You're Back - Chapter 16
[Part 16]
Riley came home later that night and luckily I had gotten Andrew out of the house by that time.
When I saw it was getting close to the time that my mother normally came home, I had immediately shut everything down and ushered Andrew swiftly out the house. I didn't really want him to see my mother in her unhappy after work state. And I didn't really want my mom to see him either. Not that she would have done anything if she saw him hanging out in our living room. She probably would have just said to have him out by a certain time so she could work, at least that was what she said the last time I had a guy over. (He was my partner in an economics class and was over to study. Honest.) While we were studying she just locked herself in the office and drowned her sorrows in a bottle of alcohol.
I woke up the next morning to a silent house. Like Andrew had mentioned the previous night about quietness that surrounded the house. With a deep sigh I pulled myself off the bed, slid on my fuzzy slippers and made my way downstairs after checking Riley's room, only to find him still asleep.
I slid the coffee pot into its place and turned the small humble machine on, the low rumbling immediately coming out. I grabbed a few cups from the cupboard and set them on the counter along with the cream and sugar.
After readying the mugs, I left the kitchen and went to check in the back room where I was sure my mom was. Before I even went in the room, I could smell the stench of alcohol leaking from inside the room and under the door.
Sure enough, there was my mom passed out on the small Lazy Boy chair in the corner of the room. Several bottles lay strewn on the floor in complete carelessness, a half drunk bottle still in a hand that rested over her moving stomach. Her auburn hair spread out limply around her head in small greasy strands.
I felt my heart squeeze as I stood next to her watching her chest rise and fall slowly. I took the few steps between us and laid a hand on her arm. "Mom?" I asked softly. She didn't move. "Mom?" I tried again with a semi-rough shove that earned a stir from her. "Mom!" I said louder this time and she jerked awake, almost spilling the drink in her hand. She looked up at me with blurry eyes. "You're going to be late for work." I told her take a small step back as she tried to sit up in the chair. She held out her hand for assistance, "What time is it?" she asked her voice raspy with sleep.
"Almost nine." I replied grasping her hand and pulling her up.
She stood with a groan and ran her hand over her worn face. I took the bottle from her hand, "I have coffee ready, just get ready so you can leave and I'll clean this up."
With a small nod, she shuffled sleepily out room, down the hall to her room. I grabbed the bottles and piled them up in my arms before I left the room and went to the kitchen. Riley was moving about the kitchen already when I went in to throw out the bottles. "I'm surprised you're awake." I commented as I dropped the armful of bottles into the trash.
"So am I." he remarked bringing a steamy mug up to his mouth for a sip.
"Glad to see you're enjoying the coffee I made." I said as I stood in front of him.
"For me," he took another sip.
"What?"
"You made the coffee for yourself, mom, and me. Did you not?" he smiled smugly and a sip. I stood there knowing he was right, but not wanting to admit it. He shrugged, "That's how you are, you always do things for everyone else, and so I didn't bother to ask."
I took my mug off the counter and filled it with the last of the coffee, then stood across from Riley in front of the fridge. "So where were you yesterday?" I asked him before taking a sip of my coffee.
Again, Riley just shrugged. "Here, there, nowhere. Where were you? At home?" he teased.
"Of course I was." I said with nonchalance. I could hear my mom moving around in the other room, preparing herself for the day. I set my coffee on the counter, suddenly remembering the cup I promised her, and pulled out a portable mug. "Do you remember Andrew Miller?" I asked casually as I prepared the cup for my mom.
Yet again, he shrugged. "Well, you know how his dad and our dad were friends?"- shoulder lift and a slight nod, this time- "Then he left for California, or something." I paused for a moment to poor my coffee into the mug. "Well, uh, he's back." I finished and clamped the lid onto the cup.
"Okay." He muttered into his cup.
"Did you know?"
"Know what?" Riley questioned, even though I was sure he knew what I meant.
I gave him a look. "Know that he was back."
Riley lifted a shoulder and turned to spill out the rest of his coffee into the sink. I reached out for my own cup, but quickly remembered it was empty and looked back to Riley. "Yeah, kind of, I heard some people talking about him. So what?"
"He was our friend, we should visit him." I offered.
"He was our friend. Not anymore, not after everything that's happened." He corrected. "But if you want to run back to him and play barbies and house; go for it. I don't care what you do, but I know I'm not going to stop by for a chat." He pushed off the counter and went out into the hall. "Just leave me alone."
I stood for a moment biting my lip, unsure what to do. Riley was definitely still upset with Andrew, if his grumbling in the other room was an indication. I heard the rattle of keys and quickly went out the kitchen to see Riley reaching for the door handle. "Where are you going?" I asked him from where I stood in the living room entrance.
"Gosh! Melody!" Riley yelled and turned to face me. "Out! I'm going out, okay? Do I need to sign a paper every time I leave?"he spat angrily. "You're not mom! Does it even matter where I'm going? I'm coming back!"
