A Pocketful of Gems

Chapter 5: to set before a king - Part 5

I got home after 8 to find my parents going at it in the kitchen. I intended to leave them to it and go upstairs, but as I walked past the kitchen mom stopped me.

"Where the hell are you coming from?"

I looked in at her, "are you talking to me?"

"Who the hell else would I be talking to?"

I pointed at dad.

"Where were you Gemma?" dad asked.

I glared at them, "if you two ever took time the time to not hump like rabbits or not cuss every time you're not humping like rabbits you would have answered your phones the four times I called each of you or seen the six messages I texted each of you saying, 'I went to help at the bakery cause all the staff were out sick'."

"Who do you think you're speaking to young lady?" mom asked.

"Calm down Chari–" she glared at him.

"Who else would I be talking to," she glared round at me. "Don't be trying to get prissy with me cause you're all fired up over whatever nonsense you two are arguing bout. I'm certain I had absolutely nothing to do with it. You probably didn't even notice I wasn't here. Let's keep that going."

I continued pass the kitchen.

"Gemma?" dad called after me. I came back. "That's no way to speak to your mother, apologize."

I crossed my arms and glared him down.

"Right after she does." I told him. He looked at her. She looked at him.

He walked out the kitchen, "good luck, kiddo, still waiting on the apology she owes me."

                                                                                -  

I went two days not speaking to either of my parents. I came and went in silence manoeuvring around them despite their efforts to draw me into the usual morning and evening routines of breakfast and dinner. After coming in from my part-time work at the bakery I went straight to my room and painted till my arms were tired and about to fall off, then went to bed. Dad came in every night around midnight and kissed my forehead.

Spencer wasn't in school those two days –he stayed home to help in the bakery; they were still short a few staff that had not yet recovered. I saw him when I went to help part-time, but our interactions were brief –a quick hello, an intentional bump, and the occasional peck on the nose as he walked past me or I brought him an ingredient he needed.

I hadn't told any of my friends about my argument with my folks and didn't plan to; they were all working hard to help me fix this issue, I didn't want them to think I was undoing all their hard work even before it had a chance to pay off.

We'd all take a break together before I leave the bakery and plan our trip. The trip was only a couple hours drive, especially if we got on the highway before rush hour. When I left the bakery that night I felt a chill go down my spine. I had contacted Auntie Gale since we last spoke and asked her to do me a favour. I was starting to regret it and it took all my will power that night to not call her back and tell her to forget it. Somehow, I felt that this was important to our mission. I wasn't sure how, yet, but I was certain it was key.

As I stood on my doormat waving goodbye to Eve and Abel, I felt the shiver again. Something was about to cause a massive shift in my life –a few weeks ago I would have been terrified, now, I was looking forward to the shift; I honestly believed I was more than equipped to stand my ground against it.