Behind Close Doors

Chapter Twenty

DAD AND I PUSHED THE SHOPPING CART AROUND THE SUPERMARKET like we were on a mission. Not only did we need more food supply for the restaurant, but we also needed to restock our fridge at home.

"Alright, I need two bags of potatoes, three onions, two bell peppers, a jar of pickles, Prego alfredo sauce, one bag of tomatoes, Italian bread, two gallons of water, sweet Italian sausage, four boxes of spaghetti noodles, jasmine rice, ten Chobani Greek yogurts, a box of Captain Crunch cereal for you, two cartons of eggs, chicken cutlets, mozzarella cheese, Aunt Jemima's pancake mix, a can of whip cream, frozen spinach, and a bag of lettuce!" My father read the list aloud before marching down aisle three.

I had completely checked out by the time he mentioned the jar of pickles on his list and took in my surroundings instead. I saw couples calmly pushing their carts and browsing through each aisle while conversing. Meanwhile, my father's movements were frantic as he scanned the items on the shelves to find the ones that corresponded with his grocery list.

Ever since we found out both of my grandmothers were coming to Silver Springs on Thanksgiving, Dad and I have been a little on edge. The last time we were all in the same room together was at my mother's funeral ceremony, and even then my two grandmothers found it difficult to refrain from taking jabs at one another.

"Florence, let's go!" My Dad snapped his fingers, bringing me back to reality.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized as I caught up to him.

He placed all the items he was carrying in his hands into the cart and gestured to the next aisle. Like my mother used to do, Dad organized his grocery list by aisle. That way, when we entered the supermarket, we knew exactly where to go.

I multitasked between crossing items off the list and pushing around the shopping cart. By the time we reached the checkout, I was hunched over, bending my knees as I tried to catch my breath. My father seemed unfazed by the intense workout we just completed after running up and down each aisle.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" He asked me with concern when he noticed I still hadn't straightened my posture.

I nodded my head and stood up straight before replying, "Never been better." The cashier who was ringing up our items sent me a sympathetic smile which I returned.

I returned the shopping cart and then helped my father load the trunk with our grocery bags. The drive back home was short, but we made small talk about my grandmothers coming over for Thanksgiving.

"How do you feel about seeing Grandma Gianna and Grandma Rose again on Thanksgiving?" My father inquired while keeping his attention on the road.

"To tell you the truth, I'm nervous. They couldn't even stay peaceful at mom's funeral," I pointed out, recalling how upset I was over the fact that they were fighting on the way back from the cemetery.

"Yeah, and I got on their cases about that," Dad reminded me. "They both apologized to you."

I slouched in the passenger seat and sighed. "Yeah, but still... I just hope they're able to behave like grown-ups this time around."

My father kept one hand on the steering wheel and reached over the center console to squeeze my knee. "You and me both kiddo. You and me both..."

§

When I got home, all I wanted to do was take a nap. I had lost several hours of sleep this past week cramming for tests and staying up late to text Harry. However, our conversations made every minute I wasn't getting sleep worth it. After helping my dad put away the groceries for the house, I retired to my room, and he drove to the pizzeria.

The moment my back touched the mattress, I sighed in content and shut my eyes. My breaths became shallower as I relaxed and laid in a fetal position. I would have fallen asleep within the next two minutes for sure if my ringtone for Malaysia hadn't woken me up.

"Best Friend" by Young Thug blared throughout my room as I sat up looking for my phone in a frenzy. I stared at the screen with hooded eyes before accepting the call and bringing up to my ear.

"Hello?" I croaked, well aware of how unattractive my voice sounded right now.

"Oh my god, Flo! Ethan will be here in five minutes to have dinner with me and my parents, and I'm absolutely terrified. I don't know how I'm going to tell him about the move, and I have this sick feeling in my stomach that won't go away. What should I do?" My best friend desperately asked.

I rubbed my eyelids and yawned before saying, "Firstly, I'm going to need you to take it down a few notches. You're on Mt. Everest right now, and I'm trying to get you at ground level," I told her. "Secondly, just do what we rehearsed over lunch yesterday. Finally, eat a Tums if your stomach continues to hurt."

Malaysia exhaled deeply. "Like we rehearsed, okay got it. I'm just really scared, Flo. What if he walks out on me? I love him so much. That would absolutely crush me."

"Hey, you're doing the right thing by telling him," I reminded her. "Whatever happens, happens. Just know that I always got your back, and I'm only one call away if you need me."

"I love you Florence. You're a godsend," Malaysia cooed, making me tiredly smile.

"I love you too Sia. Everything's going to be fine..." I assured her, trailing off into a yawn.

There was a pause for a moment, and I thought Sia had ended the call. However, I was awaken from my drowsy state once more at the sound of her voice.

"That must be Ethan at the door. I'll tell you how everything went when I see you in school. Wish me luck," Malaysia said.

So I granted her wish before hanging up the phone and dedicating the next hour and a half of my life to a much needed nap.

When I woke up, my mouth was extremely dry, and my muscles were still sore from my supermarket workout. A sharp pain pierced my chest as soon as I sat up, and for a moment I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. I got up from my bed and ran downstairs to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water.

The cold liquid soothed my dry mouth, and the pain in my chest became dull. I was a little freaked out by the whole situation because that never happened to me before. I made a mental note to bring this to the attention of my pediatrician when I visited her office next for my yearly check-up.

Once I finished my glass of water, I discarded it inside of the sink and went back upstairs to my room. I powered on my laptop at my desk and spent the rest of my evening on a date with John Green, watching his Crash Course videos for APUSH.

Author's Note:

Hey everyone. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really miss seeing your comments so please blow up my notifications. I promise I won't mind. Shoutout to @AnonymousSwift who commented on my wall because she was so eager for an update. That warmed my heart.

A vote, follow, or share is greatly appreciated but not required. I write because it brings me satisfaction, but what brings me even more satisfaction is when I'm able to get a reaction out of people with my writing.

Question for my readers: When was the last time you helped out a friend and what did you help them with?

Last week I gave my GBF clothing advice, and I always feel a little bit giddy when people compliment the outfit he brought because of me. We're going to be each other's prom dates this year.

—
Kaylandia