My deranged marriage

Eight

"So, how did it go?"

Eliza resisted the temptation to send her mother a heated look as she walked towards the refrigerator, her hand itching for a can of Cola. She knew how this conversation was going to end. The 'how did it go' would become 'what have you done' and it would be all her fault.

But it wasn't. It had all been a trap. The arrogant, ignorant bastard of a guy was obviously looking for someone to marry and her mother had known that.

She had known that.

And yet she still went along with it.

Maybe it was her fault, then.

Coming to a stop in front of the appliance, Eliza pulled the door open. A cold gust of air met her face as she glared into the shelves, noticing the disgusting amount of healthy foods put there by her mother. Her eyes scanned over the items until she found her iconic red can of soda shoved into the back of the refrigerator. Definitely her mother's doing.

"So..?"

Eliza looked over her shoulder at her mother. Karen had come closer to the girl and was now leaning casually against the counter. Right on the spot Eliza had bashed her head on as a child. It was almost like they were working together to make Eliza's life hell.

Eliza couldn't stop herself anymore. She pulled the drink from the refrigerator and whizzed around to face her mother. Her empty hand slammed the door closed. "So what?"

"So, how did it go?" Karen looked oh so innocent and it sent Eliza's blood pressure into the roof.

"Oh, it was wonderful..." She cranked the can open roughly and her eyes narrowed at her mother, "Absolutely and utterly wonderful."

Her mother's oblivious look dropped like bowling ball, falling into an unimpressed frown. Eliza had seen it so many times over the years. Nothing was new. "Eliza, stop with the sarcasm. Just tell me what happened." 

Eliza was silent as she downed the cola, now wishing it was something alcoholic. When she was able to, she would drink until she was numb and unaware of  her surroundings, and that's all she wished for at that moment. She didn't want to hear. She just wanted silence.  Too bad her mother had replaced her alcoholic addiction with cola for the sake of '"health". 

"You ruined it, didn't you?" Karen let out a loud sigh as she covered her face, "Oh, Elizabeth."

"It's Eliza, and I didn't ruin anything. I just shouldn't have listened to you." Eliza shot back, smashing her drink down on the counter, "You're always complaining about how no one listens to you. This is why!"

Her mother's face hardened, "Because I wanted to do something good for you?!"

Eliza pulled her drink from the counter and took another sharp sip, the tin crunching between her fingers. Her glare didn't waver from her mother's face. Her mother didn't look away from her. It was like some cowboy movie scene. Two fighters, no guns. Just words. Words that would solve nothing, because in the end, there was only one winner.

And it wasn't Eliza.

"Sure." Eliza rolled her eyes, as if that would hide the pain lurking in them. "You would know what's good for me." 

"I would, because I'm your mother!" Karen shouted, the loud sound echoing throughout the house. "All I've ever wanted was for you to be supported! You'd never have to work for your money, like I did!" 

Eliza scoffed, knowing that statement couldn't be further from the truth. Her mother had never worked for anything, at least not in the way she claimed. Karen's youthful features had boosted her to the limelight in her early adulthood, and from then on, employment was served to her on a golden platter.