Lady of Sparta

I pulled into the driveway of my parents’ house. Taking a few calming breathes, I climbed out of my small blue car and made my way to the front door. I knew what was going to happen when I told them. I could see the scene playing out in my head like a movie.

I knocked on the door and waited. Footsteps clicked on the wood floor on the inside of the two story house. My mother opened the door wide enough to look at me closely. Her smile faded slightly when she saw that I was wearing a leather jacket and matching black jeans. She didn't even notice the floral shirt, peaking from behind my jacket.

“I can’t believe that you still wear that,” she huffed before stepping aside. Her pink heels tapped on the floor with her movement.

She never liked my choice in fashion. She always claimed that I caught my sense of style from her sister even though I never saw my aunt often enough to know what she was like. I rolled my eyes instead of replying to her words. I walked into the house, preparing myself what I was going to tell them. I didn't leave tomorrow morning, and I was sure my mother had a party planned for tonight. It was nothing new. She liked to show off her house as much as possible.

“I don’t even get a ‘hello’, Gem?” my mother scolded me. Her words held an edge of anger that rang in my ears.

“Well, you didn’t exactly give me a ‘hello’,” I retorted, looking over at her. I gave her a grin that I knew wouldn’t work. “Hi, Mom.”

My mom and I hadn't been getting along like we did when I was in high school. I couldn’t really trust her after she told me that she wasn’t going to spend the money on a trip to Greece. They told me that they had paid for the tickets, and I was going to leave the day after graduation. What actually happened on the day after graduation was that they told me they never bought the tickets. They told me the money was going to college. I couldn’t see them the same way after that.

“That’s better,” she said, turning to go the kitchen. She didn't care that I was being sarcastic. She probably knew that she wasn't going to get anything better.

I thought about following her but decided that I might as well stay in the living room. I wanted to tell them at the same time, saving myself from the same argument twice. I sat down on the couch already bored. There was never anything fun to do around this house. My parents didn't like board games, and the only shows we could watch was something they agreed on. The only time I watched something I liked was when they weren't home or if they were asleep.

“So how was your second year of college?” a male voice asked coming from behind me.

“It was fine,” I answered. I turned my head to see my dad sitting down on the chair beside me. “Kind of boring.”

“That’s just because your mind is on other things,” he pointed out. There was a hint of teasing in his voice that made me roll my eyes.

I turned to look at him. I knew what he was hinting at, but what wasn't I going to act like I knew. Telling him that I broke up the first man that whispered sweet things in my ears wasn't going to inspire him to smile. “What are you implying?” I asked him.

“I just want to know when we get to meet him,” my dad said defensively. He held his hands up with a goofy grin planted on his face. He was hoping for me to meet a man that they approved on. I was sure they were considering arranging a marriage for me.

“I’m not with anyone,” I corrected him.

My dad had tried to close the gap that was growing between us every time we saw each other. It was like he felt guilty about telling me that I had to go to college. Unlike my mom, he knew that I didn’t trust him, and he was attempting to fix it. I had to give him that, but his attempts were weak most of the time. He still tried to make me act like he wanted me to and do things the way he would want them done.

“There has to be someone that you are interested in,” he pushed.

“Dad, there is no one that I’m dating or wanting to date for that matter. I have no real friends in college. I don’t party. I work and study. Now, please change the subject.” I realized that I went off on him, but I wasn’t going to tell him about Trevor or talk about any boy with him. It wouldn't help anything.

“Sorry. I was just trying to have a conversation,” he told me. He looked hurt, and I almost felt sorry for him.

“It’s alright. I don’t want to talk about college or boys. I have other things on my mind at the moment,” I apologized, staring at him with my blue eyes.

“Like what?” my mom asked, coming into the room. Her arms were already crossed on her chest. She knew she wouldn't like it already.

“Well, tomorrow morning, I will be leaving for Sparta,” I said, swallowing the lump that grew in my throat. I wasn't going to cower in front of them.

There was silence for a few minutes with us just looking at each other. My dad’s face was filled with shock while my mother’s quickly turned into anger. I knew what was coming out of her mouth before she even said something.

