Mamma's Girl...Chapter One

The sound of glass hitting the wall woke six-year-old Montana Shaw from her sleep. Quivering, she sat up in her bed and listened to the voices of her parents screaming and saying “big people words”.

 

Angie, Montana’s mother, threw open the door and light flooded the room. Montana shielded her eyes from the blinding light.

 

“Come on, Sugar,” Angie exclaimed, grabbing a bag and stuffing a few clothes into a bag.

 

Angie grabbed her daughter’s little hand and dragged her out of the room. Montana’s bare feet hit the hardwood floor, and took off running to keep up with her mother.

 

“Get out of here, Trish!” screamed Montana’s father, as Tricia opened the door to a Cadillac Eldorado and plopped her daughter and the bags inside.

 

With tears streaming down her face, Montana cried, “Where are we going?”

 

“We’re going on a little trip,” Tricia replied, shoving the key into the ignition and speeding away. Montana strained to see out the back window where she saw her father standing in the glow of the backlights, but soon disappeared into the darkness of the night.

 

● ● ● ● ●

 

That “little trip” had ended up being a ten year cruise across the whole western United States. Montana had learned that her mother had left her father to chase her dream of becoming a singer and actress, which had cost Montana her childhood.

 

Now at sixteen, Montana sat with the California sun beating down on her threw the open window of their car, listening to her mother singing “Stupid Boy” by Keith Urban at the top of her lungs, as the pulled in to a parking lot.

 

Montana stepped out of that same 1972 Cadillac Eldorado and stared at the cement, two-story building in front of her. The faded, orange sign read “Seashell Apartments. Santa Cruz, California.” She glanced around the almost empty parking lot that held only a few beaten up cars, including their own. They had made it from Oregon with just a few dollars, a Hershey’s candy bar, and a tank of gas. It wasn’t the beach front condo that her mother had promised, but she had grown used to being disappointed.

 

“Ain’t it gorgeous, Sugar!” her mother, Angie, exclaimed, as she stepped out of the car, the gravel crunching underneath her snake skin boots.

 

“I guess so, Mama,” Montana replied.

 

Angie threw her cigarette to the ground and squashed it under her boot. Her bright red hair was pinned up by two colorful pencils. Her tight jeans and dark green blouse complemented her curves, while showing off her unique style. Montana saw the familiar smile on her mother’s face. That “we’re gonna get the world” smile. She’d seen it so many times.

  

“Can I help you ladies,” asked a rough man that stepped out of a smoky room that looked to be the office.

 

“Yes sir,” Angie said, flipping her red curls behind her shoulder and showing off her bright smile. “I’m Angie Shaw and this here’s my daughter, Montana.”

 

“Ahh, yes,” the man replied, scratching his fat stomach with his greasy hands. “You’re the new residents. Well come on in and sign a few papers. Your daughter can go ahead and go upstairs. Room 24”

 

The man put the cigar that he was holding back in his mouth, then threw a set of keys at Montana, which she caught with the sweep of her hand. The bald man wore a grease-stained wife-beater that revealed his hairy chest and a pair of jeans that had several holes in them. He reeked of cigar smoke and cheeseburgers, but Angie didn’t seem to notice. She followed the man into the office, sending a wink at her daughter.

 

Montana opened the trunk and pulled out the few boxes they had. After moving dozens of times, they’d learned how to pack light…not to mention they didn’t have that much to begin with.

 

Montana made her way past the algae infested pool and up the open staircase to the second floor and counted the numbers on the doors. 22…23…24! She balanced the boxes on one leg and tried to insert the stubborn key into the lock. Suddenly, all the boxes when tumbling to the ground. Montana sighed and stooped down to pick up the runaway boxes.

 

“Need some help?” asked a voice from behind her.

 

Montana turned to see a young man standing behind her. His bright blue eyes gleamed. His bleach blonde hair, tan skin, and broad shoulders made Montana assume he spent a lot of time at the beach, probably a surfer.

 

Montana accepted the help, after they introduced each other. His name was Ethan and seemed friendly enough.

 

“Where do you want me to set these?” he asked, as they entered the small apartment.

 

“Anywhere’s fine,” she replied.

 

Shrugging his shoulders, he sat the boxes down on the floor.

 

“Well…I guess I’ll see you around,” he said, smiling at her as he shut the door.

 

Montana watched from the living room window as the handsome, young man made his way down the hall, passing her mother, who didn’t mind to stop and watch him pass.

 

“Who was that?!” Angie exclaimed as she entered the room.

 

“Just some guy that helped me with the boxes,” Montana replied, trying to look as disinterested as possible, as she ripped open one of the brown boxes. “I think he lives down the hall or something.”

 

“He was cute, Sugar!”

 

“Momma, I don’t even know him.”

 

“Oh, well. We’ll have plenty of time for that. Right now let’s just see about our new home sweet home!”

 

Angie spun around the middle of the small room, like a young girl playing ballerina. Montana surveyed the new room with different eyes. The furniture was scarce, but the room still felt crowded. A small television, a couch, a chair, and a lamp was all there was in the living room, which was connected to the small kitchen. Three rooms were crammed in the back area: two bedrooms and a bathroom. 

