Summer Away

Chapter Five

"It started when we were twelve. Before then we were a normal family. We'd have dinner every night and talk about our days. Just normal stuff. Dad started missing dinner. Then he stopped coming home, he was always on work trips. Then Mom started to resent us. She hated making dinner or taking us to practice. I think she blamed us for the problems in their marriage- I think my dad might have cheated on her. Anyways, by the time we were fifteen Mom was rarely home. She was always on some work trip too. When she was home she was constantly drunk or angry. When we were fifteen, almost sixteen, I got into a big fight with Mom. She was never home and we didn't have any money. We didn't have any food sometimes. Anyways, she threw a coffee mug at me and hit me with my guitar and broke it. Levi came downstairs and yelled at her. That was the last time my mom came home. I think.. I don't know. Levi handled a lot. Eventually we started getting money deposited in our accounts and we could afford to live. Our parents officially got divorced early this year." I rest my forehead in my hands, "Levi's been using sports and parties and drinking to get through this year. Things were okay because we pretended that things were. We had a routine. But I think that things are falling apart because the routine is gone."

"Are you okay, though?" Jameson asks.

I don't answer right away. "I'm upset with Levi. The past few weeks have been weird."

"What about your parents?"

"Levi.. he sheltered me from a lot of it. It used to be me against them- Levi wouldn't do a thing. Until Mom hit me with the guitar, then things changed. Then he did it all. We started getting money and the mortgage and utilities were always paid for. We had groceries. Dad bought us both cars when we turned sixteen. He covers insurance. We have enough to pay for gas. It's like they took Levi seriously, but with me they'd just get mad."

Jameson pauses, "Why do you think they did that?"

I raise an eyebrow at him, "Are you a therapist now?"

"A drunk one."

I almost laugh. "You're not very professional. But anyways, they didn't care about me because they didn't have too. Mom could hit me- she did more than once- but she could never lay a hand on Levi when he was six inches taller than her. And Dad always saw me as a little kid. He just laughed everything away and said he'd take care of it. He never did."

Jameson gives me a look of pity. It's a look I hate. I know other people have had it way worse than me. At least my parents give us money. At least I'm not stranded with nothing. I'm happier now that they're gone.

"Tell me about you, Jameson. How are your parents?"

He looks up at the sky, "They're good. My mom works in corporate financials. My dad's a lawyer. They're usually pretty busy with work, but they make time for us. We have family dinners on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. Mom's coming here on Monday and is staying for two weeks. Dad's coming out sometime next week."

I think for a second. "What kind of person are you at school? The loud one, the smart one, popular, sporty.." I trail off.

"Sporty and popular, I guess. That sounds conceited, though. I play tennis and do track. And I pretty much became known as Kayden's brother."

"I play tennis. We should play together sometime. Maybe doubles or something."

We go on like that for what seems like hours. Eventually we migrate to the kitchen because Jameson got hungry.

-

The Next Morning

I'm the first one up. I think I'll be the only one awake for a while. I know Levi drank a ton yesterday and Levi and Kayden had their fair share. I drank quite a bit too, but I stopped much earlier than them. I almost forgot about Isaiah. I don't think he went to the party last night, but really I have no idea. He isn't around the house much. Usually he's in town with some of his friends.