Happily Ever After

Chapter Two

The sun shone down through my window onto my face washing me with light, alerting me to consciousness. I grunted and grabbed my pillow and stuffed my face into it, blocking out the intruding light. I was not a morning person. I listened around the apartment for any sound that proved my mother to be up and about already. Judging by the light it should be around ten o’clock already.  I shoved the pillow away from my face and grudgingly rolled over to check the time on my alarm clock. 10:36. I was right, but no sound of my mother. That’s kind of strange. She’s always up early. Even though she drinks until the wee hours of the night.  I decided to get up and investigate, to see how bad my mother was this morning. I sat up, still listening, and made myself get out of bed. I cracked my door open and peered out into the hallway. Nothing. I tiptoed out into the living room and kitchen. Still nothing. That’s strange. She’s always up. I gave up on the tiptoeing and went straight into her room. I wish I hadn’t.

                There my mother lay, fully naked, and fully drained of life. Next to her lay lines of some drug, and a needle. My mother had been using, and she had overdosed. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as I rushed to the payphone downstairs and called the police.

                “911, what is your emergency?” The operator asked in a bored tone.

                “My mother’s dead!” I screamed into the phone. “She overdosed!”

                “What is your location?”

                “Apartment two over Subway on Main Street, please hurry!”

                “I’m sending officers and an ambulance now, stay put ma’am.”

                I slammed the receiver down and ran back up to the apartment. I flew into my mothers room and covered her up with a blanket, not wanting everyone to see her like this. A million thoughts were running through my head at the moment, but there was only one that was more prominent than all the others. She’s dead. She’s really dead. Tears started to form in my eyes and run down my face as I waited for the officers. Maybe I could have helped her if I had gone into her room last night.  I was still wallowing in pain when the officers showed up. I pointed them in the direction of my mother, and told them when I had found her. They called the coroner and he pronounced her dead. As for me, I might as well have been dead too. My sadness had completely disappeared and I was numb. No emotions whatsoever. They put her in a body bag, and took her with them. They all gave me sympathetic looks, but it didn’t matter. I was numb.

                When they left I followed them downstairs and went to the payphone. I dialed Chelsea’s number and told her what happened, and that I wouldn’t be able to come over today, that I just wanted to be alone. She said she understood and to call her If I needed anything. I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me, and hung up the phone.

                I made my way back up the stairs and back into our, I mean my, apartment. I trudged into my bedroom and plopped onto my bed. What was I going to do now? I was old enough now that I wouldn’t be thrown into foster care, but I had no where else to go. Would I just stay here alone? Could I do that? I mean it was no different from when my mom was here, I just wouldn’t have to look after her.

                Somewhere amongst my thoughts, I drifted into sleep. I knew I was asleep because my mother was standing in front of me. Well standing probably wouldn’t be the correct term, because she was more or less floating. She looked younger, and happy even. Like back when my dad used to be around. She stared at me, smiling, and drifted over to me.

                “Anna,” She said, “I’m all better now, everything’s all better. I got my happily ever after.”

She smiled and began drifting backwards.  The further back she drifted, the more her face morphed into how she really looked. Her face got older and older, and showed more signs of the drug usage, that I had never noticed before. I began to run towards her, only I was stuck in that slow motion run that often inhabits dreams.

“Mom, Stop!” I screamed, but she was no longer listening, she was looking off into the distance, fading further and further away.

I woke up to myself screaming. I sat up, wiping the sheen of sweat off of my forehead. I looked around the darkness of my room until my eyes landed on my alarm clock. It was one thirty seven in the morning.  I got out of bed, and slipped my sneakers on. I had to get out of this apartment.

I slinked down the stairs and past the shop, and out onto the street. The fresh air felt nice on my skin, after the stuffiness in my room. I couldn’t get that dream out of my mind. I had to get somewhere, and fast. I ran towards the pay phone, dispensed some quarters, and quickly dialed Chelsea’s cell phone number. Hopefully she’d be awake. After five rings, after  I was about to hang up, a groggy voice answered.

“Hello? Anna? Is that you?” Chelsea asked.

“Yeah, hi Chelsea, sorry to wake you up by calling so late, but could I come over? I just can’t be in this apartment right now…it’s just too much,  you know?” I was desperately pleading she’d say yes.

“Ofcourse you can, you don’t have to ask. Do you need me to come get you? Where are you?” She was finally sounding a little more alert.

“I’m at my apartment, standing outside actually. And yes, please come get me.”

“I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

“Bye Chels.” I hung up and took a seat on the curb. Hopefully It wouldn’t take her very long. I looked down at myself and realized I was still wearing the pajama’s from Saturday night. I sighed and rushed back up to the apartment to change.

Stepping into the apartment felt weird, it felt so empty without my mother. I pushed the thoughts out of my head and went back to being numb before I broke down. I entered my room and grabbed a light blue long sleeve shirt, and a pair of white pants. I grabbed my coat, switched my sneakers for boots, and headed back down stairs.

Ten minutes of waiting, and Chelsea pulled her BMW up to the curb. Chelsea was filthy rich. Her, her brother Nathan, and her mom Peggy lived in the richest neighborhood in town. They had a huge white house with a red door and black shutters. To me, it was perfect. But Chelsea hated it. She hated all the money, she thinks that people let their money go to their heads, and she didn’t want that to happen to her. I opened the car door, and slid inside. Chelsea saw my  hands shaking so she turned the heat up another notch and pulled away from the curb. I didn’t say anything until we were far away from the apartment.

“She’s dead, Chels…” I whispered. It felt so unreal.

“ I know Anna, It’s going to be alright though, my mom said you could come stay with us, if you’d like? Maybe it’d help you get better, to be away from that apartment.” She sneaked a quick peek over at me to gauge my reaction, before turning her attention back to the road.

I thought about that for a minute. Could I just up and leave my apartment and go live with Chelsea? Would my mom have wanted that? I don’t know. I’d need some time to think it over.  While I was debating what to do, Chelsea spoke up again.

“Did you bring your school things? Or are you not going?” Shit. I forgot all about school. I had to go. It’s my senior year and I couldn’t risk falling behind. Even if it was only one day.

“I forgot all about school actually. Yeah, I’m going. I’ll just have to get my school stuff tomorrow or something.” I shrugged my shoulders. I could always walk home in the morning and get everything.

“Nonsense, I’ll just turn around and we can get your stuff now, okay?” She performed an illegal U-turn and began speeding back towards the apartment. I smiled over at her and gave a small thanks.

Before I knew it we were back at the apartment. Chelsea doesn’t like to obey traffic laws. I told her I’d just be a minute and ran up the stairs. I ignored the stab of emotion as I passed by my mothers vacant room, and grabbed all of my school things, and a change of clothes. I stuffed them under my arm and ran back down the stairs towards Chelsea’s awaiting vehicle.