Lines in the Ice

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Pounding footsteps came from inside the house. A raspy voice called somewhere deep inside. Someone yelled back. A lock clicked. The door swung open leaving Hailey to look at me. There were dark bags under her eyes and she looked ten years older. Once she saw me she glared.

“It’s you,” she snarled. She turned back towards the hall. “Mom, it’s your good for nothing daughter!” she yelled.

“Lisa?” I rolled my eyes.

“No, Brenna,” she said with a slight offensive laugh. So Lisa’s become the scapegoat for this family now that I’m gone? I feel for her. It’s never fun; I would know.

“Tell her to go away,” was my mom’s raspy reply.

“Mom, I need to talk to you!” I yelled.

Hailey gave me a slight push backwards. I smirked at her before pushing past her. I may have pushed with a little too much force because she fell into the wall next to her. Then again, she does tend to over react.

I walked down the hall toward the kitchen. My mother spent most of her time at home in the kitchen. Coincidently, it’s the worst smelling room in the house. The smell of cigarette smoke was nearly unbearable. My mom was sitting in her normal chair. She looked older than ever. Her teeth, nails, and skin looked as yellow as they’d ever been.

She looked up from her paper. There were mixed emotions in her eyes. I could defiantly see anger. But there were others too. I can’t understand what or why, but I think there might be hurt.

I sat down in the chair across from her. The only thing that followed me were her eyes. I folded my hands and rested my elbows on the table. The floor boards creaked behind me. I could feel the addition of Hailey’s eyes. Mom brought a half smoked cigarette to her lips. She placed it in her mouth. It rested in the corner of her lips. Smoke rolled off the end.

“Mom, I need a place to stay,” I said calmly.

“And you thought I’d let you come back here,” she cackled. “That I’d let you fall back into my nest.”

“Mom-”

“I won’t have it,” she said sternly. She flicked the cigarette on the edge of the ash tray. The cinders fell into the ash tray and settled. She lifted the cigarette back to her mouth and took a puff. She blew the smoke into my face.

“Mom, I swear to you that I will cook, and clean, and never say anything bad about you or anyone else,” I pleaded. She set the cigarette back onto the ash tray. She looked at me for a while, pondering what I had said.

“You’ll do everything I ask?” she asked quietly.

“Everything,” I confirmed.

“I suppose that would be alright,” she mumbled.

I rose to my feet. “Thank you so much, Mom,” I said. She shooed me away with a motion of her hand.

I turned on my heels to almost run into Hailey. She looked troubled and relieved at the same time. I side stepped her and entered the hallway. My bedroom door was closed. Nothing changed. My name was still clumsily tapped to the door.

Hailey's footsteps echoed mine as I walked into my room. Nothing was out of place. Everything was where it was supposed to be. A fine layer of dust was slightly noticeable on my desk. I flung myself onto my bed. It was almost comforting to be back.

When I rolled over Hailey was standing in my doorway. She looked tired. I motioned for her to sit down with me. Even though we’ve never really been on good terms, she’s still my sister and that counts for something.