Page 22 of Forbidden Fruit

“Come back and get me.”

“Vash, what about…”

“I don’t give a fuck about anything else. Just you. I’m about to start working. I’ll be able to take care of us financially, just come get me, Drek. Please.”

“Vash, are you sure? I have a full-sized bed at my mama’s apartment. There’s not a lot of space.”

“Drek! I don’t care about all that. Please come back and get me. I love you.”

“I’m on my way. Call the police, so they can be there.”

“Okay.”

I quickly dialed 9-1-1 as I threw clothes into duffle bags. I didn’t care about money, cars, or anything else. Jedrek was all I needed. “9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

“I need a squad car to come to my parents’ house. I’m trying to leave, and they won’t let me. I’m twenty-four and my name is Chitrita Vashti Levine. The address is 7 Estates of Montclaire.”

“Vashti! What are you doing?” my mom yelled.

“Please tell them to hurry,” I said in the phone, then ended the call.

“I’m leaving!” I yelled.

“Girl, you must be out of your mind if you think we’re just gonna let you leave.”

“You don’t have a choice!”

I continued running around my room, packing things that I needed, then ran right past her to go downstairs to get a couple of garbage bags. That would be a lot easier than trying to load all that luggage. My breathing was out of control, and I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. I quickly made my way back upstairs to begin stuffing clothes in the garbage bags. As soon as I reached the top, my phone was ringing. “Hello?” I answered breathlessly.

“Baby, I’m in the driveway and so are the police.”

“Okay. I’m gonna need help with my things. Can you escort them to the door?”

“Of course.”

I knew the cops would get here quickly because of our address. We lived in a very affluent neighborhood. I ended the call, then felt extremely dizzy, so I sat on my bed to get my bearings. A few moments later, a police officer escorted Jedrek and my mother to my room. I’d been moving so quickly, I hadn’t even seen when she left. The tears were streaming down her face, and I could hear my dad cursing downstairs. He was probably talking to another police officer. Jedrek rushed to me and fell to his knees in front of me. “Vashti, you okay?”

“Yes, I just felt a little dizzy. I’d probably gotten too worked up.”

“Okay. Is this everything?”

“Yes,” I said, looking over at the two, large garbage bags and four duffle bags.

I stood and was going to grab a bag, when Drek stopped me. “No, baby. Relax, I got it.”

He kissed my forehead, then carried as much as he could out to his car. My mom had been staring at me since she’d come in the room. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Vashti.”

“Mom, even if I don’t, I’m old enough to figure it out.”

She pulled me in her arms, then said, “If it were up to me, you could continue living here until you could move out on your own. Jedrek is a nice guy.”

I raised my head to look in her eyes. She was being sincere. “Thank you, Mama. That means a lot.”

“Promise to stay in touch.”

“I will.”

Jedrek walked back in the room and grabbed the last garbage bag and two duffle bags as I grabbed my purse and backpack with all my makeup. While walking downstairs, I could hear my dad talking loudly. When we reached the bottom, he glared at me and Jedrek. I couldn’t stop to entertain him, just continued following Jedrek out the door. “Chitrita! You are going to regret this for the rest of your life.”

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