occupants,  one larger than the other just stopped in front of the house. Her breathing grew shallow when the smaller occupant came off the motorcycle.

She stepped closer when the smaller person turned to the giant one and they exchanged a few words. The sky was rapidly growing dark making it hard for her to distinguish their features.

After a while of waiting with adrenalin pumping through her making her ready for flight, the motorcycle left leaving the smaller occupant standing there,  two or three huge silver shopping bags in hand.

The doorbell rang and Adana waved her hands about her as if trying to calm her taut nerves as she made her way to the door.

"Hey there!"

Her head snapped up to meet the voice she hadn't heard for three days now vibrant and singsongy.

"Where were you for three freaking days?!"

She wanted to yell but she bit down on her tongue while accepting the shopping bags which turned out to be heavier than expected.

Helen made her way to the couch and sank into it with a loud relieved sigh, purring like a cat while adjusting to a comfortable position.

Adana folded her arms after emptying the contents of the bag on the kitchen counter glaring at her mother through the open window connecting them.

"I'm sure you're wondering where I've been," Helen started, "And I'll tell you all about it tomorrow morning. I'm so tired now. I just want a bottle of Florida's best vodka. Can you pass it here please,  it's part of the three bottles there,  it's the smallest?"

'Florida's best vodka'. That was what her confused brain could pick up. That meant two things; mom got rich overnight or she made some very generous friends. "

After handing her the bottle, she went to sort out the items. She placed all the foodstuff in the fridge and filled it to the brim silently wondering just exactly how much those must've cost.

"Adana?"

Helen's slurred speech pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?"

Helen slipped her heels off her feet and took off her leather jacket and shirt leaving her in her shirt.

Adana's eyes bulged. Helen had never undressed before her. In fact, she loved to wrap herself in a thick towel as if it was cold even on the hottest of days. What had changed?

Brushing these thoughts aside,  she made her went to the couch.

"Why so stiff?" Helen reached out and patted a place beside her and Adana sat obediently knowing how easily triggered Helen was when intoxicated, she wanted to avoid any bruises because she would have P. E tomorrow.

"Touch me."

Confusion marred her features and Helen smiled flashing gum.

"Here." She grabbed Adana's left hand and placed it on her breast above the light lacy bra.

As if shocked by electricity,  Adana withdrew her hand gasping with eyes wide as the moon causing Helen to throw her head back in choked laughter.

"Why so shocked, Ada?" She asked when she stopped laughing. "I said touch me and you will touch me now!"

Helen pulled her hand back on her breast and smirked when she felt her hands shaking.

"What now?"

Adana shook her head and carried out the task given to her. The shock made her breath come in short gasps as salty liquids rolled down her cheeks.

Never had she imagined her mother would resort to this but the last straw came when Helen reached down and massaged herself through her panties.

The girl gasped and snatched her hand from the soft flesh and bolted out of the room leaving a laughing Helen behind.

Her feet could've imprinted a pattern on the floor where she paced back and forth restlessly.

Fresh air. That sounded like a blessing to her. If she wanted to escape these punishments from her mother's punishment,  she needed an extra job.

With this in mind,  she fetched her phone from underneath her bed cover and dailed a number whose owner she started to miss the voice of.

"Wester phone here." The voice sounded strained as if the owner had just been busy.

"Hey Lani?"

"Dana?" Heavy shuffling came after a soft click. "What's up girl, haven't heard from you since you ditched us for that Stormy dude."

Guilt washed over her like cool water over a parched throat on a hot day as she sighed and perched at the edge of her bed.

"You saw that huh."

"Well duh," she mumbled. "I was surprised to see a familiar head with Afro hair seated beside Storm on my way home."

"Ronnie let the walk all the way home?" Slight confusion hinted at her tone.

"No,  I had been babysitting for your neighbors and wanted to see you to break the news of my new job when I saw. . ."

Adana sighed again. Things were blowing up in her face because of her action.

"But forget that." Her friend interrupted her train of thought. "You called me and not the other way round, what's up?"

"Okay, this might sound weird but I wanna make some extra cash apart from what I already make and was wondering if you have any suggestions."

"Babysit with me."

"Babysit with you?"

A frustrated grunt followed by a, "You don't know what babysitting is? Wow, some friend I have." Put Adana into a laughing fit.

"Okay, I get it but you sure your boss won't mind?"

"Yeah, she was kinda worried I wouldn't be able to handle four toddlers."

"Four, you're babysitting four toddlers all by yourself?" She asked in awe,  imagining the task ahead. "Yeah you really need an extra hand or a pair of hands."

"Yeah,  it's not everyday you get to babysit quadruplets plus she pays double because those bunch are a lot and have you met her elder sons?" She only paused to take in air. "Hottest specimen alive and they're so nice and with girlfriends,  boo hoo, cause I was plan—."

"Damn girl,  you don't have to talk my ear off jeez." She held back her laughter.

"Oh right, got a little carried away, I'll tell you the time tomorrow."

"Yeah,  I'll remember to bring my ear mufflers."

Leilani's laugh came out weak as she told her friend she had to go and hung up.

Another job. Maybe before school had to go on summer break,  she would've saved up enough money to rent an apartment closer to school. Sounded like a plan.