Just Close Your Eyes (girlxgirl)

CHAPTER THREE

The next morning I woke up feeling exhausted. What I thought would be peaceful dreams of me and Becky turned out to be disturbing images of us falling. One moment we were laughing and twirling around, like we did yesterday in the rain. Then the next we were just flying through the air, straight down. I don’t know from where, or why it was happening, but we were smiling the entire time. I don’t understand it, maybe it was just stress. I’m sure there’s some kind of secret meaning to it, maybe I’ll google a dream dictionary later.

Stretching my arms up above my head, I then feel my sore muscles from briefly sleeping on the floor. I decide it’s time to get out of bed, and get dressed.

Walking over to my dresser, I grab a pair of denim shorts that were sitting right on top. Then scattering the pile of clothes I knocked to the floor last night, I pick out a white tank top and a pink bikini. Then I headed for the bathroom to do my morning routine.

After getting dressed, I began to head downstairs, instead of hiding out in my room, like I originally planned. I figured I’d have to face her sooner or later. Although I preferred later, I didn’t want to be afraid of what comes next. Face your fears, right?

I bravely made my way to the kitchen, headed straight to the fridge to grab some milk, maybe a bowl of cereal. I haven’t decided yet, so I just stood there with the door open, drinking from the milk carton. Cereal or eggs, oh the choices. I put the carton back, thinking that a scrambled egg with toast sounds good this morning.

As I’m reaching for the tub of butter, I hear my mom call for me from the dining room.

“Here it goes,” I say, closing the door to the fridge.

Entering the dining room, I notice Tyler sitting on one end of the six seater table, wearing his flannel pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. And my mom on the other end, still wearing the same jeans and blouse she wore the day before. Not looking at each other, my mom was glaring holes in the wood, and my brother was staring off towards the corner of the room. This didn’t look good.

“Take a seat, Lisa,” my mom said, without even a glance in my direction.

I take the seat closest to me, crossing my arms on top of the walnut finish, just waiting.

The last time we had a family discussion was when my dad left. We sat at this table, in these same seats, not looking at each other. I remember mom’s tear streaked face. And the anger she flashed dad as he explained that even though he loved us he wouldn’t be staying with us anymore. At the time mom would call it a separation. Trying to give herself some hope that he was coming back, but he wasn’t. I had the same hopes, but only at first.

Dad couldn’t even tell us about the other woman he was leaving our mom for. Some 20 something tramp he met overseas. We had to find out when the wedding invitation came in the mail a month later. We didn’t go of course.

“I have talked to Becky’s parents about,” she hesitated, “about the incident. And I have decided that it’s good for the family if we move.”

“What? You can’t be serious.” I say, expecting a laugh or a joking smile, but I got nothing. “Mom, no!”

I stare in disbelief, looking from my mom to my brother. Tyler is just sitting there, indifferent as he looks up at me and shrugs. I can tell that this wasn’t news to him. Or he just didn’t care.

“We’ll be going to stay with Aunt Jean’s for a while. She has a couple of extra bedrooms since your cousins moved out.”

“You’re seriously thinking that moving will help?” I ask, looking back at my mom, “what are you hoping the outcome will be?”