Abounding In Love

Chapter Five

"How are you and Anna getting along?" Dad asks me as he sits in the lazy boy, the seat that has always been his, flipping through the browse section on Netflix.

I tap my fingers on my leg, only sitting here on the couch to appease the amount of time my mother desires me to spend with them both.

"She talks a lot."

Dad looks at me with a half shocked expression at my response before he chuckles and nods his head in agreement. "She does do that. She's a good girl though. She'll grow on you."

I never clarified rather I liked it or not. I actually think it's kind of...cute.

"You been looking for any jobs?" He changes the subject. I should have known the inquiry about Anna and I was an ice breaker to ask his intended question.

"A buddy of mine, he does some odd jobs." I tell him the truth, but not the whole truth. "Said he could give me some things to do until I get a real one."

He makes a face of approval, appearing a little taken back that I have already made so many moves, smart ones at that. Well, as far as he knows. "Good for you; finding side work as you look for a job." He tells me.

It halfway makes me skeptical; why he's treating me like the adult I am after such disapproval of me...though I am actively and quickly trying to move the fuck out of his house...that could be it. He's just happy that this is moving along faster than he expected.

"What kind of work is your friend giving you?"

Here comes the lies.

Let's make sure we keep up with them all, shall we?

I give dad a nonchalant shrug, brushing it off as if it's unimportant. "More cleaning jobs than anything else. Household, company, whoever needs it. He finds adds and sends people, takes a portion of it."

If you can't tell, I always come fully prepared.

He nods again. "Sounds easy enough. That's great, Xander."

"What's great?" Mom enters the living room with that big smile, putting away a few things she's clutching in the crook of her arm.

"Xander was just telling me that he found some cleaning jobs that he can do until he gets a real one." Dad informs her with an impressed tone. I don't care for the doting, but at least this is going as planned.

"Oh my gosh! That's so great, honey!" Mom says with enthusiasm, almost dropping everything. "I'm so proud of you!"

Mom never got the child who went to their very first job interview, excited and worried for their kid's start in the real world. She didn't get to embarrass me as I left in a work uniform for the first time, ask me how my day went after a shift, or get angry for me as I complain about my manager. This is why her joy is enhanced right now. The more I'm aware of my mother's reactions to things, the more sorry I feel for the woman. She didn't receive the son she thought she raised a certain way, she didn't get the son she dreamed about.

"I guess you guys know this means that I'll only be staying here a month or so longer. It could even be sooner." I tell them.

I can tell she is trying to cover up her disappointment at my words. She's probably hoping I'd stay longer and make up for that year she would've had left with me. "So quickly?" She asks.

It's hard for me to do so, by I attempt to give her a sympathetic expression. "I'll be working a lot, I'll be able to afford it if I'm consistent. Plus...I'm twenty two...I think I ought to rent a house or an apartment, yes?"

She nods vigorously, showing regret for even asking in the first place. "Of course, honey. I'm sorry. It's just the mamma in me wanting you to stay." She playfully pouts even though it seems like she might shed a few tears when she lies down to rest. "Let us know if there's anything we can do to help."