It Just Sort of Happened (On Hold)

Chapter 18- It Just Sort of Happened

I held my breath as I pushed open my front door. The house was silent except for some soft ticking from the grandfather clock in the living room. I slid my backpack off my shoulders and onto the kitchen table and left my loafers beside the door.

My heart was beating hard as I called out, “Mom, are you home?” I heard footsteps coming from upstairs and took a seat down at the table as I waited for my lecture. I heard her feet hit the last step of the stairs and I turned to see her worried face.

She started softly, “Sienna, do you have any idea how much you scared me this weekend?” Of course she’s starting off with the guilt card.

I sighed, “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry Mom, I really am. I just really screwed up.” She crossed her arms at me. “I just, I was just so upset Friday night after you said I had to go to Dad’s and I wasn’t really thinking right.”

She groaned at me, “Sienna, you’ve got to get over yourself. Not wanting to go to your dad’s for a weekend isn’t an excuse to run away. Not once did you even try to call me and tell me you were alright. I had to hear it from that boy across the street.” She rubbed her hands over her face and wiped her watery eyes.

She continued frantically, “Didn’t you think about how that would affect everyone? Didn’t you care what your father would think about me? You heard him a few weeks ago and how angry he was. This escalated things to be much worse than they could have been, Sienna. When he came here Saturday morning I had to explain to him how I didn’t even know where my own daughter was. Do you know he could have taken full custody over you for just that one reason alone?”

I gulped down a lump of air. I didn’t know what to say to her. I hated getting yelled at like this and having my mistakes tossed out in front of me. “Mom, what else do you want me to say? I’m sorry. I can’t go back and change it now.”

She placed her hands onto her hips, “That’s right so it is pointless to argue about this now. You’re not allowed to go anywhere but school and dance for the rest of this month. If you get in trouble again or if I hear you went somewhere other than home, school, and dance, I swear to you, you will not dance for the rest of this year.” Her face was dead serious and lacked any form of sympathy.

“Alright.” I said in monotone, “I guess that’s a fair punishment.” I rose from the table and began to walk forward but she put her arm out in front of me.

“I’m not the only one you have to say sorry to you know.” She looked at me sternly and then pointed to my shoes at the door.

I laughed with disgust, “I’m not going to apologize to him.”

“Oh yes you are.” She retorted. “I already told him you’d be stopping by so you best make your way over there now.”

I grimaced. There was no used to arguing with her now, she was already steamed at me.

“Fine.” I mumbled turning back around to grab my shoes. I guess it’s better to face him now than later. As I was about to open the door I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders.

Her voice had softened, “I may be mad at you, but I still love you, alright? You just gotta get some more responsibility in you, Hon. Please don’t ever do this to me again.”

I bit my lip and turned back around to hug her, “I love you too, Mom.” I feel like I hadn’t said it enough to her lately. I couldn’t really remember the last time I had actually said it out loud.

There was a shortcut to get to Dad’s house through a patch of woods behind my house. It was about a twenty minute walk, depending on your pace. I wanted to just get in and out without any more harm being done, so I made my steps larger than usual.