Can't Walk Away

Chapter 1

The car clock read 8:11 pm. We'd hadn't changed it for daylight savings yet. Either way it was a little late for what was going on. "You know you should stop putting all this pressure on me and your father, we're only human. Let alone his Parkinson's." Mom said. "Okay, I'm sorry." I replied. As if she felt threatened "You always say 'okay, I'm sorry' or 'I'll work on it' but when are you actually going to fix you problems." The sad part is that this isn't the first time I've heard this speech. From having a compulsively messy room, bombing on tests and other times when I'm just plain difficult. I don't know why but I couldn't tolerate the criticism. "You know I have problems of my own." Stubbornly I said. Immediately after saying it I soon realized my mistake. "Elliot, do you know what your father and I go through? How hard I work? Do you even know what my situation is? I know you say you know but do you really?" Almost as a reflex I came back with "Yes mom." Sometimes trying to agree with my mom didn't work. Like putting water on an oil fire. My mom started screaming and pounding on the steering wheel. He face grew red as I saw the blood rush to her face in rage. "Well I don't think you do, the doctors don't even know what to do with me. I just hope this cancer kills me. So I can just end this. I'm sick of work and tired of putting up with this, Elliot." There was no talking for the rest of the ride. I leaned over to the corner and cried knowing I deserved it for agitating her.