Wonderment

Chapter 2

A loud clanging followed by her mother's shrill screams propels her out of bed, into a robe and grabbing a broom as her weapon should she need to fend off an intruder. She barrels down the stairs and into the kitchen where the source of the scream was. Her mother stands in the middle of the kitchen , glass shattered on the floor in front of her "Mom? Are you ok?"

Darla jumps and turns to face her daughter "Yeah. I'm ok. I was putting the dishes away and the bowl slipped from my wet hands. Can I please have that?"

"I'll clean it up. I don't want you late for work," Althea says handing her mother her thermos and purse. She gives her a quick hug then ushers her towards the door.

The moment the door is closed Althea stretches out her limbs then trudges into the kitchen wiping the sleep from her eyes. She reenters the kitchen and begins sweeping the floors starting with the glass shards then moving on to the rest of the kitchen, might as well. She sweeps the dust and debris into the dustpan then dumps the contents into the garbage can.

Althea puts the broom in the closet just inside the basement door, where it originally should have been but Althea had kifed it a few days ago to sweeps her room and bathroom after majority of her packing had been done. She had just kept forgetting to bring it back down.

She flops onto the couch her mother had recently gotten due to the lack of cushion on the other one. Her mother spent a good five months after her father's death sleeping on the couch rather than her bed so a new couch had to be in order. Her and her mother spent almost an entire day shopping for the perfect couch and it was looking bleak until they stumbled upon this one. Love at first sit.

Althea grabs the remote from the handy dandy cady on the end table and flips on the TV sifting through the many channels of unwatched channels. She finally settles on a channel playing a 90s TV show she has watched at least a hundred times all the way through. She drapes the blanket hanging off the back of the couch over herself then lays sprawls on the cushions. She could sit and watch a few episodes then go take a shower and get dressed and be ready to go at noon.

Althea eyes jerk open after a harsh shake from Kitty who appears in her vision followed by her brother, They both look down at her with puzzled expression plastered on their faces. "Rough night?" Kitty chirps with a smirk curving her perfectly lined lips.

"No. Late night, rough morning," Althea grumbles sitting up with nothing but confusion clouding her brain. She doesn't remember falling asleep. "What time is it?"

"One," Kingston says showing her his phone. Althea jumps into gear "Oh shit. I'm sorry let me get dressed and then we can get out of here. Althea is up the stairs and into her room, dressing faster than she had ever changed backstage during the few musicals she auditioned for and got parts in. She settles on a pairs of plain blue jean cut off shorts and a black short sleeve crop top with her all white Walmart sneakers she originally bought for a costume but figured she could use paint them and wear them. They haven't been painted yet, that was project for after the move.

Althea quickly packs up her makeup bag, undergarments, clothes for tomorrow since she plans to stay at the studio with Kingston tonight and the shoes that go to her dress for tonight's reception in the duffel bag she had left out during the packing process knowing she would need it. She slings the duffel over her shoulder, grabs her purse then races down the stairs to meet Kingston and Kitty at the front door.

Kitty looks at Althea enamored by how "normal" she looks. To her Althea is rocking the basic white bitch looks all she is missing a pumpkin spiced latte and a Berkin handbag or whatever designer purse that is in style right now.

"Come on we gotta go," Althea says ushering Kingston and Kitty out the door. They all race to the car, clambering in the moment they get there. Once everyone is buckled Kingston tears down the driveway and towards the studio. There are a few things he needs to do there before they can go to the gallery opening. One of them is finishing this latest piece he has been working on. It supposed to be a bonus painting to be revealed tonight.