Chapter Six.
"The next week"
(Chicago prison, visitors booth)
Lauren:(walks right to the end)....
Sydney:(watching her from inside as well as some other inmates at the booths).....
Lauren:.. (Sits down and grabs the phone to talk to her father)....
Sydney:(through the phone)... Hey baby girl...(smiles)....
Lauren:............... (Low).... What do you want?..
Sydney:.... Are you okay sweetheart....
Lauren:.............. No dad..... I know why you want me here...
Sydney:... The bail is not too high....
Lauren:(shaking her head holding back her tears)....
Sydney :.... Sweetie mummy's memorial is on Saturday and I want to be there for you for your brothers...
Lauren:.... We don't need you.....
Sydney:.......... (Speechless)....
Lauren:..... I'm not doing it again..
Sydney:...... (Lows his head).......
Lauren:...... It will never end with you.... I'm sixteen do you know that?.... I'm not suppose to be doing this.....
Sydney:.... (Looks at her)..... Josh is not driven...... Tyler too..... Giovanni is still young and I can't ask much from him.... Ethan is practically a baby......... But you are special.... You..... You always do whatever it takes to make sure we are all okay....
Lauren:..... (Tears roll down her face)....
Sydney:.... I have failed the five of you as a father and I know that.............
"Flashback"
(Eight years ago).....
Sydney:(crying beside Ana's hospital bed)......
Lauren:(watching from the slightly open door)......
Sydney:... I can't Ana.... I can't...
Ana:(dying)....... I know you can babe...
Sydney:.... I know myself without you......... The children need you....
Lauren:(crying at the door)....
Giovanni:(walks up to Lauren).... Lauren, why are you crying?.....
Lauren:... (Looks at him)...
Josh:(walks up to the pair with Ethan in his arms and Tyler by his side)........ What's going on?... (Scared)...
Giovanni:(lost)....
Josh:(opens the door wide).....
Sydney:(crying loudly).... NO!...... ANA!........
Josh :(rushes in, his siblings follow).....
Sydney:..... (Looks at the children).....
Children:(start crying)......
Ethan:(playing with Josh's shirt giggling)......
Sydney:.... I won't lie to you all..... We won't be okay..... We'll never be okay...
Josh:(upset)... Why would you say that?....
Sydney:.. Joshua you know its true...
Josh:... Josh.....and no...... Whether its true or not mum is gone so you have to make things okay....... dad we all knew she couldn't get better..... you had three months to be ready.....
Giovanni:(to Tyler)... Where has mummy gone?...
Lauren:(also looks at Tyler)...
Tyler:......... Heaven I don't know..... But we'll never see her again....
Lauren:(hugs Giovanni).....
Josh:.... Can everyone drop the negativity.....
Lauren:.... you started it.....
Sydney:... Its only the truth though kids...
Josh:.. Yeah a truth that can be said better to an eight and six year old...... (Gives Ethan to Tyler and kneels in front on Lauren and Gio)...
Lauren:(looking at him still holding Gio)....
Josh:.. We will be okay....
Giovanni:then why are you crying?.....
Josh:(looks at Lauren, wipes her tears)......... Mum has gone somewhere that we can't reach her anymore and I'm sad about that.....
Lauren:..You don't look said........
Josh:...... I am...... I just have to be strong for everyone.....
Giovanni:....... mummy died because she was sick?
Josh:... Yeah......
Giovanni:(sad)....
Josh:... She was sad and in pain here anyway...... Where she is now is far better and soon we will see her okay....
Gio&Lauren:... Okay....
Josh:(hugs them both)....
#Lauren's narration
Twelve year old Josh was a whole different person.... One that made me feel safer than my dad ever tried to make me feel............ I knew what death meant at eight but one thing I didn't know was the impact.....
"Flashback"...
(Still eight years ago)...
Lauren: our teacher said we have to take a dollar each....
Sydney :(starts throwing things and breaking them in anger)...
Lauren:(scared)....
Kids:(rush to the site)....
Sydney:(holding Lauren by her shoulders shaking her)... DO I LOOK LIKE A FUCKING MONEY FACTORY!....
Lauren:.. (Crying)...
Josh:DAD!...... (Grabs Lauren out of his hold)..... ARE YOU INSANE!......
Sydney :.. SHE THINKS I'M A MONEY FACTORY!..... WE ARE BROKE AS HELL!.....
Giovanni:(to Tyler)... I'm scared...
Tyler:... Whatchu want me to do?....
Giovanni:.....
Josh :(to Lauren)... What do you want?.....
Lauren:(sniffs).. A dollar....
Josh:(gives her a dollar).....
Sydney:(starts clapping)...... Josh the hero!...
Josh :(gets irritated and leaves).....
Children:(looking at Sydney)....
Sydney:.... WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING OUT!.... GET THE FUCK OUT MY FACE!.....
