Once Upon a Bathroom Stall

twenty six // and we're broken

"She always smelled like lavender. I don't even know how. She just did. It was probably her perfume or whatever, but I like it now. The smell of lavender, it's comforting."

"It's a nice smell."

"And whenever I got a good grade on something, she'd always put it on the fridge. She put everything in the fridge.Seriously. Like whenever my brother won something in track and field, she'd always put my participation ribbon right next to his. It pissed him off so much. God, I loved it. He'd complain for days and she'd just say how she was equally proud of both of us. It only pissed him off even more. It was glorious."

"She sounds amazing."

"She was, really. God, raising two shitty kids like us on her own. And we weren't even kids- we were monsters. Like I'm sure that if she'd live 'til now she'd be all gray from the stress we gave her. But she was still always smiling anyways, no matter how much we destroyed everything. We even dyed the dog blue."

"No you didn't."

"We did! We totally did! And it wasn't even our dog! It was the neighbour's dog!"

"No."

"Childhood Parker was a menace."

"And young adult Parker isn't?"

"Believe it or not, you're getting years of maturity and restraint here. Or well, a lot of shame and embarrassment from remembering how much I used to be the worst. And I mean, I grew out of it, unlike some people I could mention. My brother. I was mentioning my brother. In fact, I will say, dying the dog was so his idea in the first place."

"I'm supposed to believe you had nothing to do with it?"

"Well, it was his idea, I just figured out the execution because I'm the smart one."

"How did she even manage you guys?"

"I don't even know. And I mean, obviously she was pissed, and we were so grounded for like an entire month each, and she made us go apologize to the neighbours and everything. Mrs. Rodriguez was not pleased by our apology, either way. I'm pretty sure she's hated us ever since. But still, later that night, my mom gave us both a scoop of ice cream for desert. That was just the kind of woman she was."

"That's... wow. Really."

"I know. She was so wow. I just- I miss her a lot. I wonder a lot about what she would think of me now. What she would say to me. If she'd be proud of me."

"I think she'd be proud of you. You're not an alcholic, at least. You don't drink on Tuesdays."

"Among all my other amazing qualities."

"Of course. Really, you even said yourself. You've got all this maturity and restraint now, right? I think she'd love you to bits."

"... Thanks. I know it's dumb, but it's still nice to hear."

"It's not dumb, Parker. Not at all."

"Still, thanks. For talking to me, and listening to me. I actually feel a lot better. You were right- who would've thought, am I right? Just kidding. But actually, you know what?"

"Hmm?"

"I think she would've really liked you, Mina."

***
i'm such a sap omg