“You are not going to Greece,” she barks at me. I almost expected her to stomp her foot like she did when I told her that I was getting an apartment.

“I paid for the trip with my own money,” I replied, standing up to face her. I was trying to be as calm as I could be. My nerves jumped under my skin like I was about to be attacked.

“I am your mother, and I get a say in what you should do with your life.” Her words seemed to be digging for an injury. She wanted me to listen to her.

“I don’t live under your household anymore. I worked hard for this money,” I argued. "None of your money is going into it."

My mother was shocked into silence, so my dad took the time to step into the conversation. “Gemma, how about you stay here and take a few days to think about it? That wouldn't hurt anything.”

“My flight is at six o’clock tomorrow morning,” I informed him. “I’m not taking a few days to think about something that I have always wanted to do. Besides, I already paid for the tickets.”

My mom threw her hands in the air defeated. She went back to the kitchen, ignoring my dad’s protests for her to come back. He looked at me before just shaking his head. I disappointed him. It was the clearest emotion in his face. Did he really want me to throw away my dreams just for my mom? Why would he want me to feel miserable just make her happy?

I could hear the shouting in the kitchen as I walked up the stairs. I was going to relax for few hours. I didn’t get rest too long before I heard voices downstairs. I walked down to see most of my family. I put on a smile and overlooked my parents’ looks of frustration. They were talking to my dad’s brother David, and it wasn’t hard to see what they were talking about from the looks on their faces.

I stepped closer just to see what they were saying. I pretended to listen to my cousin Cindy near my uncle. I knew they would be irritated by this, and they were going to talk about this to the rest of the family like I was some sort of sin.

“Can you believe she wants to spend her summer in a foreign country?” my mom nearly screeched at the top of her lungs. She didn’t even notice that I was within hearing distance. She probably didn't care if I heard her or not.

“Caryn, I did the same thing when I was her age. I went all over Europe and Canada. I don’t know why you would be mad about it,” David replied. "It'll give her some freedom that she needs."

David was the type of guy who understood that I wanted to go across the world even if I didn’t really know why. He wasn’t as well off with money like his brother was, but I do remember him telling me if he could, he would pay for my trip or at least try to help.

“But she’s going by herself. What happens if she meets some guy, and he hurts her?” my dad jumped in. “She isn’t you. She's not as strong as you were.”

“She needs to learn what the world is like without you two hovering over her like vultures. She will never be herself if you don’t let her venture out,” David remarked giving me a encouraging grin to jump in.

“So what’s up with the hushed words?” I asked. I tried appear as if I wasn’t just easedropping, but it was hard when my mother gave a look of annoyance.

My mom shook her head and walked off without any words. My dad shrugged his shoulder and stuck around, trying to keep the atmosphere light that what it really was. There was tension in the air between my dad and his brother. It was clear that he thought that David would be on their side instead of mine. I was tempted to see if I could cut it with a knife.

Eventually the party came to a close, and everyone started to leave. I went to bed, trying to not think about what morning was like. I slept through the night until four in the morning. I knew that if I went back to bed I would be late. I dragged myself out of bed and climbed into the shower. When I got out, I heard movement downstairs. I wondered down after pulling on a shirt and some comfortable pants.

I saw my mom preparing breakfast. She didn’t notice me in the room with her. “I’m not doing this to spite you,” I said aloud.

She jumped a little before turning to look at me. Her face looked like she had been crying. “Then tell me why you want to go to Sparta,” she argued.

“Because I have always wanted to go there. How hard is it for you to understand that?” I asked her.

Her blue eyes glowed with something that I didn’t recognize. “What happens when you go over there, and you get hurt?”

I knew that she was trying to make a point, but she wasn’t going to deter me from my goal. She was my mother, but I wasn’t under her household anymore. I knew that I had to make my own decisions and learn on my own. I told her just that.

She just sighed and shook her head. I knew that I wasn’t getting through to her. She gave up on trying to convince me otherwise. I didn’t know what else to say or do to make her see that I was doing something for me. I looked at the clock and rushed to my room to grab the bags. I pulled my keys out of my purse. I climbed in the car and drove to Miami’s airport.