"Are you, Riley?" I shot back, just as loud as him, and took a step forward. "You've left before and haven't come back for months! How am I supposed to know when you'll be back, or even if you're coming back!"
"I am coming back!" he hollered.
"You've left me alone for months, Riley! How am I supposed to know you're okay when you never talk to anyone, not even me! Your sister!" I felt my eyes sting with the feeling of on-coming tears. I stood there and watched him reach out for the door handle again, turning it slightly.
"Right now you sound like a clingy mom, not a sister. I have better things to do that stand here and talk about my feelings with you." He glowered.
"Oh really? What are these better things you have to do? Party? Drink? Smoke? Runaway?" I retorted, looking him straight in the eyes. Which was hard to do when my own eyes were stinging and watery. "That's what you do every time something happens that you don't want to happen - you just runaway!"
"Well it's better than staying in this stupid old house with a drunk, never here mom and an always here sister who thinks she's the mom." He swung open the door and went out, slamming the door hard behind him.
"Coward!" I screamed at the silent door, then suddenly felt sorry for it having to stand through this, not being able to leave even if it wanted to.
Sort of like me.
My mother chose that moment to come out of the office, her clothes had small crease lines from being folded and laid in a pile. Her hair still looked wet from the shower she took in the downstairs bathroom across from the office. "Okay, I'm heading out." She told me softly as if she hadn't heard any of what just happened.
I wiped the tear that fell off my cheek and nodded. "Let me grab your mug." Silently I went to the kitchen, grabbed her coffee and shuffled back.
A small smile touch her tired face and she took the cup from me. "Thanks."
"Love you, mom."I gave her a small peck on the cheek.
"Bye." She snatched her keys off the rack by the door and left.
As soon as I heard her old Honda Accord pull out the driveway I hustled up the stairs to my room. I pulled out the medium-sized overnight bag from my closet shelf and stuffed a few outfits into it.
I felt the way Riley might have felt; I didn't want to be in this old house. It seemed like every time he and I were together in the same place we go into a fight. And I just didn't want to be here, where they always started, anymore. I stumbled downstairs, grabbed my keys, locked the door, made sure the extra key was hidden in its secret spot, and stumbled to my car.
If Riley thought I was such a 'mom', maybe he would enjoy taking care of himself.
With a loud rumble my truck started, I didn't wait for it to warm up before I slammed it into gear and backed down the driveway and raced down the street, headed for Grand Lake Estates.
Thanks for reading.
I am re-writing the next part, so it may take me a little while to get it in. I'll try to have it in by the end of the week, so sorry in advance for the wait.
Riley came home later that night and luckily I had gotten Andrew out of the house by that time.
When I saw it was getting close to the time that my mother normally came home, I had immediately shut everything down and ushered Andrew swiftly out the house. I didn't really want him to see my mother in her unhappy after work state. And I didn't really want my mom to see him either. Not that she would have done anything if she saw him hanging out in our living room. She probably would have just said to have him out by a certain time so she could work, at least that was what she said the last time I had a guy over. (He was my partner in an economics class and was over to study. Honest.) While we were studying she just locked herself in the office and drowned her sorrows in a bottle of alcohol.
I woke up the next morning to a silent house. Like Andrew had mentioned the previous night about quietness that surrounded the house. With a deep sigh I pulled myself off the bed, slid on my fuzzy slippers and made my way downstairs after checking Riley's room, only to find him still asleep.
I slid the coffee pot into its place and turned the small humble machine on, the low rumbling immediately coming out. I grabbed a few cups from the cupboard and set them on the counter along with the cream and sugar.
After readying the mugs, I left the kitchen and went to check in the back room where I was sure my mom was. Before I even went in the room, I could smell the stench of alcohol leaking from inside the room and under the door.
Sure enough, there was my mom passed out on the small Lazy Boy chair in the corner of the room. Several bottles lay strewn on the floor in complete carelessness, a half drunk bottle still in a hand that rested over her moving stomach. Her auburn hair spread out limply around her head in small greasy strands.
I felt my heart squeeze as I stood next to her watching her chest rise and fall slowly. I took the few steps between us and laid a hand on her arm. "Mom?" I asked softly. She didn't move. "Mom?" I tried again with a semi-rough shove that earned a stir from her. "Mom!" I said louder this time and she jerked awake, almost spilling the drink in her hand. She looked up at me with blurry eyes. "You're going to be late for work." I told her take a small step back as she tried to sit up in the chair. She held out her hand for assistance, "What time is it?" she asked her voice raspy with sleep.
"Almost nine." I replied grasping her hand and pulling her up.
She stood with a groan and ran her hand over her worn face. I took the bottle from her hand, "I have coffee ready, just get ready so you can leave and I'll clean this up."
With a small nod, she shuffled sleepily out room, down the hall to her room. I grabbed the bottles and piled them up in my arms before I left the room and went to the kitchen. Riley was moving about the kitchen already when I went in to throw out the bottles. "I'm surprised you're awake." I commented as I dropped the armful of bottles into the trash.
