The Price We Pay For Love

"Mom! Help!" I screamed. Barreling into the room, my mother put her hand on the door.
"What? What is it?" she panted.
"It's terrible! A disaster!" I said. "I can't find my black Jimmy Choo flip flops!" I screamed. Stepping into the room, she rolled her eyes. "Dear, you're only staying at Cristina's for the night."
"I know! But they are my favorite and I want to take them!" I said frantically throwing things around the room in my search. Back in the day my mom had been a model. At 5’11, 120 pounds, and gorgeous blue eyes, she was one of the prettiest women I'd ever seen.

I thought that at least she'd understand the importance of fabulous footwear! "I know sweetie, I'll help you find them when you get back ok?"

"Are you trying to get me out of the house?" I asked, smiling up at her from my position on the floor, looking under the bed. "Of course not!" she said. The look on her face said otherwise. "Mom do you have a date?" I asked faking a gasp.

"Don't act so surprised! Geez!" she smiled. "But yes I am meeting a friend to go eat. Keyword friend!"
"Sure mom! Just remember to use protection I don't want any little brothers or sisters running around here!" I said, trying to hold in my laughter.
"ALYSSA!" she screamed.
"I FOUND THEM!" I screamed, grabbing my flip flops from behind the head board, and running out of the room.
I laughed as she followed me down the stairs. "Alyssa Jasmine Holt! That was not funny!" she said giggling.
"It was too, and you know it!" I laughed. She sighed and I turned to the front door, ready to leave.

"Wait! Alyssa!" she said. I turned around to look at my mom, who was now standing on the staircase. "Be careful ok? And drive safe! And don't answer the phone when you're driving ok?"
"Mom, chill! I'll be fine! I promise, I'll drive safe ok?" I said walking out the door. "Wait, Alyssa?"
"Yeah, mom?"
"I love you."
"I love you too mom," I said walking out the door.
As soon as I got in the car my phone started to ring. "Hello?" I asked.
"Didn't I tell you not to answer your phone?" came a screech from the other line. "Mom," I said sighing. "I haven't even put the key in the ignition!"
"Still I told you not to answer you phone!"
"Oh! Mom I think you're breaking up!" I said, rubbing a candy wrapper against the phone. "I think I need to hang up!" I said. I laughed quietly to myself as a stream of curse words came from the other line.
"Alyssa! Don't you dare hang up-" I closed the phone mid sentence. Sighing I put the car in drive and drove off.

"Alyssa!" my best friend screamed as she opened the door. "Cristina!" I said mocking her. "Come in!" she said. As I walked into her house I stopped and looked at the family picture in the hall. It had been taken a few years prior, on a family trip to the Bahamas’. It was in all black and white, on the beach. Every time I looked at it, I smiled. They all looked so happy and loving.
I was pulled out of my trance by a slap on the back. "Hey Lyssie!" a familiar voice greeted from behind. I looked up to see Cristina's older brother, Slade, towering over me. "Hey, Slade Man!" I said giggling. He winced at my nickname.

"What are you doing here?" he asked a grinning playing on his lips. Slade had had a crush on me since we were little kids .I didn't like him the same way though. It wasn't that he wasn't good looking. Slade was extremely good looking. He was 6'2 with a muscular build. He had black, hair and the brightest pair of green eyes I'd ever seen, a complete contrast to Cristina. Cristina was only a couple inches taller than me, at 5'4, she had long blonde hair, and big blue eyes.

"I'm spending the night," I said smiling back. His grin grew. "Cool, maybe tonight you could come over to my room and we could-" he was cut off mid sentence by Cristina. She came into the room with popcorn and soda.
"Slade, get out of here! Enough with the sexual harassment already!" Laughing I followed her into the living room. "So, what are we watching tonight?" I asked.

"Alyssa! Quit laughing!" Cristina said. We were watching The Incredibles. I was laughing so hard I'd fallen off the couch.
"Ok, that’s it," Cristina said walking over to the TV., and shutting it off. "Hey!" I screeched. "I was watching that!" She laughed and walked towards the couch.
"Come on," she said. "Let's go get some ice cream!" she exclaimed. I laughed and got off the coach.
"Oh wait!" I said. "Can we stop by my house? I need to pick up my contacts.” I asked.
As soon as we got to my house I knew something was wrong. Call it a hunch, or a lucky guess but, I knew something wasn't right.

"I'll be right back," I said getting out of Cristina's car. I faked a smile and ran to the door. Unlocking the door, I stepped into the house.
"Mom?" I called. There was no light on in the house and there was an eerie silence. "Chill," I told myself. "She's probably still on her date."
Slowly I climbed up the stairs. I made my way into the bathroom and stumbled around in the dark. After crashing into a few things I found the light switch. Just as I was leaving the bathroom, I heard a knock on the door. "Hold on, Cristina!" I called down the stairs. The knocks grew louder. I ran down the stairs and into the living room. "Cristina! I said I'd be right there!" I said, yanking open the door. Standing on my porch, was a tall man in a blue suit. A police officer I realized. "Um, hi," I said.
"Are you Alyssa Holt?" he asked. I tried to ignore the anxiety that was building in my stomach. "Yes," I replied. The police officer nodded gravely, and looked to the ground.
"There's been an accident," he said, shuffling his feet.
"What type of an accident?" I asked. Maybe he has the wrong Alyssa Holt, I thought stupidly.

"A car accident," he said slowly. "Your mother's car was hit earlier this evening. We tried to contact you as soon as we could, but we couldn't get a hold of you."

Right than my brain turned to mush. He couldn't be serious. He must've gotten the wrong family.

"Well is she ok?" I asked. "What hospital is she in? Can I go see her?"

My questions seemed to stun the police officer.

"Ms. Holt, I really don't know how to say this, but your mother didn't make it," he said. Everything around me simply faded away. I didn't feel myself fall to my knees, I didn't hear the officer calling my name, and I didn’t hear Cristina scramble out of her car.

When I woke up I was in my room, or at least I think it was my room. I don't remember what happened after the police officer left last night. All I remember is Cristina walking me up the stairs and into my room. Finally I fell asleep. No tears, no crying. I don't think it had hit me yet. By the time I woke up it was early in the morning. The sun was beginning to rise and the sky was painted with oranges and pinks. Quietly, so I wouldn't wake Cristina, who was dead asleep, I climbed out of bed. Walking down into the kitchen, I half expected the smell of coffee to hit my nose. I half expected my mother to be sitting at the kitchen table reading the funnies in the newspaper, and laughing her dainty laugh. But the kitchen was empty and there was no coffee in sight.