Haley's Adventure, Part 11
~This Chapter focuses on Gretchen, Helayna, and Rayanne~
Part One/Part Two/Part Three/Part Four
Part Five/Part Six/Part Seven/Part Eight
Part Nine/Part Ten
"Mom, can I talk to you?" Katya asked as she entered the study.
"Not right now, hun. I'm busy." Gretehen rarely made time for her only daughter. She usually had better things to do. Like repairing her broken computer.
"But, I NEED to talk to you, Mom!" Katya said getting annoyed, "Like, right now!"
"Damnit, Katya! Don't piss me off! Go do something!" Gretchen raised her voice.
"Well that's the thing!" Katya snapped as she fixed her hair, "I don't have anything to do! I wanted to ask if I could go to....a....party tonight....at Madeline's house."
"Whatever. Go."
Katya put the mirror down, and stood there silently.
"What is it, Katya?" Gretchen asked feeling her presence.
"Well.....I was just wondering......" Katya began.
Gretchen got up from her chair feeling extremely annoyed by her daughter, "WHAT do you want?"
"Can I borrow your cashmere sweater?"
"Fine! I don't care!" Gretchen said waiting for Katya to leave the room.
"You seem a little tense, Mom. Anything I can help with?" Katya asked trying to get on her mother's good side. It was something she had been trying to accomplish her entire life.
Katya was the result from a one night stand her mother had with a man sixteen years ago. A one night stand, Gretchen regretted. Of course, it would be a little difficult to pin point which man her biological father was, considering every relationship Gretchen had been in, was a one night stand. It was her nature. And Katya knew that. It was one of the things she despised about her mother.
But she's always known, Gretchen's actions were caused by her being 'the adopted one' growing up, even if her mother never wanted to admit it. Gretchen felt distant from her other sisters, although they did everything they could to make her feel like one of them. It never worked. Gretchen had felt like an outsider her entire life.
"I'm not tense, Katya. Just a little frustrated. I have a lot to do. You have no idea, and I never get ANY help from YOU!" Gretchen snapped, releasing her anger on her daughter like she usually did.
"Mom! I always help around the house! You know that!" Katya snapped back almost regretting it.
"Listen to me, you lit...." Gretchen stopped, hearing a noise coming up the stairs, "What is that?"
"Who's there?" Gretchen called out.
"It's me, Gretchen," Helayna answered as she walked up to her younger sister.
"Oh Helayna, I thought you were a burglar!"
"I'm sorry. I let myself in. I knocked, but there was no answer. I figured you two were fighting again," Helayna said jokingly, knowing it was the truth.
Gretchen reached over and hugged her sister, "Well it's good to see you. What are you doing here? I haven't seen you since..............the funeral."
"I just...needed to talk to someone, Gretchen......" Helayna said, wanting to say more but noticed Katya was still in the room.
"Katya, go away," Gretchen demanded.
"You could ask me a little nicer, Mother!"
"Go wash your face. Take care of those zits!" Gretchen said as she watched her daughter walk away with disgust.
Katya rolled her eyes as she walked away, and whispered, "Someday, I swear to God!"
Immediately after Katya left the room, Helayna's face fell to the floor.
"Helayna? What's wrong?" Gretchen asked concerned.
"Oh, Gretchen. I don't know what to do. Everything is happening all at once. Everything in my life is just shit right now. It's all falling apart," Helayna confessed.
"It's ok, Helayna. You can talk to me," Gretchen offered her support.
"I don't know what to do. I've done so many horrible things, and I know I can never take them back."
"Horrible things, Helayna? What are you talking about?" Gretchen asked curiously.
"Oh Gretchen, I'm so ashamed!" Helayna said as she dropped her face into her hands.
"Ashamed of what? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, Gretchen. I've treated my family so badly."
"Helayna......Wh?" Gretchen began, but was interrupted by her sister's need to bolt out of that room.
"What did Aunt Helayna want to talk about? She seemed upset," Katya asked curiously.
"I'm not sure, "Gretchen said softly, "But I'll find out."
~Meanwhile, at the Larrea household~
"Oh, Haley," Amar cried out to his best friend, "Why did this happen? Why?"
