We Fell Apart

You and I. And him.

"We're getting married! " My mother clapped her hands together and squealed joyously.

"Mom" I said flatly.

She gave me a look. "You can't get married just because the psychologist said I need stability." I say.

She gives me a measured look before we both burst out laughing. Standing up she refills her glass of whiskey and joins me on the couch opposite her. She strokes my hair and puts my head on her lap.

"Oh Skye," she says softly. "What am I gonna do with us?" we sit in silence for an hour before she says "I'm marrying him because I love him but baby, " she forces me to look up at her "it will always be just you and I" I smile but silently I think and him. The moment is completely ruined as she says as an afterthought "and your sister."

"Him's" name was Dray and was everything you could wish for in a potential step father and husband for your mother. Dray was tall, dark and handsome and funny. My mom had met him at a business meeting in New York and had instantly fell for his extremely charming personality and instantly noticeable good looks.

My mom was driving silently as Dray chatted away happily. My mom's long blonde hair had been tied back into a straight ponytail and she looked like she was going to be sick. I sat in the back seat answering Dray's questions about school, friends and boyfriend's. We had an easy relationship and my sister and I took an instant liking to each other when we had met over a year ago. My mom's driving slowed as we reached the vast country house. She looked seconds away from being sick.

Dray noticed this too. When she parked he placed his hand over hers and squeezed it. I knew why my mother was so nervous so but Dray didn't. My grandmother had this effect on people and introducing your husband-to-be to her was surely enough to send you over the edge. Giving him a tight smile my mom unlocked the car doors and stepped out. The fresh air surrounding my grandmothers beautiful home was enticing. The view was magical. The mansion was surrounded by a big garden with bright green grass that almost looked fake. I remember Katlyn and I playing in this garden and I feel a pang as I miss my sister. Being at this house always brought a wave of nostalgia washing over me. I watched as Dray took a look around at the breathtaking sight. When my grandmother kicked the bucket - liver failure probably- Katy and I would get this beautiful piece of land.

My mother walked briskly to the door and rang the doorbell. Dray and I followed.

The grand door was opened by Timothy, in a black suit. Timothy had been my grans Butler since before I could remember. My mom walked past him and called over her shoulders "Where is she?"

"In the guests room madam." My mom continued walking to the guest room leaving an amused Timothy in her wake.

"Hi Tim" I said in way of greeting. He smiled at me and I walked past him with Dray in tow.

"This is a beautiful home" he observed.

"It's alright" I said nonchalantly as I led him to the guest room. The smell of alcohol hit my nostrils first and in a staggering amount.

My mom was sitting in a cream couch across my grandmother that had two seats. The second I'm assuming was for Dray.

I sat on a black sleek couch.

"Darling, who's this?" She drawled not bothering to greet anyone.

"Dray." My mother said curtly.

"New boyfriend? " She asked with a raised eyebrow.

I felt queasy looking around the modern room which had been updated since my mother, Katlyn and I had last visited. There was a modern fireplace now, covered in glass currently. The "guests room" which was actually just an entertainment lounge was covered in wall to floor clear glass windows. The sleek couches ranged from black to cream and the coffe tables and shelves had few ornaments. The TV was large and spread out across an entire wall. The room was the epitome of minimum bare.

"No mother, " she said finally, stretching out the word mother. "My fiancé" she said with pride because even my grandmother would not take my mother's pride about her impending prenuptials.

My grandmother looked shocked as she stared at the younger version of herself sitting on the couch opposite from her. My grandmother looked years older than she was. Vodka and whiskey had made her old and vast amounts of wine had left her skin tinted red. With her high cheekbones and astonishing good looks, she was still beautiful.

She looked at me and asked "Which one are you? "

"Skylar, gran" I said.

"Oh."

A silence filled the room.

"You can't possibly be marrying him" my grandmother said finally gesturing at Dray. I knew what was coming next.

"Maybe as your bit of rough on the side but as a husband, dear? How passe!" she exclaimed.

"Why not mother? " my mom asked.

"Well darling, " she looked at my mother as if she was stupid. "He's black!"

I'd never seen my mother so angry after that. She'd stormed out of the house, shaking and Dray and I had sat in an appalled silence. I'd known even as a child that my grandmother wasn't well and it had something to do with the glass bottle that was always by her side. The car ride home had been quiet and my mother had sat in the passenger seat too upset to drive.

"We're not moving houses are we?" I asked breaking the silence. Dray smiled at me through the rear view mirror.

"We figured it would be easier to stay at your mom's house. " he smiles. "What with your mom having two kids."

"She only has one." I respond coldly. My mom turns around to glare at me. "Your sister's coming home" she says finally with an audible sigh.

Oh fuck.