Just A Memory

Chapter One

Winter 1990

The wind whipped the snow against the windows of the two story house. Whispers filled the front room, where two little kids laid sprawled out in front of the warm fire place.

“My mama called last week, she wants me to come visit her in California next week.” The sound of a young girl’s voice filled the warm air. Her unruly brown curls falling in her eyes. She pushed them aside and flipped on her back looking at the shadows cast on the ceiling from the fire.

“Next week is Christmas! You aint leavin!” The young boys’ voice softened by the pillow his face was in. His hand reached over and grabbed the girls’ hand holding it in to his. “Don’t go, Riley please.” His voiced pleaded causing the little girl to roll her eyes.

Riley pulled her hand away from his as she turned over on to her side. She looked at his tamed blonde curls and shoved his shoulder with her hand.

“I’ll be home before school starts, don’t act like a baby Randall. You always go see your father.” She wrinkled her nose flipping back on to her back.

“Riley?” Randall asked moving so he was facing her.

“Hmm?” Her voice laced with sleep moving her head to look at him.

“I love you.” He sighed reaching out and holding her hand, a small smile on his face.

“I love you too Randall.” She smiled at him before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Madison rubbed her eyes as she closed the top to her laptop. She was having a hard time getting the words right on the page. She was majoring in English, and had to write story, fiction or non fiction it was up to her but her creative writing professor let the classes know it had to be at least 50 pages deep, and turned in a month before classes ended. That month was in two weeks, she was only on the tenth page.

“Madison?” A strong female voice called out as she entered the front door of the house.

A woman in her early forties, short brown curly hair and green eyes smiled warmly at a worn out looking Madison. Madison smiled over to her as she stood up and stretched her long body.

“How is the short story coming a long baby?” She asked giving the younger female a tight hug.

“Ma, if it were a short story it would be done by now. This was harder than I thought it would be. I think I’m going to start something new, something not about my life.” She gave a sloppy grin looking at her mother.

“Now we both know you want to write this. Don’t give up just yet.” Madison’s mother smiled as she walked towards the front door, “Now get your ass in gear, Amanda’s in the car. She wanted to go out and eat dinner, something about school news; she said we could only hear over dinner.” She rolled her eyes as Madison grabbed her coat and purse.

As Madison locked the front door, she felt two little arms go around her waist. A small smile crept on her face looking down at the unruly light brown curls that flopped everywhere on the little girls head.

“Mommy, Grandma said we can eat out at a reaaaaalll nice restaurant.” Amanda smiled her blue eyes big with joy.

Madison half rolled her eyes as she picked up her six year old daughter and walked towards her mothers’ car. The three sat in silence for a while as they drove down the highway leading into Hollywood.

“Ma, what is the real reason we are we are driving into Hollywood for dinner? I know Amanda didn’t ask, what are you doing you know I can’t afford dinner here of all places.” Madison sighed closing her tired green eyes.

“Mad, we just wanted you to get out. Amanda said she wanted to go eat out and that all you do is type away on your computer. She understands you are stress about this story and she wants you to be happy. We both want you to finish up school, so you can start your dream of becoming the writer we all know you’ll be. Even if that means you moving back in with me and not that little small ass apartment you call home.” Grace gave a half smile at her oldest daughter.

They pulled up to a small restaurant called Joy Cook, not many people noticed it, but it was the best food they had had in a long time. They found the place seven years ago when Madison moved to California to live with her mom. Joy Cook was the place she told her mother she was pregnant and that was one reason she wanted to move out to be with her. Madison knew she wouldn’t survive in the small town she was living in, being pregnant at 16.

Grace never asked much about the father, if she did Madison shot her down and stormed out of the room. She didn’t want him to know, she knew he would hate her for what happened. After a while Grace stopped asking, knowing she would get the same reaction out of Madison every time. The only thing Grace didn’t understand was why Madison cut off all contact to everyone back in Tennessee. She called her father one time in the seven years she was living there. That one time was to let him know she got there, after that not a thing.

Grace knew she wasn’t close with her daughter like a mother should be. She devoiced Madison’s father when she was young and left, unable to take care of her self let a lone a little girl. She left and that was her choice to be away from her daughter to not be there for her. She didn’t get why Madison didn’t let Amanda’s father have a choice in being in his daughters’ life, but she knew she would never get through Madison’s stubbornness.

