Chapter 127: Chapter 127 He Is Back! Courtney drove me home in the morning. "It was fun right? You would be coming again, won’t you?" She asks as I was about to get down. "Yes. It really was fun." I heartily responded.
But in my mind, I am hoping that there won’t be a next time.
"The next one is going to be so much fun! I really can’t wait. Take care bitch!" I watch her speed out of the driveway before going to the front door. Only, it opens before I could even touch the knob revealing mom herself. She was all over me asking how it went and increasing my hangover headache. I told her it was fine and kept it vague when she wanted to know the details.
"Has Dad left for work?" He doesn’t usually goes to work on Saturdays except he has some really important case he is working on. I am guessing that must be the case since he is not home right now.
"Oh he didn’t come home last night. He is hung up on some new case he thinks is a homicide rather than a natural death. That man, his hunch is going to be the death of him." She complains.
"And I have great news! I did not get a chance to tell you before you left yesterday." She gushes. "I got a two-time promotion!"
"Oh my god, you finally got it!" I jump up in visceral excitement. I know how much she has always wanted a promotion. Even going as far as praying for her work senior who is too age advanced to still be working—according to her, to come down with a stroke or be knocked down by a car since she does not want to resign on her own. She got so despicable because of that. "Yes. I still feel like I am in a dream. That darn old hag finally decided to resign. And Danielle. Sadly. She is moving with her husband to Russia."
I hug her, "I am so happy for you."
"I know. I can barely contain it!" Joy looks so exceptionally good on her. "This means double salary and better opportunities!" She giggles sweetly like a teenage girl in love.
"And it also means that I get to be away since I am getting deployed to the main branch in Alaska." My smile falls as her words sink. "Wait—what?!"
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Monday comes way too quickly. I am sadly watching mom pack up a small suitcase with clothes and other necessities. It starts to sink deeper than ever. I can no longer pretend to be happy about her promotion as it is taking her away from home. I am already missing her presence even though she is still here. "Stop making that sad face. I know that you are happy about it." She says.
"I’m not. Why would I be?"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you do in this house while I’m gone, let it not include leaving to be with that guy or bringing him over!" She warns sternly. "Don’t use this house as a partying spot and lastly, use protection when you want to go at it because that thing doesn’t offer protection from STDs."
I roll my eyes at the last sentence.
"And also, take great care of your brother."
"That goes without saying."
"And also keep an eye on your Dad for me. He must see this as a free opportunity to go see someone else." I sigh, I thought she was over this. "He is not cheating on you. I can vouch for that 99 percent." I defend Dad from her suspicions like I have always been doing ever since she started thinking like this.
An inquisitive look appears on her face,
"What happened to the remaining one?"
"Well. . . you cannot fully trust anyone."
She smiles. "Good that you remember that. Anyone can be nasty and sneaky. Even me."
You are already nasty and sneaky.
"Should I skip today and go with you to the airport?"
"No. Don’t skip school." She rejects the idea almost immediately. "Get your brother to the daycare and be on your way. I will call you when I land."
"And also before you take off." I add.
"Clingy doesn’t suit you. Bye darling. Munchkin."
There is a silver lining in the aspect of mom leaving. There are some movies that I am really curious to watch.
The illicit kind that it is best to watch alone. I made a list. There are about eight to ten movies in it. I hear that they are full of smut and 18+ scenes. Two are even rated 21+
I had wanted to watch it on mom’s laptop but changed my mind when I remember how she had interrogated me over some searches I made. Before that, I never knew that there was something like browser history.
I just hope Dad keeps on being busy so he won’t come home and let me freely indulge in my secret fantasy. I want to see deep real-life romance depicted for once instead of reading it in books. My mental movie selection plans scatters when I sight someone coming out of a car.
Rex! He is back?!
He smiles, holding his arms apart for a hug. I break into a run, my feet automatically going fast to him and jumping into his arms faster than my brain could process.
"Am I dreaming? Is it really you?" I ask joyfully when we break apart. He reaches out and pinches my cheek like he always does. I feel the gentle tug. "Does it still feel like a dream now?" He says with that familiar special smile.
"Rex!" I shout, jumping in his arms again. "I did not expect you would be back this soon. You didn’t say you were coming. When did you come back?"
"Last night. I wanted it to be a surprise. The Charity Gala was pushed up. And I promised you that I would be back in time to play your Romeo. I excited for it."
I giggle, "So am I!!" We head towards the main building holding hands. I can’t say how happy I am that he is back.
This means absolute peace and protection once again. I thought, reveling in the gladness and completely unaware that what I thought to be solid ground was only a thin sheet of soil that would soon be washed away by a torrent of scandalous misfortunes from under my feet.