mom's boyfriend | z.m.

ii

Jennie Gabe

I woke up from my phone ringing on my bedside table. I groaned then I let my hand searched for my phone. When I got it, I immediately answered it without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" I said with a groggy voice.

"Jen! My and everyone's favorite model!" my manager greeted me.

"What can I do for you, Garrett?" I asked him, knowing he needs me to do a favor.

"Well, since you're already in California, could you do the photo shoot for Chanel like... This Friday?" He asked.  

"I thought that was next week?" I asked while I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

"They want it to be as soon as possible. Please, Jen." He begged but I sighed.

"Sorry, Gar. I can't this week." I said while getting up from my bed and going to the bathroom to do my morning rituals. 

"Why can't you?" He asked.

"You know my situation with my mom, right? Something made it worse." 

"What?"

"She's got a boyfriend." I said that made him chuckled but made me furrow my eyebrows. "What's funny?"  

"Nothing... It's just that... Your mom is winning over you in search of a boyfriend!" He said then burst into laughter.

When I was done doing my morning rituals, I went out from the bathroom. "Oh! Shut up! I'm not looking for a boyfriend, okay? It's just that my complicated relationship with my mother got even MORE complicated because of that 24 or 25 year old guy." I said with disgust.

"No way! He's the same age as you?! And your mother is like what?" He asked while still laughing.

"Okay, I'm 22 and he's like 24 or 25. And my mother is like 40 something..." I corrected him while I go out of my room.

I saw my mother welcomed me but she saw that I was still on my phone so she stayed quiet for a while.

"Anyways, it's next week or I won't do it at all." I sternly said to him.

"Fine. I'll see what I can do. Good luck living with your mom and her boyfriend." He said then I hanged up. 

"Hi, hon. I just want to say that breakfast is ready." she informed me.

I was about to go when I notice that I'm still wearing last night's clothes. "I'll just change my clothes." I told her.

I went inside my room again then closed the door and didn't wait for her response. I went to my things and knelt to open one suitcase to get some clothes. I haven't unpack my things since I slept early last night. I locked the door and changed into a more comfortable clothes. I opened the door and walked downstairs and went to the kitchen.

 I saw Kim and smiled to her then she waved at me. I saw my mom and her boyfriend sitting on the chairs of the rounded table and already eating while sharing some giggles. When my mom notices me, she greeted me.

"Jennie! Join us, please." She said with a smile. I pulled out a chair farthest from them and sat on it. Then, Kim prepare me a plate and served me a very delicious pancake. I mouthed a 'thank you' to Kim before pouring the syrup and ate it. 

"How old are you now, Jennie?" She asked me.

"22. It has been 15 years since you left us if you do the math." I answered rudely without looking up to her. I saw in my peripheral vision that her boyfriend held her hand.

"So, you worked so hard for a 22-year-old! You're such a famous model now!" She started to make a conversation but I just scoffed at her.

"Since dad's sick and we have no food to eat and no water to drink while you're enjoying this luxurious life of yours, I had to work hard." I said without looking at her then I heard her sigh. 

"Jennie, I know what I did is so wrong and unforgivable---" She said but I didn't let her finish.

"You're right. Leaving us with nothing 15 years ago is wrong and unforgivable." I said while I finally looked up to her and fake a smile.

I grabbed a napkin and wiped my lips.

"I'm done." I said then stood up and went upstairs to my room.