CHAPTER 3

Deloise held nylon bags filled with provisions, and struggled to get into her gate, unwilling to set them down for a second. The gates creaked loudly as she forced it open with her body weight.

Carefully dragging her bags, she walked slowly into her home, aware of her mother's presence, but refusing to call for help. She struggled to balance herself, and the numerous items, then heard the voices of her childhood friend, Ann, speaking with her mother.

By the door of the living room, Deloise unconsciously hastened her movement, which resulted in missing a step, and crashing into the sight of the talking duo in the living room.

" Talk about the devil and she shows up, dramatically." Ann said, sporting a shit-eating grin at Deloise's laughable state on the floor.

" Thank you for your thoughtful act of kindness, Ann. I appreciate your helping me off the floor." Deloise said in the most sarcastic voice and picked up her scattered items.

Ann joined her on the floor, assisting to get it together and setting them up respectfully in the kitchen. Both came back into the living room, half Expecting to see Ms. Esther seated only to meet her absence.

" Where did she go?" Ann asked, looking around.

Deloise knew her mother was in the study room, her disappearing act had everything to do with their misunderstanding. Their back and forth during the week brought a follow-up strained relationship between them.

Lost in thought, Deloise glanced longingly at the direction of her mom's study, wishing they could somehow be able to meet in the middle as regards their desires. She missed the relationship she shared with her mother as their only living family.

" What do we have here?" Ann's voice brought Deloise out of her thoughts. She turned around to see her friend raiding the fridge in search of something to drink.

" I'll be in my room, help yourself." She deadpanned, unsuccessfully hiding a smile on her face at the sight of Ann's digging in the deep freezer.

" You know I will." Anna sassed, pulling out a bottle of orange juice, and drinking straight from the bottle. She belched then continued, " Lead the way, Hunny."

Deloise pushed open the door to her room, ushering in Anna, who threw herself on the bed in a not-so-ladylike fashion. She grinned and sat up to Deloise's pointed face.

" Spill." Ann demanded looking straight into her eyes.

" Spill what?" She could sense the confusion on her friend's face.

" We both know there is some tension going on there," she paused, " If you both weren't related, I'll probably think it was some sort of sexual tension," Ann added with a lopsided grin.

" Ugh, only you would say that," Deloise cringed at the thought.

" I could cut the tension in the room with a knife, it's that obvious." Ann reiterated with a laugh.

" Everything about you always has to be sexual, doesn't it?" Deloise asked, prompting a roll of laughter from Ann, who was about to take a sip from her drink.

" You know it, baby." She smirked, " But seriously, talk to me, what's got your panties in a twist?"

" My panties aren't in a twist."

" You know it is.."

" Do you want to hear it or not Ann?" Deloise asked, getting frustrated.

" Sorry tiger, go on." She said, hands raised, " Just a harmless joke."

Deciding not to dignify her jokes with a response, Deloise continued speaking.

" It's about my schooling. We've always had a conflict of interests regarding what I want to do and what she wants me to do." She explained, " That current has been boiling below the surface for a while now."

" Yeah, but what's changed?" She asked, trying to see where the conversation was headed.

Deloise sighed. " She saw me shooting a monologue not so long ago, and I guess it became too real for her about how serious I am about acting. All of a sudden, all I ever hear is law school." She deadpanned. " About how it's such a great move to make in life, alongside the fact that you have figured out your life direction while I stay over here wasting 'precious' time."

" First, that was like a top secret between me and my mom. '' Ann immediately clarified, not wanting to make her feel any worse than she already felt.

" You know your mom can't keep a secret to save her life," Deloise said with a grin, remembering Mrs. Karen and her not-so-secretive personality.

" Tell me about it," Ann says, her face brightened up at the thought of an experience. " Remember that time I told her about your little crush on Ryan? She legit couldn't stop herself from-"

" Okay, let's not derail, point gotten." Deloise interrupted, knowing what was coming. Anna smiled, " I just want to go to New York City. I want to live out my dreams, and take over the world. Sometimes, I just wish my mom would support me," She glanced jealously at her friend, " You're so lucky, you don't know how fulfilling it is to be able to pursue your dreams, no questions asked."

Ann shook her head, " I don't call it luck, I'll say it's just me doing all I can." She said softly.

" I have been doing all I could to make my mother see that I could make something out of acting, I know I can, I see and dream it every day " Deloise argued,

" But are you? Because right now, despite knowing that you are probably more talented than every star out there, you need a lot more than your mother's support to kick start a career." She stated. " You'll need deals to get your face out there, opportunities, support, finance, and all. Else this would end up as an unattainable dream."

" I know all of that Ann, I do." She said stoically, picking offense. " If you don't have something positive to say, then I don't want to hear it."

" Listen to me dear, I'm your friend, I won't lie or butter you up. With me, you get the real truth, a hundred percent of the time. To convince your mum about this, you're surely going to need much more than talent and desire to show for it."

" I just know that if I can leave this state for New York, I'll have a solid chance at this," Deloise said thoughtfully.

" Not to be a hater, but what have you done to make it all more realistic?" Ann inquired.

Following that question, was a long and almost deafening silence. Deloise looked like a deer caught in headlights which caused Ann to burst out laughing, " Don't tell me you haven't thought of that," she said, surprised at her friend's answer, or lack thereof.

" You of all people know how hard I've been working for this," Deloise muttered.

" Yes, but apparently what you are doing isn't enough to secure you a place in the industry. You have to think big Louise, cause right now, even I, can understand why your mother would rather you secure a solid future as a lawyer than acting as a profession."

" What do I do?" Deloise asked almost dejectedly.

" That's for you to figure out hunnie," she sips her drink, " You sure have valid dreams though, You just need some master plan to go with it."