Dragon

12 - Mommy is all I've got

Greer

I didn’t mean to upset my mommy with what I did today; I just wanted to make her happy. I wanted to meet my daddy finally.

He was so handsome! He was very tall and had tanned skin like mine and light hazel eyes. Not exactly like mine, but they were pretty. Mommy was right; I do look like him.

I felt like I might cry when I saw him, not because I was sad, but because I had waited my whole life to meet him. Everything my mom ever said about my dad was right; I could feel it just standing in front of him.

My daddy is special, and I love him so much. I hugged him tightly before rushing toward my mom, calling me. I didn’t mean to scare her, but I had to find my dad.

It wasn’t hard, like grown-ups always say it is on TV shows. It was relatively easy. I just ran down the hill and asked the old lady in the ice cream place if she knew my dad. She pointed to the motorcycle riders outside and told me that my dad was one of them.

I know that I shouldn’t have approached those biker men; my mom has warned me all my life never to speak to strangers. It is so very dangerous because they could mean to cause you harm. The only time there’s an exception to the rule is if I’m lost. If that happens, then I can ask someone for help.

I wanted to meet my dad so badly that I didn’t think about what might happen to me. Men on motorcycles can be evil men, and they could hurt a child just for fun.

I didn’t get that feeling from them, though, and wouldn’t I be scared if I felt that they meant to harm me?

Besides, when I saw the emblem on their jackets, I knew they were the right people. Snakes Henchmen MC, that’s who Mommy said my grandpa rides with.

I was happy when the big guy told me that he knew my dad. I’d found him, and nothing could take away the feeling I got when I first saw my dad. I will never forget what it meant to me to hug him the way I did.

I didn’t understand why my mom was so angry with me. I thought she would be happy that I’d seen my dad and that we could finally be a family, the way she told me that we would be one day.

When she explained why she yelled, I felt bad. Mommy was so scared something bad had happened to me, and I know how much her heart hurt thinking it had.

Mommy always told me that she wouldn’t survive if anything ever happened that would take me away from her. I should have realized that rushing off was a dumb thing to do, and I’ll never scare my mom like that again.

I want my dad here with us, but I have to wait until Mommy talks to him. She has a lot of explaining to do. Once they’ve spoken, I’ll have my mom and dad here with me, together forever.

I skip to the front door with a smile on my face. Mommy isn’t saying anything, but I know that she’s not happy that the old lady from next door is here to check on us again.

My mom says that we should always be polite, but Mrs. Campbell is so nosy. She knew my mom from when she was a child, and she talks to Mommy like she still is one.

I heard Mrs. Campbell last night saying that my mom was a reckless girl to have a baby when she was fifteen. She said that Mommy should have given me away to an older couple; at least then, I would have had a father.

But my mom told Mrs. Campbell that it was none of her business and that she loves me more than anything. Age doesn’t matter as long as you’re capable. I didn’t know what that meant, but I wanted to shout at the old woman for upsetting my mom.

My mommy held me tightly last night and told me how much she loves me. I told her with a giggle that I knew and that I loved her too.

My mommy has always worked hard to give me everything she could, and she gives me a lot. When people make comments like Mrs. Campbell did, it hurts my mommy’s heart, and that makes me sad. She has done everything in her power to keep me safe and happy since the day I was born. I may not have had expensive toys, but I never felt the need for them. All I ever needed was my mommy and daddy. I hope he’s coming home soon.

I open the door with a smile, but it’s not the old lady, and my smile fades because it’s three very tall men. I saw two of them earlier. One is the man I asked about my dad, the other had a strange name, but I don’t remember the older man. He’s scary looking, tall, and full of muscles.

“Hey, Greer, do you remember us?”

I nod at the man who knows my dad.

“My name is Storm,”

I smile because the X-Men are my favorite comic book characters, and Storm is my favorite X-Man. Though she is a girl, and this Storm is a man.

“This is Rabid.”

“Rabid?” I scrunch up my nose because that is a ridiculous name. “Why would your parents call you Rabid? That’s what happens to animals when they get rabies; they become rabid.”

The one called Rabid laughs. “It’s a nickname, sweetheart, much like Storm here.” Oh, of course, his name wouldn’t really be Storm. “My real name is Tate, and this is Noah.” I like Rabid, he’s funny.

“Noah?” Huh, my uncle’s name is Noah.

Strom nods his head. “This is Hammer, my father.” He tells me.

I look at the older man, his hair is brown with lots of gray near his temples, and he has scars on his face. “My grandpa’s name is Hammer. He’s my daddy’s dad. My mommy told me.”

He crouches down, so he’s eye level with me. He looks rough, but I can tell that he’s kind. “That’s me, little darlin’, I’m your grandpa.”

I swallow hard. I want to cry, but I don’t know why.

If this man is my grandpa, that means Noah is my uncle, and if they’re here, where is my daddy?

“Where’s my dad?” I ask quietly.

I’m scared because I don’t see my daddy anywhere. He didn’t come.

Why didn’t he come?

“He’s a little busy, at the moment, Greer. But you’ll see him soon.”

I stare at Storm for a second; I don’t know if I believe him.

“Can we come in? We’d like to talk to your mother.” Grandpa Hammer asks.

What if these men are angry with Mommy and me because Daddy didn’t know about me?

What if they do something bad to Mommy because of it?

“Are you going to hurt my mommy? She didn’t do anything bad. She didn’t mean to keep me from my dad; she wasn’t allowed to find him. Please, I’m sorry I came to find my dad; I just want to make my mommy happy. Please don’t hurt her!”

“Sweetheart. . .”

“Greer, what’s wrong?”

“Mommy!” I run to her when she comes around the corner. She lifts me and holds me tight. I’m safe with my mommy. No one can hurt me when Mommy holds me.

“What the hell is going on? Hammer. . .” Mommy gasps. “What are you doing here?” Mommy is scared, I can sense it, and that frightens me.

What have I done?

“I’d like to talk to you, Kyla. I think you have some explaining to do.”

“Don’t let them come in, Mommy, they’re going to hurt you! Please. I’m sorry, Mommy.” I’m crying in fear, tears streaming down my cheeks, while shaking my head at her as she holds me. “I just. . . wan. . . wanted. . . to. . . to,”

“Shh. It’s okay, Greer.” Mommy rubs my back to calm me. It always calms me when I’m frightened. “No one is here to hurt anyone.”

“I’m not here to hurt your mother, little lady.” I look at Grandpa, and he smiles at me. “No one is going to hurt your mom. I promise.”

“Mommy is all I’ve got.” I sniff back my sadness.

“No,” He smiles at me, and it makes him look younger. “You have all of us now, darlin’.”

I nod and hug my mommy. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I know, baby. I love you, too. So very much. Let me put her to bed. You can wait for me in the kitchen.”

I don’t know what will happen, but I hope this means my daddy will be home soon.