Remember Me (Sequel To Tragic Endings)

7. Naive

Aisha's P.O.V.

"Are you going to say told you so, Marshall?" I ask with tears in my eyes as I hang up the phone with a representative at a drug rehab facility where my mother was supposed to be checking in today, only to be informed that she never showed up.

That day, exactly a week ago, when my mother had called me and asked for my help, she was crying to me on the phone, apologizing for abandoning me all those years ago, never coming to look for me, saying to me that she had never wanted me in the first place that one time I had found HER, sending me away, all those things, basically saying sorry for everything. After that, she had asked me for money. She was telling me she was wanting to turn her life around, stop using drugs, get clean. And all she needed for that was a few thousand dollars so she could relocate to a better home and eventually check herself into a rehab facility.

And I was so happy to hear that, part of me always feeling guilty that I had never reached out to her after that one time, my mother's rejection hurting me so much that day, that I pretty much had forced myself to stop thinking about her after that day. I went right back to pretending that she never even existed, going back into that narrative my daddy used to push on me back then, saying to myself that my momma died while giving birth to me. Horrible, I know. And maybe I had given up on her way too quickly too, you know? Maybe I should've tried harder with her, maybe then I could've convinced her to get clean sooner. Maybe this time I was the ONE that had abandoned HER.

So, as soon as Candance Jones had reached out to me, all I could think was that this was my chance to make it up to her.

And I was so excited about that too!!

Marshall though...

He wasn't as supportive as I would've hoped him to be of my decision.

I mean... he told me he's there for me and would go along with whatever I had decided, but he had also warned me that maybe I shouldn't get too hopeful about my mother and not to trust her too much.

At that time, his words really hurt me and upset me.

"Marshall, she wants to get clean, I would think YOU of all people would understand how that's like!" I exclaimed, pacing around our bedroom and wringing my arms nervously.

"Nah, hold up, yo," he gets up from the edge of the bed where he was just sitting watching me and walks over to me, stopping directly in front of me. "Baby, of course I understand. But, Aisha," he looks at me sadly and almost like he feels bad for me right now, and I hate it. I can tell that he doesn't believe that my mother really wants to get clean. "Listen to me, aight?" He sighs, dragging one of his hands down his face. "I don't mean no disrespect, but if your mother really wanted to do better for herself, then she would let you check her into rehab instead of asking you for money for it. Don't ya think it's kinda odd baby, that she wants you to send her $20 000?"

I look at my husband whom I love to death and suddenly feel so annoyed with him.

"You don't trust her, Marshall?" I ask, irritated.

"Nah baby. I'm sorry, but I don't. And frankly, you shouldn't either."

Ooooo, he pisses me off so much right now!! I almost say something really mean and hurtful to him about just because his own mom messed him up doesn't mean mine doesn't deserve a second chance, but I hold back on saying that, because I know it would be so wrong of me to say that to him. I love Marshall to death and I would never want to intentionally upset him.

"Aisha, I used to be an addict, ya know that. And imma tell you something right now, can't nobody help a person like that to get clean until they themselves want to get clean. And when you want to get clean, you don't play around. Let's test your mother on this. Tell her that if she's really serious, then she would let you check her into a facility. Hell, I'll help you pick one for her. Then, once she is out of there, then the both of us can help her."

I should've seen that he was right, and that he only wanted the best for me, but I was being stubborn. I had wanted to believe in my mother so badly.

"Marshall, I'm sending her the money. $20 000 is nothing for us anyway, don't know why you are being so stingy about this! I'll send her the money, but I'll also tell her about that rehab place. I'm sure that she will check in."

So, I had sent my mother the money to the address she gave me over the phone. And I had also booked her a spot in one of the best rehab facilities in LA.

But she never showed up there. And she had stopped answering my calls.

"You were right, okay, Marshall? You were right!!" I now exclaim, feeling so stupid. I seriously don't understand how I continue to be this naive and continue giving people second chances even when they don't deserve them.

Like my daddy for instance. He's finally reached out to me after Marshall and I came back from Brazil as well, and we spoke on the phone and he's managed to convince me to meet him one day when I come to LA for that movie audition in a couple of weeks.

"Baby, I never wanted to be right about that shit, and no, I ain't about to gloat about it. Do you really think I'm happy that you got hurt, Aisha? Hell fucking nah. I never wanted you to get hurt, that's why I was telling you what I was telling you about your mother."

"Well, you were right, so..."

"Come here, baby. I'm so sorry," Marshall pulls me into his chest and kisses the top of my head, rubbing my back soothingly.

"What's wrong with me though, Marshall?" I mumble against his chest, feeling like I'm 21 years old all over again, and I am just now finding my mother for the first time ever and she just sends me away like I'm nothing to her. "What is so wrong with me that she..."

"Shh, nothing is wrong with you, baby. It's that woman's loss, to keep it 100 with ya. But then, one day she might actually change and actually want to get clean and be in your life. Then you will be able to actually help her. Until then, fuck that bitch. And don't you dare fucking blaming yourself for her not wanting that just yet, aight?"

"Okay," I agree, not yet knowing that the day my mother would reach out to me again would actually come sooner than I thought, and that it would change everything...