Ebb & Flow
FOUR
It was the second trip from the car, and the trunk was still full of groceries. It didn’t even look like there was a dent made in the massive heap. As always Eugenia was the last to know, somehow someway she was left out of the conversation concerning the informal fall gathering that was being held at her house. Well her parent’s house, but she still felt like she should’ve been told instead of having a grocery list shoved in her hands and told to make it quick. Even though the house was full of family, no one seemed to notice her trekking in out of the house loaded down with plastic bags. It seemed they’d all forgotten that at some point she would return to the house.
The house was empty but she could hear children screaming and splashing about in the pool. A brief look out the window revealed Eugenia’s younger cousins running and jumping into the pool. She was shocked that with it being so nippy out that they were even getting into the water. Yet it wasn’t as surprising with the fact that her parents splurged to keep the water heated. The adults were loitering around the outside bar and the surrounding tables nibbling on snacks and conversing.
Gatherings like this reminded Eugenia how big her family was. The Scott family was eight large. She was the fourth born among six siblings. So it was easy for her parents to overlook her growing up, yet now it seemed her mother had other exceptions now that her life had unraveled and visible for all her family to see.
She was still single, which Eugenia didn’t mind but her mother and father did. She had lost her job as an IT, which her parents were glad of and Eugenia was depressed about. The worst of it all was that she went through her saving trying to paid rent on a house in the country while looking for a job. The rent was over the top but the location was to die for. It was still in Westercross, but she was surrounded by trees for miles. She was secluded, which she didn’t mind; it kept her parents away. Unfortunately, with no rent and still no job she was back at her parents. Eugenia had a sneaking suspicion that her parents played a role in her joblessness.
Her mother and father insisted that she didn’t need to worry about getting a job, they rather she worry about finding a partner, they weren’t picky about gender. They would be even overjoyed if she strengthened her relationships with her siblings. However, Eugenia wasn’t one for idleness. She needed job; any job would do.
A sly smile curled around her lips at the thought. She couldn’t wait to see the look on her parents faces when she told them. Starting soon she was going to be an Uber driver. That meant no more babysitting, no more DD, no more blind dates that her parents disguised as get meeting old friends that happen to bring their single son.
“Eugenia! You’re back!” Eugenia braced herself as her tipsy mother wrapped her in an alcoholic hug. “I was just about to send out a search party.” Tabby quickly started exploring the bags on the counters and floor. She stopped and smiled slowly. “Why don’t you leave all this for your brothers to deal with, I got someone for you to meet.” Eugenia’s mother winked as she waltzed out the back door.
Eugenia whirled around to the window and watched in horror as she tugged a lug of man towards the backdoor. Eugenia didn’t even hesitate as she rushed out the side door, through the living room, then out the front door. She didn’t even give the car a second glance as she just about ran down the long drive way. Out on the street she turned her head down as she heard shrill shouts of her name echoing in the air. She was down the street and around the corner, when she saw the flash of her mother’s red hair. Eugenia ducked behind a row of shrubby and cut through the William’s property.
Her mother knew she was notorious for up and leaving, it wasn’t the first time Eugenia had done it and it wasn’t the last. What Eugenia wasn’t expecting was for her mother to be so damn persistent. Instead of the shrill calling of her name getting softer they were getting louder. Eugenia looked back and ducked behind a tree just in time. Her mother was tugging the lug with her, while she looked around like an eagle out for blood. Finally the noise of her mother and said lug, disappeared and Eugenia gave a sigh of relief.
She looked up and gave a soft smile. She didn’t even realize that she had ducked into the old oak tree grove. It was an historical site that was dedicated to the Kenwood Family. They helped pulled Westercross together after the economic crash. It was a park with hiking trails leading to the cliff sides, the beach, and other vistas.
Eugenia took a trail that lead to a secluded bench. She loved that bench, because once she sat down all she saw were trees and it seemed like all her worries disappeared as she sat in silence and enjoyed the presence of the silent beings of old.
The bench was covered in orange and red leaves, but Eugenia didn’t mind. She sat down and watched the sun move across the sky. She listened to the leaves falling. She felt the prickling of her skin as the fog rolled in from the ocean. This was home, not that big house with all those people. Eugenia lay down on the bench and watched the leaves fall.
