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“All those preservatives and cancer-causing chemicals. It just seems counter-intuitive.”
“A little late to be worried about that,” Jeni said. All three women gasped and stared at her, and Jeni shrugged. Andrew would have said the exact same thing.
“What about pizza?” Rhonda asked.
“Andrew and I had that last night,” Jeni said.
Rhonda heaved a sigh. “Mom, what are you making? Maybe I’ll just take a plate to him.”
Their mother stood and disappeared into the kitchen, and several cabinet doors creaked open. “Jeni, honey,” she called out. “Where’s the pantry?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Where do you keep the food?”
Jeni poked her head in. “Right there, where you’re looking.”
“This is it?” her mother squawked. “How do you live?”
“It’s just me. I don’t need much.”
When Jeni said the words just me, her mother opened her mouth like she might comment but thankfully chose to shut it. “I’ll have to go to the store.”
Jeni shrugged. “Fine.”
“We don’t have a car,” Valerie said.
“You can take mine,” Jeni said.
“Okay,” her mom agreed. “Just let me go start the diffuser in my room so it’s ready by the time I go to bed.”
Jeni groaned inwardly. Her mother had recently gotten into essential oils and used various scents to fill every room of the house, depending on the mood she wanted to achieve.
Ylang-ylang in the bedroom for relaxation and sleep.
Lavender in the living room for balance and calm.
Peppermint in the home office for mental clarity.
Jeni’s nose was like a bloodhound’s, and the slightest aroma was like a potent blast to her senses. The last time she’d been to her parent’s house, she’d had a headache for three days straight.
Rhonda sat on the couch and turned on the television. “Do you have Netflix?”
“No.”
“Seriously?”
“If I’m watching TV, it’s for sports,” Jeni said.
Rhonda hit the Guide button and flipped through until she found a Real Housewives from somewhere. Oh hell. Four women on the television and three live ones in her house? With nowhere to escape?
“Jeni, honey, can we turn the air down? It’s freezing back here,” her mother called.
“What’s your internet speed?” Valerie asked. “It’s slow as molasses.”
Jeni couldn’t take another second.
“I’ve gotta go,” she blurted out.
