Forget Green Gables

Not Everything Is as It Seems

 Jamie is happy to go, and, as predicted, asks if she can bring Carl. Danny calls me back to say that his parents said the group is welcome to crash in the living room after the party, so we will not have to find a ride home immediately after midnight. Greg agrees to drive us to the party on the 31st, and Dad, after talking to Danny's mother and making sure that the Algrims will be home before any sleeping goes on, agrees to let us go as well as pick up us and Jamie the following morning. I suspect he feels guilty for not stepping in during Mom's Christmas Eve fit. Felix calls Danny and asks if he can bring Erica, and Danny says the more the merrier as I knew he would.
Rebecca agrees to go so long as Jessie, who is also single, is there. Jessie says she would not miss it for anything, but has to ask her mom for permission. The Pittmans call the Algrims to discuss the sleepover part, and decide that Rebecca can stay. The Pittmans agree that this is a good step on our journey to adulthood. So this is how adulthood begins: with a lot of telephone calls.

The Sloans flat out refuse to let Jessie sleep at Danny's no matter how much adult supervision there will be.
"It's not fair! Just because I'm the only child, my mother is worried I'll start doing drugs or sleeping around or something! It's not like we're going to a party at Dustin Martinez's house!" Parties at Dustin Martinez's house were whispered to be full of drugs, rampant sex, underage drinking. One was broken up by the cops after the Homecoming dance. One of the upperclassmen on the cheer squad had to quit after finding out that she got pregnant that night. The father is rumored to be everyone from Dustin to the officer who broke up the party. I am just sad that her entire life seems to be off-track by a moment's decision.

"I know. Your mom's just really strict."

"I wish I had your mom," Jessie returns absently.
"Be grateful you have one who actively cares what you do and who you're with," I snap back before I can stop myself. Well, shit.
"Cheyanne, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"I'll talk to you later." I hang up the phone, feeling sad and angry all at once. It is bad enough Jessie's mom sensed my need and made me a birthday cake. I feel bad for Jessie that her mom will not let her stay for the sleepover party of the party, but I am also a bit jealous that Jessie's mom bothers to pay attention to where she is at all. Dad does his best, but he certainly is not overly attentive to our actions, friends, or our coming and going. Half the time Greg knows more about my life than my own father does. And then, when my mother pulls a stunt like on Christmas Eve, all my father can say was that Mom is homesick. She's sick alright, but it has nothing to do with home.
"It's a damn good thing we're such goodie goodies," I state, plopping down on the floor of Felix's room and picking up a controller for the N64, "or Mom and Dad would really have a riot on their hands."

Felix says nothing at first. He restarts his game and switches it to two player mode. Normally, Mario Kart is a close, tense match that ultimately came down to who is more crafty with the tools we got from the question boxes; today, my frustration with my mom and my dad compile with my frustrations with Jessie and I destroy Felix, lapping him frequently, running him off the road quite intentionally, and leaving a path of banana peels and trick boxes for him wherever I go.
"What's got your panties in a wad?" Felix asks after the sixth race. "I don't mind you beating me, but you're running me over. What's up?"

I repeat what Jessie said. Felix's mouth forms an 'O' shape. "People don't get it, do they?"

"Not at all," I reply, standing and heading back to my own room. Frustrated with my mother, father, friends, but most of all myself, I flop onto my bed. Sighing, I rolled on my side, grabbed my copy of Anne of the Island, and flip to the scene where Anne, Phil, Pris, and Stella settle into their first year at Patty's Place. Far off visions of college, living in Ann Arbor, getting my first off-campus apartment dance in the back of my mind as I doze into a nap.