Complicated Love

3rd May,
After my mum’s funeral yesterday, I ran away. I packed my suitcase and left. I didn’t and still don’t regret leaving my dad but I couldn’t bear to stay in the house any longer. I didn’t leave dad a note; as soon as he went to sleep I left.

I’m currently too tired to explain the night and day’s events but currently I am sitting in the guest bedroom of mums only sister, Morgan. Who forced me to call my dad which did not end well and so, I have been ordered to try again tomorrow.

It has been such a long day and it wasn’t made any shorter by auntie Morgan’s friend coming round here for dinner. She was lovely but I felt forced to sit with her and Morgan when all I really wanted to do was be alone with my thoughts. But it was agreed that I would be staying here until next Sunday and I will be going to Magenta’s home tomorrow whilst my aunt goes to her work.

I found out tonight that Morgan has a four year old daughter named Nicole. But unfortunately Morgan and her husband got divorced just last year. I won’t get to meet my little cousin though; she is apparently staying with her father’s parents this week. To be frank, I was too nervous to ask why Nicole’s dad doesn’t see his daughter himself but my curiosity is beginning to grow.
Maria xღ

When I awoke I knew it was still early but there was no form of clock in this room that indicated the time. So I picked up my brick of a mobile phone and warily turned it on. Before I could even check the registered time on my mobile, it began to ring.

I checked the caller ID before answering. It was Chelsea calling so I answered, if it had been my dad, I would have ignored it.

“Maria! You alright?” Chelsea almost shouted down the phone, I could hear the relief in voice. “I got worried when you never replied to my texts yesterday or answered my calls.”

“Yeah I’m okay. I’ve had my phone turned off; I didn’t want to talk to my dad. I knew he would go ballistic.” I answered suddenly feeling very sleepy again.

“Yeah that’s understandable.” She sounded sympathetic. “How are you doing?”

I quietly sighed to myself and ignored her question. “I called him yesterday and I was right about him being mad, I hung up on him before I told him where I was.”

“That’s a good point, where are you?” She asked.

I realised the only people who knew I was here were my aunt herself and her friend. “I’m in my aunts in Manchester.”

“Oh wow. How long will you be staying there for? We have our final exams coming up in a couple of weeks.” She reminded me.

“Just till Saturday. I’ll need to let my dad know though. Wish me luck.” I said only slightly joking, I knew I would definitely need it.

“The bell just rang. I have to go to registration. Phone me later on alright? I’m here for you any time you need me, all our friends are.” Chelsea said and hung –up not waiting for my reply.

I looked at the time on my mobile which read: 8.40am. School back home in Dundee would be starting and apparently I would be falling back asleep…

When I awoke again, my mobile told me that it was only half past nine. I pulled myself out of the double bed and made my way down stairs.

I walked into the kitchen to find my aunt sitting at the dining table, her nose buried in a newspaper and hand wrapped around a mug. She didn’t notice me at first, but she didn’t seem startled when I sat down beside her.

“Good morning hun. Would you like me to make you some breakfast before I go to work?” Morgan took a swing of whatever substance filled the purple mug.

“No thank you. I’m not hungry.” I said, keeping my eyes off her.

“You didn’t eat much of the pizza last night.” She said and stood up, taking the mug over to te sink and rinsing it.

I didn’t say anything, I knew what she was beginning to think but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“If you don’t want anything to eat just now that’s fine. I have to go to work now so I can’t take you round to Magenta’s. I will write down her address and directions, it shouldn’t be a problem to find. I will the office early tonight so I can pick you up but I will be busy with my case.” Morgan took a pad of paper out of a drawer and began to scribble on it.

I took that as my opportunity to make my escape and take a shower. There always seems to be something about a hot shower that makes the rest of the world and all of its problems melt away.

Afterwards, I took as long as I could to get ready, I didn’t want to go to Magentas house but I was staying in my aunt’s home and as far as both of us were concerned; ‘her house, her rules.’ I did feel unnerved by the thought of family not trusting me to stay here alone but it was understandable.

Once I was dressed in my navy jeans with black studded belt and black shirt with many pink skulls printed all over it, I tied my hair up and made an attempt at my usual dark make-up. I checked my handbag for the usual necessities; purse, brush and iPod then brushed my teeth.

I made my way downstairs to the kitchen to retrieve the piece of paper Morgan left for me and the spare keys to lock the door.

As I was leaving, I had a quick look in the hallway mirror and then left the house and locked the door behind me.

Instead of walking to Magenta’s house and more than likely getting lost, I called a taxi to take me there. Although auntie Morgan never gave me money to pay for a taxi, I still had the money in my purse which I had planned to pay to my previous Manchester taxi driver.

It didn’t take long for the taxi to arrive at Magentas home, I paid attention to the route the driver took so that if I had to come back here, I would know the way, rather than having to pay for another taxi.

When the driver drew up on the curb, I searched for the number fifteen. It seemed that number fifteen was the only house to stand out on the street, it was the only red bricked building standing alone; the rest seemed to be grey pebbled and conjoined.

I paid the driver and climbed out the back seat. I slumped up to the house, I still didn’t want to spend the day here but I knew I didn’t have a choice. I knocked on the front door and waited. But suddenly the door swung open and there stood Magenta.

“Hello, Maria. Come on in.” She stood aside motioning for me to entre.

I tried to hide my sigh of unwillingness but I think she knew anyway.

Once I was inside, she closed the door behind me. “Raven! Come down here for a moment please!” Magenta stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up. I was too busy looking around the lobby to notice when someone appeared before me at the bottom of the stairs.

"Raven, this is Maria, she's Morgan’s' niece.” Magenta said, breaking my trance and introducing us. “Maria, this is my daughter Raven."

