Rise Above {Gabrielle Union X Idris Elba}

Chapter Fifteen

The puppy Stephen helped me pick out from the pet store is absolutely adorable, but energetic as heck. A female Siberia husky with blue eyes. We're gonna let Aria decide on a name for her.

In the car ride back to my place, she would not stop whimpering and scratching at the cage.

"I don't think she likes it in there," I say to Stephen while looking back at her.

"You wanna take her out and hold her?" He asks.

"She's not potty trained. What if she pisses on your seat?" I ask him.

"Dang, you right. A little cage won't hurt her," he says.

I chuckle. I can already see Aria's face when she gets home. Stephen takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. One hand on the wheel, looking at the road. I smile to myself and look at him.

I'm falling Lord and I'm falling hard.

"You want something to eat?" He asks me.

"I could go for a burger and fries honestly,"

"Five guys?" He asks.

"Perfect,"

We stop by Five Guys and he buys whatever I want to eat and something for himself.

"Let me pay for once, Stephen," I say trying to swipe my card.

He pushes my hand back and shakes his head.

"I got this one, Gab. Don't worry," he says as he swipes his card.

I sigh. I feel really sucky when he always pays and I don't. It's like I'm feeding off of him. Once we get back to my place, we let her out of the cage. She runs out and sniffs around her new home. Don't piss. Don't piss. Don't poop.

"When does she get home?" Stephen asks.

"At three," I say while glancing at the clock,

So another three hours. We decide to sit on the couch and watch Law and Order for the time being. Just sit and enjoy each other's company. The doorbell rings 45 minutes later during a commercial. Stephen looks at me with a raise of an eyebrow. I shrug and walk to the door.

"Who is it?" I ask before taking a peek through the peephole.

A shabby woman with a hat on knocks on the door again. She looks kinda familiar. I open the door.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

The woman advances towards me with her arms outstretched.

"Woah! Don't touch me!" I exclaim while pushing her away.

"Baby, you don't recognize me?" She asks,"I'm your mother,"

I take a step back and gasp. My eyes widen as I recognize the woman before me. Mother. The one who didn't give a damn about me. Too busy with her new boyfriends to even care if I ate. My eyes darken and water.

"Leave now." I demand hardly.

"C'mon now, baby," my mother begins with a nervous smile,"You so beautiful now,"

I feel Stephen's hand on my shoulder,"Is everything okay?"

I look over my shoulder as he stares at her in confusion and curiosity.

"No. She just had the wrong address," I say before slamming the door in her face.

I hold back the tears before storming off into the living room. Stephen follows in my heels. I run my hands through my hair and pace the living room. The bell rings again.

"Gabby, what's wrong?" He asks while holding my arms and making me stand in place.

The doorbell again.

"I don't know how she got my address," I begin.

"Who was that?" He asks in total confusion.

"My damn mother, Stephen. I haven't seen or heard from her in like ten years,"

"Why don't you talk to her?" He asks.

My eyes darken,"Because she's a bxtch and I hate her,"

The doorbell rings again and now she begins to knock.

"Gabrielle! Gabby?!" She exclaims.

"I don't wanna hear what she has to say. If she was a better mother, things would be different,"

He hugs me,"I'm so sorry,"

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm better now,"

"Gabrielle!" Now she's banging on my door.

I feel sick,"Please make her go. If I talk to her, I'll go crazy."

Stephen nods and walks to the front door. I follow behind at a safe distance and stand behind the front door when he opens it.

"Where's my daughter? I want to talk to her," my mother begs.

"I'm sorry but Gabby doesn't want to see you right now," Stephen answers politely.

I stand stock still and wait for her response,"Who are you anyways?"

She's so nosy.

"I think it's time for you to go ma'am or Gabrielle will get upset and call the police,"

She curses something,"Tell her that I love her and I want to see her. I've changed,"

I stare at myself in the mirror in front of me. Sometimes, I see my mother when I look at my face. I shiver. Stephen says goodbye and shuts the door. I take a peek out the window to check if she's walking away. She is. Thank God.

"How about a game of table tennis?" I ask with a smile.

"And act like that never happened?" Stephen questions.

I sigh,"My mother was never a mom. At a young age, I had to take care of myself. The fridge was always empty and the house cold during the winter. She was always too busy getting high or sucking some guy's dick and never noticed her teen daughter. I got into the wrong crowd thinking that these people were my friends and got in a lot of trouble with the police."

"How about your dad?"

"Dad left me and my mother high and dry for some broad when I was two. Never heard from him."

Stephen embraces me in pity. Too bad I don't want it.

"It's funny how she comes to find me when my life is different," I say.