Ray of Hope

Hopelessly Muddled

Raidyn sat curled up on the sofa, phone in hand "Oh mom...did he hit you? You should just leave his ass."

Maria sighed on the line "I wish it was that easy hija. He's just in a very depressive mood, it will pass."

Raidyn rolled her eyes, there was no way that the man was going to change and if he did it would only be temporary, like always. "Well if you believe in him, there is nothing I can say that will change your mind."

"You sound a little down. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah...you know we do some really dumb things sometimes...that's all. Look I have to go...someone is ringing the doorbell."

"I love you Ray...and I miss you girls so much. Take care." her mom choked.

"I love you too mom." She hung up the phone and stared at the door for a second. Who the hell could it be? Adam has a key, this is HIS house. She opened the door a peak and her mouth dropped at the sight.

"I had to come and see you. I'm so sorry Ray...for everything."

A wide smile grew across her face "ERNIE!!" she jumped into his arms, like she used to as he embraced her tight. "What the hell happened to your arm? And your face? Did you get run over?" she took his bag off the floor "Come in..." she escorted him in.

"Wow look at this place..." he looked around the big house, "So missy did you trade Nick in for Adam...I thought he was a big ass?" Ernie gave Raidyn a teasing grin, she just smacked his arm. "Ow! Seriously, I leave you happy with Nick and Mia, now I find you here with Adam. Which by the way I had to do a lot of searching for you two. Then Mia and Nick live in the same house. This is all bizarre."

"Well in a nutshell...I found Nick and Mia at a clinic together...getting a pregnancy test. I went crazy and broke up with him. Then dad went crazy and kicked Mia's ass, I jumped in..."

"Your damn dad was beating on Mia..."

She shook her head "Yeah! So I had to help her and he lashed out at me too. So I drove her down to her baby's daddy's house and now here I am and there she is, taking the place that she should..." she paused and sighed "Being his baby momma."

"Oh yeah that!" he huffed, dramatically taking a seat on the sofa.

Raidyn looked at him puzzled "Wait you knew about the baby?" Ernie looked up at her shocked "How could you not tell me...ABOUT THE BABY!" a single tear ran down her face "Oh my God I'm so stupid, everyone knew, but me. Motherfucker!" she twisted her mouth with anger.

Ernie sighed at her dramatics "Oh please, she told me right when I was leaving. You know there is something seriously wrong with her, Ray."

"Ptt...yeah that she is a major slut. So...how come you hadn't called me and when you did call, you called Mia out of all the..." she kept the words to herself.

"I was really busy the first two weeks, getting used to the school and classes. I knew you would understand." He sighed and his smile turned into a frown. "Then Dave got a little too crazy and obsessive. He wouldn't let me do shit without him and he prohibited me to call anybody out here...I think he was afraid that I would snitch on him. Once I tried and we got in a physical fight, that's when he broke my arm. I was embarrassed to tell you, I was imagining that you thought I was happy. I know you have so much going on. I didn't want to burden you."

She pursed her lips "You would never be a burden to me Ernie. We are best friends...you should have told me."

"I know and I'm sorry...this black eye is for coming back home. Luckily it's over." he sighed with a frown. "I had to get out..."

She enveloped him into a hug, "Oh Ernie...I'm sorry! The whole time I was thinking you were happy. Why didn't you just leave him the first time he hit you?"