Last Train Home by Megan Nugen Isbell

know you’re mad at me.  But your disrespect is going to stop right now because you’re not going out with Alex tonight.”
    “What?” I shrieked.  She was not seriously threatening me. “I am going out with Alex tonight.”
    “No, you’re not.  If you can’t even run to the store to help me out, you certainly can’t go out with Alex.”
    “Fine!   I’ll go get your stupid bread crumbs.”
    I gr abbed my keys and brushed past her.  I stomped down the stairs and flung the door open so hard the screen practically flew off and then slammed shut with a loud bang.  I got into my car and screeched out of the front yard.  I flipped on the stereo and turned up the volume so loud the entire car was thumping.  My mom made me so angry!  Why did she care who I went out with or if I missed a family dinner?  She hadn’t cared about forging a relationship with my relatives in Kansas when we still lived in Boston.  If she’d cared, we would’ve visited more, we would’ve talked more.  But, we didn’t.  We never had, but now that she’d uprooted me, she expected me to pretend like we’d always been one big happy family, when the fact was we weren’t and we never had been. Why couldn’t she just leave me alone and let me bide my time in Carver the way I wanted to?  If I wanted to hang out with Alex, why did I have to tell her?  It wasn’t like I was off doing drugs and getting drunk and sleeping around.  I just wanted to hang out with Alex, the one bright spot in my otherwise dismal life. 
    I was still fuming when I pulled into the supermarket parking lot.  I quickly composed myself though and went into the store, paid for the breadcrumbs, and returned to the car.  By the time I got back home, I was calm again.  I knew I had to control myself if I wanted to see Alex.  My mom had been lenient, but I knew her patience was running thin and she was going to set me straight, or try to anyway. 
    When I walked into the house, I gently opened the screen door I’d abused on my way out.  My mom was in the kitchen finishing her cheesecake and I set the breadcrumbs on the counter.  She looked up, but didn’t smile.
    “Thank you,” she said curtly.
    “I’m sorry for my attitude earlier,” I said and I saw her face soften a little, but not too much, because I knew she was doubtful about the sincerity of my apology. “Can I please go over to Alex’s?”
    “I should say no.  You know that, don’t you?” she said, looking back down to the cheesecake.
    “Yes, I know that.”
    She was quiet and she was glaring slightly at me.  I knew she was mad.  I’d given her all the fodder she needed to be justifiably angry with me.
    “I want you to start treating me with respect, regardless of how you currently feel about me.”
    “I’m sorry, Mom,” I said , crossing my fingers in hope she’d let me go.
    She continued to focus on the cheesecake and ignored me.
    “Can I go to Alex’s?” I asked again.
    “Yes,” she finally replied.
    “Thank you,” I said, turning to head up to my room.
    “You can go after you have d inner with the family,” she added and I stopped in my tracks.
    “What?” I asked flatly as I turned to face her again.
    “I said you can go after yo u have dinner with the family.”
    “I heard you, but Alex is going to be here soon.”
    “Then he can join us.”
    “But Mom…” I stammered.
    “Take it or leave it .  You’re not going to waltz around here saying and doing whatever you want anymore.  And I want to know your plans from now on.”
    If I wanted to hang out with Alex tonight, I knew I’d have to agree to her terms, whether I liked them or not.
    “Okay,” I said quietly and then to get on her good side, I decided I would tell her about my plans with Jesse tomorrow. “Just so you know, Jesse is coming over tomorrow so we can work on a project for school.”
    “Thank you for telling me,” she said and I laughed inside at how business-like we were being and then