Okay, and then – what’s that noise on your end?”
“The garage door is opening,” I said nonchalantly, and then bolted up from the couch when I realized what I had said. “Colton!” I called. “Who’s home?”
He and Grace already had their noses glued to the window.
“Mom,” Colton said, and they both turned around, looking serious.
“Hey, Natalie, let me call you back later, okay?” I asked, getting into action.
“Sure, I’ll talk to you later, Lyla. Bye.”
“Bye,” I said, tossing the phone onto the couch and herding Colton and Grace toward the bedroom hallway. “Come on, guys. Why don’t you wait in the bedroom, and I’ll talk to Mom first.”
“But what if she’s happy today?” Grace asked plaintively. “I want to see her! I haven’t for a long time!”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat, trying to ignore the way her big blue eyes were slightly glassy, as though she was getting ready to cry. I couldn’t take the chance of letting her see our mother. Most likely, she would be in a bad mood, and I couldn’t, absolutely could not, allow Grace to bear the brunt of it. When my parents actually did bother to spend some real time at home, they generally preferred that we were not around. I was positive tonight would be no exception.
“I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t let you see her yet,” I told Grace, kneeling down to hug her.
Grace wouldn’t have any of it. “I-I-I want my M-mommy!” She began to sob and then threw herself on the bed in full tantrum mode. I looked helplessly to Colton, who immediately ran and jumped on the bed, crouching down beside Grace’s head.
“It’s okay, Gracie,” he said. “I haven’t seen Mom or Dad for a while too, but that doesn’t mean you have to cry about it! I’ll let you play with my toys if it will make you feel better!”
I eased out of the room, entering the kitchen just as my mother slammed the garage door shut. “Hi, Mom,” I said cautiously, but I could already see from the glint in her bright blue eyes that she wasn’t happy to see me.
“Who were you talking to on the phone all day?” she demanded, throwing her worn leather purse onto the dining table. “I tried to call twice on my way home, and the line was busy.”
“I was just talking to Natalie for a couple minutes,” I said, circling through the kitchen as she walked into the living room, keeping the same solid distance between us. “She called when we got back from the library.”
“I don’t care who you were talking to!” Mom suddenly shouted. “You should have answered! I wanted you to make me some dinner. I’m tired from working all day and I’m hungry!”
“Mom, I’ll make you some dinner,” I said smoothly, trying to calm her before she could work herself into a frenzy. But it was too late.
She had found the phone where I had left it on the couch, forgetting to put it away in my haste to get Grace and Colton out of sight. The moment she picked it up, I could see that she was beyond reason.
“Every time I walk into this house, something is lying out of place!” she began to rage. “Your father and I work all day to keep this roof over your head and food in your mouth and this is the thanks we get!”
I cringed and then ducked as the phone came flying at me. It hit the wall and broke into two pieces. When I straightened once more and opened my eyes, Mom stood in front of me, pressing me against the kitchen wall.
“It is absolutely disgusting how you think you can live here and get by with things like this,” she hissed at me. “I only hope Colton and Grace don’t follow your example. One disappointing kid is enough. I can’t believe your father hasn’t been able to change your ways by now. Maybe I can finally get you to shape up.”
She slapped me on the cheek, hard. I felt tears well in my eyes at the sharp sting, but bit my lips to keep from crying out. That was what she wanted. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
“Now, get
“The garage door is opening,” I said nonchalantly, and then bolted up from the couch when I realized what I had said. “Colton!” I called. “Who’s home?”
He and Grace already had their noses glued to the window.
“Mom,” Colton said, and they both turned around, looking serious.
“Hey, Natalie, let me call you back later, okay?” I asked, getting into action.
“Sure, I’ll talk to you later, Lyla. Bye.”
“Bye,” I said, tossing the phone onto the couch and herding Colton and Grace toward the bedroom hallway. “Come on, guys. Why don’t you wait in the bedroom, and I’ll talk to Mom first.”
“But what if she’s happy today?” Grace asked plaintively. “I want to see her! I haven’t for a long time!”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat, trying to ignore the way her big blue eyes were slightly glassy, as though she was getting ready to cry. I couldn’t take the chance of letting her see our mother. Most likely, she would be in a bad mood, and I couldn’t, absolutely could not, allow Grace to bear the brunt of it. When my parents actually did bother to spend some real time at home, they generally preferred that we were not around. I was positive tonight would be no exception.
“I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t let you see her yet,” I told Grace, kneeling down to hug her.
Grace wouldn’t have any of it. “I-I-I want my M-mommy!” She began to sob and then threw herself on the bed in full tantrum mode. I looked helplessly to Colton, who immediately ran and jumped on the bed, crouching down beside Grace’s head.
“It’s okay, Gracie,” he said. “I haven’t seen Mom or Dad for a while too, but that doesn’t mean you have to cry about it! I’ll let you play with my toys if it will make you feel better!”
I eased out of the room, entering the kitchen just as my mother slammed the garage door shut. “Hi, Mom,” I said cautiously, but I could already see from the glint in her bright blue eyes that she wasn’t happy to see me.
“Who were you talking to on the phone all day?” she demanded, throwing her worn leather purse onto the dining table. “I tried to call twice on my way home, and the line was busy.”
“I was just talking to Natalie for a couple minutes,” I said, circling through the kitchen as she walked into the living room, keeping the same solid distance between us. “She called when we got back from the library.”
“I don’t care who you were talking to!” Mom suddenly shouted. “You should have answered! I wanted you to make me some dinner. I’m tired from working all day and I’m hungry!”
“Mom, I’ll make you some dinner,” I said smoothly, trying to calm her before she could work herself into a frenzy. But it was too late.
She had found the phone where I had left it on the couch, forgetting to put it away in my haste to get Grace and Colton out of sight. The moment she picked it up, I could see that she was beyond reason.
“Every time I walk into this house, something is lying out of place!” she began to rage. “Your father and I work all day to keep this roof over your head and food in your mouth and this is the thanks we get!”
I cringed and then ducked as the phone came flying at me. It hit the wall and broke into two pieces. When I straightened once more and opened my eyes, Mom stood in front of me, pressing me against the kitchen wall.
“It is absolutely disgusting how you think you can live here and get by with things like this,” she hissed at me. “I only hope Colton and Grace don’t follow your example. One disappointing kid is enough. I can’t believe your father hasn’t been able to change your ways by now. Maybe I can finally get you to shape up.”
She slapped me on the cheek, hard. I felt tears well in my eyes at the sharp sting, but bit my lips to keep from crying out. That was what she wanted. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
“Now, get
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