Don't Talk About Mickey

22 - Ain't No Party in the Jenkins' House

Carly wasted no time to getting out of the car as they pulled into the driveway. Her feet padded heavily against the concrete as Sebastian tried to call out her name. She was no further interested in speaking to him for as long as she lived, and even that would've been too soon. She barged through the front door and closed it behind her, ignoring his pleas. Needing to cool off, she went into the kitchen to get a tall glass of water.

"You're home early," Eliza said, as she sat at the kitchen table, drinking a gin and tonic. It was the first time Carly had seen her mother drinking in weeks. "Where's Sebastian?"

"Who cares?" Carly said angrily. She started stiffly towards the cupboard, retrieving a clean glass.

"What's wrong with your hair?"

Carly threw a disheveled look over her shoulder. "Nothing. Why?"

"It's really tangled at the back."

"Things were getting pretty hot and heavy between Carly and Cody at practice," Sebastian said as he came through the door. "I literally had to pry them apart.

Carly pounded the glass onto the counter, forgetting about the water, and whipped around to meet him with angered eyes. "We were just dancing!"

"Don't talk back to him, Charlotte," Eliza warned. 

"But he's lying! Cody and I are just friends!"

"Just like you and Sam?" Sebastian chimed in with a smug grin that Eliza somehow missed.

"I could just fucking kill you right now!" Carly gusted at the top of her lungs.

"Charlotte! What the hell has gotten into you?" Eliza stood up from the table, sending a disappointed look towards her daughter. "What has your father done to you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever since you went to his house for your birthday, you've been acting erratically. What has he done to you? Or was it that wife of his?"

"Neither of them have done anything," Carly said irritated.  It was just like her mother to not be able to see the forest for the trees, or to live in such denial and blame everyone else for things she's caused.

Eliza picked up her cellphone and started dialing. "We'll see about that," she said, placing the phone up to her ear. "Yes, Matthew? I need to speak to you about our daughter. She's been out of control since she came home from your little birthday party... Uh huh...Yes...Well, if you must." She hung up and put the phone back down on the table. "You're father is coming over so we can get to the bottom of this."

                  "This is ridiculous," Carly said tossing her hands into the air.  "I'm not behaving erratically.  You're the one marrying a virtual stranger."

                  "You have no say in how I live my life," Eliza snapped.  "And stop trying to change the subject.  You've been staying out all night, sleeping at Sam's house, doing God knows what with Cody at dance class.  All since you spent the evening with your father.  I can only assume he has something to do with what is wrong with you lately!"

                  "You want to know what's wrong with me mother?" Carly sneered and shot Sebastian a saucy wink.  "I'll tell you what's wrong with me."

                  "Carly, you should think before you speak," Sebastian warned.

                  "Oh don't worry, Sebastian," Carly winked at him again.  "We both know you're good enough in bed that my mother will forgive you."  She turned to her mother again.  "What's wrong with me, is that I walked into my home on the night of my birthday and found out that my mother's boyfriend just so happens to be my lover."