Haley Braverman Forever Young

Chapter 3

Things have been ok. I guess I just have been trying to lay low. Haddie is obsessed with Steve, we hardly see her anymore which is fine. My parents are constantly asking me about Haddie and Steve and I really have nothing to tell them. Brayden has been coming over and we take Max to play baseball. He seems to be liking it better but I can tell that dad is jealous of Brayden bonding with Max. Brayden has a younger brother with autism so he gets what we are going through.  I have been in my room most of the day when I decide to venture out and immediately run into my mom.

"Hey you, what are you up to today?"
I jump back a little surprised, "uh, nothing..I guess"
"Ok great, how about we go out, just us girls?" She asks excitedly
"....where"
"I don't know, shopping?"
"Oh mom, I'm Haley, I think you're looking for Haddie" I correct her.  Haddie and I haven't really looked the same since we were little and mom dressed us in the same clothes.  As soon as I could, I lowlighted my hair, blonde isn't my style.
She laughs, "Yes..I know you are Haley, and I want to do something with you today"
"Ok, music store maybe, or I don't know if that sounds dumb.." she cuts me off.
"Music store sounds great, get ready we'll go in 15" she smiles and goes into her room.
Kristina Braverman was never one to hide her emotions but at this moment, I have no idea what's going on with her.  Where's dad and Max?  Why does she want to hang out with just me? So many questions that I'm sure will be answered in the next 15 minutes.  I go back to my room, throw on a hoodie and my sneakers and head downstairs where my mom is waiting by the door.
"Ready to go!" She said excitedly
"Yep" I give a fake smile and go out the door.
We get in the car and head towards the city.  I finally can't take it and have to say something.
"Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"What gives?"
"What?"
"What's this about" I gesture to her and myself, "we don't do this"
"Is it wrong to want to spend some time with my daughter alone?"
"No, it's just that you usually don't"
She sighs, "Haley, sometimes I just need to be with someone who is on my side and I know that no matter what is going on in our crazy lives, you are always on my side"
"How did you..." I stop mid sentence
"When you and Haddie were babies, your dad and I would sit across the room and see which one of you would come to us.  Now Haddie, would go with either of us on any given day.  You always came to me." She laughed. "Even if Haddie got to me first, you would wait instead of going to your dad. We would even try it with the family, Haddie would go to everyone and say hi, play for a second and move on to the next, but again you always came right to me.  Honestly Hail, you've always been that way even if you didn't realize it"
I tear up a little bit and smile at my mom, "I never realized it, but I'm always on your side mom"
"So today, I just needed to be with the one person who I know is always on my side" She tears up.  There's Kristina.
"Mom, what's going on" I say concerned.
"I told your dad I want to go back to work....he didn't take it well".
"So if that's what you want to do, do it" I scoff.  My mom has always put us first, sacrificed her career to take care of our family.  I don't understand why dad would be like this.
"It's not that easy" She says sadly, "if your dad and I aren't a team on this there is no way it will work"
"You have to talk to him again, tell him how important this is to you" I say matter-of-factly. "Dad has the ability to be reasonable, I myself have yet to see it, but I figure it's there somewhere"
She laughs, "wise beyond your years my dear...ok enough of this, let's go get lost in some music"
I smile, "sounds good"

About 2 weeks later, my dad makes the announcement that my mom is going back to work and we'll all have to do our part to help around the house.  She'll be starting on Monday.   Haddie purposely leaves early so she doesn't have to deal with it.  She says she has soccer, but unless Steve changed his name to soccer, she's lying.  I work with Max to try to get him ready to go while dad is getting himself ready to go.  Naturally Max is not having any of it because mom always helps get him ready and she is already out the door.  I look at the time and if I don't leave for school right now I'll be late so I grab my bag and run out of the house to catch the bus.  The morning goes well and I meet up with Brayden for lunch.
"Hey what's you plan this weekend" he asks.
"I don't think we have anything, Braverman family dinner Friday but the rest of the weekend is open" I say.
"How 'bout a movie?"
"Ok" I smile, "Sounds good"
"I'll pick you up at 5 maybe we can hang before the movie?" He smirks and nudges my shoulder
"Even better" I go over my notes for my quiz after lunch.
"Hey" he closes my notebook
I laugh, "yeah?"
He leans in and kisses me.  "That's all" he smiles
The bell rings and it's time to go.  We walk hand in hand as he takes me to my next class and we kiss again before he goes off for the rest of the day.  We meet up at the end of the day and walk around a bit before I catch the bus and head home.  I am on a high after the day.  I get home and as soon as I walk in the front door it starts.
"Where have you been?" My dad screams.
I immediately go on the defense, "Where all kids go from about 8-3 every day..School?" I ask sarcastically.
"Room!  Now!" He continues to scream.
I throw my bag down and cross my arms, "What! Why?" I scream back
"You left before getting Max ready this morning, then I was 2 hours late for work.  I missed a meeting today Haley, I asked you to do ONE thing this morning"
"Seriously?! Max wouldn't get ready for me, he kept saying he will only get ready for mom.  So since I'm NOT mom, I left for school so I wouldn't get in trouble for being late for SCHOOL!" I shout back.
Just as I finished, my mom gets home.  She stops in her tracks when she gets in the door at the scene.  My dad, red in the face, standing in the living room.  Me, arms cross, bag spilled on the floor from throwing it, eyes burning.  She walks over to me, picks up my book and hands me my bag.
"Haley, honey, go upstairs" She said quietly as she one arm hugs and kisses the top of my head and not taking her eyes off of my dad.
I look at her and she nods at me.  I sigh and run upstairs.  I slam my door just for emphasis.  I go back to thinking about Brayden so I don't cry.  I decide that I need to talk to him so I text him and happily he responds right away.  I tell him what just happened with my dad and we talk about nothing for a bit.  Soon there's a knock at my door, it's Haddie.
"Hey..." she says quietly.
"Hey"
She come in and sits at my desk. I stay on my bed acting like I'm studying.
"Do you know what's going on down there?"  She gestures to the living room. "As soon as I got home, dad told me to go upstairs.  Mom was crying...did someone die?"
"No Haddie, no one died."
"So..."
"Dad was mad that I left before getting Max ready for school, except that Max refused to get ready for me, so I left.  When I got home, dad went ballistic, mom walked in and heard it" I run my fingers through my hair.  "She was pissed Had".
"Wow...ok, look, I'll help get Max ready too."
"Won't that cut into your Steve make out time?" I smirk
"Yeah...well...I dunno, things are weird with him right now"
"I'm sorry" I say.
"I think he wants me to have sex with him" she blurts
"What! Had, if he's pressuring you then he's a loser"
"He's not pressuring me, I haven't exactly told him no" she sighs
"If you don't want to then you have to tell him.  If he breaks up with you then he's still a loser"
"I just don't know if I'm ready" she says embarrassed.
"I don't know if I'm ready either!" I say to assure her she's not alone. "Sorry, I just don't want him to force you into something"
"No, it's ok." She quickly moves on, "Want to venture down for dinner?" She questions.
"If nothing else, we'll take the bus to grandma and grandpa's" I joke.
We both laugh.  I like when Haddie is Haddie.