Chapter Four: Hi Mom...

You're sitting on the couch in the living room, patiently waiting for your grandma to come home. The old photo book is on your lap and your laptop is on the coffee table facing you with the DNA website tab open.

You're very nervous. Even when you were practicing what to say and how to say it, you still couldn't believe it. You mean, yeah, you believe that Alice and Trevor are your real parents and they're alive, but... you just can't believe you're even in this situation. Like why? This situation is literally something that happens in movies or something and right now you're living it.

Looking down at the first page of the photo book, you see how happy your grandma "Charlotte" is just holding you. She gave you so much love and support growing up. She was there every step of the way and hadn't shown once a sign of stopping. But it still hurts that she kept this secret from you. Even if your mom's in prison for some stupid shit she did back then, maybe she's redeeming herself to be a better person, and maybe you could have had a relationship with her for the first 15 years of your life. But no... you grew up believing she and your dad were dead... And now you have to be the one to confront your grandma about this.

You then hear the doorknob jiggle as you hear the key unlocking the door lock. Oh man... here it goes... You also contemplated the negative outcomes of this situation, but you know you have to do this.

Grandma: Y/n, I'm home!

You say nothing. You just put your head down and stare at the first page of the photo book, waiting for her to come into the living room.

From the corner of your eye, you see her figure standing near the entrance of the living room. You don't look exactly at her, but you can tell her stance became tense as her eyes widen in shock. Okay... you have to say something first, so... here it goes...

Y/n: (In a calm tone) You know... even though you lied about the whereabouts of my real parents. About the empty graves you took me to cry to, had me think my parents were in the ground. Even letting me believe that there were no bad secrets between us. But even knowing all of this now (You place your hand on the picture where your mom is) I'll still love you regardless grandma. (You look up to her) Yeah, it's going to be hard to trust you the way I did again, but... you'll always have me in your life. So... I need to know more about Alice and Trevor. If you could tell me everything about them right now, then I'll be very grateful.

She's... shocked... speechless... but more upset if anything. Letting out a hurtful sigh before slowly walking over to your side, taking a seat next to you. She stares at the picture before slowly taking the photo book, and placing it on her lap.

Grandma: (She lets out another sigh) I remember that day, the day you were born. Your mother and I were more happy than we could have ever thought to have you in the world. But... before she had you, she'd... she was a criminal. It wasn't just the partying and drugs she was doing; it was also mainly robbing people as far as I knew. Trevor... (sighs) that...ugh... He was a terrible influence on her. I never liked him, but your mom loved him for some reason. But they would always fight about something. It was always on and off with those two. I've given her plenty of chances. She came back home so many times crying and I thought she was going to change, but she'd always leave the next morning without so much as a word. But one day...

Flashback...

It was the middle of the night. Charlotte was already deep asleep in her room. But then she hears her phone vibrate from her nightstand, slowly waking her up. While still laying down, she reaches to grab her phone and sees the caller's name is her daughter Alice.

Charlotte: (Sighs)

She knows she doesn't have to answer this call. She has a good idea of what she's calling for. Probably for money or wanting to stay just for tonight and leave the next morning. But for some reason, she felt like she kind of needed to answer it. But if it's for money or anything else, she'll hang up.

Charlotte: (Answers the call) Alice, do you know what time it is right now? If it's money you need then-

Alice: (Sobs) M-Mom I... I can't...

Charlotte: (Immediately sits up) Honey what's wrong? Are you hurt? (Pushes the blanket away from her)Where are you?

Alice: I-I'm outside...

Charlotte: Outside where?! (She stands up and grabs her keys)

Alice: I'm outside the house, your house.

Charlotte then puts on her robe and hurries over to the front door. Opening it to see Alice standing there in her jacket kind of shivering.

Charlotte: Come in (She pulls her into the house and closes the door) are you alright?! Did he hurt you?

Alice shakes her head and sits down on the couch continuing to cry. Charlotte goes to the kitchen and makes her a hot cup of tea before sitting down next to her handing her the tea. By then, Alice has already taken off her jacket and wiped away some of her tears.

Charlotte: Are you sure Trevor didn't hurt you? It's okay to tell me if he did.

Alice: N-No he didn't hurt me...

