The Group
Part 51
After a long silence, Dana said, "So are you guys coming to my house?"
"No," I replied quickly. "I gotta get home."
~~~~~
I entered the front door. It sounded quiet, so I assumed no one was home. I walked up stairs and peeked through the door to my little siblings' rooms. They were all sleeping. This usually never happens. I looked in Danny's room. He was out probably. This was no surprise.
I walked back downstairs and opened the refrigerator. I was depressed, heartbroken, scared. But I was hungry too, and my emotions couldn't mask that.
I pulled out a pound of turkey and took some bread off the counter. As I made my sandwich, I heard weeping coming from the office. I tiptoed around the kitchen door, out of the living room, into to the hall and in front of the office door. It was definitely my mother crying, and my father was trying to comfort her.
"How are we going to pay the bills?" my mother sobbed. I listened carefully, trying to find out more.
"We will get through this," my father consoled.
"I got laid off! How do you plan on paying the mortgage with only one pay check!" There was a pause, and my mother continued. "And on top of this, Vanessa is becoming a delinquent!"
My heart shattered. My entire life, I have been "the perfect child" and this is my pay off? My mother hating who I am? I left the hallway on the brink of tears, and burst once I reached my room.