The Beard

Chapter Twenty-Three

The drive to Miguel's house is slow as my mom savors her time away from her rambunctious family. Like I said it's been a while since we've spent a holiday with our family. The thing is, while my mom is a kindhearted, quiet woman, her siblings, not so much. It's not that Shelly was terrible, she was just the youngest and the most spoiled. There had been times where she was so entitled that even my younger self didn't understand why she was so childish. Now she's pregnant and I can only imagine her attitude.

Now, the oldest, my uncle, Mark, was known for being extremely critical one out of the bunch. He scrutinized every little thing causing everyone to put it off because with him being the oldest, he has to set an example for his siblings. Then there was Marie, the second eldest. She was quite the carefree spirit, not exactly living up to my grandparents expectations. She was my favorite aunt and maybe even favorite relative because she was actually very level headed.

"Why are they even here? Like really here?" I turn to look at my mom once ads started to play on the radio. "It's been a while and this is super unexpected."

My mother sighs as she rests her elbow on her door, her head going to her closed fist. "Shelly isn't doing well."

My right eyebrow quirks up at her works. That's the vaguest answer she could've given me. "Yes, I would also call heavily pregnant not doing well."

"Hey, don't be a smart alec." Mom fights the smile that's trying to break through. "Shelly in a sort of bind. She's up the duff, has no job-"

My head snaps over to my mom in absolute surprise. Last time we had heard, Shelly was bragging about this hot new job she had gotten. She had bragged about getting it as soon as the interview ended and how everyone loved her. Supposedly she had been hired at some fashion studio where she'd be creating designer clothes. Honestly, it had seemed a bit far fetched because Shelly had done two years in college before deciding that was enough for her. She hadn't gone to any design schools.

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow, my lips pursing. I'm starting to feel a bit guilty because of the hug Shelly had given me, but in hindsight, she's kind of terrible.

Mom glances over at me and shakes her head. "Jesus, Emie. Feel a little bad and yes, she's unemployed and she's been struggling to find a new job. With the baby on the way, she's stopped completely. Not only that, her boyfriend has up and left, deciding he's not ready for parenthood."

"Seriously!" I burst, shaking my head in disgust. There was nothing more despicable than someone who decides to skip out on their responsibilities. "So...what is Shelly doing to pay her bills?"

Mom sighs in defeat, letting me know the answer is something I won't like. "She's not. Your grandparents are."

Shelly has always been coddled by my grandparents. Being the youngest, she was actually quite the surprise because she hadn't been planned at all. My grandparents had been a whopping fifty years old when they conceived Shelly. Some would call it a miracle that they were able to conceive while that age, some would call it strange. With that being said while my mom is forty-five years old, Shelly is only twenty-six. Because Shelly came when her siblings were already in adulthood, she was given everything she wanted since she was basically an only child. It's strange that, even now, she's still being coddled.

It had always seemed weird to me, but I guess my grandparents were too tired to evoke discipline towards their youngest daughter. When my father had come back from college and decided to marry my mother, the two chose to stay and settled down in Elderwood, my grandparents had moved away with Shelly. It was why they aren't currently in Elderwood. They now live somewhere in Southern Florida enjoying their retirement. Shelly did live there too, but not anymore.