Children:(rush out).....
#Lauren's narration
Four years later Josh was all about his whores, staying out late.......... We lost the Josh we knew and each year kept getting worse. It was at that moment I put it on myself to grow up... Not only for me but for Gio and Ethan at least........... Tyler and I have never been close and probably will never be
"Flash back"
(Lauren at twelve)....
Workers:(taking things out the house).....
Ethan:(holding on to Lauren)... Its okay Ethan....
Owner :... TAKE EVERYTHING OUT!....
Sydney:... Please listen to me.... Stop this, I'll have the money tomorrow...
Owner:... Mr London...
Sydney:.. You can trust me on that one....
Owner:(looks at him in the eyes for a while)....
Sydney:.. Please....
Owner:... (Looks at the children).... Fine..... STOP!....
Workers:.... (Start bringing the things back).....
Sydney:(sighs out of relief)....
Owner:... If you don't have my money by tomorrow....... I'm kicking you out permanently...
Sydney:.... No need cause I'll have the money...
Owner :(walks out of the room)...
Sydney:(looks at Lauren)....
"Sydney's room"...
Lauren:(sitting on the bed)....
Sydney:(talking to her his hand on her shoulder).....
#Lauren's narration
I don't remember what my father told me that day but I remember all the pain and molestation I experienced in a room I never even knew existed....... I didn't even go through puberty yet but my father cared less........... After it was all done and my innocence was taken away from me, my father waved the bustard good bye while he smiled at the money I made him. I didn't cry in his presence but I did all night in my room.....
"Same flashback"....
Sydney:(taps Lauren stopping her at the door)...
Lauren:(looks up at him)....
Sydney:..... You wouldn't want your brothers sleeping on the street now would you......
Lauren:....... (no reply)......
#Lauren's narration
No sorry..... No checking..... No care..... No reassurance....... Only a comment making me feel obliged to take care of my brothers........ I love my brothers..... I know the love me too, but this thing I did and continue to do...... They would never do for me.......
"Flash back ends"
(Prison booth).....
Lauren:(wipes her tears)........
Sydney:... I know I can count on you.....
Lauren:......... With what you put me through I don't think mum wants you at her grave on Saturday.....
Sydney:... (Shocked).... Lauren...
Lauren:..... I'm not doing this, not for you...... Never again Sydney...
Sydney:(even more shocked)..... Oh......... it's Sydney now .......
Lauren:...... I hate you...... I always have....
Sydney:.......
Lauren:(puts the phone back in its place).....
Sydney:.. (Talking through the phone)....
Lauren:(watching his lips move, hearing nothing)........
Sydney:....
Lauren:(gets up and walks out of the room).....
Inmate:... (To Sydney)... Is that your daughter? ...... Damn....
Sydney:(puts the phone back in its place)...
#Lauren's narration
My father hasn't always been bad all my life..... Before my mum passed he was big on birthdays and Valentines day..... Not only for my mum as expected but the five of us......... After my mum passed he used to try but that trying ended when I was fourteen......... Now we just wish each other a happy Valentine's Day and go on with our days......
"Ginger's house"....
Ginger:(all dressed up for school, eating cereal at the counter, watching her mum and dad get ready for work in a rush)....
Jack:... Honey have you seen my laptop...
Chloe:(walking around the room looking for something)... No honey?.... Have you seen the script I was working on last night?...
Jack:(overwhelmed)... Where do these items disappear to....
Ginger:.... (Rolls her eyes)...... Dad I need money for the festival on Friday.....
Jack:.... Okay sweetie.... (Going up the stairs).....
Ginger:... Mum I need....
Chloe:(goes to another room)....
Ginger:... (Sighs).....
Jack:(walks up to her and gives her stack of Money)....
Ginger:... Its just a dollar...
Jack:... You can get yourself other nice things........ I'm off for work. Love you... (Walks out) .....
Ginger:(holding the money, looking at it)....
Chloe :(walks back into the room, gives her a stack of Money)..... Here baby...
Ginger:.. Dad already gave me money...... and I needed something els....
Chloe:.. Well so did I.... (Kisses her on the cheek)... Bye baby... Love you... (Rushes out the room)...
Ginger:..... (Sighs)........
"Lake Fest High School"...
Lauren:(at her locker)...
Ermias:(pops up)... Hey lil ma...
Lauren:(sighs, closes her locker)....
Ermias:..... You been avoiding me?....
Lauren:.. No I haven't.....
Ermias:.... The Lauren I text over the phone is not the Lauren I barely see here at school...
Lauren:......
Ermias:.. Are you okay....
Lauren:.. Yeah.
Ermias:...... Okay........ Why aren't you coming for the sleep over?...
Lauren:... Why would you assume that?....
Ermias:.. (Laughs)... I'm the one selling the tickets so...
Lauren:(smiles)......
