Cassidy Wynters
"How are you feeling?" I asked as I sat outside of the ice cream shop on the strip with my mother. She had been in the rehab program for three weeks and I was really proud that she was toughing it out. I know it had been hard on her, and most days she didn't feel good, but she insisted that she was going to keep at it. I had kept up my promise of visiting or calling her everyday and I had to admit that it felt a little weird being around her so consistently. Even when I lived with her, I barely saw her so I felt like I didn't even know her. There was so much she didn't know about me and vice versa.
"Some days are okay, most days are terrible" she sighed eating a spoonful of her ice cream. "All of this just makes me think about how much of my life I wasted. I know my mother is turning in her grave thinking of all the things I've done."
"You can't change the past. The only thing you can do is do better moving forward."
"You're so wise." she chuckled "I know you didn't get that from me. I know your aunty and I don't get along but she did a good job with you, better than I ever could. I finally see where all that makeup has gotten you too. I'm proud"
"Thanks, mom," I mumbled.
"How has school been and your boyfriend, how is he?" she asked
"School is okay and Zeke is good," I said, smiling at the sound of his name.
"That's great. Tell him to stop by one day. I would love to see him."
"I'll see if he can stop by this weekend. I'm sure he would like to see you too. Are you gonna stop being stubborn and let Aunt Tracy come by?" I asked but my mom rolled her eyes in response.
"Come on mom, she wants to see you" My Aunt had tried to come by and visit my mom a few times, but my mom wouldn't have it. They had this ridiculous sibling rivalry going on, mostly on my mother's side and I just didn't understand the real root of it all.
"Why, so she can rub in how much better than me she is? Or how about the fact that she was a better mother to my own child than I was?"
"Mom, she doesn't want to rub any of that in. She wants you to get better. She helped me get you in here."
"Is that so?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "So you let her talk you into locking me up in here?"
"What? Mom you're not locked up. We did all this to help you!" I said trying to remain as calm as possible. I didn't want to make a scene in public but she obviously didn't care.
"Well guess what, I don't need your help" she snapped as she got up from her chair and began to walk away.
"Mom where are you going?" I asked trying to follow her.
"I'm leaving and I'm signing myself out of that bullshit program."
"And where are you gonna go mom?"
"I'll figure it out. I survived before you and I can do that again" she said as she began to walk away.
"Mom, stop!" I called after her, but she held her hand up and kept walking. I looked around at the few people that were watching the scene unfold. I sighed and threw out my ice cream and made my way to my car. I just hoped that this was just an outburst and that she wasn't serious but I knew she wasn't going to listen to me if I went after her. Once I got in my car, my phone began to ring and I looked to see Zeke's name immediately bringing me some comfort. It was as if he had some telepathy whenever something was wrong with me.
"Hey" I sighed as I answered the phone
"Hey, you okay?"
"No, my mom had a blow-up. She's threatening to sign herself out the program"
