Lessons Learned Ch. 07

"Marguerite that was so long ago. I... I don't remember that!!" She sputtered

"Answer the question Mom." Maurice replied at the door.

We all stared at her quietly. The time seemed to slowly pass. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and answered softly "Yes."

Multiple held breaths were released in shock. I turned to the window. I was feeling a whole new pain. Marguerite was the first to speak. She looked at our mother with dark, hooded eyes,

"So let me get this straight. Angela left a message on your phone for me. You knew it was for me. So instead of forwarding it to me, you texted her back and told her I didn't want to move in with her." Marguerite asked darkly.

"Yes." Our mother replied.

"Mom. How did Sherise know that I was looking for a roommate? I hadn't said anything to her. Did you?"

"Angela... that was a long time ago. I really couldn't tell you how she found out."

"You're lying." Marguerite replied softly.

Mother was taken aback from Marguerite's tone, "What?"

"YOU'RE FUCKING LYING!!" Marguerite bellowed. Ian took hold of Marguerites waist and held her close to his chest.

"I'm not lying Marguerite. I. Really. Don't. Remember." Mother replied indignantly.

"Then let me jog your memory. When I came back from the med school conference you told me that Angela had invited Sherise to move in. I was very upset and asked you how could she do that and more importantly how did Sherise know that Angela needed a roommate. You told me yourself that you had mentioned to Sherise's mother that Angela had extra room at the house after she told you that Sherise wasn't able to get housing on campus."

"Marguerite I hope you're wrong. But even if you aren't, there's one thing that we've forgotten." I replied.

Marguerite turned to me. " What's that?"

"I sent you emails and scans as well. Even if the texts didn't get to you; you should have gotten the emails. What happened to the emails and scans I sent you?" I asked

"I can answer that for you." Maurice replied.

We turned to him, "HOW?" We asked simultaneously.

"Well around that time of your conference Marguerite, you asked me if you could forward all of your emails and phone calls to me and Andreas while you were away. Well unfortunately both Andreas and I were called away that weekend and I had everything forwarded to Mom's email and phone. When I came back she told me that nothing came in for either of us."

Marguerite slowly turned to our mother. "Mom, did you get an email from Angela about me moving into the house?"

"Marguerite why does it matter it was so long...."

"ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION!! " Marguerite exclaimed.

"Did you get a FUCKING email from Angela for me?" She asked again.

Mother turned to Marguerite and looked at her defiantly. "Marguerite, I am your Mother. You will not talk to me like that!!" She replied.

Marguerite sighed in frustration and turned to her husband. He took her in his arms. I wrapped my arms around myself. I turned to my mother and asked her myself,

"Mom did you get the emails that I sent Marguerite about moving in? And if you did get the email, did you erase it? And if you did that, did you tell Sherise's mom about the house before or after you knew I wanted to move in with Marguerite? "

She turned to me, "Angela you have to understand something...."

"Answer the question Mom." I interrupted.

Mother got up from her seat. She reached out to touch me and I moved away from her touch. She brought her hands down to her torso and held them together.

"I have done everything for you, your sister and your brothers. I have put a roof over your heads and I have made sure that you never wanted for anything. The only thing that I wanted in return was for you to do what I asked."

"What are you talking about Mom?"

"I have only made one rule. You all are more then able to leave the house, but I ask that you leave at a time that you can fully support yourself. And I'm sorry darling, but you were not old enough to take care of yourself at 20 yrs old. And you proved me right. Within a year of moving out by yourself you needed someone to help you with bills."

"Which is why I asked Marguerite if she wanted to stay with me so that we can grow from under you together. I would think you would've been happy that I asked her instead of Sherise." I replied.

"Well I wasn't. Marguerite wasn't ready either. She was just getting into med school good. Money would've been tight between you two. So instead of putting Marguerite in that type of situation, I kept her from it."

My body began to shake with rage. "So instead, you allowed a trifling, disrespectful, whore come into my home and reek havoc all over the place. And you did this why? To teach me a lesson?" I asked

"Yes. You as well as everyone else here needed to learn that what I say goes. I didn't want to make an example of you; but you gave me no choice." Mother replied.

Everyone looked at her in silent disbelief and disgust.

"You are unbelievable." I whispered.

"I can't believe that a person let alone a mother would intentionally put someone they love in deliberate danger." I continued louder.

"What are you talking about? You think it's my fault that Sherise burned your house down?"

"Who else's fault is it Mom? We didn't delete Angela's texts and emails to Marguerite. You did!! We didn't mention that Angela needed a roommate. YOU DID!!" Andreas piped in.

