Episode 14
1080 Words
Alright Becca you need to calm down, there is no need to get all worked up over Greenfield's contact card, no need to throw a bomb and leave the family in pieces that may never be put together again. My mother has always been good at reading my mind and she already interpreted the knowing look on my face that I was mulling over her skeletons that she wants to keep hidden from father forever.
"It's okay David....I'm sure she didn't mean to shout, will you give me a minute alone with my daughter?" Mother rushes over to my side and fondles my arms.
Father gives me a warning look before agreeing to my mother's wish and walking away, leaving us alone. Mother tip toes to the corridor to check if father is out of sight. Once she is sure he is upstairs and cannot hear us, she marches back to my side wearing an angry scowl on her face. "What's the matter with you?" She expectantly peers at me, her hands on her hips.
"Why did you take Greenfield's card? You need to give it back," I sneer.
She stares at me with disbelief before bursting into laughter, I'm left confused by what she finds so funny. I'm about to ask her what the hell she is laughing at when she speaks up, "that card was not yours to begin with, I am the one who asked for Greenfield's contact details and you snatched the card from me," she reminds, not that I need reminding.
"I took it because you were not supposed to ask for it in the first place," with my lips pulled outward, I hug myself and slump into a chair.
"What's so wrong with me having a doctor's number especially after my husband had a heart attack and almost died in front of me?"
Does she really expect me to buy her crap, we both know that she didn't ask for the number for emergency purposes.
"You don't have to pretend with me mom, I'm not dad,"
"What's that supposed to mean?" She takes a few steps and lands on the seat next to mine.
"You were flirting with Greenfield, purposely dropping your wrist watch so you could bend down and let him admire your..."
I get a slap across my cheek before I could finish my sentence. My hand rushes to cover the cheek she slapped, my mouth drops with shock and astonishment. I glance at my mother and it doesn't look like she regrets what she just did but I'm going to make her regret it.
"Dad!!!! Dad!!!" I yell out at the top of my voice. Mother quickly covers my mouth with her hand to stop me from screaming again. "You stupid girl...what do you think you are doing?" She hisses.
I keep staring at my left side, expecting to see my dad bolting towards the living room but there is no sign of him. I guess he didn't hear me.
"I'm going to remove my hand now, on the condition that you will behave like the adult you think you are. No more screaming and no more disrespectful statements, do you understand?" She gazes at me expectantly.
I nod my head in agreement then she slowly releases my mouth. "I didn't take Greenfield's card," she utters with a genuine tone but I do not believe she is being sincere. She is just good at acting.
"If you didn't take it then who did?"
"I don't know...maybe you misplaced it," she shrugs. She pauses for a moment and I can see that she is thinking about something, "why do you want the card so badly anyways hmm? Are you interested in Greenfield? You know your father would never allow you to date him." She says with a smug look on her face.
"Who said anything about wanting to date Greenfield?"
"So why are you fussing over his card?" She raises an eyebrow, still maintaing the smug look on her face which I cannot wait to wipe off of her.
"Because mother...I was worried you took it and I happen not to trust you with it because of the kind of person you are." I blurt and follow by abandoning my seat and marching out of the room not expecting her to say anything in response. I strut out of the room feeling confident that smug look on her face has turned into a fallen face.
I can't decide whether to believe her or not, her questions and some of the things she said makes me want to believe she didn't take it but if she didn't then who? I head back into my bedroom and check for the card again thoroughly but it's just no where to be found. Maybe it's for the best, like mom said, father would never agree to me dating Greenfield, it would just cause problems in the house.
To keep myself from thinking about the card or Greenfield, I start preparing dinner. The idea is to prepare something that takes quite sometime so it will keep me busy. My father walks into the kitchen and offers to help me but I tell him not to worry I got everything covered. I'm so glad and relieved he did not ask me what my fight with my mother was all about. It's like it never happened at all, that's my dad for you, he is quick to forgive and let things go.
About an hour and a half later, I call everyone to the dining table. Father and Matt quickly notice the tension between my mother and I. There is a look of disappointment in my father's eyes, he hates it when mother and I are not seeing eye to eye. He reserves his comments and doesn't say a word. Nobody says anything, it's just an uncomfortable and awkward time.
"Becca"
"Yes father"
"I need to talk to you," he pulls me away from the kitchen sink where I was still washing dirty plates after dinner. I almost protest because I want to finish with the dishes as early as possible so I can go to sleep but the serious look in his eyes makes me keep silent.
I take a seat next to him and gaze at him, waiting for him to say what's on his mind.
"I need to tell you about my history with your mother...maybe it will help you give her a break," he mutters.
- Writer
