Rain (Hudson 1)

I was so happy to see him, but I didn't know what to say or do.

"Don't you know why I ran off?" I asked.

"Just get in the truck, Rain. I have to bring it back to Slim's. I took off with it as soon as Mama called and Slim doesn't even know."

"Now, I'm just trouble," I said moving to the truck. He opened the door and I got in.

"You're never just trouble, Rain, but you shouldn't have done this. I've been riding all over looking for you. Pete Williams said he thought he had seen you make the turn up there, so I tried this neighborhood. Man, Rain, Mama's all broke up."

"So am I," I said. "She's been lying to me all these years."

He looked at me and shook his head.

"I don't know anymore about this than you do, Rain, but Mama isn't one to want to lie. You know that. You should know that," he said. "There isn't a better woman in this city," he added.

"Don't you know what happened?"

"Yeah," he said softly. "Beni told me."

I looked down.

"She's not my real mother," I said softly.

"That doesn't mean she doesn't love you as much as a real mother would," Roy asserted.

"It's still very painful, Roy. Maybe I would never have found out. Maybe she never would have told me."

He didn't say anything. He drove directly to The Projects.

"You just go up to see her, Rain. I have to return Slim's truck and I'll be light along."

I hesitated, staring at the apartment building.

"That there is the only home you've got, Rain," Roy said nodding at the building, "and in it are the only people who love you."

I stared at him for a moment, my eyes glassy with tears. Then I opened the door and hopped out. He watched me head toward the front entrance before pulling away.

Beni was the only one at the dinner table. She sat there picking at her food and glared up at me as soon as I entered.

"Where'd you go?"

"For a walk," I said.

"A walk?" She smirked. "Mama's been crying. She didn't want to eat anything and went to bed,"

I stood there.

"What are you mad at her for?" Beni demanded. I looked up, my eyes hot with tears of anger.

"I should've been told long ago. How would you like to find out about yourself like that?" I asked.

Beni shrugged. Then she stared up at me looking furious.

"So you've got white blood. I always thought that about you, Rain. I don't know why, but I did."

"It doesn't change anything," I said sharply.

She smirked again.