Charlotte: Then why are you crying?

Alice: I-I'm pregnant...

What felt like a brick to the face and a heavy weight comes down on Charlotte's shoulders as her mind progresses what she just said.

Charlotte: You're pregnant? Are you sure? Did you take a pregnancy test?

Alice nods her head and wipes away more tears.

Charlotte: Trevor's the father?

Alice looks at her mother and shakes her head.

Alice: I don't know... I don't know... I did it with another man...

Charlotte: Honey, who else was there?

Alice: Brad...

Charlotte: Jesus honey... You can't (sighs)... What are you thinking right now?

Alice: I-I don't know...

Charlotte: Are you thinking of abortion?

Alice: I...

Charlotte: Did you willingly have sex with Brad?

Alice: Y-Yeah... we were both in the motel room waiting for Trevor to come back and we were smoking a bit and I remember coming on to him cause I was mad at Trevor a-and...

Charlotte: Then please don't consider abortion Alice. You and Brad willingly had sex. Did you even use protection?

Alice: N-No...

Charlotte: Then it's either you finally put yourself together or give the baby away for adoption. If you were sexually assaulted, then that's when abortion can be your first option. But you made the choice to have sex with him, and he made the choice to disrespect Trevor by sleeping with you. You two didn't use protection and now you're the one suffering the consequences.

Alice: You're right... (places the tea down and covers her eyes and continues to cry)

Charlotte: Does Trevor know you're pregnant?

Alice: No... he doesn't... I took the pregnancy test in the gas station bathroom...

Charlotte: I can't tell you what to do anymore, but... you need to stay with me, at least just until the pregnancy's over.

Alice:... Yeah...

Flashback ends...

Grandma: She did just that. She moved in with me that same day and stopped using drugs. She was finally away from Trevor and the rest of his gang. She was becoming a normal woman. But... one day she was reminded of her criminal life when she got arrested. An officer recognized her and arrested her on the spot. She was on the run for multiple charges and she knew she would probably serve a long prison sentence for her crimes. The crimes weren't as bad compared to the men she was hanging out with, but North Yankton had a no-tolerance rule for any crime. She was released on bail and without telling me, she concocted a plan to steal from a jewelry store. Soon she had one of her guy friends to help her go through with it and they managed to steal over a hundred thousand dollars' worth of jewelry and some cash from the boss's safe.

Y/n: What?! Why the hell did she do that?

Grandma: I'm getting to that part. She and the guy fled by car and soon the cops were after them. But before the cops could follow them she told the driver to stop in front of the house and she threw a white plastic bag at the door before taking off.

Y/n: You didn't know where she was during that time?

Grandma: She told me she was going to go talk to a lawyer. Anyway, I heard the bang coming from the door and when I opened the door, the bag was there. I took it inside without thinking and opened it seeing there was a lot of jewelry inside. There were a lot of diamond rings, necklaces, bracelets, and beautiful gemstones. I didn't know why someone would leave them in front of my porch but... when the law finally caught up to them, they were both sentenced.

Y/n: Wait, this is all while she was still pregnant with me?

Grandma: Yes. Even though she didn't look pregnant, she was six months pregnant with you when she committed the crime. And when I went to go visit her for the first time, she asked if I still have the "gift" she sent me. I didn't know what she was talking about at first, but she then give me a hint. That "The package should have been placed outside the front door". That's when I realized what exactly she meant. She purposely had given me that stolen jewelry. And I said thank you to play along with what she was doing. But I whispered to her why, and she whispered...

Flashback...

Alice: I know things are getting rough right now since dad passed... it's for you and my baby. Give them to Lester, you know where he lives. I called and told him you'd be giving it to him sometime. He can get you the money without leaving a trace. It should be enough for you and my baby.

Charlotte: You... you didn't have to do this...

Alice: I don't want my baby living anywhere near Trevor or any of the guys when she's born.

Charlotte: I...

Flashback ends...

Grandma: I gave most of the jewelry to Lester. Turns out it was over two hundred thousand dollars and it was all sent to my bank account. And then... sometime later... you came into the world.

She turns a few pages over to a picture of your mom holding you in her arms.

