“Mum? Where are you going?” I asked, for the fourth time this afternoon. “I told you I was going to the store!” “You say that every time! It does not take you until 2 a.m., in the morning, to go to the store and come back! It doesn’t!” “Don’t worry, sweetie, I always come back, don’t I?” “That doesn’t matter!” I yelled. This had gone on for a week. I would go to school in the morning, come home in the afternoon just in time to see my mum going out the door, stop her and ask where she was going, and then yell at her when she said she was going to the store. We had plenty of food! Plus, it doesn’t take, like, 5 hours just to go shopping for food. I had a hunch she was going to someone’s house and staying there, because at about 2 in the morning, she would come through the front door and I could always tell she was drunk. She claimed she wasn’t, but it was hard not to miss the smell of beer and wine mixed. Don’t ever try that. So, the next day at school, I immediately went and found Karen, my best friend, and told her what I thought was going on. I was afraid that she would say, whatever! don’t need to know about your problems, girl. But she didn’t. In fact, she said she would do anything to help. So I laid out the plan. I would ask if Karen could have a sleepover. If my mum said yes then we’d ask her mum. Then we’d get everything together. As soon as we saw my mum go out the door, I would go and argue with her about where she was going. She would get huffy, I would say she forgot her list, she would go get it, and Karen and I would jump into the trunk of her car. Then, my mum would get in and drive wherever she drives to and we would watch. Two problems. One: we wouldn’t be able to see her from the trunk very well. Two: we asked and my mum said no. We decided that we were going to tell a little white lie. So we told Karen’s mum that my mum had said yes. We figured that it would do my mum some good in the long run. Oh, up until now, I haven’t mentioned my dad. No, it’s not because he’s gone or anything, it’s just that I haven’t needed to until now. Now my dad, he’s a pretty normal guy. You know, the ones that are easygoing and don’t get worried about mums who are staying at the ‘store’ for more than five hours. (Yes, mum I’m talking about you!) So he wasn’t really fed up with my mum the way I was. But then I asked him a question. Now I don’t usually get all into my mum and dad’s private life. I figure that everyone’s entitled to their own secrets. But this time I had to ask. “Dad? Have you and mum been fighting lately?” I asked casually. “This isn’t something to do with the ‘store’ incident is it?” How had he known? I gave out a really intelligent answer, like, “Um…” He said, “ I don’t want you to go snooping around other peoples private life.” “But… but don’t you want to know if she’s hanging out with another guy? I mean, then she wouldn’t feel like she has to keep it a secret, and you could just leave or, oh, I don’ t know, something like that.” My dad said, “Well, it isn’t that I don’t want to know…oh, alright. Yes we have been quarreling more and more these days. I’m sorry.” “Oh, okay. I was just wondering is all. Um, so, I’m gonna spend the night at Karen’s. Is that okay with you? ‘Cause if it’s not…” “No, it’s fine. Go have some fun. Just don’t forget to miss me. Just kidding.” “Okay, I’ll go tell Karen. Bye! Seeya later dad!” Then I bolted out the room so he wouldn’t be able to see that devilish grin on my face. I raced back to Karen who said, “She just left. I called my mom to say I was staying with you tonight. What’d your dad say? Is it a yes?” “Yah, he thinks I’m staying at your house. Now we can sneak out and they won’t think were gone ‘cause we’ll be at each other’s house.” “Cool! Lets go.” So Karen and I scooped up our cell phones, raced for our helmets, and sped off on our bikes. Soon we caught up with mum and slowed down so she wouldn’t spot us. Sure enough, she wasn’t headed for the store. Soon, we found out where she was going. The ‘store’ was Mr. Vinson’s, or Rob’s, as we called him, house. I practically blew up. “What? What does she think she’s doing? We’ve known him for so long. He’s nice, but not someone for her! How could she do this? I mean, come on! Oh. My. I’m not going to say… Ahhhh!” “Calm down.” That’s all Karen said. “How am I supposed to calm down when my mother is sort of dating this guy?” By this time, she and he had gotten champagne and were drinking away. I watched for a couple of minutes, but by that time, I had gotten completely fed up with my mum. When I looked again, I saw that she had undressed. She still had her bra and such on, but still! I just about screamed. But Karen said, “Don’t! They might hear you. You wouldn’t want that, would you?” “How can you expect me not to scream, when my mum is practically have sex with a guy that we call uncle? How can you?” Now I was shaking. Really. Bad. I tried dialing the phone, but I kept dropping it. Finally, Karen took it and dialed the number for me. I said hi to my dad, then rushed on with an explanation. I told him absolutely everything. He sounded shocked, then hurt, then angry. He said he would come as soon as he could. I looked back through the window. My mum and Rob were kissing. It was absolutely, positively disgusting! I said I’d be right back to Karen. Then I ran. I just ran, and ran, and ran. When I run, the whole world goes away and I’m just alone with my thoughts. Though now, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. Because some of them were pretty scary. I ran till I could run no more. Then I collapsed onto the ground, gasping and sobbing. No one was walking by, so no one helped me up. I slowly got up and walked back to where Karen was waiting. When I got there, I saw my dad’s car, along with a police officer. I heard, “She just said she’d be right back and then she was gone.” It was Karen’s scared voice. I felt awful. Here I was, so upset with my mum and mad at everyone and everything, that I had forgotten about my best friend, and that she had feelings. I hurried up to her saying I was sorry, but it was drowned out by the happy cries of relief. My mum was taken away for committing adultery. I cried. She tried to hug me, but I pulled away saying, “I hate you! You ruined my life! I don’t want to talk to you or see you ever again!!! Don’t touch me!” Then I ran.

TWO YEARS LATER.
I heard the baby crying. She was cute, but she looked too much like my mum. After my mum had been put in jail, she had had a baby. My mum had gotten deathly sick and we tried to help her. But nothing worked. Shortly after the baby was born, my mum died. I had gotten over what had happened. Karen’s dad had died when Karen was little. I had always known that. He died in a car crash. My dad tried to get over what happened, but it was hard for him. Finally, Mrs. Bowden, Karen’s mum, had started dating my dad. Soon after, they were married. When I found out, I jumped up and down and then screamed. Karen came and we both jumped about the room saying, “ WE’RE GONNA BE SISTERS! WE’RE GONNA BE SISTERS!” And that was that. I’ve long forgiven my real mum, and I pray that she went to heaven and that I will meet her there someday. But, until then, I have a wonderful dad and mum, and a once in a lifetime, friend and sister!




The End.