The Art of Getting By

Chapter One

Shit! I think to myself as I pull into the driveway of my parents' house and see my mom's white SUV, and my Dad's Sedan parked out front. I didn't want them to be here when I got here. I had hoped and prayed that they wouldn't be here when I got here. Sometimes they would leave Eli home with one of the local high schoolers while they traveled south for business. I guess tonight wasn't one of those nights. Rubbing a hand through my hair I let out a deep breath, eyes locked intently on the front door.

Well here it goes...its better just to rip it off like a Band-Aid. I knew it was bound to happen eventually. I mean I figured they wouldn't be ecstatic to see me when I was supposed to be 2 hours away at university. Edging wearily out of my car I shut the door as quietly as I can before I walk hesitantly up to the front door pulling out my house key. When I open the door the first thing that I see is Eli sitting at the coffee table with a pencil grasped firmly in his little hand. He is looking up at me wide eyed, and I can see the excitement in his face as he jumps up from whatever work he was doing. "Danny!!" He shouts his little arms outstretched.

"Hey Eli!" I say, mentally cursing my little brother's announcement of my arrival. He wraps his little arms around my legs looking up at me with his big brown eyes. I run a hand over his brown curls letting the rush of affection for the little guy sweep over me.

"Did you come to see me?" He asks excitedly and I make to answer but a voice coupled with clacking heels comes from the kitchen.

"Danny?" My mother's voice asks and in a manner of seconds she is stepping into the room. Her blonde hair is curled perfectly against her shoulders and she is struggling to put a pearl earring on. Damn it. I must have arrived just an hour too early. She is decked out in a white dress suit and I know that she and dad are probably just on their way to meet with some client. "What are you doing here sweetie?" The look of confusion and concern that crosses her pretty features does not surprise me.

I avoid eye contact, "Uh...I'm here to see Eli!" I attempt smiling at him as he giggles and reaches for me to pick him up. I do exactly that, and attempt to convey in my body language that that is exactly the reason I am here....obviously.....

Mom finally gets her earing into place, and I can see that she isn't falling for my poor attempt at lying by the way her brown eyes narrow. "You came to see Eli on a Wednesday night at...." She glances down at her watch and her eyebrows hike up on her forehead, "Five o'clock. Isn't your financial management class going on right now?" She questions without even waiting for me to answer "You know you have a hard time in that class you shouldn't be missing it."

Of course.....I can't just have a normal mom who is absent because of work and has no idea what I'm doing with my life. Instead she just had to be guilty and make up for that with an incredible amount of involvement. I mean....what kind of mom has their twenty three year old sons schedule memorized?

Lowering my gaze I slowly set Eli down on the floor, "Eli go finish your assignment" I murmur nervously, "I need to talk to mommy okay?" He nods his head, his curls bouncing every which way before galloping over to his abandoned worksheet. I slowly, guiltily raise my head up to look at my mother. She gives me a suspicious side eye.

"Kitchen." She orders before turning on her heels. Sighing, I follow behind her until we are standing at the kitchen counter. "Talk Daniel James Walker." She orders in that stern voice of hers that since I was little had me dreading what was to follow it.

"Okay!" I say in defeat moving quickly around the counter to the opposite side so if she gets upset she can't reach me. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. She leans her manicured hands on the counter staring at me while her foot taps impatiently against the floor. I idle, biting my lip, running a nervous hand over the back of my neck. "Uh so...." I start before letting out a sigh. The mysterious stain on the counter is suddenly looking extremely interesting.