Chapter Nine - Gravity

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Walking into the house feels like walking into a funeral parlor. In an instant, she took everything away from me and I think she is enjoying it. Quickly, I walk to the living room and sit down on the large sectional sofa. My mom disappears up the stairs and I grab my cellphone.

Can you be here in the morning? I really, REALLY need you.

I send the text message before she returns with a blanket for me. Wrapping it tightly around my body, I put my head on the arm of the couch and close my eyes. I hear the Keurig in the next room. My body is numb, and I feel like I'm dying. She took the only thing that matters in my life and she knows it. Now, she's pretending to be the mother of the year.

My eyes open at the smell of coffee. "To sober you up." She says handing me a white cup.

Tears fill my eyes as I glare at her. "Believe me, I'm sober. Start at the beginning and don't leave a single thing out. Plus, I want to hear from you why you hate me so much, and don't say you don't." I warn her.

"When I first moved to New York from London, I wanted to be a famous actress. I dreamed of the Hollywood life and it became an obsession. When I told your grandparents, they said they would disown me for chasing a stupid dream. I knew what I wanted, and nothing was going to stop me from getting it. I packed one suitcase and headed to America.

"My mom wrote me out of her will and told me that I would need to find my own way in America because they were cutting me off. Much like you, I wanted to be famous just to stick it to my parents, so you see, we're not so different, Avery."

She tells me about her first casting call, the place where she first met my dad (or the man I called my dad). He didn't let her get past the first couple of lines of the script, he told her that she sucked and would never make it in Hollywood. She left the room in tears and he followed her, asking her out for dinner.

"He took me to Tavern on the Green and bought me a fancy dress and expensive jewelry. We stayed out all night talking; he told me that he loved my accent." She smiles at the memory. "We went on a couple more dates and then I told him about my parents."

My mom stated that my dad promised to take care of her, and that she would never have to worry again. The next day they moved in with each other and four months from that date, they were married at the courthouse.

"It was perfect for the first 10 years together. We were at all the top parties and I was rubbing elbows with the biggest names in the business. Parties back then were classy and black tie; not like they are today. Your dad mentioned that I was an amazing seamstress and that's when I got my first call on Broadway."

I finished my cup of coffee while she explains more - she was out of the house, the further my dad pulled away from her and they stopped having sex, stopped talking or acknowledging each other. When she tried to leave him, he promised her that she would be homeless and no one would be there to save her this time.

"I don't believe you. I can't see dad saying this." I say putting my empty coffee cup on the table.

My mom laughs and rolls her eyes. "Because he's the hero in your eyes. Do you want more coffee?"

I nod and she disappears to the kitchen. I grab my phone from under the blanket and see the responses I was waiting for.

I'll be there in the morning.

Thanks. It's BAD.

I text back and hide the phone once again. I pull the blanket around me tighter and wish this night would end. She places the coffee in front of us and sits back in her chair.

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