sheets for my boxer shorts.
“Don’t ‘Holly’ me!” she yelled. I slipped on my shorts and sat on the edge of the bed trying to figure out why she would be so upset. “I am your mother and I’ve been worried sick. I was just about to call the police. I woke up Eden to ask her if she knew anything and she said you gave her this girl’s phone number.”
“Mother,” I said trying to remain calm, “I don’t see what the big deal is.”
“You don’t see what the big deal is? It’s…it’s a school night and you’re…way past…curfew.”
“Curfew?” I couldn’t believe she was upset with me for staying out late after the countless times she never came home at all leaving me to care for an infant child. I felt the sudden urge to remind her of this.
“Curfew? I’m surprised you know what that word means. Which of your boyfriends taught it to you?” I immediately regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. It was a hurtful thing to say. But, a part of me felt she deserved it. Where did she get the right to suddenly be concerned about my safety after so many years of neglect and abuse?
I glanced over at Maddie . She wore a look of shock and confusion on her face as she slipped on my shirt to cover her glorious nudity. I felt the need to apologize, not for my mother’s sake, but for Maddie’s . I didn’t want her to think of me as some sort of callous monster.
“I’m sorry, mother.” She didn’t respond. I think I really hurt her this time. “Mother, are you there?”
“You…um…you have an appointment with Richard in the morning. I’ll call the school…and let them know you won’t be in.” She hung up.
I closed the phone and set it on the night stand.
“Wow, Garrett, that was pretty harsh,” Maddie said as she approached me and stroked my hair. I wrapped my legs around her and held her waist. “I think maybe I bring out the worst in you. First, you break a standing date with your sister, now you’re getting into fights with your mother. Maybe I’m not so good for you. I feel like I’m taking you away from your family.” Maddie tilted her head down hiding her beautiful eyes from me.
“Are you kidding me? You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” I lifted her chin and kissed her lips. “Eden and I are fine. We’re spending the day together on Sunday. As for my mother…we have…an unusual relationship. I know what I said was cruel.” Shamed by the guilt, I looked down. “Sometimes, I’m not a nice person, Maddie . I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just hope that once you get to know me better, you don’t regret –”
She silenced the thought with a kiss.
“I may never know everything that you’ve been through. But I do know that you’re a wonderful person with a delicate and loving soul. I will never regret being with you.”
Early the next morning, I eased myself out of bed, careful not to wake Maddie then padded off to the kitchen. I wanted to surprise her with a nice breakfast. I was a pretty good cook for a teenage boy. I had a lot of practice due to the countless times I had to cook for me and Eden. And in those days, I had a lot less with which to work. I remember having to stretch miniscule amounts of food for weeks. Somehow, I made it work.
Maddie’s kitchen, however, overflowed with food. I finished making the pancakes, ham and cheese omelets, and breakfast potatoes just as she emerged from the bedroom.
“Oh my God it smells good in here,” she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“I made you breakfast.” I kissed the side of her head and handed her a glass of orange juice.
“That’s so sweet, Garrett.” Maddie took a sip of the juice then started arranging some prescription bottles on the counter. She opened one, shook out a couple of pills then swallowed them without even taking another sip of juice. I stared in awe as she repeated this process with bottle after bottle. “Please don’t stare at me. I already feel like enough of
“Don’t ‘Holly’ me!” she yelled. I slipped on my shorts and sat on the edge of the bed trying to figure out why she would be so upset. “I am your mother and I’ve been worried sick. I was just about to call the police. I woke up Eden to ask her if she knew anything and she said you gave her this girl’s phone number.”
“Mother,” I said trying to remain calm, “I don’t see what the big deal is.”
“You don’t see what the big deal is? It’s…it’s a school night and you’re…way past…curfew.”
“Curfew?” I couldn’t believe she was upset with me for staying out late after the countless times she never came home at all leaving me to care for an infant child. I felt the sudden urge to remind her of this.
“Curfew? I’m surprised you know what that word means. Which of your boyfriends taught it to you?” I immediately regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. It was a hurtful thing to say. But, a part of me felt she deserved it. Where did she get the right to suddenly be concerned about my safety after so many years of neglect and abuse?
I glanced over at Maddie . She wore a look of shock and confusion on her face as she slipped on my shirt to cover her glorious nudity. I felt the need to apologize, not for my mother’s sake, but for Maddie’s . I didn’t want her to think of me as some sort of callous monster.
“I’m sorry, mother.” She didn’t respond. I think I really hurt her this time. “Mother, are you there?”
“You…um…you have an appointment with Richard in the morning. I’ll call the school…and let them know you won’t be in.” She hung up.
I closed the phone and set it on the night stand.
“Wow, Garrett, that was pretty harsh,” Maddie said as she approached me and stroked my hair. I wrapped my legs around her and held her waist. “I think maybe I bring out the worst in you. First, you break a standing date with your sister, now you’re getting into fights with your mother. Maybe I’m not so good for you. I feel like I’m taking you away from your family.” Maddie tilted her head down hiding her beautiful eyes from me.
“Are you kidding me? You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” I lifted her chin and kissed her lips. “Eden and I are fine. We’re spending the day together on Sunday. As for my mother…we have…an unusual relationship. I know what I said was cruel.” Shamed by the guilt, I looked down. “Sometimes, I’m not a nice person, Maddie . I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just hope that once you get to know me better, you don’t regret –”
She silenced the thought with a kiss.
“I may never know everything that you’ve been through. But I do know that you’re a wonderful person with a delicate and loving soul. I will never regret being with you.”
Early the next morning, I eased myself out of bed, careful not to wake Maddie then padded off to the kitchen. I wanted to surprise her with a nice breakfast. I was a pretty good cook for a teenage boy. I had a lot of practice due to the countless times I had to cook for me and Eden. And in those days, I had a lot less with which to work. I remember having to stretch miniscule amounts of food for weeks. Somehow, I made it work.
Maddie’s kitchen, however, overflowed with food. I finished making the pancakes, ham and cheese omelets, and breakfast potatoes just as she emerged from the bedroom.
“Oh my God it smells good in here,” she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“I made you breakfast.” I kissed the side of her head and handed her a glass of orange juice.
“That’s so sweet, Garrett.” Maddie took a sip of the juice then started arranging some prescription bottles on the counter. She opened one, shook out a couple of pills then swallowed them without even taking another sip of juice. I stared in awe as she repeated this process with bottle after bottle. “Please don’t stare at me. I already feel like enough of
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