Consequences ( Book 3 in the Hijacked Of Innocence Series)

Chapter 67. Paradise Lost???

It was almost a month since Eric left the island he called home all his life, and Tanya had not heard a word from him...radio silence. Tanya was still in the dark as to where he was. Lloyd stepped in to do most of Eric's fatherly duties. 

Lloyd faithfully transported Ericka to and from school every day and once a week he carved out time to spend with both Ericka and EJ...Eric insisted.  Ericka looked forward to spending time with her uncle Lloyd at the beach house.  She missed her old room, the beach and most of all her Dad and his guitar that he always taught her to play.

Tanya walked by  Ericka's room as she packed her overnight bag for her night over with her uncle.  Tanya watched unnoticed as Ericka sang  as she packed her bag.  She was pulling down all her clothes from her closet  and  cramming them into her overnight  bag.  The bag was full to the brim as if she was going away for months and not just one night.  

And her hair was pulled out of the braids her mother did earlier that day.  She looked  a hot mess with a headband barely securing all that hair from her tiny face. That was Ericka's idea  of making her hair pretty. 

Tanya hid her smile.  'She looks like cousin IT.'  

Tanya walked into the room as Ericka  struggled to close her overnight bag. "Ericka, you don't need all those clothes baby," Tanya began to pull some of the stuff from the bag."

Ericka cried out so loud, that Tanya flinched. "Mommy no! I need them."

"You are going for only one night, now chose three  outfits  you want to take with you."

Ericka pouted.  "No, I am going home to live with Unky Yoyd." 

Tanya thought that with each passing day, she was becoming more like her father...cambative and argumentative.  "If you dont do as I tell you, then you will go no where with your uncle."

Ericka's lips trembled as she began to cry.  "Ok, Mommy, ok."

 "And you can't leave the house with your hair looking like a mad woman."

Ericka gently touched her hair. "My hair is pitty."

"You look like cousin IT with your hair like that." Tanya teased.

She wiped her eyes. "I don't like you...I want my Daddy. I am going to tell Daddy that you are mean."

"Tell Daddy? Ericka you know that your father is away."

"He is NOT! I talk to my Daddy and I am gonna tell him you are mean."

"When did you talk to Daddy?" Tanya asked quite puzzled.

"I talk to Daddy. He is not gone."

Tanya was flabergasted at the revelation from Ericka.

Lloyd gave her the impression that Eric was not in touch with him since he left.

'That little prick.'

                                                                                           ***********

Lloyd walked into the apartment Tanya shared with her kids. He kissed Tanya on the cheek and took EJ from her.  There was a commotion on the stairs and their eyes immediately went in that direction.  Tanya shook her head.  There was Ericka struggling with her bag to get down the stairs.  Lloyd hurried up the stairs to get the bag from her before she tumbled down and hurt herself.

"What do you have in here? Rocks?" Lloyd joked.

Tanya fumed. "That little girl is getting on my last nerve. She listens to nothing I say."