Shelby and Toni

Chapter Twenty-Two

**Toni's POV** 

I continued to play with Shelby's hair as I watched her sleep in my arms, appreciating the calm nature of her face compared to the panicked, scared, and upset one I saw earlier. I still had so many questions I wanted to ask her, but I didn't wanna push her, I can't imagine she wants to recount her parents kicking her out. Yet still, I had no idea what was gonna come next, were her parents gonna change their minds and reach out? Would they completely cut times with her? Where was Shelby gonna stay? Was she gonna have to get her own place, but with what money would she do that with? And most importantly, how was she really feeling about all of this? 

My thoughts were cut short when I saw Martha open the door to my bedroom. She opened her mouth like she was about to say something, but shut it once she saw that Shelby was asleep. I motioned with my free hand to give me a second and she gave me a thumbs-up before walking back out of the room. I looked over at Shelby one last time, softly stroking her cheek with my hand before slowly sliding my arm out from underneath her. I carefully lifted her head off my chest and grabbed a pillow to replace it before fixing the blanket and following Martha to her room, closing the door behind me. 

Martha looked up from her phone as I entered the room, setting it on the bed, giving me her full attention. 

"So what the hell happened?" She asked as I came and sat down next to her on the bed. 

"Honestly, I don't know," I started, shaking my head as I let out a deep breath, "she just said her dad was talking a lot, and her mom just kinda stood there and listened and then he kicked her out I guess."

"Indefinitely or just for the night or..." Martha trailed off. 

"No idea, that was all I could get out of her before she fell asleep," I said while shaking my head, my eyes focused on the ground. I felt Martha reach out and grab my hand, making me look up at her. 

"I'm really sorry, Toni," she said, a sad smile on her face which I mirrored.

"What did you tell your parents?" I asked, curious as to whether she made up a story or told them the truth. 

"I didn't know what all was okay to disclose so I just said Shelby and her parents got into a huge fight and she felt more comfortable being here," she said. 

"Thank you, Marty, I really appreciate that," I said and she waved it off like it was no big deal. 

"They said she's welcome here for as long she wants," she replied and I smiled at their hospitality, it wasn't shocking though, her parents were the most generous people I had ever met. 

"I want to try and get more answers so I know what I can do to help her, but I'm afraid to push, ya know?" I said, looking at Martha for advice. 

"I would leave it be for tonight," Martha said, "just be there for her right now, and worry about tomorrow when it comes." 

"Yeah, I guess that's all I can do really," I said and Martha nodded at me. We sat there in silence for a minute, Martha still holding onto my hand as I stared at the floor. Martha really was the best friend that I could ever ask for, and her parents were by far the best guardians I could've ever hoped for. 

"It just makes me so mad that her parents would do this shit," I said, my hands balling into fists just even thinking about it. 

"I know, T, it's not fair but there's nothing we can do about it, we just have to adapt," Martha tried to reason with me.

 "Oh, I can think of a few things we could do about it, starting with popping their tires, and-" 

"Toni," Martha tried to interrupt, but I just kept going. 

"We could spray paint the garage door to say something fucked up like 'fag hating christian' so everyone would know what pieces of shit they are-" 

"Toni that's not-" 

"and then we could call their bosses and tell them what they did to their daughter, that would be incredible, or we could-" 

"Toni!" Martha yelled, grabbing my arms and making me face her. I finally stopped and looked at her, "the only thing that does is give her parents more of a reason to hate you," she said, still holding onto my arms, which I shook off and stood up from the bed. 

"I don't give a flying fuck what they think of me," I said back, the anger starting to come out at Martha. 

"I know, but they're still her parents, Toni, and-" she tried to explain but I cut her off. 

"They abandoned her! Just like my parents did except they stuck around long enough to make her feel safe and loved before cutting the cord when shit got to be too much for them! They fucking left her, Martha, and they shouldn't just get to live their life without facing some sort of consequences for it!" 

"I know, Toni, I know!" Martha said back, standing up and moving in front of me. "But she still loves them, and later on down the line, they could change their minds and want to be in her life," Martha said before I turned around, trying to calm myself down by walking back and forth.

"Who gives a fuck about what they want?" I said, throwing my hands up in the air. 

"Do you want to be with Shelby in the future?" She asks. 

"Of course I do," I answer, still walking back and forth. 

"Then you should care," she says, causing me to stop and look at her with a confused look. "Listen," she starts, grabbing my hands and guiding me back on the bed, "you know she was close with her family before all of this, and maybe this changes everything and she'll want nothing to do with them, but maybe it doesn't. And if they want to be apart of her life in the future, I'm sure it will be important to her that you're supportive of that, and that you and her parents are able to have some sort of bond at the very least," she says, taking a pause. "I know that situation, if it'll even happen, is not the first thing that's on your mind right now, but just try and be aware of that before you do something you'll regret later, okay?" 

I stare back at Martha as I process everything she's saying, and deep down I know she's right. Although right now my mind had already come up with over twenty different ways to get back at her parents, I knew it was a bad idea, and that right now, I just need to look out for Shelby and deal with her parents whenever she's ready to, in whatever way she wants to. I finally nod in response to Martha and she pulls me into a hug, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me close. 

"Why don't you go back to her, I can't imagine her being happy to wake up without you in there," Martha said as she released her arms from around me. I nodded and stood up, making my way to the door when Martha said, "I'll let you guys know whenever dinners ready." 

I smiled before saying, "thanks, Marty," and walking back into my room, Shelby still fast asleep.

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hey guys!! if you didn't see my post a few days ago, I had a family emergency that came up so im sorry for the delay in the new update, but happy to be back and writing again! hope you guys like this part!!!