Between the Bars

Chapter 4.

This is suzzie's perspective. Kora's sister. 

     "M-mom? Are y-you okay?" I looked at mom's shaky hands as I walked towards her. "Mom, Kora didn't mea-" She had cut me off. "I know sweetie, I know. Can you go put some spaghetti on the stove? Please.. I'd like to get dinner started." Mom looked a little dazed from Kora screaming at her. Mom and Kora don't get along, but I like to think I get along with everyone in my family. 

     I put some noodles in the boiling water, and got a glass of soda. Just as I took my first sip, the home phone rang. I peeked down the hallway, but mom was just sitting outside of Kora's bedroom not moving a muscle. "Fine, I guess I'll get it." I muttered to myself. "Hello?" I sweetly chirped. "Hi, this is Chris Trousen from Wyoming airlines, is this Kora Mathews speaking?" What? Was it true? Was Kora going to leave us, really? Without thinking, I replied "Yes, this is she. How may I help you?" I blushed as I said this, knowing Kora would kill me if she found out. "The  flight you booked to Mérida has been canceled, due to high precipitation  levels in the south. " I was silent. "I'm sorry, Ms. Mathews, would you like to re-book your flight?" He seemed worried over the phone. "Wait, like Mérida Mexico? Wh-" I heard a door fly open, and mom say "Kora! Please!" Kora came running into the room. "What about Mexico?" 

    Kora was beat red and pissed. Her voice sounded irritated and scratchy. "Something about a flight being canceled, I think it was a mix up..." I said. I knew it wasn't a mix up, but I didn't want to hear mom whine and cry, again. Kora looked at me skeptically, but realized I wasn't going to rat on her, and her soft dimples shown through. I didn't smile back though, I was still mad at her. Kora had  my father's eyes. Deep, sea, green. His dark hair, too. I, though, am a spitting image of my mother. Kora walked back to her bedroom and I picked up the phone again. "I'm sorry about that, no. You can cancel my flight, thanks." And with that, I hung up the phone. For no reason, tears formed in my eyes. By this time, mom had moved in the kitchen to pour some alfredo over the noodles. "Kora, I need to talk to you.." Her bedroom door was locked, so I jiggled the handle. "No, Suzzie, this doesn't concern you. Go away, help mom with dinner or something." She annoyingly replied. "I know you aren't going to college in Mexico.. What's going on?" Just then she unlocked her door and pulled me in. "Suzzie, do you remember dad? Do you? Hugh?" Before I could reply she continued "I think he's out there somewhere. I've saved up seven-thousand dollars. I'm going to travel the world to find him." She explained everything within ten minutes.

    "You're crazy. You won't be able to travel the world with seven-thousand dollars. You need to find his exact location, first." She nodded. "I'll help you, on one condition," She stopped me there. "No. No conditions. Why won't you just help me?" "Let me finish. I want to go with you. Please. I don't remember dad at all, I need to meet him. He's my father." I pleaded. "Suzanne, no. No way in hell are you going with me. This is so dangerous, you'll be leaving mom alone. Did you think about that? Do you know how selfish you're being?" She was patronizing me. How dare she.. "Selfish? Me? Selfish?! Who do you think you are to call ME selfish, you're the one who was going to leave us and go to Mexico! Don't ever call me selfish again, I hate you! I'm not helping you, waste your money and die on the streets of China!" And with that, I slammed her door. 

    I was crying now. I heard Kora get up from her bed, but then I heard her sit back on it. "Who needs her, anyways?" I asked. "Me..Me, and mom, and Ned." I answered my own question. I padded to the kitchen and helped mom set the table for two, as we both knew Kora was going to skip dinner, again.