Just an average fattie

Still the talk of the town.

Chapter 3

1 week.

It's only been one week since the unfortunate events and we're still talking about it. The funeral was 2 days after, what the doctors call her expiring. 

My mom was not just a carton of milk. She didn't have a set date on this. She controlled it. She was more than the word expire had to offer.

She was a mother.

She was a sister.

She was a bestfriend. 

She was mine.

I miss her, but after I went home from the hospital I found Jenn. Alone, scared. Did we really just leave her in that house all night? I couldn't believe it. I thought she'd certainly be picked up. Jennifer was only six, how could I tell her that her mother killed herself? We already had a bastard as a father, now a lover's leaper. 

I feel horrible about what I said after she asked where mommy was. I told her, "Mommy had to leave for a while, but you'll see her again. Just not for a very long time. Until then, I'm going to take care of us."

I lied, miserably.

I ached when I thought of her. Her soft voice, her piercing blue eyes, her last words. I wasn't really mad at her. A bit disappointed? Yes, but who wouldn't be if their mother decided, on her own, that she was going to leave her two children in a house alone! 

Okay, maybe I am a bit mad still. 

I'm laying in bed thinking about this. What I think of when I wake up in the morning, wow. 

I groan as I realize it's Tuesday again. School. 

I haven't gone since the.. accident. Come to think of it, I haven't done anything since. Jennifer did, though. So, I have to get her up and ready. 

"Jennibug! You have to get up. I'll make you pancakes again." 

"Julie! Is mommy home yet?" 

I feel the lump in my throat as she spat those dreaded words to me, once again.

"No, honey.. Not yet." Not ever, when was I going to tell her? 

Hell, when could I tell her? After this lie, how could I just up and tell her that her own mother committed the act people only talk about in movies?

"Julie? Are you okay?" She says, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck. 

"Yes, but you won't if you miss school." I choke out a little chuckle, trying to sound convincing. 

"You're a silly sister, you know that?" She says loudly from the closet picking out a pink Tutu with sparkly tennis shoes and a red, white, and blue t-shirt. 

"You're gonna wear that to school?" I ask, already knowing my answer.

"Yes! Why? Is it bad?" She says looking up at me with those puppy eyes. 

"It's whatever you want it to be, as long as you like it, it'll be beautiful." 

"OK. Fanks!"

At this point she is shoving my legs out of her room telling me to make pancakes. 

I get to the kitchen, realizing this will be the last of the groceries. Great. I start mixing the batter and pour little pancake circles into the skillet. It doesn't take very long for Jennifer to come racing in wearing her odd little outfit, but now it had striped stockings to match the stripes on the shirt, I guess. Oh well.

"Food?" She says looking up to me. She may only be six but she's tall for her age, I suppose. It doesn't help that I'm short for mine. 

I give her the little platter of food and tell her to have a seat. She eats very fast, which is good since the bus is here now. 

"Jenn go!" She runs out of the door and gives me a quick wave as she shuts the door behind her.

I start cleaning up and think of my own food, for the first time since.. Well, you know. I got an apple and cut it in half, throwing one half away and popping part of the other half into my mouth as I clean up the mess I had made. The phone rings from a distance.

Wait, where is my phone? It's downstairs along with the blood stained carpet.. Great. 

I run down the stairs trying to get to the phone before it stops ringing, I grab it and answer it. 

"Hello?" I say into the telephone as I race back up stairs.

"Julie!Are you okay, we- I mean, I heard about your mother..." 

"I'm fine. Who is this?"

"This is Annie, from school. I'm in your first period. Look, I know we don't talk much but-"

"We don't talk at all... I don't think you've said one word to me since pre-school."

"I know, but since I heard about your mother I just thought you could use a friend."

"I could. Thanks, but how did you get this number?"

"I asked Camden, he already had it for some reason? I don't know. I just figured I'd give you a call. I tried about 4 other times, no answer. I got worried."

I looked at my cell phone and there it was 4 missed calls from an unknown number, but there were about 9 others from... mom. I felt it again. That lump in my throat. 

"Hello... Julie?" I hear from the other side of the phone, I snap out of the realization that before my mother "expired" she called me.. 9 times.

"Yeah, I'm here.." I say in the most shaky voice that I think I have ever had.

"Well, Are you coming to school today?" She asks, changing the mood from upsetting to pretty casual.

"No. Also, no offence, but my mother is dead. I'll be there in a few days once i figure everything out. I appreciate you calling, but I don't need," I start tearing up, "anyone." 

"Julie everyone needs someb-"

I hang up the phone. 

9 times. If I had answered maybe my mother would be alive.. It was truly my fault. I had to live with the death already without knowing that I could have done something to help her. I don't even know why I didn't answer. I think I was dreaming about Camden again.. 

Camden! How does he have my number? Better yet, why? I can't deal with him right now, especially. I'm just curious as to how he got it.. hmm. I'll go to school tomorrow. Until then, I'm going to sleep again. 

I wake up to hear someone banging on the door. I rush up and try to run to the door without falling, only to find an unfamiliar face standing in front of me.

"Who are you and what the hell do you want?" I practically scream at the man.

"Julie? You don't recognize me?"

"No. I don't, and you're scaring me a bit sir. Now, who ar-"

I get cut off and wrapped into a bear hug by this strange man. 

"Get off of me! I obviously have no idea who you are, and I think you should leave!" I shove this strangely large man away from me in hopes that he will take my request and leave.

"Julie, I'm Josh. I'm your dad."

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Okay, show stopper.(: Haha, I really like this chapter. I was going to make it longer but I have to go somewhere. I am gonna make another chapter later I hope.(: Today is going to be a writing day. Haha. Comment, vote, fan.c: Thanks !