Chapter Three
“'Cause I'm just a teenage dirt bag baby, yeah, I'm just a teenage dirt bag baby; listen to Iron Maiden maybe with me!” I sing along with the radio as I speed down the interstate heading towards Tommy’s place. I smile remembering how my mom and I would actually sing this song together.
“Hey, Ambrosia, do you want to go for a ride?” I hear my mom yell from downstairs. I smile and jump out of bed.
“I’m coming!” I yell back as I pull on some converse. I run down the stairs. I reach my mom, and she looks at me. She has dark brown eyes that are hooded. My mother was born blind; it was a birth defect due to her mother being abused while she was pregnant. I smile at my mom while she bounces on her feet lightly. She has always loved going for rides with me. She loves the feeling of the harsh wind against her face while I drive way past the speed limit. I know it is dangerous to drive so fast, but I would do anything for my mother.
I take her hand and we walk outside together. I help her into the car, and then run around to the other side. I hop onto my seat and start the car. Mom keeps her head forward, and searches for the seatbelt. I would help her, but she refuses for other people to do so much for her. I smile when she is ready, and starts bouncing like a small child.
I pull out of the driveway, and head towards the highway.
“Can you turn on the radio, dear?” mom asks, reaching out to roll down her window. She grins widely as her hair begins to whip around her face. I nod and turn on the radio, starting it out softly making sure to not startle her. I slowly turn up the volume until you can feel the vibration of the bass in your seat.
Mom and I start to sing along with Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus. Our heads bang along with the beat. I pull onto the highway, and hit the gas. We roar down the road at ninety miles per hour. Mom laughs out loud as she feels the wind pierce her skin.
“I’m just a teenage dirt bag baby!” she screams, waving her arm out of the window. I laugh, and switch lanes.
“Her boyfriend’s a dick, and he brings a gun to school. And he’d simply kick my ass if he knew the truth.” I mutter under my breath, looking at the cars around us.
My phones buzzes, and I reach for it; slowing down slightly while reading the text. Apparently dad wants us to head home for dinner soon. I nod and throw my phone into the backseat.
“Hey mom, we are going to have to head back; dinner is going to be ready soon.” I yell over the music and wind. Mom nods and leans against the headrest, singing along with the end of the song. I smile at how peaceful she looks. We get off of the road, and make our way back; singing along with every song that comes on the radio.
I stare out at the road, tears starting to brim my eyes. I missed my mother; she died when I was ten. She was with our aunt driving home from the store when a truck ran a red light and smashed into the passenger side of the car. My mother was killed on impact. Shards of glass had gotten into my aunts eyes, causing her to lose her vision; which is why I knew what the eyes of a blind person looked like when compared to a broken person’s.
