Page 31 of So Long, Honey
I held in the sigh, grinding my teeth together to keep the frustrated sound deep within me as my mother watched my every move.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t comfortable with her being alone, especially not on her birthday, so I apologize for breaking the rules, but Iwilldo it again.”
All of the air was sucked from the room in a violent woosh as the words left Ryan’s lips. My father’s hands curled around the island's edges as he straightened out and hovered over Ryan ominously. My Mother’s face was priceless, shock laced with disgust at Ryan’soutburst.
That’s what she would call it. I could hear her voice now, yelling over the sound of my father slamming things in his office after Ryan left.
“It was nice to meet you, Mr. Cody, but it’s time you left.”
“Yeah, figured as much.” He nodded tightly, a few strands of dirty blonde hair falling against his cheeks as he winked at me. “I’ll see you at school on Monday.” He said, stepping back and reaching around me to grab his bag from the stool behind me.His lips brushing against my cheek was enough to turn them pink as he backed away. “Happy Birthday, Starlight.”
I watched as he held his hand to my mother, “Ma’am.”
She looked down at it and then over at me with a scowl before curling her arms across her chest.
“Alright,” Ryan nodded, his voice low and tight. “Monday,” he repeated, and he sidestepped around my mother toward the front door.
The three of us stood in silence as it opened and closed with a loud click.
“How dare you,” my Mother sighed. “You know the rules, Lorraine.”
“I’m tutoring him. It’s for school.” I defended quietly, curling in on myself to become smaller as my father rounded the island to hover in front of me.
“Do all of the students you tutor show such affection?” He asked me.
“He’s just like that, it was nothing. He was causing a scene because you made him uncomfortable.” I argued. “Which you didn’t have to do. We weren’t doing anything besides homework.”
“This is my house, Lorraine, and you aremydaughter. Start acting like it.” Were his next words before leaving the kitchen and me all alone with my mother.
My scolding wasn’t through. The second wave was imminent.
“You can’t speak to him like that, Lorraine. He’s your father, and he’s right. You’re not allowed to have boys in the house, especially when we’re not home.”
“I’m not allowed to haveanyonein the house, and you’reneverhome!” I raised my voice as I heard the soft sound of the office door closing.
“You knew what obligations your father had this weekend,” she said as if it was okay that they missed my birthday for thetenth time in how many years? It was just like her to make this about them like I was an inconvenience to their personal lives and careers.
She wandered around the kitchen and pulled a bottle of wine from the cabinet, popping it open in my face like we weren’t in the middle of an argument.
“It’s been like this since I got sick. You both leave me alone as if you can’t stand to be around me. You can’t catch cancer, mom, it's not viral.” I huffed gently, the frustration rising.
“Lorraine,” she hissed, “you know that has nothing to do with it. Your father is important to this county and to the state. We have obligations to the state and to the governor.”
Yeah, and his big fancy lake house is sixteen hours away.
“I know,” I said instead.
“Then why are you acting like this?” She asked, not wanting a lick of the truth but just wanting an answer that would make her feel better about herself as she downed a glass of wine.
“I’m not acting like anything. Ryan was here to get tutored in English; nothing is going on, and you and Dad are acting like he got me pregnant!” I rolled my eyes, and she slammed the glass to the counter.
What about your father’s reputation?
“What about your father’s reputation?” She said right on cue.
“They barely even know I exist. Tutoring someone from school isn’t going to reflect badly on Dad!” I argued, careful to watch my tone with her.
“It’s not about the tutoring!” She snapped.