Just as I Begin to Fade

Twenty Nine. Seamless

The next week would move along rather quickly for Gwen, but she wasn't mad about going back to her mom's that weekend.

Throughout the week at Stevie's, Lindsey had been coming by to spend time with her and to keep each other company, although at times they were iffy only because they weren't sure if Gwen would catch them spending a little more time together than once a week.

This late, Sunday morning, Gwen was packing up all of her things from her father's house in order to go home. She was sure to scan the whole house for anything and everything because she knew her father would be upset if she left behind anything in the living room or kitchen, but it was nice and spotless.

Just then, the house phone rang.

Gwen walked over and she answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey, Donna, what's up?"

"Nothing much. Just wanted to tell you that Bobby will be going to the party this coming Friday. I'll be out of town, so I can't go."

"Ah, no worries... I'll keep him entertained. Also, I don't think Derek will be able to come, he's got work. If he shows, it'll be later. But he may not come at all," she explained.

"Well, you guys got along, right?"

"Yeah, Bobby was really nice. Really cute too," she assured.

The girl on the other line laughed only because she was pretty outgoing.

"If I learned anything from my mother, it's that it's okay to look at a guy and call him handsome or hot in front of your partner. I never thought it was right just because my mom is a little wild, but she told me a while back that it was okay... I believe it because it is true."

"Hey, speaking of your mom, it's Sunday. Aren't you going back this evening?"

"Yeah, I am. I'll head over there this afternoon..."

"Did you and your mom make up?" she wondered.

"I can't say that we totally did, but I did promise her that I would come home in a week and that week is up," she sighed. "I don't know what I'll be going home to, but at least I know she wants me there."

"Of course she does, she's your mom she loves you. I don't think I know any parent who would want to be without their children."

"And I get that, it just feels like she doesn't want to be with me sometimes. Sometimes she fights with me on purpose and I know that, so I try not to let it get to me but... sometimes she really pulls some shit."

"Sure," she agreed. "My mom's really protective, so she doesn't really let me do a lot of things---that being why I lied about the party. She would be really mad at me, but she never lets me do anything. My dad had to explain to me that she just didn't want anything bad to happen to me. I get it, but she doesn't let me breathe, but I know she loves me. It doesn't make me any less angry, but I know it."

"I know my mom loves me and I love her too, we're all we've got. I just feel like she takes too much of her anger out in me---for everything my dad did to her, everything that she's put herself through... It shouldn't be my responsibility to clean up her messes, and she tells me it shouldn't be or it's not, but then she relies on me to get things done. She's just a very complicated woman."

"Maybe she needs to settle down..."

"Yeah, last thing on earth she wants to do. She wouldn't do it for me when I asked her and she goes through guys so fast, that there is no time for me to even meet them sometimes. After my dad, she wants to be in control of all of her relationships."