Rayanne stood and observed from a good distance. She watched as her husband sobbed over her late sister. She didn't know what to think of it. She decided to approach him.
"Amar?" Rayanne announced herself quietly, "Are you alright, hun?"
Amar wiped away his tears of sadness, feeling a bit embarrassed at that moment, "Yeah, I'm ok."
"You can talk to me, you know," Rayanne said.
"Yes, I know," Amar answered, feeling himself choke up again.
Rayanne decided to change the subject, "Do you notice anything different about me?"
"What?" Amar asked not being able to concentrate on his wife.
"My hair, Amar. I straightened it today."
"Yeah, it's great," Amar said not even turning around to notice.
Rayanne swallowed hard as she stood there and stared at the man she felt she didn't even know anymore.
"I just....," Amar began, "Please, I just want to be alone, Ray."
"No problem," Rayanne obeyed, feeling mixed emotions about her husband.
Rayanne walked downstairs, and phoned her best friend, Cherie. She needed to talk to someone. Someone who cared about what she needed.
"I don't know, Cherie. Things are just really different now that Haley is..... They're just not what I expected, I guess. Amar is depressed 24/7. Bobbi, Gretchen, Helayna and I don't even really talk to each other much anymore. I guess they're all so afraid that the other will make them feel down about Haley."
"How do you feel?" Cherie asked.
Rayanne paused, startled by the question, "I don't know how I feel. Everything is weird. I mean, Amar and I, we were in love once. And then......Haley changed everything."
"What do you mean, Haley changed everything? You shouldn't put the blame on her," Cherie said surprised by her friend's comment.
"I don't know, Cherie," Rayanne said as she looked down at her wedding ring, "I don't even think Amar remembers anything, but Haley. Anyway, I have to go get dinner ready. Thanks for listening."
During dinner, the Larrea family sat in silence like they usually did ever since Haley's disappearance. Rayanne was finally tired of it, "Do you guys want to throw a party tonight? It's Friday. Why don't we all invite some friends over?"
They all looked at her as if she had three heads.
"O.....k....I guess that's a no," Rayanne said softly, feeling foolish.
"Why would you even suggest that?" Amar asked, "Your sister just died almost two weeks ago!"
"I just thought it would be good for us," Rayanne explained, "To get our minds off of......things."
"It's alright, Mom," Daisy said, "I understand how you feel. You don't want to think of Aunt Haley anymore. It's too depressing. I get it."
"Daisy, that's not it," Rayanne said to her teenage daughter.
"Yes it is, and I understand," Daisy said, "Because I feel the same way. I'm sick of feeling like crap. So let's have a party! I'm all for it."
"We are NOT having a party," Amar said firmly, "End of story!"
"Amar, we all need to stop feeling this way, and I thin...."Rayanne began to say, but was interrupted.
"I said no!" Amar said in a stern voice.
"Fine," Rayanne said feeling aggravated, as she excused herself from the table.
Rayanne went into the kitchen while the rest of her family finished their dinner.
"Don't you think you were a little hard on Mom?" Daisy said softly, "I mean, she did lose Aunt Haley too."
Amar looked up at his children and noticed the soft cries coming from the kitchen, "You're right. I probably was."
"Mommys and Daddys aren't supposed to fight, Daddy. Sadie told me that, "Danni said as she finished her salmon.
"I know, sweetie. Mommy and I are not fighting. Don't worry ok?" Amar said as he got up from the table and approached his wife of 22 days years.
"Honey?" Amar said as he walked up to his wife, "Ray, I'm...."
Rayanne whipped her body around, feeling an immense amount of anger build up inside of her, "Dont! Don't you dare apologize to me, Amar! Because I DON'T want to hear it! How dare you embarass me in front of my children! How dare you make me sound like the bad guy!"
"Ray, calm down!" Amar demanded, feeling his heart race. He couldn't remember any time, he and his wife had ever fought.
"I will NOT calm down! YOU calm down!"
"What is this all about, Rayanne? What are you getting so worked up about?" Amar asked feeling the emotion coming from his wife's presence.
"I knew it all along, Amar. I knew it. That's why all of this has happened. You know that right? Because whatever bad you have done, you get it three times worse in the end. And that's exactly what has happened. I hope you're happy!
