The Gamer [Clifford]

1.3 Mom's new man

Sorry this is late but today is my birthday!!!!(:
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I woke up to the sound of the front door slamming shut. I slowly stood up and walked to my bedroom door looking at the clock. 4:00 am. The time zone change was killing me, but never the less life has to go on.

I pulled open my bedroom door and walked into the kitchen and looked into the living room, I saw my mom laying on the couch completely passed out.

"Mom?" I shook her arm and she moaned and rolled over. I sighed and walked over to the basket holding all the blankets and pulled one out and covered her. I sat down next to her on the couch not wanting to leave her in case she got sick.

I'd been home for 3 days and this is how it's been night after night, mom leaves in the afternoon and comes back in the early mornings. I've been taking care of Lauren since I came home, getting her ready for school, helping her with her homework, and putting her to bed. This is just like how it was last time, except dad isn't here and I'm taking care of Lauren alone, trying to go to school, then waking up at the ass crack of dawn to make sure my drunk ass mother got home.

I laid my head back on the sofa looking up at the dark shadows on the ceiling. I couldn't help but let the way I left things with Michael creep back into my head. I hadn't talked to him since I left his house that night. It's times likes these I want to here his voice, but I know he wouldn't want to talk to me.

-

This morning my mother never came home, was I worried? yes. But in the back of my mind I was kind of okay with her not coming back. I felt guilty about it, but it would be so much better for Lauren if she never came back home. She didn't need this in her life, she's so young. No one should ever have to see their mother like that.

It was 2pm when the front door finally swung open and the putrid smell of alcohol filled the room, but not one body walked in, but two. I was sat at the counter with Lauren when mom walked over drunk off her ass- like the man following behind her- she walked over to Lauren and kissed her on the head as the man stood there watching.

He was older, maybe 10 years older. He was disgusting, his hair was greasy and his eyes where bloodshot and his skin was a nasty jaundiced color. I looked at him and over to my mom. "This is Bill." My mom said her speech slurred as she pulled the man closer. He reached out to touch Lauren, but I pulled her away. He just watched me as a playful smirk lined his lips.

My mom smiled at us as she pulled Bill away to her room. Lauren and I stayed in the kitchen for a bit before I started hearing yelling and moans coming from my mothers room and I knew it was time to get out. I grabbed Lauren's books and we headed to a restaurant down the street. It was only a little while until Lexi got there. She had texted me saying she wanted to see me.

"Hello darling." She leaned down and kissed my cheek.

"Hey. What's so important we had to meet this minute?" She held up her index finger indicating for me to wait a second while she pulled out her phone. She loaded her Twitter app and pulled up Michael's account and handed her phone to me.

I read through the tweets he had posted the past few days:

I'm such a fuck up

She meant so much to me

I miss her

She won't answer me

What do I do?

I'm sorry, forgive me. I'm a dick.

Then my personal favorite:

I'm so sorry. I don't know why I didn't come after you, I'm such a fucking idiot. Please forgive me.