Grandma: At the beginning of her pregnancy, she planned on giving you up for adoption, But I guess she finally realized that she needed to get her act together. (Sarcastic tone) Assuming that's why she robbed a jewelry store, but (calm tone) when she saw you for the first time. I could tell she's never been so happy to have you. But we still didn't know who the father was, so we had to get a paternity test to know. Luckily the jail house had Trevor's and Brad's DNA in their system so we didn't have to ask those two to give a sample... Trevor's... your father. (Sighs) As much as I hate to say it, he's your real father. Not Brad. And...

Y/n: And?...

Grandma: Trevor... still doesn't know you exist. Or at least there's no way he knows about you.

Y/n: What?! My mom still didn't want to tell him?

Grandma: No. And neither do I.

Y/n: If my mom committed the crime up in North Yankton, how come she's here in a U.S prison?

Grandma: It's required by law in both countries that prisoners have to be in the same state as their families. It took a long time, but a year after we moved here, they then placed her in this state's prison.

Y/n: Why did you tell me she was dead? I could have visited her and-

Grandma: From the other side of the glass? To grow up being ashamed and disappointed in your mother for committing a terrible crime while pregnant with you? I was thinking for your sake, so you don't have to cry every wondering why your mother did what she did when she didn't have to. She could have been with you, but she decided to take this road and look where we are now Y/n. You're happy and healthy without them.

Y/n: I have to go see her. Please take me to her grandma.

Grandma:....

She looks down at her phone for a few seconds before looking back at you.

Grandma: Visiting hours are still open... (sighs) Okay, let's go.

Y/n: R-Really?

Grandma: Yes... let's go.

She stands up, and you follow behind her, taking the photo book with you. You two get into the car and she drives off with you sitting in the passenger seat. From what you remember the prison your mother's in is a little over thirty minutes away with light traffic.

The radio is still the only thing that fills the car with sound as neither of you said anything. You just keep staring out the window or down at the photo book on your lap. Not like either of you has anything else left to say. You don't know what to say anymore... but you think about the last part she said, how you're healthy without them.

Physically healthy yes, mentally healthy yes, in every way healthy yes, but... at the end of the day, a child needs their parents. Even if they're five years old or over eighteen. Having a good relationship with your parents is something that you need. You're going to be sixteen this summer and you need your mom in your life. Even if she's behind bars, you need her.

Almost An Hour Later...

After stopping at the prison's visitors' parking lot, you and your grandma enter the facility where the female guards did a body search to ensure you don't have any weapons before one of them leads you and your grandma to the entrance of the visiting room.

Grandma: You go on ahead. I'll stay here.

Y/n: O-Okay.

You follow the female guard and enter the visiting room. Metal round tables are set up all over the room with metal bench-like seats around them. There are a few people in here and the guard leads you to one of the metal tables far from anyone else.

Female Guard: Have a seat and we'll have her out in a few minutes.

Y/n: Thank you.

You sit down and wait patiently for your mother to arrive. All of this is so... so nerve-racking... you're finally going to meet your mom for the first time. What are you going to say to her? Right now, nothing comes to mind as you are still processing everything.

You then see a metal door slide open from the other side of the room in front of you. Two female guards come out with a prisoner in handcuffs in between them. It's Alice... your mom...

Alice looks up and makes eye contact with you. The expression on her face changes from down to surprised. The guards stop and tell her she can go on by herself and she does just that without thinking twice. She takes a seat in front of you, sitting on the other side of the metal table. You can see that she looks like a normal woman. She doesn't look threatening.

Alice slightly opens her mouth but it's like she was debating on saying something or not. It's not awkward... just... uncomfortable right now...

Y/n: H-Hi mom...

Alice: Hi Y/n... I didn't think you would be visiting me...

Y/n: W-Why?...

Alice: Aren't you disappointed in me? (She shows her handcuffs)

Y/n: No... I'm not disappointed in you. I just... wanted to get to know you. Especially since.. all this time I thought... you were dead and-

Alice: What? That I'm dead? Who-

She stops mid-sentence as she realizes what's been going on. Her eyebrows furrowed at the thought of her own mother telling her child that.

Alice: (Let's out a quiet angry sigh) She said I was dead to her. I never thought she'd tell you that, let alone having me believe you didn't want to have anything to do with me. I sent you letters, and I never got a reply, so I assumed you hated me.

