Slipped Away

Part 3

January 3

Nothing interesting happened today, plus I'm bored. So dear friend, perhaps I will take this time and tell you about me and my family.
When I was ten, my parents went out to a party one night and never came back. Everybody knew what happened that night, but I didn't find out until
two weeks later. Terry told me later that everyone was afraid that I wouldn't be able to handle the news because I was so young. I remember
being mad at them when they did tell me and wanting to run away forever. My only real friend then was myself and my shadow. Terry tried to
be there for me, but she was just fifteen and having a hard time with it herself. Then came the business of where Terry and I would live and
with whom. The only living relative that remained that could take us was my mom's sister Starr. They didn't get along, and mother never told us why
except that "We differ in opinion. It's better this way for everybody, especially you kids." So we never asked mother about it again, and dad knew even
less about it than us.
However, when we went to go live with her finally we found out soon what mother meant about "Difference in opinions." Aunt Starr was so much different
than mother. She's super strict, she made Terry and I attend church every sunday whether we wanted to or not. If we refused, than it was a grounding or
one of our privilages taken away for a month or more. Once, Terry forgot herself and said; "Goddamit" and aunt Starr smacked her so hard her head almost spun around completely. "Never take the lord's name in vain in this house!" she screeched at her. Terry just ran to her room and stayed there the rest of the day.
Shit like that is why Terry moved out as soon as she turned eighteen. She got sick and tired of Aunt Starr always ragging on her about the way she dressed,
did her hair, and who she kept company with. Also, Aunt Starr is a big snoop, and loves to go through our rooms when we were in school or out. She nearly had
a heart attack when she found Terry's copy of Cosmopolitain under her mattress. "Only a whore would read such filth!" Aunt Starr declared.
After Terry left, I felt empty inside, like the void within me only got wider. I still live with Aunt Starr, but I stay with Terry sometimes too. Aunt Starr
hates it, but knows I'll go anyway no matter what she says. She still calls her a whore from time to time and constantly tells me not to; "Pick up any of the whore's
habits." I let a lot of what she says go in one ear and out the other.
It's kinda a bummer because I have to go back there tonight. Aunt Starr has something planned for my birthday too and I'm dreading it. Ugh. I wish mom
were here to bake her marshmellow cookies. Their my favorite and she always made them for my birthday. She was a stay at home mother so she always made
time for Terry and I and spent as much time with us as she could. Daddy worked alot, his job was very important, so what spare time he had he tried to spend with us too. He worked at______, which required a great deal of his time. This one time he surprised us with a trip to the_____resort in the mountains. It was beautiful and wonderful.
Oh diary! Forgive me! I have gone off down memory lane and totally off the subject at hand! Scatter brain that I am! Anyway, back to Terry. She now has her own
place in the city and it is simply delightful! Full of groovy colors and comfy furniature. She even has a bean bag chair! Aunt Starr would never allow a bean bag chair. She says they are ugly and only make a room look trashy. She hardly knows anything! Bean bag chairs are the comfiest things in the world!
Terry has two jobs, but Aunt Starr only knows about one of them. The first one is a restaurant, Kenny's. She is a waitress and knows how to rope in the tips.
She says when I turn 15 she will get me a job there. I can't wait! Kenny's is really neat. They have everything and the place itself is really shining out. My friend, Vangie,
works at a restaurant too, ______, but it's not as groovy as Kenny's. Terry's other job is at Good Vibrations, a strip club/sports bar. At first when she told
me about it, it was weird having a family member working in a place like that, but then I was cool with it and could see why. Terry is georgous. Well, I feel as though I have written
a novel. I think I may take a nap. Later friend.