Ermias:.... So?
Lauren:....... I'll buy a ticket tomorrow....
Ermias:... Great...... You know where to find me.....
Lauren:....
Ermias:(kisses her on the cheek)... See you around....
Lauren:(smiles, watches him leave)...........
"Free period"
(Gym).....
Harmony:(sitting with Lauren at a corner).....
Students:(talking in their circles)....
Lauren:... He had the guts to ask me to do that shit again...
Harmony:.... You won't do it right?....
Lauren:... No....
Harmony:... Swear...
Lauren:... Harmony I'm not doing it I've told you...
Harmony:... Bitch swear......
Lauren:...
Harmony:... You always say you won't and then do it anyway....
Lauren:... I swear....
Harmony:... I don't want you doing that shit........ Girl, its wrong and whether your family is on the rocks or not its not your job to rescue them...... At least not with rape....
Lauren:.. Its not rape....
Harmony:... Oh really..... Whatchu call it... Love?... Bullshit....
Lauren:(sighs)..... Its sacrifice.....
Harmony:...... All for what Lauren...... You could get sick and die with this sacrifice shit....
Lauren:... Whatever, I'm done talking about this with you....
Junie:(starring at Lauren and Harmony from a distance).....
Sayori:(laughs)...
Junie:(looks at her)...
Sayori:... You're low key jealous those two are close...
Junie:.. Fuck no....
Ginger:.. We all know Lauren was your best friend first...
Junie:.. Are we in elementary school?.... Y'all tripping....
Ginger:(laughs).....
Junie:.. We were never best friends and I don't want us to be...
Sayori:then why are you looking there?......
Junie:.... I just wonder what they talk about that's all...
Ginger:... Probably things we can't know about.....
Junie:..... We should start this class....
Sayori:(laughs).....
Junie:.. Don't be annoying....
Ginger:.. (Also laughs)...
Junie:(walks to another crowd).....
Sayori:..... They should fight.......
Ginger:... Right?.... I know they want to....
"Later that day"...
(Minutes before school ends).....
Junie:(walks into the bathroom, checking herself out).....
Lauren:(walks out a toilet, her eyes red)........
Junie:(pauses, looking at Lauren as she washes her hands).... Was you smoking in there or something.....
Lauren:.... (Turns the tap off, looks at her).....
Junie :.... Oh..... Are you okay?....
Lauren:.....
Junie:.. I know its a stupid question but if you answer then you want to talk about it.......
Lauren:(sniffs)....
Junie:.. Are you okay?.....
Lauren:(shakes her head)....
Junie:...... Uhm......... The siren will go off any minute, do you wanna come over and talk?.....
Lauren:.....
Junie:............. If you answer....
Lauren:.. Bitch let's just go..
Junie:.. Yeah we can just do that... (They go out together).....
"Lauren's house".....
Giovanni:... (Looking at the living room window)....
Tyler:(in the living room on his phone).....
Giovanni:(to himself)... Where the fuck is Lauren....
Tyler:..... I'm here you know, tell me whatever is keeping you walk in here every minute....
Giovanni:(faces him)..... I have come in here over ten times and yes I saw....... I don't want you I want Lauren...
Tyler:(gets back on his phone).. Whatever.....
Giovanni:....
Ethan:(walks in the room).... Where is Lauren?.....
Tyler:... Why is everyone looking for her like she some celebrity or some shit....
Giovanni:.. (To Ethan).... Let me try call her, why do you want her? .....
Ethan:... I need help with my homework...
Giovanni:.. I can help you...
Ethan:.. Okay.....
Giovanni:... (Goes on with Ethan)....
Josh:(walks into the living room).... Hey bro.... Where's Lauren?....
Tyler:....(irritated).. Why is everybody looking for her? ...
Josh:... Why are you so mad?.... I was just curious I wasn't really looking for her...
Tyler:... Well she ain't here so stop asking and just wait for her to come back.....
Josh:.... (Shaking his head)... You have a problem...... Are you going for the fest on Friday?....
Tyler:(gets off his phone).... I have to, but you know I don't got no money....
Josh:... (Shows out money)... Lauren's got some in her room...
Tyler:.... (Smiles).....
"Junie's house "
Junie:(walks out to her balcony with Lauren)...
Lauren:.. I don't get why you don't like Ja'Maria, she's so cool.....
Junie:yeah.......so is Tyler.....
Lauren:.. Okay.... I get your point... (They both sit on the furry rag with their legs crossed facing each other)...
Junie:.. (Puts a box of tissues at the centre)....
Lauren:(laughs)... I won't cry...
Junie:... (Smiles)... Just in case.... And you know I'm an emotional wreck so I might just be the one crying... (They both laugh)...
Lauren:....... (Looks down then up with a sigh)....... I'm telling you this because I trust you....
Junie:.... Okay......
Lauren:..........