Mother, What Have You Done?

Chapter 2: Pretty face

“What are you doing in here?!” Mother asks from the door. She sounds drunk again.

“I was just looking for my writing notebooks.” I lied, closing the lid on the box with the new pictures in it. To be honest, I was actually looking for the photos I hid of Donald. I was able to get a couple out of the photo album before Mother went on a rampage and ripped them up. I have one of my dad in there too.

“Be ready by 5pm. We are meeting Thomas for dinner.” She states as she walks away. “And I threw out your notebooks. Its not like you were any good anyways.” Gee, thanks mom. Thomas is her business partner. I wonder if he is in the cartel with her or if he is just being used.

I stash the pictures back on the shelf and see the small box that I was looking for. I grab it and hurry into the house, carefully checking the living room to see if Mother was in there and run upstairs. In my bedroom, I lock the door and open the box. I pull out the first picture of Donald and I. It was when I was 10 and he was 12. We are at the swim park with big smiles on our faces. He use to talk our neighbor Ms. Kline into taking us every summer when she would take her grandkids. I swear Donald could talk you into buying a jar of air. He always had a way with words. He is the reason I started writing. The picture under that was one of him the next summer, trying to get me an ice cream with his money from mowing lawns. His blue eyes were shining bright and his sandy blonde hair was a mess. He looked sunburnt. After that summer something happened. He stopped smiling and always seemed stressed. He became very protective of me and Mother was going on more frequent business trips. Thats when it all changed.

A knock came on the door and Mother yells at me to make sure I am ready in fifteen minutes. I guess she has finally sobered up a bit. I look at the clock, it reads 4:30pm. Great, just enough time to hop in for a quick shower. I don’t wear makeup so I should be ready in time. Mother hates being late. She also wished I would do more with my appearance. She just wants to show me off.

At 4:50pm, I am putting my hair in a high ponytail. I slip on my black flats and straighten my grey peplum dress. Another thrift store find. I hear the car start and race out of my bedroom. Mother doesn’t say anything to me on the way there but gave me a scowl as she saw that I don’t have makeup on.

We arrive at the restaurant exactly at 5pm. Thomas is there sitting in a booth in the back and I follow behind Mother to the table. I realize he brought his son with him.

“Hello Susan.” Thomas stands to greet my mother. “Shannon.” He says towards me. I give a small nod. “You remember Gregory don’t you?”

“Its nice to see you again Gregory.” Mother says to the boy who just stares at me with a s**t-eating grin on his face while eyeing me up and down. I look at him in disgust.

“Gregory here hasn’t been doing so well in school back East with his mother so he has been sent here to live with me.” Thomas states. “He will be repeating Junior year.” Oh lovely, my grade.

Gregory keeps staring at me. His brown eyes are burning a hole through me so I finally ask him to stop before I kick his ass. “I am sorry you just have a pretty face.” He smirks.

“I tell her that all the time, but she should add a little blush to those dull cheeks.” Mother replies. I told you she was all about appearances. Ugh, this is going to be a long night.