"That's okay, I know you're busy. I'm gonna take Dionne up to see Lynn and Paul and then I was gonna try and see my folks in the next couple of days."
"Okay then, be careful and tell Lynn I send my love."
"Will do. Thanks for staying with me last night." Chione said, leaning up against the door frame.
"Anytime sweet cheeks. Bye."
They shared one last intimate kiss and then she smiled as she watched him walk out to his car and drive away. She turned back into the house, grabbed the diaper bag and Dionne and then made her way out to her own car. Once Dionne was situated in her car seat, she jumped into the drivers seat, and began her drive out of the country and down to the Harless home. Chione and Lynn kept in close contact over the last few months. Chione wanted Dionne to have some sort of contact with Justin's side of the family and Lynn was more than happy that Chione wanted her to be involved in her granddaughter's life. Lynn and Justin had fallen apart a long while ago; she couldn't stand to see her son destroy his life and made the difficult decision to cut off contact with him. But, when she held her first and only granddaughter, she felt Justin. She felt his spirit and his soul in that little girl, that's the only thing she had to hold on to.
Chione looked out the window as she drove by the beautiful Californian land, blooming with trees, grass and flowers. It was hard to believe that such a gorgeous state could harbor such nasty secrets and dirty problems. Before she knew it, she was pulling up to the Harless Estate, an exquisite display of money. Justin had set his parents up with the place almost four years ago, and it was by far the most beautiful home she had ever walked in. Chione unstraped her little girl and threw the diaper bag over her shoulder. She played with her a little while walking up to the front door and pulled her gaze away from her long enough to ring the doorbell. She went back tickling her and making little baby noises for a few seconds before the door opened and the proud grandmother emerged.
"Look at this big girl! Oh let me hold my grandbaby."
Chione handed Dionne over with a wide smile and watched as the two marveled at each other, "How are we today big girl? You are getting so big! Come in Chione, come in."
"Thank you, Mrs. Lynn."
They walked through the parlor and in the living room where Chione set down her diaper bag while Lynn called Paul, "Paul, the baby's here. So, how have you been sweetie?"
"Um, I've been okay, Dionne has been keeping me busy."
"I can tell, this little one is growing day by day. It still surprises me how much she looks like Justin."
"I know, I tell JC that same exact thing."
A silence fell over them, the same silence that falls over anyone who brings up Justin, "I miss him." Lynn says, rocking Dionne in her arms, never breaking their locked eyes.
"I do too Lynn."
Just then, Justin's stepfather Paul walked in the living room, arms already open, ready for Dionne, "Gimme that baby. How are doing Chione?" He asked, kissing her lightly on cheek before accepting the little girl.
"I'm good, really good."
"I can tell, that smile of yours hasn't been that bright in a long time."
Chione smiled softly at his comment and the four of them spent the rest of the day together.
"Okay darlin' she's sleeping soundly." Lynn said, sitting next to Chione at the kitchen table.
Chione finished her bit of pie and wiped her mouth, "That's all she does. I guess I should wake her pretty soon so we can get back home."
"Oh honey, it's late and she's so comfortable. Why don't you stay here with us for a few days? It's been so long since Paul and I have seen you guys."
"Oh Lynn, I don't want to put you guys out."
Lynn scoffed at her and smiled, "What put out? You're the closest thing to a daughter I have and you gave me that beautiful baby girl up there. We love it when you guys stay with us."
Chione smiled, "Thank you momma Lynn."
Lynn grabbed her hand and squeezed it softly, "Don't worry about it. How have you been financially lately? Do you need money for you two?"
"Um no. JC and my parents have been keeping my bank account full, I'll be okay for a while. I really need to start thinking about getting a job and moving closer to town."
"You need to spend all the time you can with Dionne, these years will turn out the be the easier ones of her life, let me tell you." The girls fill the kitchen with laughter, "I don't mean to pry but, what's going on with you and JC? Are you two dating now?"
"Oh no. We're just... I don't know. You know how much he's been helping me out and I'm so grateful for him but... I can't open up to him like I can with Justin. I love JC, but I'm not in love with him. But almost every time he comes over, we end up... making love."
Lynn nodded her head with understanding, "I know what you mean. It's been a while since you've been held and kissed and touched by a man, and you are craving that right now. JC is a good boy, and I know that he cares for you very much but he wouldn't take advantage of you. You don't need to worry about that."
"Yeah, I know but I feel terrible. I don't want him to feel like I’m just using him for money and sex."
Lynn chuckled softly, "You know him, JC would never think that about you. And, believe it or not, he still loves Justin and he's feeling the same things that we are feeling about him."
Chione nodded and let out a sigh, "I feel better about now that I have that off of my chest. Thank you for listening."
"Oh honey, I'm a mom, I can tell when something is on your mind. Which brings me to the next reason I came down here. You heard that Justin got out of rehab yesterday right?"
Chione nodded, "Have you heard from him momma Lynn?"
"No but, Trace called me earlier today and told me he found him strung out in an alley last night."
"Oh god." Chione closed her eyes tightly and shook her head from side to side. She didn't want to believe what Lynn was telling her.
"God's the only person that can help him now. As much as it hurts me to say this about my own son, there is nothing that we can do for him anymore. If he is willing to go and get high in an alley way where anything can happen to him, he's willing to die. And nobody can be saved from that with an intervention from God."
"But can't he see? Can't he see what he used to be, what he could still be? He has so much, a big family, lots of love, a daughter, why can't he just see what he's doing to himself?"
Only then, did Chione see Lynn tear up, "I don't know baby. He's too far gone to see those things anymore."
Chione looked out the window, "I want him to know his daughter. I don't want Dionne to grow up hating Justin, I don't want that."
"I know but Justin has left behind a legacy of goodness and you can show little Dionne old pictures and tapes, we can tell her stories about Justin and all kinds of things. We have to keep the good and loving Justin alive honey and the only way we can do that is through Dionne."
Chione nodded again, "You're right. And knowing everything that I do about him, if he were to come to me and ask me to be his again, I wouldn't think twice about saying yes."
Lynn smiled at the fact that her son had so much affect on other human beings, "Justin just has the special something. Oh my, it's late. I think it's time for me to hit the hay."
"Oh me too. Thank you for everything momma Lynn."
"I love you Chione."
"And I love you."
With that, the two women parted from the kitchen and made their separate ways to the bedrooms. Chione shed her clothing and shrugged on one of Justin's old t-shirts that Lynn still had in the dresser. She laid next to her daughter and pulled her into her chest, draping a protective arm over her little body. For the first time in a long time, she fell asleep almost instantly.
