No Spare Key

Chap 11🥃

(That's Lainey)

    I feel like this is the universe or god or something giving me some cosmic punishment or some shit.  I don't feel like I can go to anyone but Jen right now.  Steven's still being kind of an ass to me, I'm pissed at Dad, Mom thinks I'm exactly like the man who's been stabbing her in the back for over twenty years and obviously Lucy wants exactly nothing to do with me.  Jen's maybe the only person who'd get me right now.  Or maybe not.  I've always been the favorite, now Jen might actually be getting closer to Mom and she might not wanna share that right now.  So, I feel completely alone right now...
Driving around usually helps me clear my head but right now I need someone to talk to.  My phone starts ringing and I see it's Lainey.

  "Hello?"

"Hey Wyatt, it's Lainey."

"Yeah I saw, what's up?  Something wrong with Jen?"

"Eh, not exactly.  She's just been really different since your mom came to stay with us."

"Different how?"

"Um, I guess just more type A?  She's cleaning a lot more, she's snapping at me anytime I don't immediately wash a dish or do my laundry.  I get that her feeling like she needs to please Becky, but she's being kinda mean."

"Yeah I get that, I'm sorry.  She's just always felt like she needs to jump through hoops to keep our mom happy.  Anything I could do to help?"

"I was kinda hoping you could come over and sway her stress a little?  Get her to see she doesn't need to stress herself out so much over this?"

"Sure thing, I'll head over now."

"Great, thanks.  See you in a bit."

"See ya."

******

Jen opens the door and looks surprised to see me. 
"Wyatt, hey."

"Hey, can I come in.  I wanted to come see Mom."

"Why?"  She asked almost defensively

"Uh, because she's my mom?  Plus Dad pissed me off."

"What did Dad do now?"

"Long story, could I come inside and tell you?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

  "Uhh sure, just hold on a minute."  She says and shuts the door.

Why's she being so weird?

"Okay," she says opening the door again, looking out of breath "come in."

"What was that about?"

"Well, Mom's been kinda pissed at you since you told her the truth so I felt like I had to ask her if she wanted to see you.  If I'm being totally honest she hasn't been doing too well." Jen admits looking at the floor, walking by my side to the stairs "She cheered up when I told her Lain and my plans though!"

"Oh?  What plans would those be?" I ask, genuinely glad Jen's got something good going on.

  "Lainey and I wanna sell the house and get a bigger one closer to her and Dad's place.  Of course, she then got upset again when she realized she might not wanna go back to living with Dad.  Or back to Dad at all."  She gestures for me to sit down at the table and joins me "Hey, I just gotta day, I'm really glad you told our folks the truth about what happened with Lucy."

  "Yeah, I figured if I was really gonna be serious about changing and acknowledging my failures then I should start with a good dose of honestly."  I admit, chagrined.