Daughter of Rage and Love

It was times like these, Lillith thought, that she needed to die. Her mom and dad were shouting and arguing down stairs. There were nasty words in each others mouth and most of them flew out. They spat out swear words like razors and insults like knives. Lillith didn't want to hear any of it; she hated fighting. It was pointless and stupid. She locked herself in her bedroom and reached her beloved CD collection. She pulled out American Idiot and jammed it into her speaker system. She turned it up to maximum volume and immersed herself in the lyrics.

'Don't want to be an American Idiot,' dun, dun, dun, dun.
'Don't want a nation under the new media.'
"Can you hear the sound of hysteria? The subliminal mind fuck America..." Lillith sobbed. She fell to the floor in a collapsed heap and let the tears roll down her face. She had never liked it when her parents fought; or anyone for that matter. Whether it was politicians, governments or countries; she still loathed it. Her lyrics reflected that; they were offensive and rude; like a bomb being set off in the White House. She was a punk; she was proud to be one. Nothing was going to change that. No amount of propaganda or government brainwashing was going to change her. She didn't mind being hated; she secretly liked it.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams was playing; Lillith couldn't hear anything but the singers heart-wrenching words. She began to sing along; her voice in perfect harmony. They were in complete sync; Lillith knew every word off by heart; like she was meant to sing them. The tears kept on falling down her cheeks; she closed her moist eyes; she didn't want to see the real world anymore. She wanted, no she needed to be somewhere else. Somewhere where she wasn't ignored or hated; somewhere where her parents never fought or swore at each other; somewhere where her younger brother didn't pointlessly beat her up.

Her sorrowful tears cemented her eyes shut and she lay upon her bedroom floor.
' Are we, we are? Are we, we are, the waiting?'
'Forget me nots, second thoughts live in isolation.'
'Heads or tails? Fairy tales in my mind.'
The words drifted her off to sleep; like a lullaby from her true mother.

***

Adrienne stood by the kitchen stove; the scent of frying eggs and sizzling bacon filling the Armstrong residence. She hummed a tune to herself; it helped her as she cooked breakfast. She didn't need to shout the boys down; the delicious smell naturally lured the three boys into the kitchen. The first to arrive was Jakob; although mostly absorbed in his PSP game; he managed to ask his mom what was for breakfast.
"Eggs and bacon and maybe if you're good I'll rustle up some waffles!" Adrienne replied enthusiastic. Adie was a great mother; she loved both of her sons no matter how many times they threw her off the edge and round the bend. She cared for them; yet she taught them how to be independent.
"Hey Joey!" She said as her eldest son walked into the kitchen, "Could you please set the table? Oh and Jakob? Can you get some glasses and plates out?"
"Sure thing." Jakob said brightly as he made his way to the cupboard. Joey didn't say a word; he was being mopish and teen-like; he just found another pimple (or rather a whole bunch of pimples); this time on his chin. He wished he could grow a beard; he damned his half pubescent body. Joey shuffled his way to the cutlery drawer; his head hung low and his hair a mop-top mess. He hadn't got it cut in a while; it was just a curly mass. His fringe covered his eyes; at least in that respect, he could hide the spots on his forehead. Joey got four sets of knives and forks and arranged them on the black marble surface of the breakfast bar.
Jakob put the glasses alongside the cutlery his brother put out and the plates beside his cooking mother.

"Thank-you Jakob." Adie praised as he set them down.
"Mm-mmm. Something smells good!" Said a familiar voice from the kitchen entrance.
"Hey honey, could you pour out some orange juice?" Adie asked her milling husband.
"Okay." Bill said as he made his way to the fridge. He poured out a generous amount of juice into each glass and put the bottle back into the cool.
He sat down at his usual spot with his two sons sat around him, eager-eyed and hungry.
"Okay grubs up!" Adie said as she placed a laden plate in front of each member of her family including herself. She sat down and took a sip from her juice.

"To a happy 4th of July!" Bill announced as he raised his glass.
"Cheers!" Jakob said as he raised his.
"Whatever..." Joey said sarcastically.
"What's up Joey?" Adie asked her teen son.
"Nothin'. I'm just a bit depressed that's all." He mumbled.
"Well, I've got some good news for you all, because, I'm going to get someone who's very special. And I want you to be extremely nice to her." Bill said to all of them.
"Who is she?" Jakob asked.
"She's called Lillith and she's currently living in San Francisco so I'll be out for a while." Bill said as he wolfed down a sliver of bacon.
"Oh but don't be to long, we want a father present for our 4th of July. You know i can't set off fireworks for toffee." Adie said authoritatively.
"Alright I'll be back by five. Love you guys." Bill said as he finished his breakfast and stood up. He planted a kiss on Adie's cheek and reached for his jacket. He grabbed a pair of creepers and his sunglasses. He plonked a baseball cap upon his black curly hair and did up his laces. Once ready he headed for the front door and said a final farewell to his family.