Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,107

up. “I’ll go out and get it. Katy, can you get the plates out?”

“Of course,” I said.

I got the stack of plates out and lined them up. Jared came in with the ham and what I assumed was a bag of other food.

We each dished our food out and heated it up.

Since there wasn’t enough room for us all to sit at the table, we ended up eating in the living room.

I smiled and laughed, even joining in the conversation. I didn’t feel like I was on the outside looking in. I felt like I belonged, and that was a very good feeling.

34

I STARED AT MY RINGING MY PHONE, TEMPTED TO SMASH IT INTO A WALL.

“Are you gonna answer that?” Jared asked. He was stretched out on my couch with his arms behind his head. Mable snoozed pleasantly on his chest.

“It’s my mom,” I growled.

“She’s called like five times in a row. Maybe it’s an emergency,” he said.

I rolled my eyes.

Spring Break had started two days ago, Easter happened to be this weekend. I knew exactly what my mom wanted, and it had nothing to do with an emergency, and everything to do with her selfish ways.

“I know what she wants,” I mumbled under my breath.

“I still think you should answer it,” he said, as it started ringing again.

“Fine,” I snapped. I picked up the phone and answered.

“Katyrina, I don’t see why you weren’t picking up,” my mother snapped into the phone. No, hello, or hey, how are you doing.

“I was in the shower,” I lied.

She plowed on, like I hadn’t said anything at all, her tone clipped. “My annual Easter Charity Brunch is this Sunday and I need you to attend. It makes me seem more personable if people see that I have a daughter.”

I rolled my eyes. I was like a doll to her. She could pick me up and play with me when she wanted to, and discard me when she was done.

“I have things to do,” I said, pacing down the hallway.

“Katyrina, this isn’t open for discussion,” she shrieked. “You will be there.”

“You do realize that I’m practically twenty, not ten, right?” I asked.

“And you do realize that I pay all your bills and for school, right? I don’t ask you for much Katyrina, but this is important to me. You’ll be there,” her tone was sharp enough to cut.

I couldn’t help chuckling at her words though. She didn’t care about the charity. All she cared about was what people thought of her. Her charity brunch made her look like she cared, which she didn’t.

I ran my fingers, angrily through my hair, hard enough the rip out a few strands.

“Fine, I’ll be there,” I ground out between my teeth. I was fearful of what she may do if I said no, again. “Same place?”

“Yes, Katyrina,” she said in a tone that implied I was stupid. “I let you off the hook last year, but I can’t do that again, this year. It was embarrassing trying to explain your absence.”

I snorted. “I was busy,” I lied.

“Regardless, it was an embarrassment. You should have been there. I have to go,” she said.

It didn’t escape my attention, that she’d not even mentioned my birthday, less than a week away.

“Make sure you put, plus one, next to my name.” I said and hung up before she could reply.

I ventured back into the living room and glared at Jared. If I was going to have to survive a whole afternoon with my mother, so was he.

“I hope you have a suit,” I pointed at him.

~***~

“Why do I have a very bad feeling about today?” Jared asked looking in his bathroom mirror as he tied his tie.

“Because,” I said, inspecting his suit for any wrinkles my mother might nitpick, “my mother is a psycho.”

His light gray suit appeared to be perfect and I stepped back, taking in the gorgeous man before me.

He’d recently gotten his hair trimmed; giving him a cleaner look instead of the wildly unkempt one he’d been sporting. A light dusting of stubble dotted his chin and cheek bones. The light blue shirt he wore made him look even tanner than he already was. His dark blue tie was slightly crooked and I reached up, straightening it.

“I shouldn’t have told you to answer the phone,” he wrinkled his nose as I went back to inspecting him.

“No, you shouldn’t have,” I sighed. “It doesn’t matter though; she would have kept calling until I finally answered. At least, this way, I