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I nod my head. I guess she has a point. “Fair enough,” I tell her before reaching into my back pocket and pulling out the picture. I slide it across the table, being careful not to touch her skin. Man, seeing her is one thing but actually touching her? I don’t know if I could handle that.
Gina takes the picture and I watch for a moment as her eyes roam over it. Pride surges through her. “You don’t hate him for being the one to put you away?” I question.
“Never,” she murmurs, not once raising her eyes from the picture. “He gave me the way out that I was searching for.”
“You didn’t want to keep being involved in the prostitution ring?”
Gina shakes her head. “Never wanted it to start with.”
An alarm sounds through the room and before I know it, guards start pouring in. “What’s happening?” I ask, sitting up a little straighter as my heart begins to race.
“Probably a fight,” she says. “Visiting hours are over.”
With that, a guard reaches Gina and starts pulling her to her feet before cuffing her behind her back. “You grew up alright,” she tells me. “Maybe you’ll come back one day.”
“Maybe,” I tell her moments before she and the rest of the prisoners are carted away.
I sit gaping at the door for a short while. Did that just happen? I met my real mother and didn’t exactly hate her. I mean, she’s certainly questionable. She’s rough around the edges and super shady, but isn’t that expected of someone who’s been in prison for the past six years?
I still have many questions and some of her answers have me desperate to learn more, but for now, I think I have what I need. A little closure of why I was given up.
She was right, I didn’t exactly love what I heard. I mean, hearing that your mother hated you even before you were born is one thing, but it didn’t take me long to realize that was on her, not on me. I was a baby, completely innocent without a cause to be hated. That’s between Gina and whoever the hell that boyfriend of hers was.
I make my way out of the visitor room and head back through all the security checks that I’d come through on my way in. I thank the woman who had allowed me to come in after not having an appointment and I smile at her as she hands me the sign out sheet.
As I scroll through the list, looking for my name, I can’t help but notice another. Anton Mathers. What the hell was he doing here? My head whips around, trying to find the lowlife but soon realize that I’m one of the last people to leave. There’s already a signature signing himself out and I want to hate myself for being so self-centered. If I was more aware and not trapped inside my head, I would have seen him in that room and could have told him exactly what I think of him.
Damn it. What a great opportunity that would have been. I would have had heaps of guards around and could have said nearly anything to him and gotten out of there safely.
I let out a sigh and sign myself out before heading out to my car. Noah and I can deal with Aton later, as for now, I need to get home.
Dropping down into my car, I grab my phone which was left on the floor of the passenger’s side. Lighting up the screen, I find three missed calls from Noah, two texts from Tully, and a text from dad.
Noah – Where are you, Spitfire?
Tully – Are you at the hospital? Noah’s looking for you.
Noah – Henley. I’m at the hospital. Where the fuck are you? You said you were coming here.
Dad – Where are you, kid?
Tully – Hello?????????? Answer Noah’s damn text already. He keeps calling me and I’m so not ready to talk to that dickhead just yet.
Noah – Just tell me you’re alright. Where the fuck are you, babe?
Shit. Maybe I should have told him what I was doing today.
I check the time and realize that the last text was sent ten minutes ago and I quickly start hashing out a reply.
Henley – Don’t be cranky with me, but…I sort of visited my mom today. We have lots to talk about. I’ll meet you back at your place in two hours. Sorry.
Noah – Fuck, Henley.
Noah – See you soon.
Chapter 20
As I pull up at Noah’s place, I find him already standing out the front of his home, arms crossed over his chest and a less than impressed scowl marring his handsome face.
Shit. This isn’t going to be good. I should have told him what I was up to. He’s probably been worried sick about me all day. After all, I left this morning just as he would have been pulling into the school parking lot and it’s now well after four in the afternoon.
