emotionally prepared to deal with their excitement and enthusiasm, so I do not volunteer to have one as my shadow of annoyance today.
While I am drying the hair of my first customer for the day, Romi is showing his slave the ropes beside me. My client and I talk, idle chatter about clothes and makeup. Nothing exciting. My phone vibrates in my pocket but I’m busy and can’t check it. It burns a hole in my side the entire time she sits here.
“Are you happy?” I ask, putting the round brush down on the table and holding a mirror so she can see the back of her head.
“Yep, thanks Chel’s. I’ll see you next week for the same.”
She air kisses me and goes off to pay at Alistair’s counter. I whip out my phone and swipe the screen to open it. I let out a heavy sigh as disappointment fills me. It’s not Sal, just the doctor’s office to remind me of my upcoming appointments.
There is still no reply by the time I leave at almost 6 p.m. Stock inventory took all day and the new recruits managed to balls it up, so we all had to work late.
I pass by home to check on Shaine and Kylie. When I get there the girls are sitting down for a dinner of ramen noodles and salad, so I join them. Mom isn’t around. I presume she’s out drinking. She never got help because we never had the money for help. We just got used to fending for ourselves.
“When does mom get out?” Kylie asks me.
“Out of where?” I panic that she’s been arrested and I missed it. “Why didn’t you tell me she’s locked up. Fuck.” I’m getting up before I realize it.
“Chelsey, calm down. You sent her to rehab. She’s in a facility,” says Shaine, because obviously I just scared my baby sister to death.
“I did?” I ask, testing to see if she’s just trying to cover.
“Well by the look on your face I’m guessing your fiancé did it without telling you, after you guys stopped by on Sunday evening to tell us the news. She was collected yesterday morning. The papers are in the cutlery drawer.” My head is spinning, Sal didn’t say anything to me. “He obviously didn’t like the look of his inebriated mother-in-law to be. The place looks good, who knows it might even work.”
He could have told me. It would have been nice if I’d known. “We can hope,” I say, thinking about this.
I pull out my phone and send another text.
YOU SENT MY MOTHER TO REHAB WITHOUT TELLING ME!
I use shouty caps for emphasis. This is really something I should have known about.
I did no such thing. I’m working Chelsey I don’t have time for silly text arguments. Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow after work. And I expect a message when you get to the house. Your mother needs rehab, maybe she had some sort of spiritual intervention.
By the time I get to the end of his message I am fuming, livid, and feeling defiant. But I’m also confused. I never told him about Mom. He saw her on Sunday, but we didn’t discuss the issues. He knew home life was rough, that’s all.
Rat knows though. I told him all my dirty little secrets. This wasn’t Sal, this was Rat. He’s worried that she might hurt the baby.
I had this idea in my head after Sal forced his ring on my finger, that we’d be happy and talk about planning a wedding and decorating a baby's room. Instead, I’ve sat alone in the house waiting.
Waiting for him to come home, waiting for him to answer me, waiting for nothing because nothing comes. Rat is in and out like a whirlwind. He works crazy hours, and brings home random women when he’s not working.
He drinks and has taken to smoking in the kitchen. The smell drives me crazy but I can’t face him long enough to argue about it. We dance around one another, a silent tango of wills.
Sunday is the one day I am certain of seeing Sal, as I get dragged to church and lunch like they are a normal family. But this morning he’s not here. I am dressed for church and ready to go, with no fiancé in sight. Sitting in the living room I contemplate what the hell I am supposed to do.
Do I go alone? That’s weird.
Do I stay? He might be pissed.
“Want a lift?” Rat answers the