Mikayla
Ten missed calls. Five from my mother, two from my brother Jack and three from Cody. Why he bothers calling is beyond me.
I’m supposed to be studying for my boards. I’m supposed to be looking for a job. I spent so much time with my father, I did my clinicals with my dad’s oncologist, but I don’t think I can stomach that type of medicine long term.
While oncology is fascinating, I don’t think I can focus on cancer patients for the rest of my life. It was heartbreaking. Yes, we had some wins, but when we didn’t… I found myself growing attached to the patients, and that was not healthy for me. I’m thinking an ED would be better suited to me since I won’t see the same patients day in and day out.
But I’m not studying. I’m driving. I’m driving aimlessly. I have no destination. I just drive because I can’t go home. It’s no longer home. It’s no longer where I want to be, where I can be.
My mother is gone. Whoever that woman is… she isn’t my mother, not anymore.
I sigh when my phone rings again. It’s Jack. I’ve been on the road for… what… fuck me, four hours? May as well get this shit-show over with. He’s going to defend her. I know he is, and I’m already pissed. May as well get all the anger out now and calm down later.
“Hi Jack,” I say after I hit the phone button on my steering wheel.
“You okay?” My brow furrows. He sounds worried about me. Jack is never worried about me. Annoyed, yes. Worried, never.
“No,” I tell him honestly. I’m not going to pretend I’m okay because I’m not okay. I feel lost. I feel betrayed.
“Mom called me, said you two got into a fight,” Jack says.
I snicker. “A fight? Is that what she told you?” I shake my head.
The sun has officially set. I have absolutely no idea where I am. I really need to figure out what highway I’m on.
“She said you freaked out and ran away.”
“Did she happen to tell you why I freaked out? And I didn’t run away. I’m twenty-two years old, not twelve,” I say, defending myself. “I’m almost twenty-three!”
“She said she told you your boyfriend was cheating on you,” Jack says. “Is that true? Was that piece of shit cheating on you?”
Jack sounds angry. Obviously, Mom left out the part where she was the one cheating with my boyfriend, but what are details when you want sympathy? Why does the truth matter?
“He was cheating.”
“Fuck! You can’t blame Mom. She was just the messenger. Be mad at Cody.”
“And if I told you Mom didn’t tell me so much as show me that Cody was cheating on me, would you still tell me not to blame Mom?” Yes, my voice is full of sarcasm.
There’s silence over the phone for a few moments. Then Jack asks, “Show you? Did she have a video or something?”
“No, I caught a live performance,” I say with fake enthusiasm.
“Wait… what?” I can just picture his brows drawing as he tries to piece it all together.
“Jack, Mom was fucking my boyfriend!” I can feel the surge of anger rush over me again. “Mom was the one fucking Cody!”
“No.”
“Oh, yes!”I hiss. “Still want to defend her?”
He’s silent.
“Look, it’s dark. I’m driving. I don’t want to argue with you right now. I just don’t. So, if you’re going to try to defend…”
“No! Fuck! Micky, I… I’m just… fuck. I’m shocked. Seriously?” Jack asks, his voice strained.
I look out my window and see a sign that says, “Welcome to Oregon.” Fuck! What highway am I on? I-82? I don’t even know what interstate that is! Shit!
