AROUND THE HEART IN 80 DAYS

Seven

The quiet night in a little neighbourhood had hidden a more quiet hustle and bustle in a quaint, worn bungalow.
Apparently, impromptu packing was not as comical as it seemed to often be.

Clothing had never been Jackie's problem, her box being larger than the entire amount of clothes she had anyway and her blanket filling out the space in the box, her major issue had been her baking equipment.
Mixer, crates, pans, trays, her previously purchased ingredients, cutlery, the cooling racks, her tables and all the likes.

When she went to the kitchen to get her spatula, she heard Amanda's dramatic whining from the living room, her favourite place to stay in the entire house, with the television constantly being on. She was talking to Fiona, who decided to be home at the point of receiving news that their Cinderella would be leaving. "She just ups and leaves. Just does that. No prior notice, just ups and leaves. Doesn't care that there's someone else in this house, I see."

Jackie thanked God once more for the electricity bill not being on her head, even if it was for just a month.
It was the fact that her step-family probably never expected her to leave that baffled her. It was her father's home after all, but had she gotten too comfortable with misgivings?

She chose to ignore her step-mother's baiting and proceeded into the kitchen.

Coming out, carton in hand, Fiona stood up to grace the entrance of the lobby.
Amanda's carbon copy, luscious dark brown lair, soft features and wide eyes. No wonder her father fell deep.
"What is it Fiona?"

"You must think it speaks well to just leave an elder at home why you go frolicking elsewhere."

"Look who's talking."

"I don't leave mother. I check on her everyday of my life."

"And I could do the same. From far away. Out of the way, please."

"With everyone being busy, how do you expect the house to run? Your father's house."

Emotional blackmail. Jackie laughed and rested her weight on one foot. "Ah. So it's my father now. I thought we all forgot. You're dating Jeff Ben-zos, Garrett's filthy rich, I'm shocked you people haven't carried your mother to a place in New York by now and left me alone, that would have been much better for all of us. I'm sick of breaking my back for all of you. And I still pay for my diabetic medicine. You don't think that's peanut money, do you?"

"Don't you dare think we don't take care of our mother! We take care of her more than you'd ever know. You're only doing what's supposed to be done. Looking after your father's house. As you should. Take care of yours, we take care of ours."

Jacqueline opened her mouth in feigned understanding. "Is that so? Ok. Fine. Then look at it this way, I got tired of being in the same environment for too long so I needed a move. My house will remain dark and useless. And when it becomes completely useless and everyone has moved out, I can finally sell it. Sounds right to you?" Truth be told, even if it wasn't the house she grew up in, the thought of selling the place her father once lived scared her. But she couldn't let these two women note that.

Fiona frowned deeply and Jacqueline could clearly remember all the times Amanda had frowned at her as a child. It looked animated, like a real wide downward 'U'.

"Who would have thought it? One day you of all people would decide to abandon your father's own home. I never thought how good you could go into playing the victim, Jacqueline." Amanda turned around and looked at them from the top of the couch.

Jackie then noticed that Fiona had been right. The woman was well taken care of.
Did it just strike her now?
That Amanda always looked flawless, fresh-faced. Even in her late 50s. Her hair still had lush and volume, eyes bore little wrinkles. How come she had never noticed that a lazy bum looked healthier than she did.