WOUNDED

9. Home sweet home.

Getting a call from Janice was not an everyday occurrence. Alex couldn't tell why her big sister was calling her since they never got along. Janice had concluded that their dad's cheating had been the cause of their family breaking. Alex didn't condone it either but seeing her mother dating shortly after the divorce had helped her rethink the matter properly. Of course Janice couldn't hear any of it since their mother 'was hurt and needed to move on' but had no qualms asking for money from the same dad even at the age of 27.

"You need to come home this weekend, we're having a family meeting and everyone must attend". No greetings,no nothing, just barking orders at her, like mother like daughter. Not that Alex was surprised. "Hello to you too sis, I'm doing good thanks for asking, how've you been?" She called back sarcastically. She couldn't remember the last time she'd talked on the phone with any of her sisters.

"And why am I needed at home? I thought you guys got along well when I was not there?" She added just to spite her. The only person who shared her sarcasm was her dad. Why they were all angry at the world was something she couldn't understand "Something big has happened that we need to discuss, it's nothing to joke about Alexis, so don't miss!!" Janice was getting all worked up at the other end for nothing. The fact that it was so easy to rile them up was downright comical.

"Ok mother, come down I'll be there, well if I can make it. I'll have to reschedule my work shifts". She waited for the angry bust that was on the way, 1..2..3.. "You mean to say you're still working at that library even after mum told you to quit? I'm going to call her right away, why don't you ever listen?!" Alex had to hold the phone at a distance before her eardrum could be blown off. These people were so predictable.

Talking to her family was always draining. Just comparing how her father had responded to the same news was literally the opposite.
"You mean to tell me, that my baby is all grown up and getting employed, I'm so proud of you girl. Now you only have to buy me a bottle of wine to celebrate the good news." He had proceeded to ask her all about the place,the owners, how she was balancing it with her classes and asked if she was happy. And then there was her mother.

It happened that 'the big thing' that had happened was the news that their father was seeing someone. The extra money that their mum was receiving had also been cut short since all the kids were over 18 now. Of course Alex knew all that since she talked to her dad all the time. She was so happy that he had found someone since she had been encouraging him all along. She also couldn't understand what the issue was, since their mum was working and their dad was still paying their school fees.

Susan wanted Alex to talk to their dad about the money for reasons unknown to her. Of course, since she was the closest to him, they wanted to use that in their favour. As if she'd ever participate in the manipulation of her dad.

"You must talk to your father and tell him that we need the money. He can't stop paying the money and waste all of it on some woman he collected on the street". Her mother was saying which had Alex downright shocked. She couldn't believe the guts of her own mother.

"And who is 'we' mother? As far as I can tell, you're working, Janice is working, I am working and Dad is paying for our fees. Who is the we that need the money?". Alex was so done with this family. She couldn't believe she'd come all the way to listen to this. It was time to stop hopping that her mother would ever change.

"I don't need your patronising young woman, if I say we need the money then we need it. I am your mother and you're going to pick up that phone right now and call your father!!" Her mother was all but shouting now. Seated at the farthest sit, Alex could only stare at the woman who gave birth to her. She could now differentiate the concept between a mother and a mum. Susan had given birth to her but had never been her mum. It was so sad but so true.

"Why don't you do as you're told for once, must you always argue?" Samantha was the one who jolted her back from her train of thoughts. Seated next to her mother, dressed in a top that was way too small for her size, she was busily glaring at Alex. Janice on the other side was angrily stabbing her vegetables and Maria was missing as always.

Not even two hours had passed and the atmosphere had become toxic and her appetite had disappeared out of the window.

"That man you're busy bushing is my father and yours in case you forgot, and I will not call him for whatever reasons you've made up. Whoever is in need of the money can go ahead and call him themselves but I'll not be anyone's ambassador. As for the woman she's seeing, I hope they get married soon so that I can attend the wedding and hopefully get a new family. I'm out" Heading outside to her car, she would rather drive back to school than spend any other minute in that house. It was just sickening.