 

“So baby doll, I think you’re gonna like it here,” Angie called out, as she placed the bag of groceries on the wobbly table. Noticing its unsteadiness, Angie pulled off her sock and placed it under the uneven leg.

 

“Sugar, this is it! I can feel it,” Angie exclaimed, opening a broken cabinet door that was swinging on one hinge. Inside was a box of Fruit Loops that must have been left by the last resident of the apartment.

  

Montana picked up a box that had her name written on it with Sharpie and made her way to the very back room, which she claimed as her own. The room held a small bed, a medium sized desk, and a closet. The window was small, but right by the bed…just where she liked it.

 

Montana threw off her flip flops and started unpacking the simple box she had. She place two pair of Levis, a couple tank tops, some shorts, one or two pairs of slacks, and a few other things in the chest of drawer, which didn’t full but two of the five drawers. After placing the plain white sheets and comforter on her bed, Montana took out the last thing from her box…a book full of pictures, journal pages…memories. She couldn’t help but wonder what this next “experience” would hold in the upcoming pages.

 

“Montana…Sugar! Come help me put away these dishes before we go to bed,” Tricia yelled.

 

Montana hurried to the kitchen. She found her mother unpacking bags of paper plates, paper cups, and plastic utensils. Montana opened one of the cabinets to find a Cherrios box that must have been left by the previous tenants.

 

Montana went to throw the box away, but her mother cried, “Sugar! Don’t be wasteful!” Tricia took the box from her hand and placed it back in the cabinet. Montana shrugged and continued to unpack.

 

“So we’re going job hunting tomorrow, right?” Montana asked.

 

Tricia paused and quietly mumbled. “Yeah, Baby, I am.” Then looked up with a great big smile on her face, “But you can just go grocery shopping. There’s no need for you to work this time.”

 

“But...,” Montana started.

 

“Nope!” Tricia interrupted. “I’m the mother and I say my baby girl ain’t working this summer! You’re going to have fun…make friends…like a normal teenager.”

 

A normal teenager? Montana had never been normal. The thought of living a normal life crept into her mind, but she quickly ushered the thought of hope away. But maybe, just maybe, this time would be different.

 

●●●●●

 

Tricia lay strewn across the sofa, flipping through the channels. Montana stood above her, arms crossed.

 

“Baby, move!” Tricia cried, slapping the girl on her hip. “I can’t see the TV!”

 

“Momma,” Montana began. “You’ve lost your job. You got to go find a new one.”

 

It had been a few weeks since they had moved into the new apartment. Tricia had quickly gotten a job at a local retail store, but had quickly lost it, after advising a customer that she was too fat to wear one of the expensive dresses.

 

“Oh, Sugar,” Tricia complained, stopping the TV on a soap opera and placing a burning cigarette back to her lips. “I’ve got one at a local hotel. Got it this morning. Come on! My favorite show is on.”

 

Montana rolled her eyes and walked out of the apartment, almost bumping into Ethan.

 

“Hey!” he exclaimed.

 

Montana brushed the drops of water that dripped from Ethan off her clothes. “Hey,” she muttered.

 

“Oh, sorry,” he apologized. “What’s up?”

 

“Uhm…not much. Just having a bad day.”

 

“Why don’t you come down to the pool? It’s where I relieve all my stress and spend most of my time.”

 

“Yeah, I’ve seen you down there a lot. Uhm…”

 

“Hey!” Tricia exclaimed, stepping out of the apartment in her nightgown with a cigarette in her hand. Montana turned her head in embarrassment.

 

“Uhm…hey,” Ethan replied.

 

“Well, look at you two gettin’ all friendly,” Tricia said, gently pushing Montana’s shoulder. “I’m Montana’s momma. And you are…?”

 

“Ethan. I live in the building. My uncle is the owner,” he replied.

 

“Well, ain’t that nice!” Tricia exclaimed.

 

“Momma, let’s go back inside,” Montana urged, as she tugged on her mother’s arm.

 

“Goodness, Child! Don’t know how to be civil to a handsome young man like this?” Tricia said, patting Ethan on the shoulder. “We’ll see you around.”

 

“Bye,” Montana said, slamming the door.

 

“He is sexy!” Tricia shouted.

 

Montana shook her had as she glanced out the door to see poor Ethan just standing there, hands in his trunks’ pockets. He finally turned and walked off, glancing behind him every few steps.

 

“Baby girl,” Tricia said, walking to her bedroom. “You’ve got a good one.”

 

Montana stood there, arms crossed, shaking her head. She sat down on the sofa and blankly stared at the television. Five minutes passed before her mother came out in a tight, black, halter top and grey jeans with high heels.

 

“How do I look,” Tricia asked, blowing a kiss from her painted red lips.

 

“Beautiful, Momma, but where are you going?” Montana asked.

 

“To work!” she exclaimed.

 

“This late,” Montana questioned, glancing out the window at the shadowy sky.

 

“Well, Honey, somebody’s got to sing at the Seashell Hotel tonight!” Tricia exclaimed.

 

Montana jumped up. “You’re going to be an entertainer!”

 

“Yes!”

 

The two girls spun around the room in delight. Finally, a job that Tricia would get paid good for and she would love. Things were looking up.

 

 

by Burning Rain