"Ray, what in the WORLD are you talking about?" Amar asked feeling more confused than ever by her harsh words.
"YOU! AND HALEY! YOU DUMBASS! I always knew you were in love with her! You've always been in love with her. Your best friend, my ass! I've always known it. And now.......now........I hope you're happy now!" Rayanne screamed feeling her emotions rip out of her chest.
"ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY CRAZY????? ARE YOU ON MEDICATION???? WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD MAKE YOU THINK I WAS IN LOVE WITH HALEY????? We were close. Very close. We dated in high school. You know that! But, it was nothing compared to the way I feel about you! Nothing!! HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU ACCUSE ME OF HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH......YOUR SISTER!!!??!! WHAT KIND OF HUSBAND DO YOU THINK I AM?????!!!" Amar screamed, feeling more angry than he had ever felt in his entire life. Amar was the last person to ever cheat on his wife. He was against it more than anything. He thought Rayanne knew that.
"Don't play games with me, Amar!" Rayanne screamed, still feeling emotionally abused, "I know it's true. You and Haley. I've always known it."
"Would you stop already!!!!!! This is getting tiring! I've said what I needed to say! You're just not listening to me!!!! And how in the world could you accuse your SISTER of having an affair with your husband, when she is.......is......DEAD!!!??" Amar couldn't believe the way she was acting. It wasn't her. She was acting like a completely different person. What was going on?
"Yes, Amar," Rayanne said softly, turning around, "She's dead. You aren't supposed to love her anymore. But you still do. You always will."
"Ray? Please. This isn't you talking. What are you going through? Is this your way of mourning? Because I'm here for you, if it is."
"Please, Amar. Don't turn it around on me. Like I'M the one who should be feeling guilty. You got what was coming. Now you've just got to deal with it."
Rayanne stood there, not able to face her husband. Everything had changed. For the worse. They all knew it.
Amar felt as if he didn't even know her anymore. Who was that? The words that came out of her mouth were unheard of in their world. Amar and Rayanne had argued in the past, but never fought. They never had anything to fight about.
He sighed as he stared at his emotionless wife. Time heals all wounds, he thought to himself. She's just upset about Haley. This will get better. Won't it?
Part One/Part Two/Part Three/Part Four
Part Five/Part Six/Part Seven/Part Eight
Part Nine/Part Ten
"Mom, can I talk to you?" Katya asked as she entered the study.
"Not right now, hun. I'm busy." Gretehen rarely made time for her only daughter. She usually had better things to do. Like repairing her broken computer.
"But, I NEED to talk to you, Mom!" Katya said getting annoyed, "Like, right now!"
"Damnit, Katya! Don't piss me off! Go do something!" Gretchen raised her voice.
"Well that's the thing!" Katya snapped as she fixed her hair, "I don't have anything to do! I wanted to ask if I could go to....a....party tonight....at Madeline's house."
"Whatever. Go."
Katya put the mirror down, and stood there silently.
"What is it, Katya?" Gretchen asked feeling her presence.
"Well.....I was just wondering......" Katya began.
Gretchen got up from her chair feeling extremely annoyed by her daughter, "WHAT do you want?"
"Can I borrow your cashmere sweater?"
"Fine! I don't care!" Gretchen said waiting for Katya to leave the room.
"You seem a little tense, Mom. Anything I can help with?" Katya asked trying to get on her mother's good side. It was something she had been trying to accomplish her entire life.
Katya was the result from a one night stand her mother had with a man sixteen years ago. A one night stand, Gretchen regretted. Of course, it would be a little difficult to pin point which man her biological father was, considering every relationship Gretchen had been in, was a one night stand. It was her nature. And Katya knew that. It was one of the things she despised about her mother.
But she's always known, Gretchen's actions were caused by her being 'the adopted one' growing up, even if her mother never wanted to admit it. Gretchen felt distant from her other sisters, although they did everything they could to make her feel like one of them. It never worked. Gretchen had felt like an outsider her entire life.
"I'm not tense, Katya. Just a little frustrated. I have a lot to do. You have no idea, and I never get ANY help from YOU!" Gretchen snapped, releasing her anger on her daughter like she usually did.
"Mom! I always help around the house! You know that!" Katya snapped back almost regretting it.
