CONSUME

[33] normal

***

axel conynghim

"Axel Conynghim, wake up!"

I flung my eyes open, rubbing them as an attempt to lessen the redness from all of the weed I smoked. I sat up, shifting under the blankets of my bed.

"Mom," I mumbled with exhaustion. "What?"

"I've been calling your name for the past ten minutes! What on earth are you doing?" My mother stood at my bed, arms crossed. Her short hair fell to her shoulders and she frowned with anger.

"What?" I shrugged, looking at the clock on the wall. Oh, it's already afternoon. "I'm sleeping," I responded.

"Didn't I tell you to leave your laundry outside your room door, so that Maurice could do a few loads? Seriously, get out of bed now!" She huffed, looking around my bedroom. She inhaled, and I know that she probably smells the weed I was smoking a couple of hours ago.

She gave me a suspicious look of disapproval, but didn't say a word about it. Then she stormed out of the room while shouting. "Now, Axel! Maurice just got here! God! You boys are so spoiled. You have someone to do your laundry and you still can't even organize it for her!" My mom left my room door wide open, and I heard her walk down the hall and barge into Austin's room next.

I gulped, breathing in and feeling a weight on my chest. It's true that my mom mentioned yesterday that our usual housekeeper would come to do the laundry and clean our home, the way she does every Saturday afternoon. It just slipped my mind this week.

My mom's right though. Because it slips my mind every week.

I stood up, picking up a couple of dirty clothes from the floor and tossing them into the laundry. Then I walked out and left the basket beside my door.

My mom walked out of Austin's room, my brother following her. He did the same, putting out his laundry basket in annoyance.

Maurice walked up the stairs just seconds later.

"Say hello," My mom mumbled to us, scoldingly. She obviously is irritated that we've slept in so late, and it's safe to say that she knows Austin was out drinking, and I might have been smoking at some point. Aidan was nowhere to be seen, but of course his laundry basket is neatly placed outside of his closed bedroom door.

"Hello boys," Maurice said. Maurice is a middle aged woman. Maybe forty or something. She's been our house keeper for a long time, and when my brothers and I were younger, sometimes she would babysit us too.

"Morning Maurice," Austin said, scratching his blonde head of hair. "Can you change my bedsheets when you clean my room?"

"Sure," Maurice replied, her greying brown hair pulled up tightly and the wrinkles on her face moving as she spoke. She looked at me, expecting some kind of instruction.

"Oh, um. No, you don't have to change my sheets." I said.

"You sure?" Austin whispered, sticking his tongue out at me evilly. I immediately raised my hand up and reached to hit his shoulder at what he may be implying, but my mom quickly stopped me. Austin darted out of the way while laughing.

"Shut up, both of you," My mom said, not noticing Austin's implication. "Austin take a shower," She instructed my brother. "You look unkempt."

Maurice walked over to the closet in the hallway that has the washer and dryer. She opened it up, and as she did realization and fear washed over me. 

I completely forgot to put Kameron's clothes from last night in the dryer. They're still sitting in the washing machine. But before I could say a word (even if I did say something, what would I say?) Maurice already reached into the washing machine and pulled out the clothes.