Chapter nine.
"See why I don't like coming here?" I told her as soon as I neared her,making sure Diego was completely out of the house.
"I'm really sorry, Kel," she dabs at her eye bags.
"No, I'm sorry," I sit beside her. I reached a hand over her back and tried to sooth her. "You didn't tell him you work as a stripper?" I asked her.
She shakes her head negatively " Diego wouldn't like that. But I know he knows what I do. It's why he's been acting so strange to me and fighting me on every little thing. I'm actually surprised he didn't find out sooner, he always had his friends watch me"
"I think he's just caring,Abs"
"I know..."
Silence.
"You know," She breaks the building silence "the day my dad got run over, Diego had been missing. Mom beat him after he refused to go buy her cigarettes. He got so pissed and left the house. I tried to stop him from leaving but he didn't listen to me. When our father came back from work later I told him what had happened and he left too to search for him. He....he found Diego near the train station at the end of the city but before he could reach him, he was hit by a truck" she sobbed quietly into her hands.
"I'm really sorry" I said consolingly.
"Mom blamed him for his death even though she didn't really care if he was gone or not. You know," she looks at me now " things would've been a lot better if Diego didn't blame himself"
"He does?"
"Yeah, he told me that. He thinks he lured dad to his death by leaving the house"
"That's so horrible. Come here" I pulled her into a hug.
"I really want him to be okay," she continued to sob "he's always so agressive,he thinks he's going to hurt me too"
She moves away and settles back on the couch, whipping away her tears. "I'm really sorry," she said, trying to laugh but her voice comes off broken "I shouldn't be doing this in front of you"
"No, it's okay. I'm here for you, aren't I?"
She smiles and continued " you know... Stephen is a really great guy"
"The guy you were with last night?" I asked, wondering how she's always able to switch conversations like that.
"Yeah," she beams a smile " I know I've met a lot of men in that club but he's... charming"
"no,no,no,no. Don't use that word. When a woman uses that word on a man it means she's...."
"In love with him?" She completes for me "don't be ridiculous, Kelsey. I mean sure, he knows all the right buttons to push in bed but...."
"Gosh, Abby!"
"What? He's really good in bed, you should try him"
"Uh no thanks"
She laughs aloud " I wouldn't even let you try. But he's charming. And.... I think I really like him and I really don't want Diego meddling in that. He always has a problem with my choices of men. Diego has been the cause of my first break up with my boyfriend"
I snorted a laughter "what did he do?"
"He beat him up and warned him to stay away from me. Poor guy had to break up with me if he wanted to keep his life. He'd threatened the second guy who dared to ask his permission to take me on a date"
"Wow"
"Yeah, wow" she takes in a sharp breath.
"I'm really starving. I've got a few mexican food, wanna try some?" She stands up.
"Sure...."
"Come on then. I need to be back at the club before 4p.m"
She stalked towards the kitchen and I followed suit.
We spent a couple of hours at her house, getting her nails polished for her to be precise before dropping me off at the motel and leaving for the club. My other roommates had arrived by now and were getting ready for the club. The sight gave me headaches. I took a shower and tried sleeping for a bit. That's when the ugly event with Blaire occured to me. The stunt she pulled earlier lingered on my mind.
At some point my thoughts centered on what had happened at Abby's house. It reminded me of my father and.....mom.
I started to remember the days in my life when everything seemed to be chaos every single day. When all I witnessed every single day was my mother getting beat up by my father. She'd always tell me never to settle for any many, never to love them more than they deserved. Because the only person who deserves that much love was yourself.