Better Off Dead
Chapter Four
"I need a vacation, life is way too hectic for me right now!" I complained to my agent/ best friend Ben.
"Why not go home. You get to relax, I get to meet your family, everyone wins."
"You know, that's not too bad of an idea. Benny, you're a genius!" I hugged him. He looked at me weird.
"So, you want me to book a flight. Or will you just drive from Seattle to Dallas?"
"Flight, I want to get there as soon as possible."
_____________
"Oh my god, is that you Aaron James?" My mother yelled from behind the door."
"Yes mom, I'm home!" I yelled back. She opened the door and engulfed me in a bear hug.
"Who is this with you?" She asked.
"Ben Powell ma'am. Nice to meet you."
"Aaron, is that you?" My brother asked.
"Yep, how you been Danny?" I stuck my hand out. He slapped it down. Still the childish Danny I didn't miss.
"Sit down honey, what are you doing here?" My mom showed me to the same couch I had sat on all my life.
"I decided to take a vacation. So, why not pay the person who means more than anything to a visit! Sorry its been ten years since I called you though."
"I'm just glad you're back home. And what did you do. You have gotten taller and your skin is silky smooth." She stroked my face.
"Mom, please don't." I removed her hand.
"Still the same Aaron, thinking he's God's gift to earth." Danny stated from behind his PSP.
"Still the same nosy freeloader. How old are you, twenty-six, and you still live with mom?"
"At least I've talked to her in the last ten years."
"Boys,boys, stop bickering. Daniel, go get your brother something to drink."
"No thanks mom, I drunk a gallon or more of water on the flight." I squirmed around, trying to get comfortable. The old couch had gotten old and lumpy.
"Okay, well, how has life been treating you since college?" My mother stared at me with joy in her eyes.
"Well, I'm an actor mom. I hosted the MTV VMA's, a lot of other things." She smiled a pleasant smile and made that oh face.
"No way, that was you on that movie with the hot girl who was an undercover agent?" Danny asked. I nodded.
"Well, what have you been up to Daniel?" I asked him, knowing the answer.
"Shut up asshole." He spat.
"Oh Daniel, he was just trying to make small talk." Mother slapped Danny's arm lightly. My cell rung. Antoine flashed across the screen. I turned it down and slipped it back into my pocket. "I remember when you used to get ten calls in fifteen minutes. You were always so popular." My mother was starting to annoy me.
"Look mom, I'm gonna go run to Blockbuster and rent a movie. All my others are in my Condo back home." I left before she could stop me.
"Dude, you are so mean to your mom." I looked at Ben. He turned his eyes toward the floorboard and started to twirl his wedding band.
"April actually allowed you to leave Seattle?"
"She thinks we're doing a movie shoot in Texas." I drove around looking for a familiar spot to eat. The Delaney's sign flashed. Even though it wasn't meant to. I pulled in and sat there.
"Is this a bar?" Ben broke me from my memories.
"The upper level is, or at least was." I opened my door. Ben looked hesitant but I didn't care.
"Get out." I ordered after a while. He opened his door.
The parking lot reeked of drunks. I could detect a little whiff of Nachos too. The restaurant was littered with teenagers and old truckers. It was never a truck stop but many truckers stopped by. There was a hotel located a block down and it served beer and fatty foods. I weaved my way through the teens toward the order window.
"Hey there, can I get a chili cheese burger with a fry and large lemonade? You want something?" Ben shook his head.
"Oh my god! Aaron...Aaron Miller? Is that you?" She yelled.
"Sorry, not doing autographs tonight." I impatiently awaited her to tell my total so I could pay and leave.
"No silly, it's me. Bailey Richardson!"
"Oh, hey Bailey. I didn't recognize you." I really didn't. She had gained a few pounds and wrinkles had started to set in on her already.
"Yeah, I sort of let myself go. Two kids, a bitter divorce. Overcoming an alcohol addiction." I nodded. She punched in my order and gave me my total. Wow, did she make a change?