"So am I." he remarked bringing a steamy mug up to his mouth for a sip.
"Glad to see you're enjoying the coffee I made." I said as I stood in front of him.
"For me," he took another sip.
"What?"
"You made the coffee for yourself, mom, and me. Did you not?" he smiled smugly and a sip. I stood there knowing he was right, but not wanting to admit it. He shrugged, "That's how you are, you always do things for everyone else, and so I didn't bother to ask."
I took my mug off the counter and filled it with the last of the coffee, then stood across from Riley in front of the fridge. "So where were you yesterday?" I asked him before taking a sip of my coffee.
Again, Riley just shrugged. "Here, there, nowhere. Where were you? At home?" he teased.
"Of course I was." I said with nonchalance. I could hear my mom moving around in the other room, preparing herself for the day. I set my coffee on the counter, suddenly remembering the cup I promised her, and pulled out a portable mug. "Do you remember Andrew Miller?" I asked casually as I prepared the cup for my mom.
Yet again, he shrugged. "Well, you know how his dad and our dad were friends?"- shoulder lift and a slight nod, this time- "Then he left for California, or something." I paused for a moment to poor my coffee into the mug. "Well, uh, he's back." I finished and clamped the lid onto the cup.
"Okay." He muttered into his cup.
"Did you know?"
"Know what?" Riley questioned, even though I was sure he knew what I meant.
I gave him a look. "Know that he was back."
Riley lifted a shoulder and turned to spill out the rest of his coffee into the sink. I reached out for my own cup, but quickly remembered it was empty and looked back to Riley. "Yeah, kind of, I heard some people talking about him. So what?"
"He was our friend, we should visit him." I offered.
"He was our friend. Not anymore, not after everything that's happened." He corrected. "But if you want to run back to him and play barbies and house; go for it. I don't care what you do, but I know I'm not going to stop by for a chat." He pushed off the counter and went out into the hall. "Just leave me alone."
I stood for a moment biting my lip, unsure what to do. Riley was definitely still upset with Andrew, if his grumbling in the other room was an indication. I heard the rattle of keys and quickly went out the kitchen to see Riley reaching for the door handle. "Where are you going?" I asked him from where I stood in the living room entrance.
"Gosh! Melody!" Riley yelled and turned to face me. "Out! I'm going out, okay? Do I need to sign a paper every time I leave?"he spat angrily. "You're not mom! Does it even matter where I'm going? I'm coming back!"
"Are you, Riley?" I shot back, just as loud as him, and took a step forward. "You've left before and haven't come back for months! How am I supposed to know when you'll be back, or even if you're coming back!"
"I am coming back!" he hollered.
"You've left me alone for months, Riley! How am I supposed to know you're okay when you never talk to anyone, not even me! Your sister!" I felt my eyes sting with the feeling of on-coming tears. I stood there and watched him reach out for the door handle again, turning it slightly.
"Right now you sound like a clingy mom, not a sister. I have better things to do that stand here and talk about my feelings with you." He glowered.
"Oh really? What are these better things you have to do? Party? Drink? Smoke? Runaway?" I retorted, looking him straight in the eyes. Which was hard to do when my own eyes were stinging and watery. "That's what you do every time something happens that you don't want to happen - you just runaway!"
"Well it's better than staying in this stupid old house with a drunk, never here mom and an always here sister who thinks she's the mom." He swung open the door and went out, slamming the door hard behind him.
"Coward!" I screamed at the silent door, then suddenly felt sorry for it having to stand through this, not being able to leave even if it wanted to.
Sort of like me.
My mother chose that moment to come out of the office, her clothes had small crease lines from being folded and laid in a pile. Her hair still looked wet from the shower she took in the downstairs bathroom across from the office. "Okay, I'm heading out." She told me softly as if she hadn't heard any of what just happened.
I wiped the tear that fell off my cheek and nodded. "Let me grab your mug." Silently I went to the kitchen, grabbed her coffee and shuffled back.
A small smile touch her tired face and she took the cup from me. "Thanks."
"Love you, mom."I gave her a small peck on the cheek.
"Bye." She snatched her keys off the rack by the door and left.
As soon as I heard her old Honda Accord pull out the driveway I hustled up the stairs to my room. I pulled out the medium-sized overnight bag from my closet shelf and stuffed a few outfits into it.
I felt the way Riley might have felt; I didn't want to be in this old house. It seemed like every time he and I were together in the same place we go into a fight. And I just didn't want to be here, where they always started, anymore. I stumbled downstairs, grabbed my keys, locked the door, made sure the extra key was hidden in its secret spot, and stumbled to my car.
If Riley thought I was such a 'mom', maybe he would enjoy taking care of himself.
With a loud rumble my truck started, I didn't wait for it to warm up before I slammed it into gear and backed down the driveway and raced down the street, headed for Grand Lake Estates.
Thanks for reading.
I am re-writing the next part, so it may take me a little while to get it in. I'll try to have it in by the end of the week, so sorry in advance for the wait.
Post Comment | View Comments