"Listen to me, you lit...." Gretchen stopped, hearing a noise coming up the stairs, "What is that?"
"Who's there?" Gretchen called out.
"It's me, Gretchen," Helayna answered as she walked up to her younger sister.
"Oh Helayna, I thought you were a burglar!"
"I'm sorry. I let myself in. I knocked, but there was no answer. I figured you two were fighting again," Helayna said jokingly, knowing it was the truth.
Gretchen reached over and hugged her sister, "Well it's good to see you. What are you doing here? I haven't seen you since..............the funeral."
"I just...needed to talk to someone, Gretchen......" Helayna said, wanting to say more but noticed Katya was still in the room.
"Katya, go away," Gretchen demanded.
"You could ask me a little nicer, Mother!"
"Go wash your face. Take care of those zits!" Gretchen said as she watched her daughter walk away with disgust.
Katya rolled her eyes as she walked away, and whispered, "Someday, I swear to God!"
Immediately after Katya left the room, Helayna's face fell to the floor.
"Helayna? What's wrong?" Gretchen asked concerned.
"Oh, Gretchen. I don't know what to do. Everything is happening all at once. Everything in my life is just shit right now. It's all falling apart," Helayna confessed.
"It's ok, Helayna. You can talk to me," Gretchen offered her support.
"I don't know what to do. I've done so many horrible things, and I know I can never take them back."
"Horrible things, Helayna? What are you talking about?" Gretchen asked curiously.
"Oh Gretchen, I'm so ashamed!" Helayna said as she dropped her face into her hands.
"Ashamed of what? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, Gretchen. I've treated my family so badly."
"Helayna......Wh?" Gretchen began, but was interrupted by her sister's need to bolt out of that room.
"What did Aunt Helayna want to talk about? She seemed upset," Katya asked curiously.
"I'm not sure, "Gretchen said softly, "But I'll find out."
~Meanwhile, at the Larrea household~
"Oh, Haley," Amar cried out to his best friend, "Why did this happen? Why?"
Rayanne stood and observed from a good distance. She watched as her husband sobbed over her late sister. She didn't know what to think of it. She decided to approach him.
"Amar?" Rayanne announced herself quietly, "Are you alright, hun?"
Amar wiped away his tears of sadness, feeling a bit embarrassed at that moment, "Yeah, I'm ok."
"You can talk to me, you know," Rayanne said.
"Yes, I know," Amar answered, feeling himself choke up again.
Rayanne decided to change the subject, "Do you notice anything different about me?"
"What?" Amar asked not being able to concentrate on his wife.
"My hair, Amar. I straightened it today."
"Yeah, it's great," Amar said not even turning around to notice.
Rayanne swallowed hard as she stood there and stared at the man she felt she didn't even know anymore.
"I just....," Amar began, "Please, I just want to be alone, Ray."
"No problem," Rayanne obeyed, feeling mixed emotions about her husband.
Rayanne walked downstairs, and phoned her best friend, Cherie. She needed to talk to someone. Someone who cared about what she needed.
"I don't know, Cherie. Things are just really different now that Haley is..... They're just not what I expected, I guess. Amar is depressed 24/7. Bobbi, Gretchen, Helayna and I don't even really talk to each other much anymore. I guess they're all so afraid that the other will make them feel down about Haley."
"How do you feel?" Cherie asked.
Rayanne paused, startled by the question, "I don't know how I feel. Everything is weird. I mean, Amar and I, we were in love once. And then......Haley changed everything."
"What do you mean, Haley changed everything? You shouldn't put the blame on her," Cherie said surprised by her friend's comment.
"I don't know, Cherie," Rayanne said as she looked down at her wedding ring, "I don't even think Amar remembers anything, but Haley. Anyway, I have to go get dinner ready. Thanks for listening."
During dinner, the Larrea family sat in silence like they usually did ever since Haley's disappearance. Rayanne was finally tired of it, "Do you guys want to throw a party tonight? It's Friday. Why don't we all invite some friends over?"
They all looked at her as if she had three heads.
"O.....k....I guess that's a no," Rayanne said softly, feeling foolish.
"Why would you even suggest that?" Amar asked, "Your sister just died almost two weeks ago!"
