Dance On Our Graves

Chapter 9

Before Lauren even get to the front door, she's planning her route back to Abuelo's. Lauren tries to think of every liquor store and gas station between here and there. Just as she's about to knock on the door, Abuelo drives up. His music is cranked up and the top of his car is down. He pulls to a stop behind Camila's rental car and cuts the engine.

Lauren can't help but smile at him. He's the most youthful old person she knows. He jumps out of his car and walks up to Lauren, "Glad to see that you waited for me."

"Of course I did," Lauren say and hug him.

He keeps his arm around Lauren's shoulders when he opens the front door. It's either to comfort Lauren or to make sure that she doesn't run off. It's probably a combination of both.

"Mike! Clara!" he calls into the house, "Your beautiful daughter is here to see you."

Lauren hears the muted footsteps of her parents. Lauren's heart starts beating a million miles a minute and she just wants to faint or something. Of course, even then she wouldn't get the chance to get away from them. Her father would probably end up being her doctor at the hospital.

When her parents appear she's struck by how old they look. It's been almost a year since she has seen them, but her dad's hair is turning gray on the sides and the wrinkles on her mother's face are more profound. Of course, they're dressed like they're meeting the president. Her dad is in pressed khaki pants with a blue polo. His oxfords are shined and his belt matches them. Her mother is in a tan tunic top with a large black belt holding it to her slim waist. They're the picture-perfect couple.

They just stand there for a minute looking at Lauren. Finally, her mother walks over to Lauren and hugs her. "Lauren..." she trails off and when she pulls away Lauren can see that she's crying.

"What's wrong?" Lauren immediately asks. Lauren may not be close to her parents, but she's protective over everyone that she loves.

"It's just..." she elegantly wipes the tear from her face, "You're so beautiful and so grown up."

Lauren quirked an eyebrow, "Uh yeah."

Lauren's father smiles and takes his turn to hug her, "It's good to see you." He says it as he talks to his patients even though when they get to him, they rarely think that it's good to see him. Lauren feels sort of like that right now.

Lauren walks into a house that she vacated for a one-room box in New York City. She thinks she may have given her father a minor heart attack when she threw the acceptance letter she got from his alma mater into the trashcan and packed up all her stuff. That was the night that they cut her off. They still have her college fund for all she knows. She sold some of her less necessary electronics at the pawnshop in town to get money to drive to New York. That was also the night that Camila's mom had her talk with her, but Lauren know, it was just a coincidence.

Lauren drove out of Ohio and never looked back. She only come back for Abuelo's birthday and Christmas and now Camila dragged her back.

"Are you hungry?" her mother asks her, placing her hand on Lauren's back as she guides her through the house like she didn't live here while she was in high school. Lauren ends up in the living room. It's sterile and mostly untouched, just like it was when she was here. The only room that ever looked like it was lived in was her own.

Lauren shakes her head even though she didn't get to eat at the Cabello's. Lauren feels sick. If she eats, it will make a reappearance. When she sits down on the couch, she doesn't feel comfortable at all. She sits at the edge of the cushion with her hands on her knees.

Abuelo clears his throat, "So, Lauren why don't you tell your parents what it's like living in the big city?"

Lauren looks at him and tries to get him to shut up. She doesn't want his help. She just wants to get this over with. "Well," she can't think of anything to say, "It's uh...the food is awesome."