Finding my way

Good Riddance

The bell above the door to the Bargin Mart jingles. Customers.  "Hello!" I say in a bright, cheery voice. " Welcome to Bargin Mart the place with the biggest bargins."

 They look over in my direction and barely lift up the corners of their mouth to form a faint smile. I slump over my checkout counter and wait for someone to check out. An elderly woman and what looks like her granddaugher are slowly getting closer to the register. They've been here for almost two hours. You couldn't find that many bargains in this store if you wanted to. Their shopping cart isn't even halfway full. After about what seems like ten more minutes of lollygaging, the elderly woman and her granddaughter make their way to my counter.

 "Hello!" I greet the woman and her granddaughter. " Did you find everything okay?"

 "Oh yes," The ederly woman said. " Just fine, thank you."

 I look over to the granddaughter and give her a friendly smile. She rolls her eyes, shoving her phone into her hands, putting all her attention into it. I quickly scan all the items and ring up the total. The ederly woman pays and grabs her bags. I watch her struggle for a moment then reach over and help her, assuming her granddaughter won't.

 " Thank you dear." The lovely grandmother says.

 " You are very welcome!" I say back. " Have a nice day!"

 I watch them leave then fall back into the tiny chair behind my counter. I look around to make sure there are no approaching customers. I quickly pull my phone out of my pocket and check my facebook. I recieved one new like on my profile picture. Big woop. I close out of facebook then check tumblr. I reblog a few things then put my phone away. A man who looks to be in his thirtie's aproaches the counter. I stand up. " Good morning sir!" I say eagerly. " Find everything okay?"

 " Just fine, thanks." He mumbled.

 I ring up the items and give him the total. He quickly pulls out a twenty and ten dollar bill and some change. He cautiously slides it to me.

 "I don't bite sir." I say jokingly.

 He laughs nervously. " Sorry if I'm coming off as nervous, I just have a lot on my mind at the moment."

 I nod in understanding. " I know how you feel. College is a pain in the butt."

 " Oh, you're in college?" He asks. " You seem a lot older."

 " It's the bargain mart, it makes you seem older." I say sarcastically.

 "Maybe so." He says teasingly.

 I hand him his receipt and bag. He grabs them and heads toward the entrance. " It was nice meeting you, uh,"

 " Ellie." I say. "It was nice meeting you too!"

 " He turns around before he walks out the door. " Jarred."  He waves then leaves the store.

Throughout the day I check out numerous people and clock out of work at seven. As I step outside,the sun is just slowly setting. I walk to the end of the parking lot, which only consists of five rows, to my 2008 Honda Accord. I slowly slide into the driver's seat and start the engine. I pull my phone out of my pocket, turn it off of silence then place it into a cup holder. I take my usual twenty minute drive home and pull into the severely cracked driveway that trails up to the deteriorating house. I kill the engine and get out of the car. I walk onto the porch of the house and sit on an old, rusty lawn chair. I hear shouts from inside. I bolt out of the chair and run inside.

 " Fuck you, Bill!" My drunken mother shouts to my father. " I'm done with your cheatin' ass!" She throws her wedding ring onto the ground.

 " You're fucking insane." My dad says calmly. " How about you sober up and we can dicuss things."

 My mother sloshes her bottle of Jack around, a few drops falling onto the brown, shag carpet. " I'm done talkin'." She slurs every word. " I wan' a divorce."

 My dad looks over at me. "Go upstairs sweetheart." He says to me. " Your mother is clearly not stable at the moment."

 I cross my arms across my chest. " No way am I missing this." I say sarcastically. " I want to watch the bitch crumble to pieces."

 The birthgiver stumbles two steps forward. "Wha' did you call me?"

 I roll my eyes. " You've heard worse, you tramp. Dad isn't cheating, it's you."

 She grips the recliner next to her for support. " No I'm not. I caugh' your dad."

 I look over to him. I roll my eyes because I know it isn't true.

 Pop's clears his throat. " Room, now." He says in a more stern tone.

 I shrug in defeat. I drag myself up the stairs and over to my bedroom. I close my door then quietly open it so that I can hear everything. At the moment all I hear are murmurs. I tip toe into the hallway to get better quality.

 "I'm leavin' tonigh' Bill." The bitch says. " I'm tired of you cheatin' on me."

 " Alright." He says soothingly. " You just sleep down here tonight and pack your things in the morning."

 Assuming she nods in agreement, there are no more words spoken. I can here the poor old man coming up the stairs. I quickly retreat back to my room, successfully closing the door quietly behind me. I sit down onto my bed then pick up a book off of my nightstand and pretend to read it.

 Dad knocks on my door.

 "Come in." I say flatly.

 He slowly walks in with his head down and makes a bee line over to my bed. " I think your mom is really leaving this time."

 "Good riddance."

 He places his hand on my shoulder. "Listen pal, I know you aren't fond of your mother, but we need her. We won't be able to keep the house."

"Dad, you're forgetting I have a job."

 " Is that where you're spending all your time?" He asks sarcastically. " I thought you were hanging out with the neighborhood gang!"

 I ignore his comment. " I make enough to help out so we won't need mom."

 "That's your money, me and your mother both decided that it was your decision how to use it."

 I get up off my bed, throwing my hands into the air in the process." And I've decided I'll help you pay the house payment so we can get that payed off and fix up this crapper!"

 He looks down at his hands. " You think it'll be okay?" He looks to me now. " Just me and you?"

 I lean down and give him a hug. " We'll be great." I stand up straight and lean against my door frame. " Besides, mom wastes all our money on boozes.We'll be much better off without her."