Because Mom Wasn't Enough

It's half of the fun to see you throw the first punch

I stood in front of my old house, staring at the white door. The walkway always had flowers and plants around it, but lately mom hadn't been taking care of them and they all died and dried out in the hot San Diego sun. This was insane. Why would I go back to the woman who hated me, who basically kicked me out? How could she do that? Her own daughter...

I started to turn around, I didn't have to be here. I could go back to the warehouse and suck up my pride and beg Sam's forgiveness. I knew he still cared about me. But something stopped me: a glass bottle. There was a broken glass bottle that rolled under one of the plants. I picked it up; vodka.

Mom used to have a drinking problem, I knew that, but she gave it up as soon as I was born. That's probably how she got pregnent with me to be honest. I never knew who my father was, she did though, and never told me. She said it would destroy me, and him if he knew I existed. Guess he doesn't like kids.

If Mom started drinking again, that could be disastrous. I decided to find out. I walked up to the door and twisted the handle. Locked. I knocked on the door, and waited, but no one answered it. I looked under the pot next to me and saw the key. Thank god she kept it there. I unlocked the door and walked in slowly.

"...Mom?" I called out softly. The whole room smelled like alcohol...and other things...

Then I saw her, sitting in the corner with a bottle in her hands, staring at me. She wore a malevolent grin and she started laughing. She got up and stumbled over to me, obviously drunk.

"Jodie," she slurred. "Darling, you're home. You know, you did a bad thing leaving me like that! Nearly drank myself to death," she lifted the bottle showing me, and took another gulp. "Probably still will. Where were you off to? Sleeping around like the slut you are?" I shook my head. Why did everyone call me that? Did I give off the wrong message or something?

"No, Mom, I-I was living with Cali, I've never eve--"

"Liar! You crazy bitch, I bet you're pregnant. Now you'll know how hard it is being a single parent!" She slapped me across the face and I stumbled back. I looked back up at her and she punched me again. I fell to the ground, I guess she wasn't as drunk as I thought. I felt her weight fall on top of me, forcing the air out of my lungs. Her hands wrapped around my neck and constricted. I choked as I tried desprately to force air down into my lungs. My vision started to get blurry and I got lightheaded. I put my hands on her shoulders and tried to knock her off of me. I pushed her harder and harder, but she was heavy. I brought my knee up between us and slammed it into her stomach and she rolled off.

I took a deep breath in and my lungs expanded like balloons. I struggled to get up and run, but my legs felt weak. My mom stood over me and I felt tears running down my cheeks. She lifted her hand over her head and that's when I noticed she was still holding the bottle.

"I'm going to put you away so you never see the sun again! You'll never be able to hurt anyone the way you hurt me again!" Her arm came down on me and I felt a sharp pain before I blacked out.