FAMILY FEUDS

Old Wounds

An hour has passed, and exhaustion takes its toll. Emily sat up, her legs dangling from the bed. Her mind feels fuzzy, but she still manages to force herself to stand. With heavy feet, she walked out of the bedroom. Alex, her fiance is still asleep, unaware of the now empty bed. She closed the door softly, trying not to wake him. The only temporary comfort she can find is in a boiling kettle. She stood in the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. She held the cup in both hands and sipped greedily. The warmth made her awake and left her feeling satisfied. A temporary fix.

She stood in the kitchen, oblivious to the presence that entered the room. It moved closer with each quiet step. It was now standing behind her. That's when she felt the warm breath in her neck. She spun around with such force that the coffee spilled all over the floor and the intruder.

"Emily!" Alex shouted surprisingly. "Alex, you scared the crap out of me! Why didn't you say anything?! Why do you creep up on me like some ghost!" Emily scolded. A moment of silence between them was broken by hysterical laughter.

"You know I could've bashed you over the head." Emily said with a smile. "Well, at least you didn't." Alex said while putting his arms on Emily's waist and pulling her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. His embrace makes her feel safe. The only human being she trusts with every inch of her heart and body. This is one of the many reasons that make the trip to the farm seem even more unpleasant. Alex won't be able to accompany her. The idea of him not being there made her anxious. A familiar feeling when dealing with mom and dad.

For starters, dad is emotionally absent and hot-headed. Something my brother and I witnessed regularly as children. He would give us smack over anything and everything. These events crossed my mind several times, and I believed that there were countless times that if there wasn't a reason for him to beat us, he would find a reason.

Mom, on the other end, she turned a blind eye to almost everything dad did, unless it involved my brother. My brother is her favorite, and he is truly a mommy's boy. Even when Mark was in the wrong, she would manipulate the whole situation to fit his or her own needs.

Then it leaves me. I existed, and that's why I decided to move away from my family as soon as I possibly can. I only visit them for special occasions like birthdays, like this weekend. The dearest son is turning thrity five.

The mere idea of the coming event makes me nauseous all over again.The same anxious knot resurfaces, and my stomach tightened. Alex saw the lost look on my face, and his grip around me tightened. His soft lips landed a kiss on my forehead. "Everything will me okay, you'll see. The next few days will fly by quickly, and like I've promised, I will join you if there is any way to do so." Alex said, encouraging.

A weak "ok" left my mouth, and I felt my heart sink with disappointment. Tomorrow morning, I will start my journey back to the past. I want to believe that this visit could mend my relationship with my parents. Maybe they've somehow changed. I don't know. Maybe it's just another pipe dream. Hopefully, this time, I will be pleasantly surprise.

*Ha . . . Surprise, yes, surprise...*