Jessica had managed to convince her mother to let her stay with Stacey for a few days, but today her mother demanded she come home. Her mother seemed to be excited for Jessica to see her father. She claimed that he was a different person, and tried to convince Jessica that she should just let the past be the past.

"So today's the day." Stacey said driving towards Jessica's house.

"Yeah...it is." Jessica said before sighing.

She hadn't felt good all day in school, imaging what seeing her father again would be like.

She leaned her head against the passenger side window, and closed her eyes. She was hoping once she got inside her house she could avoid her father, but she knew that wouldn't happen. Jessica didn't want to see her mother either. She felt like her mother betrayed her for allowing her father to stay with them again.

"Well if you need me I'm just a phone call away." Stacey said interrupting the silence.

"Thankyou Stacey." Jessica said. "I really appreciate this."

"That's what friends are for." Stacey said while pulling into Jessica's driveway.

Jessica took a deep breath, grabbed her bookbag, and got out of the car. She took her keys out of her pocket as she approached the front door, and attempted to control her shaking hand.

'Pull it together!' She thought as she put her key in the door.

She let out a breath of relief when she didn't see anyone in the living room. She crept as fast as she could toward the stairwell, hoping to make it to her room without being noticed.

"Jessica!" She heard her father call out from behind.

Jessica stopped dead in her tracks, and slowly turned around to face him.

"Hi baby!" He said extending his arms for a hug.

Jessica stood frozen, wanting to smack the smile off his face. She wouldn't dare hug him, she could never bring herself to do that.

"What's wrong?" He quizzed coming closer to her. "You haven't missed me?"

"None of us have...well except mom." Erica said coming down the stairs.

This was the one time Jessica was actually happy to see Erica.

"I'm talking to my daughter!" He said clearly annoyed by Erica's presence.

"Your daughter!" Erica repeated and laughed. "What kind of father are you? Your in and out of jail, and when your not in jail your strung out on drugs. Some father you are!" She chuckled.

"Shut your **** mouth!" He demanded.

"Make me!" Erica said stepping into his personal space.

Jessica had never seen Erica so riled up before. She knew Erica wasn't meek, but she never imagined her being this bold, especially with a man.

"What's going on in here?" Mother asked coming down the stairs.

"Your got damn daughter is too grown!" Her father fussed.

"Erica what the heck is your problem?" Mother asked with one hand placed on her petitie hip.

"Him being here is my problem." Erica said not taking her eyes off of him. "I don't like him, and I wont pretend that I do!"

"Listen girls, Jake is here to stay." Mother declared. "So you both need to get used to it."

Jessica stood there flabergasted of how her mother was responding. She never thought her mother would choose a man over her own child's well being, but she continued to prove otherwise over the years.

"Why should we have to get used to it?" Erica challenged. "Look at all he has put this family through! Look at what he's done to Jess mom!"

"Stop it!" Mother screamed. "People change Erica!"

"Man Im out of here!" Jake said heading towards the front door.

"Good leave!" Erica said pointing towards the front door.

"No Jake! Please don't leave!" Mother begged running after him, and grabbing at his shirt.

Jessica couldn't believe how desperate her mother was acting, and it sickened her.

She watched Jake snatch away from her mother, and storm out the front door. Her mother immediatly fell to the floor and began crying.

A small smile crept across Erica's face, before she headed back upstairs. Jessica was happy that Erica stood up to her father. Jessica would have never been as bold as Erica had been, and she appreciated her for that.

"Why did he leave?" Her mother whimpered from the floor.

Jessica didn't feel sorry for her mother at all, infact she despised her for even letting her father come back into their lives.

She went to her room leaving her mother there on the floor alone. She sat on her bed thinking of how crazy the last couple days had been. It amazed her how normal things were, and then as soon as her father returns to their life everything became chaotic. She prayed that he would stay away, but she knew in her heart he would return only to make things worst.