A Half of a Whole

It was Morning. The birds were chirping at her window like always, the sun was bright and high in the sky. The sky was blue with hardly any clouds. This is what she woke up to everyday in Tucson, Arizona as her eyes opened. It was a Saturday which means no school for the young Sixteen-year-old girl.

“HANNA MARIE GONZOLAZ IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP!” Her mother screamed from down below causing the young girl to groan as she threw the covers off her bed and sighed.

Her mother could practically annoy her to no end every morning.

“MOM IT’S SATURDAY MORNING!” She screamed back getting out of bed and into the bathroom.

Hanna looked at herself in the mirror and practically cringed at the sight of herself. Her long straight brown hair was flying all over the place, her baby blue eyes had crust on the side along with drool on the side of her lips from sleep.

“I need a fixer upper,” She mumbled to herself before getting started with brushing her teeth.

“HANNA!” Her mom called out again as Hanna rolled her eyes.

“MAMMA GIVE ME A SECOND I NEED TO FRESHEN UP!” She shouted back quickly doing her morning routine which consisted of straightening her hair with her brush, washing her face, and getting dressed which was a casual wear of a pair of ripped jeans with a green shirt that says ‘Game On’ on the front.

“HANNA SWEETIE! “

“I’M COMING MAMMA!” She shouted out annoyed walking downstairs.

On the way down she noticed the many pictures on the stairwell wall as it mostly contains pictures of Family pictures from so long ago. Once she was downstairs her breath hitched in her throat as she saw her Papa sitting down on the couch drinking what she assumes could be coffee in his hands. She turned to her mother angry as she was sitting on her favorite black rounded chair.

“Mamma what is this? Why is he here?” She asked venom dripping from her voice as she glared at her father.

Her father was in his late forties with a short stubble beard, baby blue eyes, and short black hair. To say he was pretty muscular was an understatement for he does do wrestling for a living.

“That’s no way to talk to your father Hanna,” Her mother snapped breaking her out of his gaze as she looked over at her.

Her mother is incredibly beautiful and that’s where Hanna mostly got her good looks from. Her mother had beautiful wavy black hair, big brown eyes, and a body that would make any man go head over heels for. She is that good looking for a woman in her late thirty’s.

“I know you don’t like me,” John her father started out but was interrupted by his daughter as he frowned.

“Damn straight I don’t,” She snapped glaring at him harder.

“HANNA!” Her mother screamed practically annoyed and fed up with her.

“WHAT?! IF I RECALL HE’S THE ONE WHO LEFT FOR A TRASHY WHITE BITCH!” Hanna screamed already not having a good morning.

John took a deep breath to not get himself angry at her. After all what she said was true he did leave but his current wife is not a “trashy white bitch” as she put it.

“Okay, I’m going to let that go only because you are right. I did leave you guys, but Rene is not a trashy white bitch, she’s really sweet and genuinely kind,”

“So, why are you here?” Hanna asked in a calmer tone with crossed arms.

John took a deep breath knowing that his daughter will lash out for what he was about to say. He looked over at his Ex-wife Wendy from the corner of his eye as she nodded her head but slowly enough to where Hanna could not see it.

“I-I want you to move with me to North Carolina to meet Rene and her kids which are your step siblings,”

“WHAT?! NO, I REFUSE! MOM TELL HIM!” Hanna screamed as she looked at her mother for back up as she sighed.

“Sweetie, I honestly think this is good for you. It gives you time with your father and to meet your step siblings,” She calmly replied as Hanna shook her head tears threatening to poor down her face.

“No, No, No, No I’m not doing this! You can’t force me to go!” She yells before running upstairs to her bedroom and slamming the door shut.

Hanna threw herself on her bed crying. There was no way she was going to be going with him, she would be leaving all of her friends that she has known since kindergarten behind. She couldn’t do this and why all of a sudden does it have to be today? Her father barley even speaks to her there is no way this isn’t a sudden change of heart for him. A knock was heard on the door causing her teary eyes to turn towards it as it opened.

