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"I'll talk to you more tomorrow,Harlow!"
I watched and smiled as Erika waved, bouncing off the bus with her hair swaying behind her. We had been talking about graduation for so long, I forgot to ask her about her new boyfriend. When the bus stopped at the end of my street several minutes later, I squeezed through the last of the students to get off, thanking Mr. Jon, the bus driver, and waving goodbye as I did. The walk through my neighborhood was easier during warmdays.
During the winter, when I had walked back from work and it was still dark out, my imagination had driven me to picture shadows behind every brick or yellow, panel-covered building. There were approximately thirty houses on the street, ending at a cul-de-sac with my house just before that little half circle. The neighbors were older and quiet, and they kept to themselves for the mostpart.
As I approached my front door, a white paper fluttered under the welcome mat. I untucked it and read through the note with a sigh. The older neighbor who regularly took my mom to her doctor appointments had left a reminder that she would be by next Sunday to pick my mom up and that her grandchildren would need a babysitter that day since they would both be at the hospital for at least a few hours. I would have to ask if Joanna or one of the other servers could trade shifts with me since I was already scheduled towork.
"Mom, I'm home," I called out as I shut the door behind me. Softly clicking nails warned me of Cleo's approach. A gray and black bundle of fur attacked my feet, spinning circles around eachlimb.
"Where have you been?!" My mom's high-pitched screech had my shoulders slumping as I marched past Cleo towards the hallway. I arrived at the door of her bedroom andhesitated.
"I've been at school; did you have a good day?" Looking at the disastrous room, the clothes streaming from the closet, littering the floor, I knew the answer. My mom sat like a pale, regal queen on her pillows and blankets, her eyeglasses perched on her nose as she stared over the mound of random objects pulled from throughout the house that cluttered in a circle around her. She wore a light-pink scarf tied around her brittle and quickly thinning grayhair.
"How can anyone have a good day when I've been home all day, in this mess, while you've been out doing whatever it is you teenagers do? Now, tell me the truth, where have youbeen?"
I sighed, wading my way through the overturned boxes. "Did you eat anything today?" I asked. She waved her hand at me, eyesunfocused.
"As if you care!" I spied the half-eaten sandwich on her bed that I had left her this morning. At least she had tried it. "Where wereyou?"
"At school," I repeated, bending down to help her to her feet. I guided her over to her bed and pushed her knickknacks to the floor. I would have to clean up when I got home from worklater.
"I don't know why you lie to me," she grumbled. "You're just like yourbrother."
I ducked out of the room and ran for a fresh glass of water, replacing it for the empty one on her nightstand. A quick glance at the old, grandfather clock at the end of the hall told me I needed to hurry and get ready forwork.
"I'm sorry, Mom," I said. "I promise I'll clean up when I get back from work." I headed for my room in a hurry, stripping off my shirt as I went. I listened to her as she fumbled to get out of thebed.
"Don't you turn away from me, young lady!" Her footsteps shuffled over the various shirts and pants before her feet slapped on the wooden, hallwayfloor.
My room held nothing but a few mixed furniture pieces that I had owned since before I hit puberty. A double bed took up most of the room, my newest accessory, with the mattress sagging in the middle. I stepped around it, stripping out of the rest of my school clothes. A dull, pink and gray dresser was shoved up against the wall next to the doorway with books and papers strewn across the surface. I reached inside one drawer, looking for the apron I knew I had just washed the daybefore.
The books were old, library-owned hardbacks that had been given away at the end of the year to make room for newer editions. I was lucky enough to have grabbed some of the better, well-kept volumes. The papers ranged from old bills to school supplies. I found a scrunchie and tugged it over my wrist before I finally managed to find myapron.
The same uniform I had on that morning was slung across the back of a chair sitting at the corner of my bed in front of my closet. I ignored it because it was stained with dirt and mud from this morning’s adventures. Pulling my only extra uniform from my closet, I yanked the dress over my head, doing up the buttons on the front before grabbing my purse and shoving my aproninside.
"Did you hear me?" Mom stopped at my bedroom door, her small, feeble body blocking my exit. I looked down at her. I wanted to wait until she moved, but I just didn't have thetime.
"Yes ma'am," I said. "And I would love to stay, but I really do have to get moving or I'm going to be late." Placing my hands on her shoulders, I gently urged her to the side. She slapped my handsaway.
"Don't touch me," she snapped. "Answer my question. Where have youbeen?"
"Mom," I said, crouching down to tie my non-slip sneakers. "I don't know what you want me to say. I did answer you. I've been at school all day and I can't stay. I just came home to get changed and make you something to eat." I moved towards thekitchen.
"I haven't seen you since yesterday, Harlow Nicole Hampton. School is not an overnightevent."
She stood in the doorway as I pilfered through our nearly empty fridge and came up with a small styrofoam cup filled with soup from the diner. I stuffed it in our microwave, pressing buttons to heat it up before I sighed and steeled myself against my mom's wrath. She stood, her pale face flushed in anger, arms crossed. My limbs seemed to sink even more, their weight increasing as I stood beneath her glare. My lack of sleep built rocks on my eyelids until I leaned back and let them close with asigh.
"Work ran late again last night," I said slowly. "I came home this morning and set up a snack for you on your nightstand next to your meds." I opened my eyes. "Did you takethem?"
"What I do with myself is none of your business." She inhaled, her eyes going wide and wild. "I have had more than enough of you sneaking out at night to go wherever you please. No more excuses, I'm tired of yourlying."
She stepped forward as the microwave beeped, but I ignored it, remaining still as though she were a hungry animal waiting to pounce. "You will clean this house spotless and you will remain in your room until I say you are allowed to leave. Is thatunderstood?"
I hesitated, my hand reaching for the handle on the microwave as I watched her. My neck bunched under the tension in my skin – looking at her hurt. Pulling the steaming cup from the appliance, I set it on the counter and reached for a clean spoon in the drawer to the left ofme.
"Okay," I replied. "I'll clean as soon as I get back from work. For now, why don't you have some of the chicken noodle soup from the diner?" I peeked back at her as something glinted from the corner of my eye and quick movement had me backing up into the corner I had trapped myselfin.
Her mouth gaping with fury, her eyes straining, she hefted one of her old, heavy glasses from the counter collection and threw it at me. Instinct made me duck, my arms shooting up to cradle my head and protect it as the glass cracked against the cabinet where my head had previously been. It shattered, spilling pieces of glass that rained down on myshoulders.
"Liar!" Spittle flew from her mouth as she screamed andcursed.
I remained where I was, bent over, head down, eyes wide. My shoulders shook with a hot rush of adrenaline and exhaustion quickly followed. My knees trembled as I forced them to hold their position. Her ranting trailed off as I stood there unmoving. Her eyes dimmed, and she began mumbling about her headhurting.
"Don't leave this house," she snapped once more before turning away. I listened and waited for the quiet snick of her bedroom door closing before I finally released a long held, pent up breath. My hands shook as I slowly stood and surveyed the damage. As the clock chimed in the hallway, I knew I was going to be late forwork.
