Discombobulate

Chapter Thirty-Two

I feel like shit. I shouldn't have done it. I swear this town has ruined me. When you're used to being surrounded by snoopy and nosy people, eventually you turn into one. 

I got home early from Opal's today. It was getting slow and it was almost the end of my shift. Opal sent me home. Since I don't have my license, I walk a lot. 

When I got to the front door, I paused. I heard yelling. No, it wasn't yelling, it was screaming and cursing. Profanities shot out of Mom like a sailor. I've never heard my mom curse before. Ever. 

Her bedroom window was open. It's right by the front door. I stood there and listened. I think maybe the mystery guy was on the other end. I doubt it was one of her friends. 

"I never want to see you again! Don't come near me or my daughters! We're through! Don't call me! Leave us alone or else." 

Or else what? She was getting ready to hang up. I went inside and slammed the front door. I didn't hear her when I went to my room. I didn't bother questioning her. 

It's been a week and a half since I wrote in this journal. I can't figure out what went wrong. How did she go from falling in love to being done with him? I can't understand it. I'll try to find out more. 

Jennifer

Every time a new entry was read, more was revealed to Denise. She missed out on a lot. Without this journal, she wouldn't have known anything. She'd still be clueless. 

I'm not allowed to walk anywhere. Mom is insistent. I'm not allowed to walk to or from Opal's. I'm not allowed to walk and meet up with friends visiting their families while they're home from college. I'm not allowed to do anything. She won't tell me why.

I'm starting to think I should admit my eavesdropping. Ever since she came out of her room last night, she's been nothing, but paranoid. 

Glancing out the windows. Constantly making sure doors and windows are locked. She moved the spare key from underneath the welcome mat to the back of the house. It's now in a large tree out back. It's confined in a small rotted-out hole. 

Mom has changed overnight. It's starting to make me nervous. I don't know what's going on. I bring it up, she laughs it off. She keeps talking about a series of home invasions in town. I've checked the newspaper and talked to friends. She's lying. 

My conservative mother, who hates when her daughters say "oh my god," committed two sins in two days. Cursing and lying. It's not like her. I swear it's all because of that phone call. 

Jennifer 

Denise flipped the page. 

I broke down and so did Mom. I admitted I heard her. Well, kind of, I told her I heard her on the phone with someone cursing. I didn't bring up the other two times. 

She broke down in tears. I thought I disappointed her or something. She slid down onto the couch, head in her hands, blubbering about something. It took her a few minutes before she could get the story out. Here's what I've gathered:

Before Dad, there was Grant. Mom and Grant were high school sweethearts. They started dating freshman year and went through all four years of high school. They did everything together. He was a football player and she was a cheerleader. 

After Mom left to go to nursing school, he went to community college for business. She came back into town one time and found him kissing someone else. She confronted him and he apologized, but the damage was already done. It was over.