different

chapter 3

"ugh," I said looking at the note on the dining room table for me.
Becca,
       Just a few things I need you to do. 1.) Can you make dinner I won't be home in time to make it. There's shrimp out thawing and there is some pasta in the cabinet. 2.) The house needs to be straightened up dust and vacuum please! 3.) Make sure Eamon gets a shower he's been a bugger about it lately. Thank you so much
                        Love,
                            Mom
"Why can't she give any of the chores to Cormac," I whined and I put my books down on the table. I ran up to my room to get out of this horrible uniform. I put on my favorite dress instead, it's yellow with flower details all over it, plus it's comfortable. I kicked my shoes off but opted for no shoes or socks instead, to restricting.

       I hummed to myself as I pulled the vacuum out of the closet. The thought of a coming out party popped back into my head. I just don't see the point. Why can't I find love on my own, I don't want to live miserable with a husband society picks for me. I don't think they have coming out parties in the other sectors. Of course I don't know anyone in any of them so I don't know. I finished vacuuming and started dusting. I sang to myself as I dusted "Be as strong as the seas are stormy and proud as an eagle's scream I will ride, I will fly chase the wind and touch the sky."
"Becca can you help me?" The little voice of Eamon said.
"Of course what's up?"
"I don't get my math homework. I don't understand decimals." He said holding his handout.
"Well come here." I said walking over to the dining room table, "okay what don't you get?"
"Basically all of it Mrs. McDavids didn't explain it to us. She just gave it to us for homework." He sounded like he was about to cry and my heart ached for him. I've had my fair share of teachers like that.
"Well here don't let that decimal point mess you up, put your finger over it and act like isn't there."
"Okay."
"Now just add like you are normally. So what's 326 plus 678?" I asked
"1,004?"
"Yes! Now pick your finger up and bring the decimal point down. So what would your answer be?"
"10.04?"
"Yes I think you got it. Do you wanna stay here and do your homework I have to start dinner?" I asked rubbing his back.
"Yeah."
"Okay well you get to work." I said as I walked to the kitchen and started making dinner.

       "Cormac dinner!" I yelled up the stairs.
"Coming!" He yelled. We all sat around the table leaving mom's place set. She didn't say when she would be home, just that it would be late. Just as we began to eat the front door opened and mom walked in looking exhausted. "Mom what happened to you?" I asked taken back by her appearance.
"Nothing, I'll tell you later." She said as she sat down at the table.

     I stood next to mom drying the dishes as she washed them. I so baldly wanted to bring up the coming out party, but I don't even know if that's what it is. I had this terrible felling in my gut that was telling me to ask her, but she just looked so exhausted. "Hey Mom?" I asked as I dried a pan.
"Yeah sweetie?"
"What is it you wanted to talk about this morning."
"Oh yeah. Well it sort of has to do with your grandparents." She said putting the last dish down for me to dry.
"Grandma and Grandpa? What do they want?"
"Well it's moreso what I want. I think you deserve a coming out party. I know it's not really your thing but you work so hard around the house to help me. I don't want that to go unnoticed, so I asked grandma and grandpa for a little help."
"But mom," I whined.
"Look Rebecca you need one if you ever want to get out of a life like this. But there's one more thing." She said her voice getting quieter.
"One more?"
"They want us all there every Sunday for dinner."
"Oh mom," I said slamming the last plate down letting out my anger.
"Look it won't be that bad sweetie."
"Mom last time I was at their house I felt like a spec of dust. We're nothing to them and people like them." I ranted on. I haven't seen my grandparents since I was six. My mom got in a horrible fight with them when they brought up past issues. My mom had Cormac when she was 18, and her parents were furious. Most parents would be, but it was the way they handled it that made mom leave. They wanted her to put it up for adoption and they wouldn't let her live at home if she didn't. So rightfully my mother left and moved to this end of Bradford, the West end.

       "Mom why do you look so tired?" I asked later in the night.
"It's nothing honey really." She answered waving her hand at me.
"Mom really, tell me. What's wrong?"
"Well I had to pick up a second job. Now I'll be working at the diner and as a janitor at a doctors office."
"Oh congratulations." I didn't know if that was the right thing to say but I didn't know what else to say.
"Well thank you honey. Now go get ready for bed. You need sleep you're young."
"Goodnight mom." I said kissing her forehead.
"Good night sweetie, love you."
"Love you to." I said heading up the stairs.