Chapter 5: After School Special

"I spent the summer in Italy with my mother," Celia said to mom.

 

We were city in the Café La Ritz. It really wasn't a café as they served breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but nevertheless they had great food. I gobbled down most of the bread basket and was on my third soda when mom had asked Celia about her summer.

 

"Now Italy is a place I'd love to go to," mom gushed and Celia beamed.

 

"You should have my dad take you. He's part Italian you know," Celia said to mom and they both laughed like two school girls.

 

Unsmiling and tired I sat there checking my cell phone, but no messages or phone calls were coming through. Just my luck.

 

"So, Myra, how was your first day of school?" mom finally turned to me as I was gulping down my drink.

 

"Good," I said letting a burp at the same time.

 

Celia cringed and mom shook her head.

 

"Have some class," mom said to me, but I couldn't respond because the waiter brought our food out.

 

I had ordered the double cheese burger with an extra slice of cheese and onion rings. I held my glass out to let the waiter know I needed more soda and he left the table with a sneer on his face to retrieve it.

 

"What's with all the stiffs in here?" I asked loud enough for the couple at the next table to hear.

 

"Myra, keep your voice down," mom said with her eyes darting apologetically at the couple.

 

"It's like you come here to eat and then they gawk when you want more than just a salad," I said and Celia looked down at her plate because she'd ordered a Caesar salad.

 

"I don't eat heavily in the afternoon," Celia said to me.

 

"Why not? You get bad gas at night?" I asked even louder and the man who was across from us spit out his drink in shock.

 

Celia turned bright red and mom started looking angry. I rolled my eyes at the both of them and then proceeded to put mayonnaise of my burger.

 

"That's too much," mom said to me as I reached for the ketchup.

 

"Not for me," I told her as I dove into my cheeseburger and sat back in ecstasy.

 

"Mrs. Freedmon, I'm sorry, but I've lost my appetite," Celia said and mom closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

 

"That's okay, Celia, we can just talk, tell me about the places you went in Italy," mom said to Celia who perked up and continued on describing the attractions and little tourists shops that the land of wine and cheese had to offer.

 

On the drive home I pressed my face against the window. This annoyed mom to no end since this was her new car that she purchased so that we could go on family trips. We never went on family trips, but I was too nauseated to be bothered arguing with her.

 

Once inside the house all I could hear was Celia going on and on about how beautiful the house was. I ran up the stairs and into my bathroom, but it was too late. I ended up puking all over the hallway carpet. This time I was shaking by the end of it and I called out to mom who came running with Celia coming right before her.

 

"Oh my God, Myra, are you alright?" Mom asked me, but by now I was heaving again.

 

"Will she be ok?" Celia asked, but mom didn't respond.

 

"There's a television set downstairs. Please go take a seat. Your dad should be here any moment now," Mom said to Celia as she moved around me and my mess to get into my bathroom.

 

Celia stood there for a couple moments and I knew this because I could feel her presence behind me. She didn't move until the click, click, click, of mom's high heels hit my bathroom floor coming back out.

 

Mom brought out towels that she placed over my throw up. She was on the phone now and from what I could make from the conversation she was talking to a carpet cleaning business.

 

"It's a beige color and yes the stain is biological," mom said in a rushed voice, "yes five PM is perfect."

 

Mom ended the call and lifted me off the bed and helped me into my room.

 

"I'm sorry," I said to her in a faint voice.

 

"Even if you're pregnant you shouldn't eat like that. It will only induce vomiting and I would know," mom started, "I've been pregnant four times!"

 

"I just need to lie down," I said with my head spinning.

 

"Let me get your book bag," mom said leaving the room and returned ten seconds later.

 

"Thanks," I told her with my eyes closed so I could stop the room from spinning.

 

"You need your rest. Carpet cleaners will be here in thirty minutes so I'll keep your room door closed," Mom said to me and left.

 

I laid there and must've drifted off because when I awoke the sound of vacuum cleaners was going. I groaned and dug my cell phone out my pocket and called Greg. He answered on the second ring.

 

"How are you doing?" Greg asked me.

 

"Not good. Today I threw up twice," I moaned and put my hand on my head.

 

"Well that's normal," Greg said, "did you throw up at school?"

 

"Yes, but the second time it was all over the floor in my hallway," I said and added, "and mom had to call the cleaners and they're here now making all types of noise."

 

"So why can't I come over?" Greg asked me and I knew he was suspicious.

 

Greg had professed his love to me last summer in the most embarrassing way possible. Since then we'd made love once and now he claimed to be certain that he was the father of my unborn child. There was a possibility, but someone else who could have fathered my fetus too.

 

"Mom's boyfriend's daughter is here visiting. Her name is Celia and we have a class together at school," I explained to Greg and he calmed down.

 

"Oh, well is she nice?" Greg asked.

 

"She's annoying as hell," I answered Greg who then started laughing.

 

"At least be kind to her," Greg told me, "she must be nervous, that's all."

 

"There's nothing to be nervous over. Mom will break up with Arthur and we'll all go on with our lives. Case closed," I said to Greg and he quieted.

 

"So, she hasn't told you?" Greg asked and my stomach tensed.

 

"Told me what?" I asked him sitting straight up in bed.

 

"Maybe I shouldn't be the one..." Greg started, but I cut him off.

 

"Tell me!" I demanded.

 

"Arthur proposed to your mom," Greg revealed and I was floored.

 

"When did that happen?" I asked him and he went mute for a moment and then spoke.

 

"It was at the reception following Eliza's funeral," Greg told me.

 

"How come I never heard her say anything?" I asked Greg, doubting that what he'd just said even occurred.

 

"You were gone with Jimmy, remember?" Greg asked me and I knew he was still angry over that.

 

"Yea, I do," I said pouting and lying back in my bed.

 

"No date's been set," Greg said like that was going to make me feel better.

 

"Now I'll have to put up with Celia even more?" I asked him.

 

"Looks that way, but hey I got to go. I have a s**t load of homework to complete before tomorrow," Greg said to me.

 

"Ok, just text me," I said and we both hung up.

 

I stayed in bed until eight PM. That's when I rose, went downstairs, and encountered a large group of rowdy boys watching TV.

 

I searched the crowd and saw Jimmy's face which surprised me, but I continued on my way to the kitchen unnoticed.

 

In the middle of me making a sandwich Jimmy walked in and startled me.

 

"Sorry," he said eying me over.

 

"That's ok, just don't do that," I told him and he chuckled.

 

"I was hoping to see you tonight, but we got here an hour ago and you were nowhere to be found," Jimmy said coming unnaturally close to me.

 

I moved away from him.

 

"I've been asleep," I answered him and he came in closer.

 

"Maybe we could go to sleep together," Jimmy whispered and I grimaced.

 

"That's ok, well, I'll talk to you at school tomorrow," I said to Jimmy as I went around the counter and escaped before he could reach me.

 

With my sandwich in hand I went quickly up the steps and back into my room. I grabbed my book bag and took out all the paperwork the teachers had given me. I signed my name and mom's name, put it all back, and then went to take my shower.

 

By the time I settled into bed it was a little after nine PM, but I was so exhausted that I fell asleep thinking about nothing.

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

The beginning of this chapter was amusing. I like what she did in the restaurant to get back at that Celia but it looks like she might be around a lot!

Excellent chapter!