ADOPTING BEAUTY

Chapter 58 + Troubled Girl

It was the eve before Diana joined our family. My parents were as ready as they'd ever be. Her room looked cozy and perfectly put together as if it'd was about to be featured in a home improvement reality show. Brad and I had been given a list of things to pickup at various stores including food for the refrigerator. A social worker was set to deliver Diana to our house at ten o'clock Sunday morning. It was late in the afternoon on Saturday when Larissa came home from the beach. She'd been hanging out with Sofia and the freshman crowd all day. I think she wanted to stay out of the way at home.

I was in the shower when Larissa walked into our bathroom in only her swimsuit, wrapped in a towel and fresh from the beach. I never locked the door unless I was using the toilet.

"Joe??" called out Larissa.

"Hang on," I said. "I'm getting out."

"I'm getting in."

As much as I wanted to take a shower with her, I was too spooked about getting caught. Before I could even rinse the shampoo out of my hair, a bikini clad Larissa stumbled into our shower. I stood there naked under the blasting shower head. It would have been an erotic moment if Larissa had not been such a mess. She was obviously intoxicated and smelt like pot. I was so mad at her.

"What the hell?" I said. "You're totally wasted."

"So?"

"So, mom and dad will lose their shit if they see you like this. What were you doing?"

"We just partied with some of the guys at the beach."

"Who's we?"

"Sofia and some of the other girls."

"What guys?"

"I don't know, some sophomores in the parking lot the girls knew."

"What's wrong with you? Why would you blaze in the middle of the day?"

"It's just a little pot."

"Were you guys drinking too?"

"Maybe a few White Claws."

"I don't mind if you drink a little once and awhile, but no drugs. Not even pot."

"It's no big deal. Eddie made me do ever drug out there. Pot is nothing."

"No pot! Mom and dad will lose their shit."

"Okay, okay."

"How're you gonna go downstairs for dinner? You can hardly stand up."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Yes, I'm pissed."

"You've never really been mad at me before."

"Well, congrats, you made me mad."

"I'm sorry. I'm not doing so great these days."

"Don't sabotage yourself. Don't try to self medicate with drugs."

"Mom doesn't love me."

"You gotta stop it. No more. We need you for Diana. You're gonna be her role model, the one she looks up to."

"She'll have Dani eventually. Diana won't need me."

"Both Diana and Dani will both need you more than you can possibly know."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Only my mom knocked on the door when we were in the shower. She expected us to get out, dry off and come to the bathroom door every time.

"One minute!" I shouted to my mom. I then held a wobbly Larissa and made her look me in the eyes. "Get down on the floor of the tub, stay down and don't say a word."

I shut off the water and grabbed a towel. I looked back to make sure Larissa was low enough. From across the bathroom by the door I could not see her through the glass shower door. I held my breath and cracked open the door. There was my mom standing with an impatient look.

"Sorry," said my mom. "I need to grab your extra hand towels for Diana's bathroom."

"I can get them for you."

"Don't be silly, I'll be out of your hair in two seconds."

My mother basically pushed her way inside the bathroom. If I tried to stop her, it would be more than obvious I was hiding something. My only prayer was that she didn't look down into the tub when she opened the cabinet above the toilet. My prayer was not answered. My mom caught sight of Larissa laying in the tub in her bikini in the fetal position. Thank god she at least had her little swimsuit on.

"What the hell is this?" said my mom, furious. "Larissa, what are you doing in the tub? Joe, weren't you just taking a shower? What's going on here??"

I thought my mom's head was going to pop off her body. I had to think fast and try to soften the impact.

"Larissa had too much to drink," I said. "I was trying to sober her up in the shower."

My mother looked back down at Larissa who struggled to sit up in the tub.

"Young lady, you are in a world of trouble! And tonight of all nights!"