Page 2 of Meet Me at the Altar

“But how?”

“I’ma drive to California, take in the countryside along the way. Go out there with Daddy.”

“Really?” He could hear the hurt in her tone.

“I gotta do what’s best for me now, Mama. He’s been asking me to come out there and stay for a while, get a fresh start. I’ll be okay. I’m twenty-one. It’s time for me to go out and make my way anyway. I need some time to get on my feet, but I’ll be good.”

His mother cried in his arms, and they both ignored Leon shouting, “Nicole, get in this house!”

“You wanna go with me?” Andrès asked.

She pulled back and shook her head. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she replied, “No, baby. This is home. You two don’t have a good relationship, but he’s good to me.”

As much as he wanted to, Andrès couldn’t argue with that. Leon treated his mother good, but the two men hadn’t gotten along very well for a while.

“Go in the house, Ma. I t’s cold out here. I love you.” He kissed her forehead, and she kissed his cheeks and forehead in return.

“I love you too, baby. Please be safe and call me.”

“I will.”

He turned away and walked to his car, with Kalliope walking beside him. When they were out of earshot, and he had opened the trunk of his car to throw his bags inside, she asked, “What happened?”

“Same shit. He’s pissed about me not coming in until two this morning. Pissed about me smoking weed. Pissed about learning I was fired from the construction site.”

“You knew he’d find out.”

“I was looking for another job.”

His company had conducted random drug tests, and he had failed, which led to him being fired.

“What are you going to do?”

“Head to California with my dad. He’s been telling me to come out there.”

“What? You didn’t tell me.”

“I wasn’t considering it until now.”

“You can’t go, Drè. You can’t leave me.” Kalliope shrieked as tears flooded her eyes.

“I’ll be back, shorty. I need to get my life in order, anyway.”

“Please don’t leave me. Take me with you,” she begged.

It tore him apart to see her crying, especially over him. She was too good, and he did need to get his life together. It was a constant series of partying, smoking, and random girls.

“You know that I can’t take you. Your daddy would put a bullet in my ass if I even considered it. You’re his baby, and he ain’t playing about you like that. I’m not leaving you, baby girl. I’m leaving Cherokee Springs to get my shit together.”

“Nooo.” Kalliope sobbed so deeply that he felt his heart was being snatched out of his chest. It was unfair. Why did life have to be so screwed up?

“Listen, stop. Don’t make this harder for me than it already is,” he pleaded, grabbing her by her shoulders and dipping his head to meet her gaze.

“I can’t be without you. You’re my rock and my best friend.”

“I know, and you’re the same for me. I see your little boyfriend over there watching us. What are you doing out this late, anyway?”

“It’s only ten. We just got back from a date.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with her arm.