"I just thought it would be good for us," Rayanne explained, "To get our minds off of......things."
"It's alright, Mom," Daisy said, "I understand how you feel. You don't want to think of Aunt Haley anymore. It's too depressing. I get it."
"Daisy, that's not it," Rayanne said to her teenage daughter.
"Yes it is, and I understand," Daisy said, "Because I feel the same way. I'm sick of feeling like crap. So let's have a party! I'm all for it."
"We are NOT having a party," Amar said firmly, "End of story!"
"Amar, we all need to stop feeling this way, and I thin...."Rayanne began to say, but was interrupted.
"I said no!" Amar said in a stern voice.
"Fine," Rayanne said feeling aggravated, as she excused herself from the table.
Rayanne went into the kitchen while the rest of her family finished their dinner.
"Don't you think you were a little hard on Mom?" Daisy said softly, "I mean, she did lose Aunt Haley too."
Amar looked up at his children and noticed the soft cries coming from the kitchen, "You're right. I probably was."
"Mommys and Daddys aren't supposed to fight, Daddy. Sadie told me that, "Danni said as she finished her salmon.
"I know, sweetie. Mommy and I are not fighting. Don't worry ok?" Amar said as he got up from the table and approached his wife of 22 days years.
"Honey?" Amar said as he walked up to his wife, "Ray, I'm...."
Rayanne whipped her body around, feeling an immense amount of anger build up inside of her, "Dont! Don't you dare apologize to me, Amar! Because I DON'T want to hear it! How dare you embarass me in front of my children! How dare you make me sound like the bad guy!"
"Ray, calm down!" Amar demanded, feeling his heart race. He couldn't remember any time, he and his wife had ever fought.
"I will NOT calm down! YOU calm down!"
"What is this all about, Rayanne? What are you getting so worked up about?" Amar asked feeling the emotion coming from his wife's presence.
"I knew it all along, Amar. I knew it. That's why all of this has happened. You know that right? Because whatever bad you have done, you get it three times worse in the end. And that's exactly what has happened. I hope you're happy!
"Ray, what in the WORLD are you talking about?" Amar asked feeling more confused than ever by her harsh words.
"YOU! AND HALEY! YOU DUMBASS! I always knew you were in love with her! You've always been in love with her. Your best friend, my ass! I've always known it. And now.......now........I hope you're happy now!" Rayanne screamed feeling her emotions rip out of her chest.
"ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY CRAZY????? ARE YOU ON MEDICATION???? WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD MAKE YOU THINK I WAS IN LOVE WITH HALEY????? We were close. Very close. We dated in high school. You know that! But, it was nothing compared to the way I feel about you! Nothing!! HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU ACCUSE ME OF HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH......YOUR SISTER!!!??!! WHAT KIND OF HUSBAND DO YOU THINK I AM?????!!!" Amar screamed, feeling more angry than he had ever felt in his entire life. Amar was the last person to ever cheat on his wife. He was against it more than anything. He thought Rayanne knew that.
"Don't play games with me, Amar!" Rayanne screamed, still feeling emotionally abused, "I know it's true. You and Haley. I've always known it."
"Would you stop already!!!!!! This is getting tiring! I've said what I needed to say! You're just not listening to me!!!! And how in the world could you accuse your SISTER of having an affair with your husband, when she is.......is......DEAD!!!??" Amar couldn't believe the way she was acting. It wasn't her. She was acting like a completely different person. What was going on?
"Yes, Amar," Rayanne said softly, turning around, "She's dead. You aren't supposed to love her anymore. But you still do. You always will."
"Ray? Please. This isn't you talking. What are you going through? Is this your way of mourning? Because I'm here for you, if it is."
"Please, Amar. Don't turn it around on me. Like I'M the one who should be feeling guilty. You got what was coming. Now you've just got to deal with it."
Rayanne stood there, not able to face her husband. Everything had changed. For the worse. They all knew it.
Amar felt as if he didn't even know her anymore. Who was that? The words that came out of her mouth were unheard of in their world. Amar and Rayanne had argued in the past, but never fought. They never had anything to fight about.
He sighed as he stared at his emotionless wife. Time heals all wounds, he thought to himself. She's just upset about Haley. This will get better. Won't it?