A Tangled Web We Weave (Completed)

26. I Took His Six Shooter

Elena

I hate airports. Right now, the smell of weed and shoe polish do a tap dance in my nasal cavity, making me want to hurl. Everything in this place is hurried, everyone impatient, and not excluding myself. Picking up my aunt is not my idea of a good time, but between the facts that my clunker car died, I twisted my ankle, Hudson didn't answer my call, and that I'm here, I'm having a bad day.

As I struggle to walk down the multicolored-to-hide-everything-on-the-floor carpet, my little sister, Diane, trips over herself and faceplants. She begins to scream, I begin to swear, and then my aunt appears out of thin air. "Darlings," she crooned, "how positively divine of you to come pick me up. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but marijuana is illegal in this state, yes?" At my nod, she laughed. "Well, it smells a little skunky in here, but that's none of my business."

Diane giggles and tugs on my sleeve, asking, "What's marijuana?"

Mouthing a "thanks" at my aunt, I shushed her and grabbed my aunt's suitcase. "How was your flight?"

"A trial, dear, a trial. The person behind me snored the entire time and I wanted to be in bed with my dear departed husband. But, I wouldn't exactly be snoring, if you know what I-"

"I do," I cut her off as we passed through the revolving airport doors. She was positively psychotic, but since my parents told us they were separating, her presence was necessary. 

My phone buzzed and I looked down at the text from Hudson.

Sighing, I replied, trying not to sound emotional.

I really wasn't upset. Really. I wasn't.

Driving home was an affair to remember, with my aunt using colorful words and Diane repeating them like a parrot.

My mom hugged her sister, who reacted very stiffly. Seeing them together was very weird. My polished, high and mighty, Princess Diana, iceberg of a mother embracing her hippie, save-the-bees-t-shirt-wearing, chunky jewelry and Chacos, tree hugging aunt. "Carmen, what's wrong?" My mother crooned, laying the sugar on thick.

"Marc called me, Jez. He explained the situation to me." My aunt set her bag down on the kitchen counter with a thump. "I'm disgusted. Even looking at you makes me sick. After all we went through as children, you have the audacity to-"

"Don't you dare preach at me. You have no idea what I've had to go through-"

"Oh, yes, I do. You don't think I notice anything? I notice everything. I was always the most empathetic one. I tried to reach out to before it got this far." Aunt Carmen sat down at the table. "You've gone too far, Jezebel. And I'm here to fix this mess before you screw up anything even more."

"Go f-" my mother started, but my father walked in.

"Carmen," he cried and hugged my aunt. "Sweetheart, it's been too long. You look fabulous. I love your necklace. Where did you get it?"

"Adina Mills. Her work is pure artistry. I feel like a walking masterpiece." My aunt glowed. 

"You are a masterpiece," my dad replied, pouring her a glass of water.

"Oh my God, cut the charm, Marc. It's a little much, even for me." My mother snapped, plopping down on the couch.

"Jezebel, we talked about this. You could do with a little more charm, remember?" Carmen smiled as she spoke, subtly flipping my mother off. 

Jezebel fake-smiled and sipped her wine, returning the bird. 

Dragging my aunt's bag down the hall while the arguing continued behind me, I put her stuff into her room and climbed the stairs to my room. I shut the door and locked it, flopping down on my bed. Getting out my phone, I called Hudson and almost started crying when he answered. "Hiya, handsome, how are you?"

"I'm ok, better now that I'm talking to you, how're you?" I could hear in his voice that he was upset. But about what?

"I'm alright. What happened to you today?"

He hesitated, the silence deafening. Finally, he answered, "I really can't talk about it right now."

"Oh."

He sighed. "Sorry, bud. It's still really, um-"

"Fresh?"

"That's the word. What's up with you though?"

"Well, uh, kinda a lot." I sat up and leaned my head against the bed frame.

"Oh, damn, really?" 

"Really. My parents announced they're getting a divorce, my aunt flew in, and just a lot of other just sort of crappy stuff."

He choked on whatever he was drinking, which, at this point, could be alcohol. "Oh, babe, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

I nodded, though he couldn't see it. " Yeah, I'm fine. Just sort of numb. I knew it was coming, but I thought it would be until after all the kids were out of the house."

"I know. Can I do anything?"

I chuckled. "Wanna come cuddle?"

He didn't reply.

I mentally reared back a little. "Or not." Scrambling to not cry, I haltingly said, "Ok, well, um, I'm gonna go, uh, make sure my aunt hasn't broken a wine bottle over my mom's head."

"Ellie-" he started.

"Bye." Hanging up and throwing the phone onto the bed, I began to sob. No longer numb.