The Cellar

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

            Talking to Elias about my mother made me more determined than ever to get my family together for Thanksgiving, and while Matty wasn’t usually much help, it occurred to me that maybe there was something he could do this time. I headed out earlier than usual the next morning so I could call home without my mother hearing me.

            “Hello?”

            “Oh, good, Matty. It’s you,” I said.

            “Who else would it be?” As usual, he was crunching on something.

            “Well, Dad, idiot. But I want to talk to you without him hearing. Is he there?”

            “No. He’s in the bathroom. What do you want?”

            “I want us to have Thanksgiving together,” I started.

            “Cool!  You guys finally coming home?” Matty interrupted.

            “No. Mom says she’s not ready. I mean, I know she would really love to see you,” I added quickly, “but I think it’s still hard for her to think about being back in New York.”

            “Huh.” Matty took a sip of something and continued munching.

            “Has Dad said anything about Thanksgiving?”

            “No.”

            “Well, listen. I want you to start dropping some hints to Dad about it, okay? And I want you to call Mom in the next day or two and, you know, talk about how much you miss her and want to see her and stuff.”

            “Why?”

            “So we can get you guys out here for a visit.” I bit back a second idiot. My brother’s density might be irritating, but I needed his help.

            “Okay, fine. Do you want me to cry and stuff?”

            “Do whatever you think will get Mom to feel guilty. But don’t overdo it. She’s not stupid.” Matty responded by snorting and hanging up on me. I put my phone away, a little uneasy about asking my brother to manipulate our mother, but as the saying went, desperate times called for desperate measures. We needed a reminder of why being apart was all wrong, before any of us got too comfortable with the way things were. Assuming that hasn’t already happened.

            All thoughts about my family were shoved to the side when I got my chemistry test back with another big red D at the top. Derek must have seen something in my expression when we met at his truck for our next lesson.