Faded Memories | lp

Chapter Twenty-Three

Perhaps I should put a shirt on, considering it's six in the morning and I feel like an ice cube.

Without actually leaving my bed, I reach into my drawer and pull out a very cozy brown knit sweater. I even put some fuzzy socks on. I manage to do all that without turning my light on or disturbing Liam. I wonder where he crashed for the night. I'm tempted to go check on him, but decide not to. I could hear his soft snoring from the door so I figured everything was okay.

I lay my head back on my pillow and just breathe. The smell of the trailer is familiar but yet I can't place it. Its like a distant memory seeping through. After a few minutes of drifting between asleep and awake, I finally fall back asleep.

I woke up with a sense that something wasn't right. I couldn't hear Liam anymore. I look at my clock, seven fifteen. I push the blankets away from me and stagger to the door. I swing it open and feel instantly confused.

"Hello, Jo. I've missed you."

---

My mom tells me about how she got here about an hour ago and told Liam he could leave. I have a feeling that's not how it went, but I don't dare argue.

"If you get dressed we can go out for breakfast." My mother tells me. I hesitantly go get dressd, putting on leggings, a sweater, and boots. I tie my hair in a high ponytail and apple light makeup.

"Hurry up or we'll be late for our reservations." My mom calls from the living room. I hear the crisp sound of a nail file. She must be doing her nails while she waits.

The sun rises like a beacon in the east. It's directly over the lake and absolutly stunning. I'm dragged out of my thoughts when my mom honks the horn. Impatient.

I roll my eyes and get in the car. Her wonderful (note sarcasm) music pours out of the speakers and sounds like an annoying child. The singers these days whine into the microphone and it's irritable to the ears.

"Where are we going for beakfast?" I ask when I notice us getting on the ramp to get on the highway.

"Someplace fancy where I can divulge in the finest wines." She responds. Haughty.

"Wine? It's eight o'clock." I say. She huffs.

"It's never too early for a drink."

"The mom I knew two years ago would never drink, much less before nine o'clock in the morning." I mumble.

"TImes have changed." Is all she says. That's the only conversation we hold until we park the car in probably the most expensve place my mother could've chosen. I immediatly feel under-dressed. People insde wear cocktail dresses and suits. My mother fits right in with her loud ensamble. I feel like I don't belong.

"Reservations for Burgundy?" My mother asks the hostess.

"I'm sorry ma'am, we don't have anything reserved for Burgundy." The petite Asian woman responds. I sigh, maybe we can go someplace lower class, like McDonald's or something.

"Do you know who she is?" My mom hisses at the hostest, pointing to me. I feel exposed. A dear in the headlights.

"I'm sorry we can't seat you unless you have a res-"

"But do you know who she is?" My mother asks again, raising the volume and granting us the attention of everyone in the cafe.

I put a hand on my mother's shoulder, "It's okay, really. We can-"

"No. It is not okay. You are Jo Burgundy. You should be able to waltz right in and get a seat." She yells. I shrink back and let the beast go.

The hostest apologizes again and again, but my mother isn't having any of it. I refrain from covering my face and hiding in the corner. I'm well-aware of people taking pictures and videos. Oh god, what will Liam say?

"She is an award-winning writer! She can destroy your buisness!" She yells, pointing a crooked finger at the hostest. She gulps.

"Mother!" I exclaim. I look apologetically at the hostest, she seems to understand, I drag my mother out of the cafe. My fury boils over, red hot and livid. I was like a firework, waiting to be ignited. Now, I went off.

"I am like everyone else. I am not an invitation for you to act like a bitch. I do not make a scene. I do not use my fame to get things. And I certainly do not associate with people who think that's who I am." I'm seeing red. My mother's jaw hangs open. I'm breathing hard and absolutly furious.

"Honey-"

"Don't even try to downgrade what you just did in there. That was absolutly positivly the worst thing I have ver seen anyone do."

"Come to Florida with me." She seems unfazed but my explosion. She's uneffected.

"What?"

"You heard me. Meet John and his kids--again. It'll be good for us. Mother-daughter bonding time."

I'm not even close to amused by her request, but I would like to meet the step-father. Putting everything that just happened, aside. I respond.

"Fine."