Don't Save My Life

Chapter 11

(I know the formatting is insane so please excuse that. Also, this is not proofread so i am aware that there are plenty of mistakes. I'll come back and fix them. )

Emmet

“Now if anything goes wrong you know to call a friend. I’m going to be at a very important tea with some old family friends from home and your Dad will be busy with clients and won’t want to be disturbed.”

Funny, when a parent gives the scenario of something going wrong, usually they’d want you to contact whoever it was that could help. Not my parents though. Oh no, because if I end up getting robbed at gun point the biggest loss would be the material items. Sons are disposable, like golden watches that have lost their shine and other things my parents rather trash and buy new.

I had a nagging urge to roll my eyes as my mom drilled these guidelines into my head. It was something like the equivalent of being locked in a dark room and forced to watch reruns of Barney and Friends, cruel and unusual punishment.

“Remember, Mrs. Carr is allergic to all nuts so deliver the assorted nut basket first to the Wilson’s and then wash your hands and don’t place her basket anywhere near where theirs sat.” she looked at me once to make sure I was still paying attention before turning her eyes down to stab her list with a ball point pen inscribed with Dad’s Walter’s Patents logo.

“The last delivery is the most important. It will be going to the mayors mansion so you make sure you bring your best manners. I don’t care if you just got out of the eye of a Tornado, when you knock on his door you better look your best, not a single hair out of place. And that reminds me, don’t you dare…”

I cut her off. “Eat peanut butter. I know, I know.”

Mom had become the peanut butter police and I soon realized that this was why I had hidden it in my bedroom so long ago. She thought it was gross but then again, anything that couldn’t be safely eaten by a bird was out of the question for her.

She gave me a look now, to show me just how un-amused she was and once more I got the image of the joker grinning out at me from behind her mask of injections.

“Emmet, I know I’m going on like a broken record but you have to understand, this is my job I’m trusting you with.”

I nodded, even though we both knew she should have swapped the word job with reputation. This whole gift basket and condolences delivery thing was nothing more than a hobby Dad created to keep Mom busy and out of his hair. It worked for a few years, helping her to get her name out there among the other affluent people, but now she’d simply write her name on a card and stick it in one of the baskets to send off with the hired help.

At first I thought it would be fun even though Mom said it was something I used to have to do whenever I was being punished. From three to eight at night, three times a week, I was parent free, nothing but me and the steering wheel. Free to be myself and not worry about appearances. I didn’t have to smile and put on a show with my parents, pretending to be perfect when in reality our life was shallower than a kiddy pool. I settled that the old Emmet must have tried to get into trouble as much as he could.

I glanced at my watch now reading seven thirty.

“Mom, I have to go to school now. Don’t worry I promise that everything will go well.”

I hopped up off of the stool I’d been sitting on; swinging my one shouldered back pack on before filling my hands with the two remaining gift baskets I hadn’t yet sat in the car. I then leaned in to kiss her on the cheek before heading towards the garage door.

I clicked a button on my key ring and could hear the roar of the mechanical door lifting up. I poked my head back in the house to see mom taking a sip of her coffee. She looked up and I could see her hazel eyes through the steam.

“By the way.” I said hurriedly, barely audible over the sound of the garage door lifting. “I’ll be having a friend do the route with me.”

She waved me off, not really caring about what I’d said now. I shrugged and used my foot to close the door behind me. I’d purposely not mentioned Willa’s name although as I slid into the car I couldn’t help but think that friend was not the right word to describe her. For some reason,Willa Haldon wanted nothing to do with me and by the way she was acting towards me, the feeling was becoming mutual. But on the other hand, I knew there was a reason for it. An explanation that would provide a hand in unraveling my past.

I’d have to ignore the butterflies I got when I was around her. She wanted to play hardball and if I was going to get any answers out of her, I’d have to be just as persistent.