The Unfortunate Afterthoughts

7. The Girl and the Adult

The day Mom and Lavender leave, I kick myself in the ass for getting in trouble. I don't even hide my moping around as I lose myself in my thoughts constantly. Mom puts her hands on my shoulders as her and Lav stand at the front door with it wide open, "Josh, I'll let you come to her next comp okay?"

I bash myself, "If I don't get in trouble again..." She doesn't say anything she just kisses my cheek and I hug her and hug Vinnie. "Good luck sis. Send pictures of the city and you and mom being goofy."

There's times when Mom is goofy and fun...but it isn't often. I love it when she matches my energy and we all laugh at ourselves. But that hasn't happened recently.

I haven't seen dad in weeks. We never really acknowledged his absence. Especially me.
I blocked him out after the first night he didn't come back.

Mom notices my zoning out and gives me a motherly look. "Baby I'm sorry but you have to learn...you understand why I'm doing this right? You can go over to Bethany's and spend time with the boys if you get lonely okay?"

I shake my head, "It's not the same as spending time with you guys." Mom's heart shatters. I can see it in her eyes. "We'll be home in a few days sweetheart. Call us anytime. I love you Josh, you know that right?"

I nod with a small smile, "Yeah mom, I know. I love you too." Vinnie gives me a hug and I squeeze her, not enough to hurt her of course. "I love you sis. Good luck. Show them what you can do."

She nods, "I love you too. And thankyou. Call anytime okay? We mean it." I nod, "Okay. Drive safe." Mom nods and they leave.

Once the car drives off, I drown in the silence of the house. After several hours of moping around the house eating and blaring music from Paramore, Lana Del Rey-and before you start...men meaning me can listen to masterpieces too. Anyways back to my moping.

As I walk through the house, putting back the cookies I took earlier, I hear thunder outside. I hear it again not even 5 seconds later and I realize it's not thunder. It's knocking that's being drowned out from the rain and thunder.

As I open the front door, I see May and she jumps and shrieks at the lightning. She speaks frantically as she pushes me and closes the front door, "Hi sorry to intrude but I almost wrecked getting here. My Aunt kicked me out because I supposedly back talked her when I wanted my little sister to come with me to get groceries but I told her politely that I wasn't and then she-"

I try to calm her down but she just keeps talking until I get loud enough for her to listen. "May it's alright- May? May...MAY!" She looks down timidly, "I'm sorry, was I too obnoxious with my talking?"

I look at her for a moment and speak softly shaking my head to comfort her, "No. Not at all. Go back and repeat what you said. So your Aunt kicked you out?"

She nods and raises her chin eager to speak, "Yeah and I had to leave my sister there with her and she..." She bares her teeth and says it quietly, like someone might hear..."She beats us. Her and her husband...God you should see poor little Gracie she has no way to defend herself against such rabid dogs..." This isn't how May used to talk...she was so bubbly or atleast around Vinnie. To me we would bicker and shove each other just being rivals because I was her best friends brother but she would still never act like this. I guess she masked her pain...

I nod, "Well if she's anything like you I'd say she'll be just fine against such rabid dogs. You'll figure this out May. Of all the years I've known you, you've always come through for my sister so I'm sure you will for yours too. You'll get her to a safe place but the question is...where are you going to go when you get her?"

May widens her eyes in panic, "Fuck I don't know...there is nowhere I can go unless I wanna stay with Vinnie and I don't think Leanne would allow me to live here."