Well, I'll Wait 'Til You Listen, I Won't Say a Word
In Which I Resolve The Issue With My Mother.
After the show, we all drove over to Matt’s house to have a bit of a party. We hung out, watched TV and ate a lot of food.
It was getting late, so I asked Adam if he could drive me home. I would face my mom tonight, I definitely felt up to it. I said goodbye to the guys, walked with Adam down Matt’s driveway and got into his car.
The drive home was comforting. Everything was just feeling right. I was in love with an amazing boy who really seemed to love me back. I had great friends. I’d just had a really good time. I was basically ready to face anything, including my angry mother. I chatted with Adam and listened to the radio, feeling at peace.
We pulled up to my house, which stood tall and white against the black background of the night.
“Listen. If it doesn’t work out, you can call me,” Adam said reassuringly. “If you don’t think you can stay here, just let me know. I’ll come and pick you up.”
“I know you would.” I said, starting to smile, “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing,” he leaned over and kissed me. “Now go in there and give her a piece of your mind.”
I laughed, “I took care of that at the hospital. Now I think she’s gonna give me a piece of her mind.”
“Well, alright then,” he said. “Good night and good luck, Lanie.”
“I’ll need it.” I said. I gave him a quick hug and then trudged up the front walk and into the front door.
I found her sitting on the couch, watching the news. The blue light from the screen illuminated her features. I could see how tired she looked. Broken down. The lines around her mouth and her eyes were easy to see, they were casting slight shadows. Her blond hair looked frizzy around the edges.
“Mom?” I said, feeling unsure for the first time that night. “I’m home.”
“Oh hello, Elaine.” I heard the stiffness in her voice. “Where have you been?”
“Well, uh, I was downtown, watching Matt’s band. You know, Matt Rubano?” She nodded. “Last night I stayed at a friend’s house.”
“I thought so,” I heard her voice crack. She was upset. “Honey, look. I’m very sorry. I overreacted, I was afraid, angry. I’m sorry I had that outburst at the hospital. And what you said…” she paused, “I didn’t want to believe it at first, but I understand why you said it. It’s true, and I need to start being a better mother. After your dad died, I lost it. I know I messed up. I’ve known it for years, but I never tried to fix anything.”
“No, no, no, Mom. I didn’t mean to make you upset. I’ve been thinking about it for all these years. It just…exploded. I…” I assured her.
“No. It’s may fault. From now on, I’ll be at every soccer game, every event.” She sighed. “I’ve missed so much!”
“Thank you, Mom. This means so much.” I leaned over and gave her a hug. I saw that she was crying, and so was I.
“So,” she said, after the tears had stopped. I was sitting on the couch next to her. “Who was that young man in the hospital? The tall one, with the brown hair? I saw him leaving your room right before I went in.”
“That was Adam,” I said, grinning. “You’d like him a lot.”
It was getting late, so I asked Adam if he could drive me home. I would face my mom tonight, I definitely felt up to it. I said goodbye to the guys, walked with Adam down Matt’s driveway and got into his car.
The drive home was comforting. Everything was just feeling right. I was in love with an amazing boy who really seemed to love me back. I had great friends. I’d just had a really good time. I was basically ready to face anything, including my angry mother. I chatted with Adam and listened to the radio, feeling at peace.
We pulled up to my house, which stood tall and white against the black background of the night.
“Listen. If it doesn’t work out, you can call me,” Adam said reassuringly. “If you don’t think you can stay here, just let me know. I’ll come and pick you up.”
“I know you would.” I said, starting to smile, “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing,” he leaned over and kissed me. “Now go in there and give her a piece of your mind.”
I laughed, “I took care of that at the hospital. Now I think she’s gonna give me a piece of her mind.”
“Well, alright then,” he said. “Good night and good luck, Lanie.”
“I’ll need it.” I said. I gave him a quick hug and then trudged up the front walk and into the front door.
I found her sitting on the couch, watching the news. The blue light from the screen illuminated her features. I could see how tired she looked. Broken down. The lines around her mouth and her eyes were easy to see, they were casting slight shadows. Her blond hair looked frizzy around the edges.
“Mom?” I said, feeling unsure for the first time that night. “I’m home.”
“Oh hello, Elaine.” I heard the stiffness in her voice. “Where have you been?”
“Well, uh, I was downtown, watching Matt’s band. You know, Matt Rubano?” She nodded. “Last night I stayed at a friend’s house.”
“I thought so,” I heard her voice crack. She was upset. “Honey, look. I’m very sorry. I overreacted, I was afraid, angry. I’m sorry I had that outburst at the hospital. And what you said…” she paused, “I didn’t want to believe it at first, but I understand why you said it. It’s true, and I need to start being a better mother. After your dad died, I lost it. I know I messed up. I’ve known it for years, but I never tried to fix anything.”
“No, no, no, Mom. I didn’t mean to make you upset. I’ve been thinking about it for all these years. It just…exploded. I…” I assured her.
“No. It’s may fault. From now on, I’ll be at every soccer game, every event.” She sighed. “I’ve missed so much!”
“Thank you, Mom. This means so much.” I leaned over and gave her a hug. I saw that she was crying, and so was I.
“So,” she said, after the tears had stopped. I was sitting on the couch next to her. “Who was that young man in the hospital? The tall one, with the brown hair? I saw him leaving your room right before I went in.”
“That was Adam,” I said, grinning. “You’d like him a lot.”
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Thank you for being patient. :]More soon, hopefully.