"Why not go home. You get to relax, I get to meet your family, everyone wins."
"You know, that's not too bad of an idea. Benny, you're a genius!" I hugged him. He looked at me weird.
"So, you want me to book a flight. Or will you just drive from Seattle to Dallas?"
"Flight, I want to get there as soon as possible."
_____________
"Oh my god, is that you Aaron James?" My mother yelled from behind the door."
"Yes mom, I'm home!" I yelled back. She opened the door and engulfed me in a bear hug.
"Who is this with you?" She asked.
"Ben Powell ma'am. Nice to meet you."
"Aaron, is that you?" My brother asked.
"Yep, how you been Danny?" I stuck my hand out. He slapped it down. Still the childish Danny I didn't miss.
"Sit down honey, what are you doing here?" My mom showed me to the same couch I had sat on all my life.
"I decided to take a vacation. So, why not pay the person who means more than anything to a visit! Sorry its been ten years since I called you though."
"I'm just glad you're back home. And what did you do. You have gotten taller and your skin is silky smooth." She stroked my face.
"Mom, please don't." I removed her hand.
"Still the same Aaron, thinking he's God's gift to earth." Danny stated from behind his PSP.
"Still the same nosy freeloader. How old are you, twenty-six, and you still live with mom?"
"At least I've talked to her in the last ten years."
"Boys,boys, stop bickering. Daniel, go get your brother something to drink."
"No thanks mom, I drunk a gallon or more of water on the flight." I squirmed around, trying to get comfortable. The old couch had gotten old and lumpy.
"Okay, well, how has life been treating you since college?" My mother stared at me with joy in her eyes.
"Well, I'm an actor mom. I hosted the MTV VMA's, a lot of other things." She smiled a pleasant smile and made that oh face.
"No way, that was you on that movie with the hot girl who was an undercover agent?" Danny asked. I nodded.
"Well, what have you been up to Daniel?" I asked him, knowing the answer.
"Shut up asshole." He spat.
"Oh Daniel, he was just trying to make small talk." Mother slapped Danny's arm lightly. My cell rung. Antoine flashed across the screen. I turned it down and slipped it back into my pocket. "I remember when you used to get ten calls in fifteen minutes. You were always so popular." My mother was starting to annoy me.
"Look mom, I'm gonna go run to Blockbuster and rent a movie. All my others are in my Condo back home." I left before she could stop me.
"Dude, you are so mean to your mom." I looked at Ben. He turned his eyes toward the floorboard and started to twirl his wedding band.
"April actually allowed you to leave Seattle?"
"She thinks we're doing a movie shoot in Texas." I drove around looking for a familiar spot to eat. The Delaney's sign flashed. Even though it wasn't meant to. I pulled in and sat there.
"Is this a bar?" Ben broke me from my memories.
"The upper level is, or at least was." I opened my door. Ben looked hesitant but I didn't care.
"Get out." I ordered after a while. He opened his door.
The parking lot reeked of drunks. I could detect a little whiff of Nachos too. The restaurant was littered with teenagers and old truckers. It was never a truck stop but many truckers stopped by. There was a hotel located a block down and it served beer and fatty foods. I weaved my way through the teens toward the order window.
"Hey there, can I get a chili cheese burger with a fry and large lemonade? You want something?" Ben shook his head.
"Oh my god! Aaron...Aaron Miller? Is that you?" She yelled.
"Sorry, not doing autographs tonight." I impatiently awaited her to tell my total so I could pay and leave.
"No silly, it's me. Bailey Richardson!"
"Oh, hey Bailey. I didn't recognize you." I really didn't. She had gained a few pounds and wrinkles had started to set in on her already.
"Yeah, I sort of let myself go. Two kids, a bitter divorce. Overcoming an alcohol addiction." I nodded. She punched in my order and gave me my total. Wow, did she make a change?