Taylor and Victor

Chapter 16

Taylor

When Taylor got home, she was all wet and sticky. She needs to stand outside and squeeze her clothes, over and over. Her backpack, luckily waterproof, and the umbrella was nice and clean.

She walks up her room carefully, minimizing as much as she can of the dripping water. Taylor puts all her backpack and coat and socks in the bathroom before coming back cleaning the wetted stairs, then finally getting onto a shower.

Cooking is unnecessary today, her mother eats out, and her father's busy. Taylor comes downstairs, taking some biscuits to fill her empty stomach, then comes up drying her hair before cooking her dinner.

Her mother's coming home soon after, she could hear footsteps and her bag tossing down.

"Good evening, mom," she said from her room.

She hears no reply, but continues drying and brushing her hair.

Minh's in a rush. The stairs are making a woody sound. Clutch clutch like someone hits them too hard. She did walk heavily when she's in a hurry, Taylor didn't put her mind to worry that much.

"Have you seen my wine bottle anywhere?" asked Minh from downstairs.

"I don't know any wine bottles."

Sounds of cabinets open and shut. Drawers pull out and put back. Taylor reassures herself, thinking she stands out from this.

Loud noises continue, her mother's complaining she couldn't find the bottle anywhere. Her hair's still damp, but she turns off the hair dryer and walks out.

Taylor walks downstairs, her mother's voice becoming more clear.

"Where the hell is it?"

"Damn it, I'm late."

"This ain't good."

"Do you need any help?" Taylor asks.

"Are you sure you haven't seen it?"

"I'm sure."

Minh ran a hand through her hair, her face scrunched up. Her eyes close as she's concentrating. Taylor holds her breath when her mother does that. Everytime. Her face falls, relaxed. Her facial, got worse. She doesn't know what have gotten into her mother's mind, she's scared she won't be any good.

"You took it, didn't you?"

Taylor surprised, she not even sure what her mother's talking about. her stomach grows uneasy, she stands up straight and lifts her relaxed hand of the table.

"No, I don't"

Her mother isn't satisfied, She walks closer to her, Minh investing her face like something would pop out.

"I still saw the bottle last Saturday, only you and Leo stayed home."

"Well then you probably placed it somewhere you forget."

"I'm sure I haven't," Minh raised her voice. "Your dad doesn't have time so there's only you."

"Mom, calm down. You can't base on your conjecture. Maybe we'll find it soon."

"Like you haven't taken it."

"I haven't, I swear," she said. Or shout. Maybe her voice came out a bit louder. Maybe the fact is her mom's in a rush so something needs to happen. Or Minh feels like, and whatever the wine was expensive. She got slapped.

In a brief moment, Taylor doesn't even know after her cheek throbbed and her head turns to one side. She could feel deep under her skin, roughness and how memorable the mark her mother gave her. It was not her skin surface but going somewhere deeper. She's holding her face, but nothing can stop the hurt inside her chest, wanting to burst out.

"You don't raise your voice at me," Minh snapped. She then gave Taylor a bad look before pulling out her phone and dialing. All passed Taylor's ears, cause she can't turn her head facing her mother.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Minh said to the phone. "I'm on my way. But I can't seem to find your package."

Her face still throbs, maybe much more.

"You what?"

Taylor frozen in place, as her mother raised her voice.

"Okay, okay. I'll get going, I'm driving."

Minh gave her a last glance, one still hasn't changed, before she walked out in a rush with her coat still on her hand. Sounds of key clicking, her heels hitting the floor, and Minh twisting the doorknob vibrated through the air. Only until she completely went, drove away with her car, their house back to its neutral silence as usual.

Taylor dragged her heavy mind upstairs, but still can't understand what just happened.

She lost her appetite. For once, she wants something to make sense. She doesn't remember contributing anything so bad to the world as now it's going back against her.

Taylor got to her room, but her mind was somewhere else. She doesn't know if she got lucky her mother's friend called, or she got unlucky cause Taylor did nothing in the first place.

She skipped her meal, not to starve herself, her mind needs rest. Ironically, sleep won't come, neither does her comfort. Taylor opens up her social media and wonders if anything could cheer her up. She lay on her side, the throbbed cheek she pressed down the pillow. It hurt much worse, but she didn't want the feeling of her mother's hand lingered around her. She wants to scratch her skin off.

Later that night, when Leo got home, he came over her room like he could ever take blame for his wife.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Taylor's pulling the cover over her head, biting her nail. She curled into a ball and facing away from Leo. The sky turns dark, so does her room. Air was light and fresh, but she's breathing thick and heavy. Minh couldn't hope she'd get away everytime she messed something up, then asks her husband to go cleaning after her.

"Did mom tell you to apologize, or did she just tell you what happened?"

"Nothing, I just know." Liar. She hates liars.

"Why'd you come?"

"Hey, look." Leo sat down on the bed. "I know your mom did a bad thing. She just worried. Maybe you could understand her."

Taylor didn't put her mind to what he said. "What happened?"

"Sophia took her package last Sunday. I haven't informed your mother."

She said nothing.

"I'm sorry," Leo continued.

She should just sucks up and live.

They waited for a long time, until her father couldn't do anything else and stood up walking back to his room. Taylor was still drowning inside her loneliness, she thinks what a waste for her to get hit on today. Now everything adds up and she couldn't imagine herself walking up to class tomorrow.

She thought of skipping, but she never wanted to.