Mom and Carl were all set to leave for their trip tomorrow, which meant Ember and I had them convinced. We would get together in my room, mostly, to do our homework after school. There wasn't a whole lot of conversation unless we were giving each other an answer, but mom and Carl thought it was good for us. We spoke enough at dinner to get away with just a few questions and we even helped do chores around the house.


Carl had been trying to get my attention a little more. When we ordered food, he'd ask me to ride along with him to pick it up. I didn't mind it that much, but he was asking a lot of questions about my personal life and I didn't feel like we were there yet. Baby steps. He did tell me a lot of stories about when he was younger, the kind of things he wouldn't want Ember to know since she's never been a teenage boy, so we bonded over that. He was turning out to be a pretty cool guy, I just wasn't ready to do the whole advice shit yet. He was a friend, not an idol.. But we were making progress, which made my mom happier than she's ever been. That pretty much means everything for me.


It was actually Ember and mom that were causing all of the problems in the house. I found my mom crying in the kitchen one night when I got up for water. She told me she didn't want to bother Carl but she couldn't figure out exactly what it was about her that Ember didn't like. She cooked all of her best dishes, tried to take Ember shopping, did her best to make small talk, almost everything in her power to get Ember to come around. All mom wanted was a little acceptance, and considering how hard she worked for both Ember and I, I felt like she deserved it. Did it make no difference to Ember that I was trying really hard with Carl?


Tonight, Ember really set me off. Mom and Carl were about to leave for the store to get some last minute things for their trip and mom asked me if there was anything I wanted before she left. Naturally, I said no. I wasn't very hard to please. But it was Ember who made her cry before she left the house.


"Ember," Mom pulled said girl aside and tried to keep her voice low. "Is there anything I can get you to help you out while we're gone? Maybe girl stuff," I nearly gagged, knowing this meant tampons and what not, but mom continued, not noticing. "A book to read, stuff to do your nails? Jack probaby won't be of much entertainment to you while we're gone."


"No, I'm fine."


"Are you sure? Because I hate leaving knowing you don't have any close friends in town an-"
"I said I'm fine! Just freaking go already!"


I snapped my head in their direction as mom took a step back. She was shocked by Ember's temper, but simply nodded her head and mumbled an 'okay.' Carl stepped forward to say something to his daughter but mom grabbed his arm, telling him to calm down as they left the house. All my mom was trying to do was help. Ember's attitude was totally uncalled for.


"The fuck was that about?"


"What?"


"Don't play stupid," I grumbled, pulling myself off of the couch. Ember and I hadn't really fought since the morning I hurt her wrists, but no one fucks with my mom, especially someone who doesn't even know her. "You're being a real twat to her, you know that? Do you think this is easy on her? It's not! Being shitty with me is one thing, but not her."


"I really don't want to have this conversation with you, Jack."


"Well fucking try harder, Ember. I'm breaking my back here trying to get along with your dad. Do you think it's a walk in the park? I had a shitty parent, I get it. But you don't have to take it out on her. Seriously, what's so wrong about your own mother that you won't give mine a chance?!"


I let out a deep breath and stared at the small girl in front of me. She was holding her breath, to avoid screaming at me, I'm sure. But the look in her eyes told me I want too far. Fuck. She bit her lip just before opening her mouth, saying a few words that made me feel like complete and total shit.


"She's dead. My mom is dead."


Then she was gone. Ember took off from the house and left me standing in the living room alone, staring into the darkness through the front door. Way to go Jack, way to fucking go.

Notes

Oh snap!