A leaf of gold and red landed on her face. She laughed, taking the leaf by its stem and whirled it between her fingers. The veins were gold, surrounded by translucent red flesh. The breeze picked up, whipping leaves around the bench. Eugenia heard whispering, but it ignored it. She knew her mother would find her, but for now she would ignore her.
”And daughter of the leaves.”
The house was empty but she could hear children screaming and splashing about in the pool. A brief look out the window revealed Eugenia’s younger cousins running and jumping into the pool. She was shocked that with it being so nippy out that they were even getting into the water. Yet it wasn’t as surprising with the fact that her parents splurged to keep the water heated. The adults were loitering around the outside bar and the surrounding tables nibbling on snacks and conversing.
Gatherings like this reminded Eugenia how big her family was. The Scott family was eight large. She was the fourth born among six siblings. So it was easy for her parents to overlook her growing up, yet now it seemed her mother had other exceptions now that her life had unraveled and visible for all her family to see.
She was still single, which Eugenia didn’t mind but her mother and father did. She had lost her job as an IT, which her parents were glad of and Eugenia was depressed about. The worst of it all was that she went through her saving trying to paid rent on a house in the country while looking for a job. The rent was over the top but the location was to die for. It was still in Westercross, but she was surrounded by trees for miles. She was secluded, which she didn’t mind; it kept her parents away. Unfortunately, with no rent and still no job she was back at her parents. Eugenia had a sneaking suspicion that her parents played a role in her joblessness.
Her mother and father insisted that she didn’t need to worry about getting a job, they rather she worry about finding a partner, they weren’t picky about gender. They would be even overjoyed if she strengthened her relationships with her siblings. However, Eugenia wasn’t one for idleness. She needed job; any job would do.
A sly smile curled around her lips at the thought. She couldn’t wait to see the look on her parents faces when she told them. Starting soon she was going to be an Uber driver. That meant no more babysitting, no more DD, no more blind dates that her parents disguised as get meeting old friends that happen to bring their single son.
“Eugenia! You’re back!” Eugenia braced herself as her tipsy mother wrapped her in an alcoholic hug. “I was just about to send out a search party.” Tabby quickly started exploring the bags on the counters and floor. She stopped and smiled slowly. “Why don’t you leave all this for your brothers to deal with, I got someone for you to meet.” Eugenia’s mother winked as she waltzed out the back door.
Eugenia whirled around to the window and watched in horror as she tugged a lug of man towards the backdoor. Eugenia didn’t even hesitate as she rushed out the side door, through the living room, then out the front door. She didn’t even give the car a second glance as she just about ran down the long drive way. Out on the street she turned her head down as she heard shrill shouts of her name echoing in the air. She was down the street and around the corner, when she saw the flash of her mother’s red hair. Eugenia ducked behind a row of shrubby and cut through the William’s property.
Her mother knew she was notorious for up and leaving, it wasn’t the first time Eugenia had done it and it wasn’t the last. What Eugenia wasn’t expecting was for her mother to be so damn persistent. Instead of the shrill calling of her name getting softer they were getting louder. Eugenia looked back and ducked behind a tree just in time. Her mother was tugging the lug with her, while she looked around like an eagle out for blood. Finally the noise of her mother and said lug, disappeared and Eugenia gave a sigh of relief.
She looked up and gave a soft smile. She didn’t even realize that she had ducked into the old oak tree grove. It was an historical site that was dedicated to the Kenwood Family. They helped pulled Westercross together after the economic crash. It was a park with hiking trails leading to the cliff sides, the beach, and other vistas.
Eugenia took a trail that lead to a secluded bench. She loved that bench, because once she sat down all she saw were trees and it seemed like all her worries disappeared as she sat in silence and enjoyed the presence of the silent beings of old.
The bench was covered in orange and red leaves, but Eugenia didn’t mind. She sat down and watched the sun move across the sky. She listened to the leaves falling. She felt the prickling of her skin as the fog rolled in from the ocean. This was home, not that big house with all those people. Eugenia lay down on the bench and watched the leaves fall.
A leaf of gold and red landed on her face. She laughed, taking the leaf by its stem and whirled it between her fingers. The veins were gold, surrounded by translucent red flesh. The breeze picked up, whipping leaves around the bench. Eugenia heard whispering, but it ignored it. She knew her mother would find her, but for now she would ignore her.
”And daughter of the leaves.”