Give 'Em Hell Kid

Mom was sick, she had been sick for a long time. The Doctors had tried everything, but at the end of the day it was never any use and they would always tell me not to expect a miracle. It always pissed me off when they said that. I thought Doctors were supposed to make you feel better in a moment like the one I had been for a long time now. They weren’t supposed to crush any hope that you had of your only parent pulling through. But their constant warnings, I guess you could call them that, they helped. It didn’t surprise me completely when I got the call, they said that she didn’t have much time and that it would be wise for me to come in. It was about three in the morning and I had been staying at a close friend of my Mom’s, Jenna’s house. I knew she had work so I didn’t bother waking or worrying her. Instead I called a cab, and paid my way to the place that I called Death’s Closet.

When I walked into her room, I was surprised to see just how much had changed within the ten hours of my last visit. Her eyes were dull, like someone had smeared a thick of coat of grey over what used to be her vibrant and clear blue ones. Black rings surrounded them, denting her pasty damp skin. It caused her eyes to look like they were bulging out of her skull. Her lips were weathered and looked almost white. Her entire face looked like a skeleton with sickening skin stretched over it.
“Mom?” I choked staring at the dying woman who was in fact the same one who not even a year ago was glowing and full of life.
“Ev, sweetie come here.” the soles of my worn out converse slipped across the floor as I reached her bed. I reached out taking her icy hand in mine. Her head rolled to the side, just enough so that she could look at me.
“I love you sweetheart, just remember that ok? If there’s one thing that you remember about me, I want it to be that you know I love you endlessly.” I felt the tears slip from my eyes, and burn their way down my face. I hated crying, it made me feel weak and pathetic. Normally I could stop myself before it happened, but right now I couldn’t and I didn’t really care.
“I’m so proud of the little woman you’re turning into. I’m sorry that I wont be there for you first Prom, or when you graduate, all of those lovely things.” she rasped.
“No, it’s not your fault. Don’t say you’re sorry,” I breathed holding her hand tighter. She gave a small laugh, it was weak but it was still there.
“What?”
“You’re so much like you’re father, it scares me sometimes. I spent so much time, and I tried so hard to stop you from being like him. But it made me feel so selfish for the longest time. It’s who you are and I can’t change that.”
“Mama please don’t compare me to him,” the anger laced itself into my words.
“I never wanted you to hate him. I only wanted to protect you from heartache. I did what I thought was right. Now that I look back on it, I can’t help but wonder what if.” she sighed.
“We don’t need to talk about him.” I sat down on the edge of her bed and straightened out her hair.
“Every child deserves a Father.”
“Every child deserves a Mother. A Father is not someone who just leaves during the night, leaving their daughter to wake up on her birthday to find him gone. A Father would have helped you raise me mom. I haven’t seen him for twelve years, he’s just a stranger with a name and a face to me. That’s all he’ll ever be.” I explained. She sighed removing her hand from mine and patted my arm.
“Love and forgive Evelyn. Never forget, but always love and forgive. Don’t do what I did promise me.”
“I will never forgive him Mom. I can’t, so please don’t ask me to.” I sighed.
“Come here,” she motioned for me to lay with her. I laid down, resting my head on her shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her and she rubbed my back.
“I love you Baby girl,” she breathed.
“I love you too.” I whispered. We laid like that for a while, I knew what was coming, I cried quietly hoping I was wrong. But not long after we fell into silence I hear the flat line of her monitor and I cried there, holding her close. The nurses rushed in, shooing me out of her bed as they tried to revive her, but it was a lost cause. I sat there on the chair, my knee’s pulled to my chest and I cried, I cried for the first time since my fourth birthday. The woman who had raised me, loved and cared for me, now laid dead on a bed.

The hours and the few days following all seemed to mesh into one. Jenna had taken care of arranging the funeral, there were papers being signed, visits with lawyers were almost a constant. The word of me going to therapy was thrown in, but I instantly rejected it. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I just wanted my Mom back. We were in the car, on the way back from another visit to the Lawyer. I sat quietly in the passenger seat, Jenna was quiet as well. The only sound in the car came from the radio, that is until she turned it off and let out a heavy sigh.
“So, I need to tell you something.” I looked over at her, tucking my recently black dyed hair behind my ear.
“What is it?” I crossed my arms.
“Well, your Mom didn’t have anyone listed to be your guardian.” I didn’t know what she meant by that.
“I thought that you would be my guardian. Why do you make it sound like a bad thing?”
“Because, well, they got in touch with your Dad.” my eyes bulged out of my skull, and my depressing mood was instantly over run by rage.
“What?! They can’t do that! I don’t want anything to do with him! Mom said t-that I would stay with you.” I ranted. She nodded and sighed.
“She didn’t add me on her will, so seeing as he is your father, he has been given custody of you.” I wanted to punch something, anything that I could, but I wouldn’t take it out on her car.
“They actually got in touch with him?” she nodded.
“Great. I thought life couldn’t get any worse.” I growled sinking into my seat.
“There’s more,” she added, “he’ll be here tomorrow. He’s going to be here for the next three days which means he’ll be at the funeral.” I screamed, I literally screamed. I held my arms to my face and let out my anger startling Jenna. When I finished I sighed dropping my head back to the seat.
“I’m sorry, I just had to do something before I punched your window.” I sighed.
“Well, I’d much rather have you screaming instead of damaging my window and your hand.” not long after that we were at her house. Inside my blood was boiling because I knew tomorrow I would have to face the man that I hated with a passion. I sat on the spare bed staring at the window, a hole was digging its way through my heart over the loss of my mom. I just wanted her here, for just five more minutes that was all. I headed downstairs finding Jenna and her husband Mark at the table.
“Evelyn, I know it’s stupid to ask, but how are you holding up?” Mark asked, he had been away on business and had just come back today.
“Fine, until I found out that he will be here tomorrow.” he nodded.
“Um, I was actually wondering if I could stay at my house tonight. I mean, you know have Cory and Shannon over.” they looked at each other for a few minutes before nodding.
“Call and let me know though. And make sure you keep everything, and I mean everything locked up.” I nodded going up to my room and called them both. I called Cory first who said he would be there no matter what his parent said. Then I called Shannon.
“Hello?”
“Shan? It’s me, um are you doing anything tonight?” I hoped she wasn’t.
“Nope, what can I do for you in a depressing time of need my dear?”
“Stay with me and Cory at my house tonight. There’s something I need to tell both of you about.” I grumbled.
“Ok, I’ll be there. But what’s wrong?”
“My Dad is coming back.”
“Oh, I’ll make sure to bring the goods. You’re in need of a cheering up.” with that she hung up. I packed what things I had brought and slung my bag over my shoulder. I headed downstairs saying my goodbyes and went home. Knowing full well that tomorrow would be here sooner then I would like.