The Club Is Open Until 8:00Pm

When the bus pulled up to the curb of my house, after school that day, I saw that the van was gone, which meant that Joanne and Steve were both out. I walked off the bus and up to the porch. I glanced at the mailbox that had nothing in it and pushed the door open.

I kicked off my shoes in the living room and carried them through into the kitchen. My stomach growled, which seemed really loud all of a sudden. “Joanne, I’m hungry.” I called to myself, opening up the fridge and pulling out a sketchy looking container with last night’s spaghetti in it. I placed it back on the shelf, and went to get my shoes which I’d put on the counter, when I saw the mail. One from the school. One from the doctors.

I grabbed the envelop I wanted, and headed up to the second floor bathroom. I locked the door behind me and held the unopened doctors letter against the light, but I couldn't see through it, which left me to open it. I gently unfolded it, the off white/green paper telling me nothing but the facts. I searched through all the words, trying to find the ones that mattered most.

I hope the results were to your liking. Sincerely Dr. Carter.

After reading it through, I folded it back up, and closed my eyes tight. I waited until I had the cabinet opened to open my eyes. I grabbed my prescription pill bottle and fiddled with the cap. With shaky hands, I tapped a pill into my hand, when a thud down the hall jumped me. The bottle fell out of my hand, and the pills spilled down the drain.

I looked up at the mirror shyly. Like I was afraid that my own reflection was gonna spit something at me. "Oh my god." I whispered, looking at my image. I had dark circles under my eyes, and I wasn't even wearing eyeliner. My hair was just hanging in my face; I almost never did my hair anymore, just running a comb through it and calling it good, I hadn't noticed how long it'd gotten.

I mindlessly walk into my room, and close the door. I wonder if he got the same letter. I want to call him, but I don’t think I can. Instead, I turn on the t.v, and start the v.c.r. The movie is already in and I snuggle up under the blankets, close my eyes and listen.

Shh, you’re gonna wake her up.” He whispers.

“You two look so cute together.” She says.

He laughs, waking me up. I stir and tiny cries echo.

He pats my back, not once, but a couple times, and I’m back asleep, my small head resting on his shoulder.

...

“Can you turn that down please.” I ask Andy, sitting on the couch. Andy, sitting on the floor reached over for the remote, and turned it down a few notches. I went back to reading my book. “Hey, Monet?” He started to ask. I didn’t look up from my book and answered, “What?” in a sigh. He hesitated. “How come you and your friends don’t hang out anymore?” I turned the page. “Because.” He didn’t press anymore, but changed the channel.

I heard Joanne and Steve call me from kitchen. I rolled my eyes and placed my book on the coffee table as I went to see what they wanted. “What?” I asked, standing in the doorway. Steve was gathering dishes from the cabinet while Joanne held the phone to her ear. I hadn’t heard it ring.

“Yeah, she’s right here actually. Yep, no not at all, here she is.” She spoke gently and extended the phone towards me. I pointed to myself, quietly asking who it was. “It’s Gerard.” I bit my lip, and slowly took the phone from her and went into the hall.

“Hello?”

“Hey. How are doing?”

“Good. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, baby.”

“When are you coming back?”

“Hopefully tomorrow.”

“Um, If I see you tomorrow, I wanna ask you something. I’m kinda tired right now so,”

“Ok, I’ll try and be there.”


“Goodnight, Dad.”


“Goodnight, baby.”