The Life She Led

Regular Thursday Afternoon

At home, my sister Evie serves Dad and I microwaved dinners. We sit at the dining room table and dig in with the plastic fork utensils Evie has provided us with. She acts really grown up when she "makes us dinner".

It's almost as if she's not 9 anymore, but rather aged another 10 years. Dad used to joke about that she only heated TV dinners, but stopped when we sat down one day and she had skillfully prepared spaghetti, meatballs, and salad. He never kidded around with her cooking skills.

So now we all sit, stabbing our forks and knives into our Salisbury Steak and corn on the side. "So for tomorrow night, I was thinking we could do something special for dinner. Maybe you could get me ingredients to make meatloaf." Evie stated as she swallowed a bite of corn. I normally give her mine because it tastes like cardboard, in my opinion. Then she glances up at the ceiling, and muses, "Meatloaf, hmm... Meatloaf and mashed potatoes maybe." Dad smiles at her proudly. "We'll see, okay hunny?" He says. Evie studies him with her green eyes, mature and dark for her age. "Okay Dad." She says simply.

Then she turns to me. "So how was the movie?" Dad turns to me also. I freeze, my fork-full of steak halfway in my mouth. Closing my lips around the food, I shrugged. "It was okay." I chewed and swallowed. "The main character's girlfriend was crying too much, and there was a hair in Erica's popcorn. But other than that, the movie was super fun." I explained. Evie giggled at the hair in Erica's popcorn part.

"Well that's good. Anyway, while you were out, Randy called. He sounded urgent. Are you two okay?" Dad moved on to yet another subject. God, what was up with my close friends and family moving along so briskly with matters?

Also I really didn't feel like hearing my ex-boyfriend's name OR voice. 

"Um, we broke up..." I said, trailing off into an uncomfortable silence. Even Evie realized I wasn't happy about this, so she stayed quiet. But I noticed her frown a little. Even my younger sister can tell it was abrupt and unnecessary that we broke up - and she didn't even know why!       "I'm gonna go shower now," I added suddenly, pushing my chair back and standing up to take my garbage. "Thanks for dinner, Eve." 

"Hunny, if you want to talk about it-" My Dad began. "No, Dad, it's fine. I'm fine." I quickly informed him, shooting an apologetic look to hopeful cover for my sudden rudeness while I headed into the kitchen. "Oh, okay. But hey, I'm driving Evie to school tomorrow, since I have to be at work by 8 instead of 7. Want a ride too?" He called as I threw away my container and tossed my utensils and cup into the sink.

That was another thing that I didn't like. Since I was 15, I had another five months before I took my driver's test during summer. I also lacked a car, which set me back even further. 

"Oh, no thanks Dad. I'm getting a ride from Anna May. But thanks anyway." And then I dashed upstairs to my hall bathroom. I turned the water on so it would warm up, then walked to my bedroom and picked out some pajamas to change into after. 

I guess I could talk to Randy tomorrow... Just to see what was up.