My Book Of Random Stories

Insanity (7)

7- Secret

Eli~

The smell of alcohol and smoke welcomed me the second I stepped foot inside my house. I heard people screaming from the TV show my mom was probably watching. I saw the crosses hanging on the walls and the paintings of God with angels surrounding him. Everything was exactly the way it always is.

"If you didn't go through that door, then maybe you'd be alive right now."
I heard my mom's slight New York accent. It's strange how she's not from New York, but has an an accent. Yet my dad is from New York, but doesn't have an accent. Most of the time I try not to worry about it.

She was sitting at the end of the couch, so I sat down at the other end, as far away as I could from her. I faced the TV screen to see a barefoot woman running on broken glass and yelling every time she took a step.

Without turning to look at my mom, I asked her, "What're you watching?"

"Comedy."

Okay, she thinks this is funny. That means she's in a good mood, right? I can tell her and she won't be mad. I hope.

"Guess what your stupid father did today," she said suddenly.

If she had news including my father then she's not in a good mood. I decided to keep my mouth shut and save the news I'd been meaning to tell her for a long time now, for tomorrow.

"Did he try escaping again?" I questioned.

My dad had been sentenced to a few years in jail for smuggling people from Mexico to America. My mom was so disappointed in his actions that she began drinking heavily. She had some trouble believing that her husband would ever do such a thing. She drank about five bottles a day, and sooner or later, it became a dangerous addiction. Home hasn't really been the same since dad left.

"No," my mom replied. "He beat up a guard. They were actually thinking of releasing him, but not anymore."

More dramatic, somewhat sarcastic screams were heard from the TV. Awkward silence was heard from real life.

I had to tell her. I needed to tell her. I had the perfect, one in a million opportunity to tell her, but something in me just wanted to keep it a secret forever. After all, that way I'd have less problems. Right?

I broke the silence by saying, "Mom, I-"

My mom pointed at the TV with her index finger. While doing so, she accidentally knocked over her nearly empty beer bottle. She completely ignored the stain the beer created on the rug and went back to pointing at the TV and screaming at the made up characters every time they did something wrong. One of the many reasons I don't like having people over is because of my mom. She's not like most moms who dress up all nicely and even bake cookies just to impress their guests. My mom is not even close to that. She knows there's guests in the house, but acts the way she normally does.

I know it's stupid of me to try to talk to her when she's watching TV, but it's the only time she cares about something other than cigarettes.

"You two are about to die! You barely tell him you love him now?!" My mom complained. She can never watch anything without yelling at the characters. I've pretty much gotten used to it by now.

She wasn't mad, just frustrated. She usually chugs a few bottles of beers when this happens, which is what she did. I sat there in awkward silence. I felt like my mouth was sewn shut, preventing me from speaking. My body felt frozen, like if it were glued to the couch. I should have just gone straight to my room instead of having to deal with her drama.