x
When Christian had dropped me off at my house, I was a little disappointed that he didn't stay over. With my mom at work, we'd have the house to ourselves for the afternoon. Even when she came home late, she wouldn't know anyone was here. She would just get a bottle of vodka from the cabinet, a glass, and her pack of cigarettes, and retreat to her room.324Please respect copyright.PENANA6YNhlbodAK
324Please respect copyright.PENANAyVJEtB5dQl
The first thing I saw when I walked through the front door was an open bottle of wine on the table. That was her morning routine before heading off to work. Once I was out of her hair for the morning, she would drink until she felt buzzed, then get behind the wheel.324Please respect copyright.PENANASb6KkJMxzP
324Please respect copyright.PENANAvOBfppzksj
Awesome role model, huh?324Please respect copyright.PENANA2lQ6XN0a0x
324Please respect copyright.PENANA9YcRhRD9hE
She used to be. I used to look up to her. I used to envy her. I wanted to want to be her. Then my dad left and she completely fell apart. She started drinking heavily, and on more than one occasion she would call me from God knew where to come and get her. I was fifteen at the time, wasn't able to drive, so I had to have our neighbor drive me.324Please respect copyright.PENANA660Rd0LgBW
324Please respect copyright.PENANA8TcvfPWRbi
My mom was less than happy when I showed up with another person to pick her up. She actually started screaming at me in front of Mrs. Levine, yelling about how she called me to come and not some stranger. I reminded her that Mrs. Levine was a good friend of hers and had been for years.324Please respect copyright.PENANAInOGErx6OX
324Please respect copyright.PENANAECM1zJEI2Q
The yelling continued in the car, when we got into the house, and into my bedroom. I had finally had enough and shut the door in her face, making sure to lock it. Then I turned off the light and sat in the dark for what seemed like hours.324Please respect copyright.PENANAqWIawbxhY9
324Please respect copyright.PENANAY6YH6uXXbi
I was brought back to the present by the ringing of my phone. I answered it quickly.324Please respect copyright.PENANAEWaS0s6eoB
324Please respect copyright.PENANAUwW6fFoqCP
"Hello?"324Please respect copyright.PENANAp53m87M1yc
324Please respect copyright.PENANA38B2uv16Xw
"Kendall? It's Dallas Alder. How are you?"324Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5x6NNTksF
324Please respect copyright.PENANA0kwWktmWD8
"Hi," I said, picking up the bottle and placing it back in the cabinet. I leaned against the counter, listening to the shuffle of papers on the other end of the line. "I'm okay. How are you? I'm sorry if the session freaked you out."324Please respect copyright.PENANAx0wNpHKAMh
324Please respect copyright.PENANAP3PSblYY8u
"I'm a Psychiatrist, it's my job to keep calm under any circumstance."324Please respect copyright.PENANA5luWjD54Gm
324Please respect copyright.PENANABzOnsm9fuq
"You've had worse cases than me?" I heard myself say.324Please respect copyright.PENANAn3KrQHdVVq
324Please respect copyright.PENANAdN1R3XnYnh
"I've had worse patients than you," she said softly. "Now, about next week. What time would you like to come by?"324Please respect copyright.PENANAW3LILilvnT
324Please respect copyright.PENANAluV4gVkDXy
I didn't know. I wasn't even thinking about that. I wasn't even sure what was in store for me for the rest of the week. I just knew that the dreams were going to get worse. I hesitated before answering.324Please respect copyright.PENANAnRPVRKlV7t
324Please respect copyright.PENANA3mBgAjJdMq
"I don't know," I said, "let me check the calendar."324Please respect copyright.PENANAAPIWGBhOpu
324Please respect copyright.PENANAASCkRWCrnS
While I cradled the phone on my shoulder, something I hated doing because it didn't work well, I rummaged through the junk drawer that was beside the fridge. I yanked it out, figuring that would take less time, and watched every piece of crap we'd ever collected fall to the floor.324Please respect copyright.PENANAHrPeLFL9nt
324Please respect copyright.PENANAMR9jDWS5Ai
"Can you hold on?" I asked.324Please respect copyright.PENANAlgSywKAVgI
324Please respect copyright.PENANAy6DLdLbFnH
I dropped to my hands and knees and started to clean up. Before I stood up, having gotten everything back in order, I noticed something white under the oven. Curiously I crawled toward it and picked it up. It was a folded piece of paper. I opened it and had to hold something to keep steady. It was only a few words, but they were enough to shake my entire foundation.324Please respect copyright.PENANAfkJfMmKn3N
324Please respect copyright.PENANAfVvSXQZkv2