I know I didn’t hide my horror when I saw the blonde girl. It wasn’t her dyed hair or fake tan that took me off guard but the fact she was obviously older than me but she dressed like a nine year old girl. She wore a tight bright pink ‘Justin Bieber’ t-shirt, black shorts, knee high rainbow socks and purple slippers.

“Hey.” She said with a massive grin spread across her mouth. She looked at me like I was a new doll for her to play with.

Magenta turned to me and smiled, “My sons aren’t here. They went on a fishing trip with my brother today. They won’t be back until later tonight, so I guess it’s a girls day in.”

“Come on, Maria.” Raven was still grinning; she turned and started climbing the stairs.

I turned to Magenta for conformation. I could only imagine the horror of Raven’s bedroom and it terrified me.

Magenta smiled, turned around -using her wooden walking stick to help- walked down the lobby into another room. “Go on up, I’m making lunch. I’ll call you both down soon.”

I stood there for a moment, beginning to wonder what happened to her to make her need the walking stick. She couldn’t have been any older than forty.

I fallowed Raven along the corridor and into her bedroom. I couldn’t decide if it was worse than I imagined or not. The room was papered light pink with various bright pink and black ‘playboy’ bunnies on it. The floor was laminated but had a large black, ‘playboy bunny’ shaped rug covering it. The bed covers were black with a large pink ‘playboy bunny’ printed on it. There were various posters dotted around the room; one was of ‘Justin Bieber’ and another was of ‘One Direction’.

I definitely felt uncomfortable in this horrendous mess. For me, it was as scary as the ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’, maybe worse.

Raven was sitting in a black chair at her computer desk, eyes glued to the screen. Suddenly, ‘Justin Bieber’ started blaring from the speakers.

She turned to face me and said, “So why are you gate crashing my house? Why isn’t Morgan looking after you?”

The tone she was using wasn’t a pleasant one, I could tell she wasn’t happy with me being here and apparently she wasn’t afraid to show it.

“Because my mum is dead and my aunt is too busy to care.” I answered bluntly. It did hurt but the expression on Raven’s face was priceless.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” She stared at the floor, clearly uncomfortable.

I stood staring at the blonde girl, daring her -with my eyes- to say something else inappropriate just so I could ‘tear her a new one’. But to my dismay she stayed awkwardly silent, holding her arms as if to protect herself.

“Lunch!” Magenta called.

After lunch, the day dragged on as I waited for Morgan to come and pick me up. I didn’t go back up the stairs with Raven; I sat in the living room with Magenta watching crappy daytime television. I was perched on the recliner while Magenta spread her legs along the sofa.

“So, Maria. What are you studying at school?” Magenta asked.

I guessed she felt uncomfortable in the silence which I was rather enjoying. But I was in her house and I was raised to be polite.

“I’m studying all three sciences for my standard grades. Also higher Maths and English. According to my guidance teacher, I can do advanced Highers next year and go straight into university, which means I wouldn’t have to go my sixth year.” I said, not looking at her.

“Wow. You’re obviously very smart. What do you want to do with those qualifications?” Was Magenta’s next question.

“Originally, I wanted to be a physicist.” I could feel Magentas gaze on me but I kept my eyes glued to the television. I felt tears building in my eyes and the need to let them fall grew with them.

The tears fell. It was uncontrollable and obviously uncomfortable for Magenta to see. I doubt she often witnesses strange teenage girls bursting into tears in her living room.

She left the room with her walking stick and returned a few minutes later with a cup of tea and a cup of sugar on a tray. “I would give you scotch to calm your nerves but you’re underage so tea will have to suffice.”

I laughed through the tears. Magenta sat the tray down on the little coffee tabled in front of me and sat down on the arm of the chair. She placed her hand on my back and rubbed it comfortingly. Not long later, my breathing evened out and the crying slowly retreated.

“Mum, I’m going out. I’ll be back late so don’t wait up.” Raven’s voiced called from the lobby, she poked her head into the living room and saw my blotched red face. “Are you alright?”

I just nodded my head, I knew that if I told her what was crying about I would start again. Besides, I‘m sure she’d be smart enough to figure it out for herself.

“See you tomorrow baby. Have fun.” Magenta said, not leaving my side.

It was nearly five o’clock and Magenta’s sons and husband hadn’t arrived back from their fishing trip which I guessed was supposed to be for their dinner because Magenta couldn’t go five minutes without checking her mobile for messages or missed calls.

“Bye!” Raven called, opening the front door. “Oh. Hi Morgan, Maria’s in the living room.” The room slammed shut as my aunt appeared in the room with us.

“Hey.” Morgan stood looking at me, smiling. She held her jacket in her hands, “Come on, Maria. Let’s go.”

When we arrived back at auntie Morgan’s she sat down at her kitchen table with a brief case which seemed to be filled of paper classed as ‘Murdoch’. I realised then that I didn’t actually know what Morgan did for a living.

I sat down in the wooden chair beside her, “Auntie Morgan, are you a lawyer?”

She looked up and smiled, “Yes, I am. How did you know?

I smiled back, what surprised me was that I didn’t force it, it was a genuine smile. “The business suit gives you away.” I laughed, “Also, mum was a surgeon, and grandma was a psychologist. My guess is it runs in the family.”

Morgan started to laugh, “Yeah, I guess it does. What are you going to do to carry on the legacy?”

“I want to be a surgeon and I want find a better cure for cancer than chemotherapy.” I said, I felt the tears building in my eyes again but I refuse to let them fall.

“Oh Maria. That is very noble, but if you’re doing that because of your mum, then you shouldn’t. You should do your own thing.” Morgan said, she smiled and placed her hand over my clasped ones.

I felt my heart sink. I was offended by the second half of her statement. And so, I stormed off upstairs where I wouldn’t have to speak to or look at my auntie.