“Mommy guesses what Mrs. Moore gave us for an assignment.” Amanda bounced as they sat eating their pasta.

“What?” Madison questioned taking a sip of her wine, looking at her daughter.

“She said since we study family trees and uh… families, that she wants us to um… bring in pictures of our mommy’s and dads!” Amanda grinned eating some garlic bread.

Madison looked up at her mom, who was giving her a knowing look the ‘I told you so’ look as she ate her food.

“Well…”

“I tolds her I didn’t have a dad, but she told me that just because he don’t live with me don’t mean I don’t have one. That I can still bring in a picture of him. So can I? I have a dad, she said so mommy!” Amanda sucked her spaghetti noodle in as it whipped her face.

“We’ll talk about it when we get home.” Madison sighed finishing her glass of wine, trying to avoid her mothers look.

Amanda fell asleep on the ride back. Leaving it more silent then an empty house could sound Madison deep in her thoughts, Grace trying to think of something to say.

“Mad, who is he?” Grace asked causing Madison to roll her eyes wishing there wasn’t traffic keeping them on that high way.

“Ma, please…”

“Stop trying to forget him, who is he? Why do you think you can let that little angel grow up with out a father, who is he?” Grace asked again hoping her daughter grew up some the last time she asked years ago.

Madison sighed and rubbed a hand over her eyes. She didn’t want to do this to her self. It took her years of seeing her daughter to forget that she was stupid enough to sleep with him, let alone not let him know what they both created.

“He is just a stupid boy.” Madison stated turning on the radio, then quickly turning it off. “A stupid boy I thought I loved, he didn’t love me so here we are.” She added looking back at her beautiful daughter.

“Mad, how do you know he didn’t love you? You left, I’m sure with out even telling him you were pregnant.” Graced sighed as traffic started to pick up slightly.

“He… was dating this girl he had known for a few years. We had did it a few times while he was visiting his family, and then he left. I found out a month in a half later, a few weeks later I told dad I wanted to move in with you.” Madison pushed a stray tear away, “Don’t try to get his name out of me Ma, I won’t tell you. I don’t even know him any more. I don’t know what you want me to do.” She added a few more tears falling out of her green eyes.

Grace sighed and looked at her daughter as traffic came to a halt once again. “You should have told him Madison. Now Amanda is asking about him, what are you going to do? How are you going to get out of this one? She is at that age where she needs and wants a father around.” Grace commented causing Madison to roll her eyes.

“I’ll get through it ma, don’t worry about it.” Madison pushed a tear away with her hand and looked out the window. “Can she stay the weekend with you? I really need to finish this paper up, and one of the girls at the office asked me to do some work with her. I’m not sure what we are doing, but she said the pay is really good and that we will be having a ton of fun.” She added turning her head to look at her mother.

“Of course she can.” Was all Grace said, the rest of the car ride was silent.

Summer 1995

Riley, clad in swim wear and Randall in swim wear as well sat on the curb outside the local store. The two 14 year olds normally hung out in front of the store not having anything else to do after spending the last two hours in the river trying to cool off from the hundred degree heat. Usually there would be their other friends with them, but they had left them at the river.

“Ri, I wish you could come with me.” Randall sighed licking his ice cream cone looking over at Riley who was doing the same.

“Well I’m kind of glad I don’t get to come. I’d be away from all my friends and around all these guys whom I’ve never met before. I wouldn’t want to do that to my self. Plus this is your thing Randall, you’re the talented one.” Riley gave a sloppy smile pushing her shoulder into his.

Randall rolled his eyes and stood up stretching his newly tanned body out he walked over to the quarter candy machines, placing the quarter in and turning the knob. He smiled pulling out the toy that he got with his dollar.

“Hey Riley,” He smiled popping the top off and taking out the object.

Randall looked over at Riley who rolled her eyes and stood up stretching her long body out as well, she threw her towel over her tanned shoulder and slowly walked towards him. She giggled at him as he got down on one knee.

“Will you marry me sweetheart?” He suppressed a laugh taking Riley’s finger and placing the plastic 25 cent ring on it.

Randall stood up and slung his arm around her shoulder pulling her with him as he started to walk towards their homes.

“Thanks for the jester, but I’m pretty sure Leonardo DiCaprio and I is gonna get married.” Riley rolled her eyes

“You know you and I are going to end up getting married and having a few beautiful kids.” Randall smirked at Riley who rolled her eyes at him again.