Wow!! This dinner was wonderful Suzanne dear" Lolita said as Laura stood to clean the table.
"Really. Thanks Lola" Laura replied smiling.
"Where did you learn to cook like this. From your mum?" Lola asked as she joined her in putting the dishes in the sink.
"Unfortunately no. I learnt myself. Cooking is really not that hard. Besides I have been cooking all my life. Gotten the hang of it" Laura replied. The memory of how she had been forced to learn how to cook came to play.
"How come you have been cooking all your life. What about your parents. We haven't really talked about your family before. Got any?". Lola asked. Laura didn't want to go down this road of conversation. She didn't want to talk about her past or anyone in it.
"Well....my parents died long time ago. Pretty much raised myself" Laura replied avoiding eye contact. She tried her best not to look fidgety. She hated the fact that she had to lie to Lolita but she didn't have a choice and she had already started with her name so there's no point in being guilty now. Lie begets lie right?
"Aww sweetie. I'm so sorry to hear that. It must have been really hard" Lolita drew her in for a hug.
"Yeah it was....um..Lola even though I'm settled and all I still need a job. I'm gonna run out of cash if I don't find one". Laura paused to see if Lolita was listening. "Do you by any chance know a place I could work?" She asked.
"Well...there are some places I have in mind. You know this is a small town. But I have an offer for you.... that's if you'll be willing to take it" Lolita told her. She looked uncertain about something.
"What's that?" Laura asked.
"You can come work with me. Assist me. I'll pay you generously"
Oh shit!
"No...Lola I couldn't" Laura said in a hurry. She really couldn't. It would remind her so much of her past. She didn't want anything to do with her past.
"Yes you can. There's no harm in doing that. What are you afraid of anyway"
She couldn't tell Lolita the reason why she doesn't want to work in a motel. That would mean explaining her past and she wasn't ready to do that. She would never do that because if she did everyone would hate her, including Lolita.
"Well.... I'm already familiar with you and I feel I wouldn't do well if I work with you...you know. Besides I need to work somewhere that would take my mind off things" Laura explained.
"Well...if you say so" Lolita replied. She looked really disappointed.
"Yeah" she reached out to hold Lolita's hand. "Thanks for the offer Lola. I'm really flattered you'd want me to work with you but I think it's better this way".
"It's ok dear. I'll write down the addresses of places you could check out"
"Thanks Lola. Anyway let's talk about today. I met the most unbelievable person today. He was so rude...." Laura stopped when she noticed Lolita wasn't listening. "Lola are you listening to me? She asked.
"Yes dear. I just want to ask you something. Can I do that?" When she nodded Lolita continued. "Will you come to church with me on Sunday. You haven't done that since you came into town?".
Laura stared at her. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know why Lolita had to bring it up. She had promised never to go to that damn place never again. She didn't see a reason to go when she didn't believe in all that shit. There was no way a God existed and she went through all she did. If there was a God then he was as wicked as he was dead to her.
"You know Lola....I will...I will but not this Sunday. Some other time. I'll probably be busy on Sunday anyway" She didn't want to hurt Lolita's feelings but she knew she would never go. She would just keep stalling till she hurt her feeling. To her utmost surprise Lola didn't even argue.
"Ok dear. Some other time then".
THE PAST
"Hey Baby" she called as she walked up to Laura. "How u doing" she tapped Laura on the shoulder. Laura rolled her eyes.
"Do you care how I'm doing?" Laura asked as she continued washing the sheets.
"You know I do baby...Don came into your room last night" Diane asked.
"So?" Laura hoped she wasn't going to say anything. She didn't have the strength to fight with her.
"I told him not to touch you" She said very proudly.
What the hell!!!! Anger rose within Laura.
"Do you mean hit me or have sex with me" Laura fired. A resounding slap landed on her cheek. She felt her cheek burn. She couldn't cry, she wouldn't cry. She had promised never again to cry because of Diane. She knew what would happen next. She counted in her head...1...2..3...4....
"Oh my baby. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit u....I...I never mean to hit you" Diane whimpered. She would always say that after hitting her.
"Just leave me alone mum. I'm not a baby anymore"
"It's just... sometimes when you talk to me like that...I just..."
"Well I'm tired ok? I'm tired of doing all the work alone.... I'm tired of you guys talking to me like that.... I'm tired of what we do. For God's sake Mum we're mu..." Laura started to say but shut her mouth the moment Diane grabbed her arm.
"That I don't want to hit you doesn't mean I can't. Don't force me to and never, ever speak of what we do to anyone. The moment you do you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Don won't spare you. Get that?" Diane threatened.
"I do" Laura replied as she drew her arm away from Diane's hold.
"Well...that said... it was actually nice chatting with you. We haven't had a chat in a while. I'm going for a party with Don, want to come along?" Diane said.
"No thanks"
"Hmm...ok then. Just know you're wasting your youthful years baby. You really are" And with that Diane walked away swinging her hips as she did.