“Hanna baby it’s your mother,” her mother says opening the door wider.

“Why are you forcing me to go with him?” She sniffed as her mom sat down on the bed beside her, rubbing her back for comfort.

“I’m not forcing you sweetie I just think that its time you and your father reconnect together, life is short honey you don’t want to waste it by being mad at him forever do you?”

“But he left you and me mom how can I not be mad?”

She sighed.

“Honey, things were very much complicated with your father and I before I even discovered what he did. We were going to be splitting up anyways, besides he’s much happier with her than he ever was with me. He really only stayed because of you hon, he didn’t want to break the family despite us fighting all the time,”

“If he didn’t want to break it why hadn’t he spoke to me in all these years?”

“Because I asked him not too. Because I didn’t want him anywhere near you,”

“So,” Hanna sniffed her sadness shifting into anger quickly. “You are the reason why I couldn’t text, call or talk to him?” She asks getting louder with each word she spoke.

“Baby please you have to- “

“NO MAMMA!” Hanna shouted pushing her away now. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!”

Wendy sighed looking at her daughter who now stood up before her with clenched fists and an angry look in her eyes.

“You know what mother maybe I will go with him. As long as it keeps me far away from you,” she says venom dripping from her voice as her mother looked at her with a shocked expression on her face.

“I did it to protect you, I didn’t want to lose you,” She whispered a tear rolling down her cheek as Hanna’s anger slowly started to calm.

No matter what her mom did Hanna always hated to see her cry. She couldn’t stand seeing her own mother in tears and knowing that it was her own fault in the first place makes it even more heart breaking. To Wendy’s surprise Hanna hugged her; having all anger vanish right then and there.

“I love you mama please don’t cry,” She whispers in her ear before kissing her cheek. “But I think you’re right, I’m going with John or dad I need to reconnect with him and who knows maybe this change would be a good thing,” She finished before letting go of her mother.

Her mother sniffed as she nodded her head agreeing with her daughter as the two started to pack together.

*****

It was sometime later when Hanna and Wendy finished with at least two bags on each arm making it four bags in total when they were heading downstairs. She packed tons of clothes, accessories, electronics etc. She only left behind the bigger things she couldn’t bring. Her dad was still sitting where he was as he immediately went up to his daughter who halted in her tracks on the last two steps on the stairs.

“Do you still hate me?” He asked looking at her in the eyes.

“Yes and no. I know it’s not your fault dad,” She replied honestly causing him to slightly smile.

“That’s better than a full on yes, here let me take your bags,” He kindly says offering his hands out as she gave him the two large bags she was carrying.

Once everything was packed into the trunk of the white SUV her dad closed it as he sighed.

“Alright looks like that’s everything. I’ll be in the car,” He says before leaving to give his daughter and her mother some alone time.

Once he was gone her mom looked up at Hanna.

“Call me when you get there please,” She begged before hugging her into a tight embrace.

“Yes mama, but what about school? Don’t you think it would be weird if I just up and left?”

“It’s already been taken care of. This was your last week I just didn’t tell you of course, we’ve been planning this for a while hon,”

“Oh, no need for goodbyes for my friends then. I can always text them anyways. You sure you want me to go?” She asked before pulling apart.

Her mom gave her a faint smile as she nodded.

“Yes, it’s time baby. Time to reconnect with your father,”

Hanna nodded giving her mom one last hug.

“I love you mama,” She whispered kissing her cheek once more.

“I love you more baby,” Her mother responded before letting go of her.

Once the two parted Hanna began walking to the car as her mom blew her a kiss goodbye with tears running down her face.

“Ready to go squirt?” Her dad asked as she placed her seatbelt on and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Too soon?” He asked slouching his shoulders.

“Just drive,” She says putting her headphones in as they began driving away.