I Have No Excuse

Untitled Part 22

Thursday night I went digging in the attic of my parents mansion. Ripping through boxes and fighting off spider webs that seemed to appear out of nowhere. My sister's ridiculously expensive car wasn't in the garage so that meant that she was out with her 'friends' and who knew what they were doing. My bet was on buying out some store of it's clothes and making them very happy or out at some party looking for another boyfriend. I hadn't bothered ringing the bell and had just came in. Just said hi to Nancy on the way up the stairs. Despite the number of cars in the garage our parents weren't here either. They were off in Peru for who knew what this time. Probably trying to get their hands on more property or something so they can get even richer. Thankfully I was out of this place. With the cash I had saved up for once when I decided to follow Blaster to the MWPA really helped before I finally landed that full time job. Then of course Blaster helped pay as well as he wanted to help at least a little. I had money to spare for both of us from my weekly allowances so a small apartment close to the facility was easy enough to get and I had to say we lived rather comfortably in the space.

I was cut off when they realized that I moved out and since I had rarely saw them when they were at the house it took them a while to realize it. I was sure it was some game they were trying to play. Cut me off and I come running back or something. But I wasn't like Nat and her 'friends' who would buy everything in sight. I didn't want to play their little games and I had cash to spare and then some so if they wanted to control me they'd have to try much harder. No one had bothered to tell them when I left so I got a pretty good head start with moving the cash into an account that I had full control over. Plus they couldn't blame me or anyone else for not saying anything. You didn't call mom and dad when they were away. It was rule number one. They didn't care if the house was burning down. You did Not call them under any condition. If the house was on fire call the cops and get out. They could always get a new one built and we could just head to the emergency house that sat across the new bridge until the repairs were done. We had the cash to get a bloody limo ride and more there. If the house was being robbed well there was always money to get the items replaced and if you got shot well you should have just done as they asked.

I gave a short noise of triumph when I found some of the puzzles Nat and I would make, tear apart, and remake when we were kids. Some were larger than others, and I knew there were more hiding in the other boxes somewhere, but the five of them would do for now. I cast a final glance to the dusty carpet and beanbag chairs in the far corner before I pulled the string to the light and headed back down the stairs. Everything up there seemed faded. The colors muted and looked to be fading away with our childhood. Here I was leaving it behind. I groaned at the number of stairs that lay between me and the front door. It had been harder on the way up, but that still didn't make the way down fun.

"Bye, Nancy. Tell Liza I said bye for me."

"I will. Have a good night, Jazz." The old maid responded as I continued down.

She and Liza were nice. Always had been when we were growing up, but sometimes I wondered how they saw us. Always having to watch us and put up with our tantrums. Discipline us. Make sure we were fed and got our homework done. Made sure were clean and took care of us when we were sick. I couldn't count the number of times we had woken them up in the middle of the night because we had a nightmare or were afraid of the thunderstorms. Baking cookies on Saturday mornings and watching cartoons. They put up with a lot from us. Entertaining us and humoring us. They were more like our family than our parents had ever been. Nancy and Liza were kind of like caring grandmothers. More so than our actual grandparents were. And that was what made me stop on the way down.

"Nancy?"

"Yes?"

And there was the kind smile I would never forget. The one that filled my childhood and rarely ever fell except when she was being serious or disappointed. And oh did I hate it when she gave me that look. The first time I got it was when I colored on the wall on the day my parents were scheduled to return. I had only wanted them to pay me some attention. After she had put me in a corner and got the mess cleaned up she had asked me about it and long story short I spent half an hour crying into her chest as she comforted me. Telling me that they did love me and they were just busy. I gave her my best smile back.

"I appreciate ya and Liza putting up with Nat and I when we were kids. I know we were difficult until the end here, but thanks. I love ya, Nancy. Don't ya ever forget that."

"Oh we love both of you kids too. Take care of yourself, Jazz."

"I will. Don't worry."

And then I was gone. Yeah I would miss Nancy and Liza. Maybe they would miss me too.