Rat Race

Briar could have really used a drink at that moment. Sure, she should be happy. The house was cleaned just in time for her parents’ arrival and she’ll finally get to spend some time with them. They might go to Sydney or Athens and spend a couple days there. But at that moment, the bottle of Cristal that sat between her and her venomous cousin was looking pretty tempting.

She instead decided to focus on the atmosphere and marvel at how the cleaning crew managed to create a room where the peach colored walls and carpet were free of vomit, the teardrop chandelier no longer had clothes strewn on it, and teenaged bodies were no longer passed out wherever they could fit.

All this did was remind her of the fact that her cousin was going to ruin all that hard work. And she didn’t know why. Briar thought of what had happened earlier that evening. Her parents had been upstairs getting cleaned up from their flights and the doorbell rang. She’d opened the door to find her cousin, Rosalynn, standing there in a purple tube skirt, a white cropped sweater, and thick black leggings and boots. Briar looked down at her own gray yoga pants and stretchy top and shrugged. She knew her cousin was coming, of course, but it was the icy look in her eyes that kept Briar from giving her cousin a warm welcome.

Briar shrugged it off and smiled. “You look nice,” she said, opening the door wider to let her in.

Rosalynn flashed what was probably supposed to be a smile but came off as more of a grimace. “Of course I do, hun.” She walked past Briar, giving her a whiff of what she recognized as Chanel No.5.

“Been digging in your step-mom’s perfume collection again?” Briar asked as she shut the door.

“She’s not my anything. And…” Rosalynn smirked, “Yes.”

“So… how’s school been—”

“Oh cut the niceties, Briar. I know,” Rosalynn interrupted.

“Know… what exactly?” Did she know that Briar smoked during lunch almost every day? Even if she did, why would she care?

Rosalynn rolled her light brown eyes. “You act like you’re so innocent. But I’m onto you. And soon, your parents will be too.” She flashed another faux smile and walked towards the dining room.

Briar was left there in the foyer with her mouth hanging open like a cartoon character’s.

That’s probably the way she looked at the dinner table. But she just didn’t understand. Here she was, trying to have a nice dinner with her parents, and her cousin was shooting daggers at her with her eyes the whole time. Thankfully, her mother gave her reprieve.

“Rosalynn, honey, how’s my brother?”

“Oh, he’s busy as usual,” Rosalynn unhooked her glare from Briar. She tried not to slouch in relief.

Bianca Asher tsked in disapproval. “Your father’s going to work himself into the grave if he keeps at it,” she said and reached for her champagne glass, the diamonds of her wedding ring sparkling on the coffee colored skin of her finger.

“Well then I’d have two dead parents, so let’s hope that doesn’t happen,” Rosalynn said lightly.

It was as if the sound of scraping utensils and breathing stopped completely. And the dreaded awkward silence followed. Milo Lombardi pulled at the collar of his shirt and cleared his throat.

Bianca’s dark eyes filled with sadness, and she tucked a strand of curly brown hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I wasn’t thinking.” She reached over and squeezed her niece’s hand.

“It’s alright Aunt Bianca. It’s been six years; I understand,” Rosalynn smiled, and to Briar, she looked genuinely okay with it. But there was no telling with her cousin.

There was a quiet moment, and then Rosalynn’s smile got wider. “I actually wanted to talk about something else anyways.” Her eyes slid to Briar and they were once again locked in their staring battle.

“This house looks so lovely, Aunt Bianca.”

“Um, thank you? It looks the same as it always does…”

“Well, it’s just that last weekend, it didn’t.” Rosalynn’s eyes smirked at Briar.

She was evil. Pure evil.

“What do you mean, honey?” Bianca was the picture of confusion. Milo wasn’t far behind her.

Briar’s bare fingers tapped an uneven rhythm on the dining table, and sweat beaded on her upper lip. She glanced at the champagne bottle between her and Rosalynn and she felt that craving. She gripped her fork tightly and started shoveling food into her mouth, not tasting it.

Rosalynn tossed her hair over her shoulder and widened her eyes innocently. “Well it’s just that… the party Briar threw was so… wild. I was so surprised that she was able clean it all up,” Rosalynn’s wide smile was all venom. “I’m proud of you, cuz.”

Briar was sure that if she thought she needed it, Rosalynn would have worked up some tears. By the looks of Bianca’s parents, though, Rosalynn wouldn’t need it.

“Is that true, Briar?” Milo Lombardi’s Italian accent got more pronounced the angrier he got.

“Of course not daddy!” Briar exclaimed around a mouthful of peach cobbler. She refused to look at her mother, who she knew would be so much worse.

“I know that you would not disrespect my house like that because we raised you better than that,” her father sounded like he was trying to convince himself. “Don’t lie to me, girl. Did. You. Throw. A. Party?” He asked this through gritted teeth and looked into his daughter’s eyes.

Briar placed her fork down and stared at her lap. Then she looked up into her cousin’s conniving eyes. “What the hell is your problem!” She yelled.

“Briar!” Her mom chastised her.

It was time to get out of there. She could feel the anxiety clawing up inside of her, and her eyes locked on the Cristal. She quickly grabbed it and picked up the cobbler. Her parents’ yells and Rosalynn’s fake looks of concern faded into the background.

Then she headed for the bathroom.