"Belly! Uncle Russell! Open this door!" I scream a couple of times but who am I kidding? They are never going to open the door.
Not after getting what they wanted for years - to finally be rid of me.
I pick up my vintage backpack, open up a few bags and take out some clothes. I don't bother folding 'em, just stuffed as much as I can carry inside the backpack.
A coat, some socks, T-shirts and a bunch of dresses - mostly essentials including a box of tampons.
How nice of uncle Russell to remember I bleed every month!
I was good to leave except for one thing, what's a girl supposed to do with the lifesize cardboard cutout of her dead father.
I turned around and launched the damn thing at the door of the trailer and it crumpled on impact.
Damn it!
Then I lost it.
I stomp on the cardboard a few times letting out my frustration on the father that skipped out on me when I needed him the most.
The father who trusted his backstabbing brother and left me all alone out here.
"Fuck you! Fuck you!" I murmured several times as I stomped at the cardboard cut out.
Then I stopped. All that was left was his face.
I bend over and touch it. Tears running down my face as I pick it up.
"Daddy…" I say out loud.
It's been awhile since I had said that word.
"Aren't you supposed to be looking out for me from the great beyond? Isn't that what dead fathers are for?" I bring his face closer to me on instinct hoping a hint of his favorite aftershave is somehow still on it but all I could sniff out is dust and a little bit of desperation.
I put his face into my backpack, I needed to find shelter before sundown.
Hellgate is not safe for someone like me on a day like this.
But where the hell am I supposed to go with no money?
It was dead quiet everywhere.
I picked up my backpack. My hands are terribly slightly…excruciating is too little to describe the mind blowing pain.
Rejected and homeless in a space of one hour is too much for this girl.
I start to walk away.
Barely made it a few steps when the door to the house creaked open and my half brother, Ronny came out walking on his tippy toe clutching his toy truck.
He runs to me and wraps his arms around my waist in a hug.
"Don't go, Juni" he says, his voice breaking a little.
He is nothing like Belly…my sweet little boy, barely ten years of age yet he encompasses so much goodness and kindness that eluded his sister Belly.
I lower my head and I kiss his hair.
"I love you, Ronald Rodriguez. Be good to mom, okay?"
He looked up, his green eyes holding so much guilt as he spoke. "Dad lied. Mama is not here. She didn't tell Dad to throw you out. Dad sent her out of the pack yesterday night to get Alpha Carsten's favorite adult drink to persuade him to forgive you. I'm sorry, I didn't tell you sooner"
I felt a wave of relief.
"So, she didn't…" I bit back tears and kissed his hair again.
Thanks for giving me back my mom, kid.
"I'm sorry" he said again
"Hush, Ronny…it's alright. I forgive you"
"But where will you go?" He asked me.
"I don't know. Maybe to Aunt Loren?"
I tell him, not so sure on how I'm supposed to get there.
"But it's so far away and my wolf's not so strong right now, Ronny…I don't know what to do" I didn't even know I was crying until he started crying too.
"But it's okay. I'm sure I will figure it out. I'm alright Ronny" I tell him and wipe my face before managing a little smile. "Now, sneak inside before Russell finds out you are with me and buddy…could please tell Mom to come find me at Aunt Loren's house? Tell her that…I need her, okay?"
The door creaks open again and Russell walks out, I felt Ronny's little body tense up instantly.
"Ronny, get inside"
"But Dad…"
"Now!" He screamed and my brother scurried off instantly.
Russell looked at me. His nose flaring up in irritation.
"What are you still doing here?" He asked.
Then it clicked. He had something of mine, I would kill to get back.
Something so important to me, it was a surprise I didn't remember till this moment.
I took a step closer to him and I told him what I wanted.
"I want Michelle. She's mine. Give her to me!"
His anger went to all time high in seconds.
"Which part of everything that is yours is mine now, did you not understand?"
I didn't think, I launched myself at him in anger.
"Give me Michelle!"