The Wrath of Zeus

I'm moving to Manhattan

I am so mad at my mother right now. She left me when I was young and now she comes back and hugs my father like nothing ever happened. Where was she all this time? How many sleepless nights have I been through as I hear my dad rummage through the old family pictures and cry? Why didn't she come when I sat alone on Mother's Day while everyone else made cards for their moms? I remember all those ballet performances and dressing rooms where everyone else had someone to help them with their costumes but I just sat there waiting for someone to take pity on me and help me. And I quit when I couldn't take it anymore.

I wish I had a real mother. The type all my friends have. The kind of mothers who cook yummy food and try to  make their childern smile. A mother who sings her child to sleep. I wish I had someone I could look up to, someone who was proud of me. Someone who was concerned about me. Someone who loves me. I wish I had someone I could give cards to on mother's day. I wish I was like everybody else. My pathetic attempt at wishing for something I'll never have is interrupted by the sound of an opening door.

My dad carefully closes the door. "Hey sweetie" he says. He could be one of the best actors of the country but I know him good enough to see the hurt beneath that heartwarming smile. That witch, what did she do now?

"Hi dad" I get up and he hugs me

"How are you?"

"Fine" I would have said something like 'I feel like shit' 5 minutes ago, but this golden thing is making me feel better.

"Is she still here?" I question him.    

"Who?" he asks confused. 

"My pathetic excuse af a mother" I spit out, dramatically emphasising on the 'mother'. 

He gives me a glare. Is he actually defending that woman? 

"Mind your tongue" he warns. 

"What is wrong with you? Can't you see, she doesn't care about us and never will? Why are you so in love with her? She's toxic and you need to stop letting her into your life. If she ever comes back, I'm pretty sure its for your money." 

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT" he yells. He  yelled at me. My dad never yelled at me. Ever. His eyes soften in a second. He sits next to me. "You know nothing about your mother so it is not right for you to talk about her like that". A small part of me wants to believe him. But I don't. I've heard the phrase 'love is blind' many times ago but now I'm actually seeing how true that is.

"I actually came here to discuss something else-" he looks away "-I have to tell you something"

"What is it?"

"Uh.. you're moving to Manhattan" 

"Manhattan? When? Why?"

"When is tomorrow and why is a long story. Anyway It's almost 1 in the morning and  I gotta go get some sleep. Take care." 

He leaves and I am alone with my thoughts. Wow that was rude. He just yelled at me, defended that woman and just plainly told me I'm moving out the next day. 

Is he kicking me out? 

Or worse- does she want him to kick me out? And he agreed to that?  

He chose her over me. 

I go to sleep on a wet pillow that night. Or you could say that morning.