I sit back stunned in my chair and play with the food on my plate. I just figured Chase had moved on after I told him I wasn’t looking for that kind of relationship with him. “Well I really don’t know what to say to that Chase.”
“Don’t worry Leah. I’m not giving up on you and since you’re so resistant and always trying to avoid me I think I need to step up my game a little bit.”
We finish up a beautiful meal and after we all help clear the table and help with dishes, the family shifts to the expansive family room that overlooks there beautifully landscaped backyard with a small fishing pond. Chase is conned in to playing a game of Candy land with his younger sisters and Caleb and the others felt like it’s time to play 50 questions with Leah. I’m asked about what I’m studying, where I’m from, my family, and many others.
After I explained my home life a bit, Chases mother wipes away a stray tear, “Oh Leah you are such a beautiful and strong young woman, I can’t imagine what it must be like not to have family around. And you are obviously doing a great job with Caleb, he’s such a sweet little guy. Anytime you need anything honey, you can always come to one of us.” All of Chases sisters nod their head in agreement and murmur kind sentiments to me.
After joining everyone in some card games for a few hours, Chase jumps up and wraps an arm around my shoulder.“Well Leah I think we should be heading back now. Calebs probably worn out and ready for bed.” Instantly there’s an array of shouts from the younger girls. “No Chase and Leah stay, please, please, please?!?” They all shout and beg jumping around the room. The youngest, Belle, wraps her tiny arms around me and looks up at me with her wide blue eyes, “Please Leah?” I bend down and give her a hug, “We’ll be back sometime soon.”
“Promise?” she asks. “Pinky promise,” I say as I wrap my pinky around her tiny finger.
“Kay,” she says excitedly. “Next time we can play princesses and have a tea party and I can show you my pretty tutus….”
“Okay Belley, I think she gets it.” Chase interrupts her as we’re both wrapped in crushing hugs. “Here you two go,” Mary says as she hands us a canvas bag. “Plenty of leftovers to last you the weekend.” She wraps me in a hug and whispers in my ear. “We’ll see you soon Leah. Take care of my baby boy.”
“’Kay Mom,” Chase says as he ushers me to the door. “We’re going, let her out of your clutches.” He leans over and plants a kiss on his moms cheek. “See ya soon everyone.”
After dragging a very resistant Caleb away we make our way out to the jeep and load up our leftovers into the back. Apparently he really fit in with the family and did not want to leave. After promising him we would come back for a play date, he reluctantly left after being peppered with kisses and hugs from all the girls. What a little ladies man.
“So was it bad, did they overload you with questions,” he asks as he pulls out of the driveway.
I laugh at the worried expression on his face. “No Chase everyone was fine, really. I loved your family, you’re so lucky to have all of those siblings. And your mom is just the sweetest.”
“I’m glad you got along with everyone. Mom loved you too I can tell and believe it or not with being so sweet and all, she is hard to impress.”
My phone rings and I reach down to pick it up off of the floor after shuffling around to find it. Unknown caller comes up on the screen. “Hello?” I answer. “May I speak to Leah Rossi please,” a gruff voice asks.
“Yes, this is she. Who is this?”
“Ms. Rossi, this is Detective Barnes from the Nevada precinct here in Detroit. I’m sorry to have to tell you this over the phone but your mother Marie Rossi was brought into the emergency room tonight and was pronounced dead on arrival.”
My hands begin to tremble as the news the detective has just relayed to me begins to sink in.
“But what? How….what happened? Why?” I manage to stutter out. Chase looks over with a worried expression and grabs my shaking hand, rubbing light circles across the top with his thumb.
“I’m sorry m’am. We received a call from a motel off the interstate from a Tank Harvey. He had left your mother for a few hours and when he came back he found her unresponsive with an empty bottle of pills and a letter that she left for you.”
I drop the phone and shake my head repeatedly trying to erase the words from my brain.
“M’am, m’am?” I hear but I can’t listen to what else he has to say. Nothing else matters but that my moms gone and now I literally feel like I have no one left. Sure she was never there for me but she was still my mom, I still loved her or maybe the idea of her. Chase scoops up my phone from the floor and finishes the conversation with the detective. By this time I realize that we’ve already arrived back at our apartment complex and our sitting in the parking lot.