Twenty Love Letters

Chapter two

Once we finished eating. I paid for our food. I hadn't been on my phone until later. I was now heading to my mothers. I did every day after school. Her boyfriend was always with her, he was really sweet whenever I am around. But I've heard him yelling at her before. I thought they were joking until I went to get water and they were hugging. She was crying and he was rubbing her back shushing her.

I turn into her driveway. I see the garden I fixed up when I was last here. It's poles hanging on since the rain was pouring. I rest my head against the steering wheel. The rain crying for me to get out. I groaned. "I'm going. I'm going." I grab my phone and stick it in my back pocket. Hurrying, I open my door, hop out and slam it running to the porch. I exhale as soon as I make it to her red door, that was cracking. I remember the one-time dad slammed it once he found out I wasn't his daughter. I trace my finger on the door. The door swings open leaving me to jump backwards. The man standing in front of me was a plumber named Jonas. He smiled at me before mumbling. 

"This job is for men. I can't do this anymore." He squeezed past me and ran down the street. I leaned back to see his vehicle all the way down the street. I walked in slowly before hearing mom's boyfriend. 

"Shut up Caroline. If you didn't clog the sink, we wouldn't have to call the plumber and pay for your stupidity." I peeked my head into the kitchen to see mom rubbing her temples. 

"It's all my fault all the time." She huffed before shoving him a fifty-dollar bill. "Go to dinner by yourself. I'm staying home." She was walking towards the doorway to the living room when he gripped her wrist. 

"The hell I am. I am not going to be ordered to do things. I'm the man of the house." He squeezed tighter. I looked down at her wrist which seemed to be losing blood circulation.

"Mom." I spoke up finally coming into clear sight. He looked up along with my mom. 

"Oh, April." She half smiled at me. 

"April, you said you were done coming over." He pulled away from my mother coming towards me. 

"Yeah, well I forgot my charger and I wasn't expecting to see you here." I narrowed my eyes toward him.

"I'm heading out to dinner by myself." He pushed me just as he pushed past me toward the door slamming it.

I watch my mom's reaction. She starts tearing up. "I miss your dad." She pulls me into a hug. 

She missed my dad figure. Not my actual dad. I hugged her back. "Leave him." I say as she squeezes me. 

"I can't. I just-" She sobs harder. 

"One day you'll open your eyes and see that he doesn't love you. He clearly just likes the control." She pulled back, her wet eyes looking at me. 

She tugs a blonde strand of hair from my left side. "You're smart. But he's the one." She kisses my forehead. 

After an hour of watching wheel of fortune with her. She had fallen asleep crying. I left as soon as Vanna White started clapping for the dude named Greg who won. He looked like a nerd. Glasses and a suit and tie. 

I drove to my dorm. Matthew texted me twice. One was:

You missed the bar, love.

Then the other was. 

HOLY COW MY LADY THEY WANT TO INTERVIEW YOU FOR THE JOB!! ps: Don't get mad. I talked to them about you. 

My fingers hovered over the text messages. He was always doing the most. I typed.

Alright, buddy. I'll try to open my arms for drunkies and the smell of alcohol. 

Before I hit send, I looked at the picture frame above my desk. The rainbow with a cat. Would grandmother approve of this life? I hit send. I'd never know.