Y/n: You sent me letters?

Alice: She didn't give you the letters?!

She then realizes she needed to lower her voice as she balls her hands, making them into fists. But then she lets out another quiet and pissed sigh.

Alice: I sent you a letter once a month, so for the last fifteen years she didn't give you squat.

Y/n: No...

Alice: Well at least you're here now. And during my time here, I've been going through programs and getting myself on the right path. In fact, if I keep up the good behavior, I'll be able to either reduce my sentence or get parole before you turn eighteen. I wrote that in the last letter I sent you a month ago.

Y/n: Even when you thought I hated you, didn't want anything to do with you, and not reply to any of your letters... you still kept writing to me?

Alice: Yeah... In every letter I wrote to you, I hoped that one day you would want to come to see me. (Sighs) your grandma... Back in North Yankton, she said she didn't want to have anything to do with me as soon as you were born. I knew she would have full custody of you so you'd be in good hands, but...

Y/n: No wonder why she's waiting outside.

Alice: Yeah...

Y/n: Why did you do it? You know...

Alice: A year before you were born your granddad passed away while on the job. Sure my mom got some money from the company and locals who wanted to support her, but I knew that money was getting low when she took another job. So imagine her having two or three jobs and a kid to raise all over again. Even when I didn't commit that crime yet I knew I was going to prison anyway. So I wanted to ensure she had to money to raise you comfortably instead of struggling. I told her to move somewhere far from North Yankton and away from Trevor.

Y/n: Yeah about Trevor. Is he still in North Yankton?

Alice: No I don't think so. When you were five years old, he committed a robbery with his friends that went wrong and he was the only survivor when police were on to them. He became a nationwide manhunt and with little resources I got to work with relating to the outside world, that's all I know about his whereabouts. Why do you ask?

Y/n: Because I want to see him.

Alice: No you don't. You're not going to go looking for him.

Y/n: Why? Doesn't he deserve to know he has a kid?

Alice: He's a dangerous man and why did you think I wanted my mom to take you to the U.S? I didn't want anyone saying you look anything like him.

Y/n: But I do don't I?

Alice: You do. You got his color eyes, his hair color, and if anyone has seen Trevor and then you, they would call you his daughter. And if he hears that then- I don't even want to think about it.

Y/n: But if you don't know where he is, how do you know he hasn't changed?

Alice: Because I know him. He's probably either dead or busy doing meth. He is not fit to be a father.

Y/n: It's been fifteen years. What if he changed?

Alice: I know he hasn't changed, and he'll never change for anyone. Why would he change for a child?

Y/n: Because I'm his kid. And what about you? Grandma said you were an addict and criminal hanging out with him and his gang. But you changed right? You're doing better now and you could be released soon because of it. He deserves to know about me and if I see he hasn't changed and wants nothing to do with me, then it'll be the first and last time I see him. I'm going to go find him.

Alice: I know I can't physically stop you but I'm telling you, it's going to be a disaster if you see him.

Y/n: I need to see for myself if he has changed or not. This could be my chance of having a father for once in my life. I know I'll have you in my life but I need a father to. If he hasn't changed, then you're right, I can admit that. But I need to know. I need to see him at least and see for myself.

Alice: (Sighs) Well... It's going to be tough to find him but I know that he prefers small towns and/or off the grid ones. But promise me you won't go by yourself.

Y/n: I promise.

You continue chatting with your mom about school, friends, what you do in the summer times. Near the end, one of the guards walks up to her and tells her it's time to go back. You and Alice both stand up and she turns to the guard.

Alice: Is it okay if I give my daughter a hug?

Guard: Is that okay with you kid?

Y/n: Y-Yeah, that's okay with me.

Guard: Go ahead.

The guard takes off the handcuffs and Alice gives you the biggest hugs you've ever gotten. You hug her back feeling a whole lot better as you can feel a positive energy from it.

Alice: Be safe Y/n, and come visit me when you can okay? I want to keep seeing you as often as possible.

Y/n: Okay mom... I love you mom...

You shed a couple of tears unto her prison jumpsuit, feeling complete. Now you know you have a mom in your life. Next is to see if the same goes for Trevor.