Taking Back Sunshine

Chapter Three.

Calvin's Pov

The alarm went off obnoxiously loud, as it does every morning. I rolled over, covering my ears with my pillow. When the realization hit that it was an absolute must to get up, I reluctantly rose from the pile of sheets and comforter. Today was going to be just like every day since I left Riverton, North Carolina: Completely and utterly miserable.

Slipping into comfortable slippers, I waddled down the stairs of our four bedroom house to the kitchen. I tip toed quietly past my mother's room, hopefully not waking her up. As I started the coffee, I could hear her toss and turn, whimper and sigh.

God, I hated seeing her this way.

It was six in the morning, about an hour before I had to be at work. I had applied for a job at a local office, a branch from a paper company. I honestly felt like I should be starring on The Office (US) or something of the nature. I worked there until about five thirty, and then I had to go to my second job as a waitor at Applebees.

"I've never worked so hard in my whole entire life," I grumbled to myself. I immediately regretted it when I heard my mother's soft voice call out.

"Calvin? Baby, are you awake?"

I entered into her room, and tried to surpress the rush of emotions as I looked at the crumpled version of my mother.

The cancer had really done a number on her. She was pale, and really, really small. She preferred to wear a wig, but when it was just us at home, she walked around bald. This was the person I was looking at right now, and despite her condition, she was still my mother, the first beautiful woman I had ever loved.

Thinking about beautiful women, I cringed as I remembered my call to Sunshine last night. She was really upset, and rightfully so. I just couldn't tell her what was happening. She loved my mother, and would be crushed to hear about her illness. That, and she'd waste a hundred dollars to fly up here and sit by her side.

"Yes, Mom? Do you need something? Do you need me to take you to the bathroom?" I asked, propping her head up on a pillow.

She sighed, and touched my hand as I laid it on her tiny, boney shoulder. "No, not right now Calvin. Besides, Maisey should be here any moment now. She'll take care of me. I just wanted to see your face before you went to work."

I swallowed hard, and forced a smile. "Okay Mom. I love you. I'm going to go get ready now. "

"I love you too, Calvin. And you do yourself a favor and call that precious little girl, you hear me? I heard your conversation last night and you were not as chivalrous as you should've been."

"Alright, I will." I kissed her forehead and left the room. Maisey was sitting at the kitchen counter, drinking a cup of coffee.

"What's up, buttercup?" she greeted me with a yawn.

"You know, average morning."

"About to punch your skull out?"

"You know me so well."

Maisey laughed bitterly, taking a sip, ironically, from a yellow coffee mug with a smiley face on it. "I was thinking that I should just go ahead and move back in with you guys, taking my old bedroom back."

I looked my older sister in the face, and for a second, we were both just vulnerable with each other. The pain of watching our mother die was etched into our eyes, and we both had that sullen look. There was a constant dull ache in my chest, and there was just nothing that I could do to relieve it. My mother was dying right in front my face, and I could. Do. Nothing.