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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAbxNI6ArfRH
415Please respect copyright.PENANAASY9rVquJU
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANA2qfPVHPHj7
415Please respect copyright.PENANAT8r8Y69dFT
Awesome role model, huh?415Please respect copyright.PENANAQZ9L62dAiR
415Please respect copyright.PENANANTBwUSo6ZM
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAA1LIovQNJN
415Please respect copyright.PENANAGcjF1Wofn5
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAGCC7dCYoVV
415Please respect copyright.PENANAuuN9IwGvqL
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAyv8PbH5S0F
415Please respect copyright.PENANA0j8FqCDi48
I was brought back to the present by the ringing of my phone. I answered it quickly.415Please respect copyright.PENANACNvVHRpOgg
415Please respect copyright.PENANAIG9fj0S3XY
"Hello?"415Please respect copyright.PENANAkgYohXLenO
415Please respect copyright.PENANA7rtmyU2VWm
"Kendall? It's Dallas Alder. How are you?"415Please respect copyright.PENANAmOqcl03AER
415Please respect copyright.PENANAI6EQKi7ee3
"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."415Please respect copyright.PENANAcs2vKIkYMR
415Please respect copyright.PENANAThPuL8kixP
"I'm a Psychiatrist, it's my job to keep calm under any circumstance."415Please respect copyright.PENANADuqa0cFJAW
415Please respect copyright.PENANAT0xaBm37vj
"You've had worse cases than me?" I heard myself say.415Please respect copyright.PENANAgxITrcp9Jc
415Please respect copyright.PENANAYn78BGz8hN
"I've had worse patients than you," she said softly. "Now, about next week. What time would you like to come by?"415Please respect copyright.PENANA1EMEcBK1hw
415Please respect copyright.PENANAQPQEjrPNEp
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAVrBibduVXn
415Please respect copyright.PENANATwCrmlGY1i
"I don't know," I said, "let me check the calendar."415Please respect copyright.PENANAh6iRrMzp57
415Please respect copyright.PENANArXxCaTcQXI
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAJRajs6RVYF
415Please respect copyright.PENANArNc0g156BX
"Can you hold on?" I asked.415Please respect copyright.PENANAN1gXPAQuyR
415Please respect copyright.PENANAzrksFOMOq1
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAobeNX0I3b1
415Please respect copyright.PENANAX1D9PwjHRW
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAFcptZzWrru
415Please respect copyright.PENANAASY9rVquJU
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANA2qfPVHPHj7
415Please respect copyright.PENANAT8r8Y69dFT
Awesome role model, huh?415Please respect copyright.PENANAQZ9L62dAiR
415Please respect copyright.PENANANTBwUSo6ZM
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAA1LIovQNJN
415Please respect copyright.PENANAGcjF1Wofn5
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAGCC7dCYoVV
415Please respect copyright.PENANAuuN9IwGvqL
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAyv8PbH5S0F
415Please respect copyright.PENANA0j8FqCDi48
I was brought back to the present by the ringing of my phone. I answered it quickly.415Please respect copyright.PENANACNvVHRpOgg
415Please respect copyright.PENANAIG9fj0S3XY
"Hello?"415Please respect copyright.PENANAkgYohXLenO
415Please respect copyright.PENANA7rtmyU2VWm
"Kendall? It's Dallas Alder. How are you?"415Please respect copyright.PENANAmOqcl03AER
415Please respect copyright.PENANAI6EQKi7ee3
"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."415Please respect copyright.PENANAcs2vKIkYMR
415Please respect copyright.PENANAThPuL8kixP
"I'm a Psychiatrist, it's my job to keep calm under any circumstance."415Please respect copyright.PENANADuqa0cFJAW
415Please respect copyright.PENANAT0xaBm37vj
"You've had worse cases than me?" I heard myself say.415Please respect copyright.PENANAgxITrcp9Jc
415Please respect copyright.PENANAYn78BGz8hN
"I've had worse patients than you," she said softly. "Now, about next week. What time would you like to come by?"415Please respect copyright.PENANA1EMEcBK1hw
415Please respect copyright.PENANAQPQEjrPNEp
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAVrBibduVXn
415Please respect copyright.PENANATwCrmlGY1i
"I don't know," I said, "let me check the calendar."415Please respect copyright.PENANAh6iRrMzp57
415Please respect copyright.PENANArXxCaTcQXI
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAJRajs6RVYF
415Please respect copyright.PENANArNc0g156BX
"Can you hold on?" I asked.415Please respect copyright.PENANAN1gXPAQuyR
415Please respect copyright.PENANAzrksFOMOq1
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAobeNX0I3b1
415Please respect copyright.PENANAX1D9PwjHRW
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.415Please respect copyright.PENANAFcptZzWrru