"Angela could've died last night. And if she had, it would've been your fault. How does that make you feel? Because you couldn't let go, your daughter could've died." Maurice replied

I walked past my mother and Marguerite, picked up my purse and left out the door without a word. Tears of anger and pain ran down my cheeks uncontrollably. Maurice tried to stop me. I bypassed his reach and ran down the steps. Mom called my name but I ignored her. I was at the bottom of the stairs when I heard,

"ANGELA BIANCA MONROE STOP RIGHT NOW!!"

I turned and saw all my family standing at the top of the stairs. Marguerite stood there with Ian at her back. Maurice and Andreas stood to the side. Mother stood in the middle.

I wiped my tears away. I locked a challenging gaze with my mother's and replied, "This is all your fault. You're need to control everything has ruined my life You wanted me to learn my lesson? Well I have Mom. Thank you for that"

I turned to Marguerite, "I'm so sorry that we've lost these last three years. I feel so stupid because I should've called you again instead of letting my pride get in the way. I wish that we would've put all of this on the table a long time ago. It would've kept us from a lot of heartache." I replied.

Marguerite took a step forward," No, Angela it was just as much my fault. I should've called you, but I let my pride get in the way as well. And I'm so, so sorry!!" Marguerite replied as more tears began to fall down her face.

I ran up the steps and Marguerite met me half way. We embraced each other. I looked up at her and replied,

"Margie I do love you and I hope that you will think about being my sister and best friend again because I've missed you in my life. We have so much to catch up on." I said with a tearful smile.

"I've missed you peanut!!" Marguerite exclaimed.

"And I've missed you Margie!!."

We embraced once more. I kissed her cheek and left her embrace. I glanced at my brothers and brother-in-law. I smiled at them, turned around and walked down the rest of the steps.

"ANGELA DON'T YOU WALK OUT OF THAT DOOR!!" Mother exclaimed.

I ignored her and continued to the door. I turned and glanced at my family once more. I blew them a kiss and walked out the door. I could hear my mother's screams for me to come back; but I ignored her pleas and continued my walk.

Marguerite turned around and gazed at our mother's sorrowful expression.

"I hope you're happy now. In one night you've single handedly destroyed the lives of two of your children." Marguerite replied. She turned to Maurice and asked,

"You once told me that all of the Monroe children have a suite at the Monroe Towers. Is that still correct?"

"Uh.. What?" Maurice sputtered.

"Do you have suites available for all of the Monroe children?"

"What are you doing Marguerite?" Mother asked.

Marguerite ignored her and waited for Maurice's answer.

"Um, yea. We have two suites available with a front room and a kitchenette." Maurice replied.

"Perfect! If it's ok with my husband I would like to move myself and the rest of my family into them tonight." Marguerite replied. She looked to Ian for a reply,

Ian nodded, "Of course baby."

Ian reached his hand out to her. Marguerite walked up the stairs, took her husband's hand and the two walked hand and hand to the hallway towards her room to pack. Before Marguerite passed our mother she locked eyes with her once more and replied,

"You're a horrible woman. I could've lost my sister because of you. I'll never forgive you or forget this. I'm going to make sure that Angela never talks to you ever again. You will never get the chance to fuck her life up ever again!!"

"Marguerite you can't have her. She's MY daughter, not yours!!" My mother replied softly.

Marguerite separated from her husband, stood in front of her mother and whispered in her ear, "Oh trust me, I know WHO'S daughter she is!! "So unless you want her to know EVERYTHING; I suggest you stay away from her!!"

Momma was taken aback by that statement and turned her head to the side. Marguerite went back to her husband, took his hand and the two walked to her room to pack. Maurice and Andreas quietly stood there as everything unfolded. When Marguerite disappeared into her room; Maurice moved from his stance. He walked past our mother and before he left her sight, he turned to her and gave her one last menacing gaze. He walked down the rest of the stairs and went to the door. Before he walked out the door our mother yelled at him,

"And where are you going? Are you going to leave me too?" She asked.

"I'm going to find my sister and try to convince her that not all of us want to see her fail. Shame on you Mom!!"

Maurice turned the knob and left out the door. In the end the only ones that stood at the steps were Mom and Andreas.

Mother turned to Andreas and asked,

"So are you going to leave me to?" She asked in defeat.

"Oh that would be too easy. No, I'm not going to leave you because I have a feeling that you aren't telling us everything. So I'm not going anywhere until you tell me all that I want to hear."

She narrowed her eyes and replied, "You have no idea what you're talking about." She walked away from his gaze. Before she could get far he grabbed her arm and turned to him. She looked at him in shock as he replied,

"Ok let me spell it out for you. Marguerite knows something that we all don't. So you either give me your side of the story or I'm asking her myself!!"

*

CopyrightÓ January 2010 BBWLove 8369

Revised 2010