Your son has been adopted. It's taken care of like I promised it would be. Now you don't have to see us anymore. My daughter will never know you. Goodbye.324Please respect copyright.PENANAHJHOqyFQxn
324Please respect copyright.PENANAyVJEtB5dQl
The first thing I saw when I walked through the front door was an open bottle of wine on the table. That was her morning routine before heading off to work. Once I was out of her hair for the morning, she would drink until she felt buzzed, then get behind the wheel.324Please respect copyright.PENANASb6KkJMxzP
324Please respect copyright.PENANAvOBfppzksj
Awesome role model, huh?324Please respect copyright.PENANA2lQ6XN0a0x
324Please respect copyright.PENANA9YcRhRD9hE
She used to be. I used to look up to her. I used to envy her. I wanted to want to be her. Then my dad left and she completely fell apart. She started drinking heavily, and on more than one occasion she would call me from God knew where to come and get her. I was fifteen at the time, wasn't able to drive, so I had to have our neighbor drive me.324Please respect copyright.PENANA660Rd0LgBW
324Please respect copyright.PENANA8TcvfPWRbi
My mom was less than happy when I showed up with another person to pick her up. She actually started screaming at me in front of Mrs. Levine, yelling about how she called me to come and not some stranger. I reminded her that Mrs. Levine was a good friend of hers and had been for years.324Please respect copyright.PENANAInOGErx6OX
324Please respect copyright.PENANAECM1zJEI2Q
The yelling continued in the car, when we got into the house, and into my bedroom. I had finally had enough and shut the door in her face, making sure to lock it. Then I turned off the light and sat in the dark for what seemed like hours.324Please respect copyright.PENANAqWIawbxhY9
324Please respect copyright.PENANAY6YH6uXXbi
I was brought back to the present by the ringing of my phone. I answered it quickly.324Please respect copyright.PENANAEWaS0s6eoB
324Please respect copyright.PENANAUwW6fFoqCP
"Hello?"324Please respect copyright.PENANAp53m87M1yc
324Please respect copyright.PENANA38B2uv16Xw
"Kendall? It's Dallas Alder. How are you?"324Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5x6NNTksF
324Please respect copyright.PENANA0kwWktmWD8
"Hi," I said, picking up the bottle and placing it back in the cabinet. I leaned against the counter, listening to the shuffle of papers on the other end of the line. "I'm okay. How are you? I'm sorry if the session freaked you out."324Please respect copyright.PENANAx0wNpHKAMh
324Please respect copyright.PENANAP3PSblYY8u
"I'm a Psychiatrist, it's my job to keep calm under any circumstance."324Please respect copyright.PENANA5luWjD54Gm
324Please respect copyright.PENANABzOnsm9fuq
"You've had worse cases than me?" I heard myself say.324Please respect copyright.PENANAn3KrQHdVVq
324Please respect copyright.PENANAdN1R3XnYnh
"I've had worse patients than you," she said softly. "Now, about next week. What time would you like to come by?"324Please respect copyright.PENANAW3LILilvnT
324Please respect copyright.PENANAluV4gVkDXy
I didn't know. I wasn't even thinking about that. I wasn't even sure what was in store for me for the rest of the week. I just knew that the dreams were going to get worse. I hesitated before answering.324Please respect copyright.PENANAnRPVRKlV7t
324Please respect copyright.PENANA3mBgAjJdMq
"I don't know," I said, "let me check the calendar."324Please respect copyright.PENANAAPIWGBhOpu
324Please respect copyright.PENANAASCkRWCrnS
While I cradled the phone on my shoulder, something I hated doing because it didn't work well, I rummaged through the junk drawer that was beside the fridge. I yanked it out, figuring that would take less time, and watched every piece of crap we'd ever collected fall to the floor.324Please respect copyright.PENANAHrPeLFL9nt
324Please respect copyright.PENANAMR9jDWS5Ai
"Can you hold on?" I asked.324Please respect copyright.PENANAlgSywKAVgI
324Please respect copyright.PENANAy6DLdLbFnH
I dropped to my hands and knees and started to clean up. Before I stood up, having gotten everything back in order, I noticed something white under the oven. Curiously I crawled toward it and picked it up. It was a folded piece of paper. I opened it and had to hold something to keep steady. It was only a few words, but they were enough to shake my entire foundation.324Please respect copyright.PENANAfkJfMmKn3N
324Please respect copyright.PENANAfVvSXQZkv2
Your son has been adopted. It's taken care of like I promised it would be. Now you don't have to see us anymore. My daughter will never know you. Goodbye.324Please respect copyright.PENANAHJHOqyFQxn