Falling Apart

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

                “Everly,” my mother knocked on my door while I was getting an early head start on my vacation assignments, “can I come in for a second?”

                I looked up from my English assignment, nodding as I placed my pen down. I hadn’t noticed that my hand was cramping until I gave myself a rest and stretched out my tired fingers. “What’s up?” I asked as my mother sat herself down on my bed, crossing one leg over another.

                “I was wondering if you’d want to join me to go to George’s New Year’s party tonight.” My mother gave me a soft smile as I immediately stiffened uncomfortably just at the sound of his name. “Is it too soon? It’s just he personally told me that he’d love to get to know you better.”

                I frowned, staring up as I met my mother’s eyes. She wasn’t pushing for me to accept George Collins’ dinner offer for tonight, but I could tell that she was really hoping that I’d accept it, anyways. I didn’t particularly like the idea of getting to know George Collins because some part of me felt as if he was trying to replace the role of my father. However, I also knew that my mother wasn’t planning to get rid of George Collins anytime soon, either. In fact, ever since I told her that it was fine for her to stay with him, she’s been so much happier.

                I pressed my lips together in a tight line as I mustered a weak smile. “He really said that?” I asked as my mother’s eyes enlightened with excitement. She nodded profusely as I itched the back of my neck, sighing. “Alright then, I guess dinner sounds great tonight.”

                My mother got up from my bed and approached me to press her lips against my forehead. The gesture felt so foreign because it’s been a while since I’ve had any closure with my own mother, but it also felt so warm and familiar at the same time. “You’re the best, Everly.”

*

                Since George Collins’ New Year’s party was this evening, I had no time to go out to find something to wear specifically for tonight. Staring at the blush pink dress that was hanging at the very back of my closet, I wondered whether or not I would still be able to fit it after all of these years. The last time I put that dress on was for my Aunt Tara’s wedding- nearly two years ago when I was just becoming a freshman in high school.

I pulled the dress off of its hanger and tried to shimmy myself into it. Although the dress was a bit tight, it wasn’t painful to wear. In fact, the slight tightness of the dress gave it a more fitted look when I put it on. Stepping in front of the mirror, I tugged on the quarter-length, lace sleeves of the dress.  I fixed my hair so that it was up in a low bun with loose strands of my wavy brown hair framing my face. I didn’t look too dressed up, yet suitable enough for a New Year’s dinner party. Once I slipped on a pair of neutral colored flats to go along with my dress, I fled downstairs to the driveway of my house, where my mother was waiting for me in the car. She was applying on a coat of red lipstick when I slid into the passenger seat of the car, buckling on my seatbelt. My mother smiled when her eyes scanned my attire, nodding with approval. “I’ve always loved that dress on you.”

                “I’m glad it still fits.” I said with relief as my mother began to pull the car out of the driveway, heading towards the Collins’ residence on the other side of town. “Otherwise, I don’t think I would’ve had anything to wear for tonight.”

                My mother chuckled. “No kidding.” She pointed to the black shift dress that she was wearing, leaving just one hand on the steering wheel. “I had to pull this out from the very bottom of my dresser. The last time I wore this was for-.”