Watch Your Temper

Chapter Four: Criminal Minds vs Downton Abbey

I laughed, and brushed my hand against George's.

"See you, Temper," he murmured, and we parted. I watched him walk to his room, and shut the door softly behind himself. I sighed.

Today was perfect!

I shook my head, coming out of that dizzy trance I was in. Pushing open my own door, I padded in, and clicked the door closed.

"Where have you been?" someone hissed. What the hell...?

"Uh, hello? Mom? Ronnie...?" I said, my voice shaky. My mom stepped into view, out of nowhere.

"Family room. Now!" she barked, her eyes vicious and fiery. I gulped. My throat felt all sore and dry, and that little thing I forgot popped back into my head: Ronnie.

Without another word, I moved down the hall to the family room. I sat on the couch, my back ridged and tensed. Ronnie came in the room, wearing his Spider-Man pajamas. He glared at me and rubbed his sleepy-looking eyes, and curled up on the couch next to my mom.

I started on my plead for forgiveness.

"I'm so sorry, mom, I was out with.... with some people and I totally lost track of time and I didn't know, and I was just not thinking right and I-I...I" I had to stop to take a breath. The whole time, my mom stared me down, her eyes hard and cold and piercing into me.

"I was counting on you. I almost lost my job because of you. When you didn't show up on time, I couldn't just leave Ronnie alone, and so I was unable to go to the meeting. My boss was very angry with me. You are grounded. Get to your room," my mom commanded in a stony voice.

I jumped up, afraid to disobey her, and fled to my room. I flopped down on my bed, and stared at the ceiling. Why? Why was I so stupid? I had just half-regained my mom's trust (after the stealing issue) and then I went and messed everything up again. Again!

I forced my blurry eyes to focus on my clock, which told me it was a quarter to midnight. I bit my lip and glanced at the picture of my family. My whole family, down by the Hudson enjoying a picnic. My dad had me in his arms, laughing about something my mom was whispering in his ear. I had my face nuzzled in his neck, and Ronnie, just a toddler, was smiling from ear to ear.

"I miss you, Dad," I whispered. I brought two of my fingers up to my mouth, kissing them softly, and brought them down to touch my father's face. Sure, it was kind of cliche and pathetic, but can you really blame a girl? I just missed my dad... why did he leave us? He looked so happy, so full of life, that it was hard to comprehend that he ever walked away from us.

Of course, I've heard of stories about kid's parents leaving, and then the other parent goes into a depression. I was lucky my mom wasn't one of those parents. Every now and then, once I had tucked Ronnie into bed, I could hear her. I could hear her in her room, whimpering and talking to herself. At times like that, I turned on the T.V. and watched Criminal Minds at full volume.

As I went to bed that night, a new, determined thought filled my mind: I was going to find my dad.

+++

When I woke up, a chorus of unfamiliar voices filled my ears.

I slowly crawled out of bed and ran a hand through my messy hair, realizing I didn't even change out of my clothes yesterday. Guessing we had unexpected company over, I quickly dressed in sweats and a tank top and went out to greet whomever.

I yawned during my stroll into the kitchen. A young red-headed girl sat on the counter, eating an apple. Across the hall, in the family room, Ronnie and a boy lay sprawled across the floor, game controllers in their hands and Mario Kart noises filling the room.