Faded Pink (gxg)

Two

Thirty minutes and four seconds later, my mother waltzes through the automatic doors. Her stilettos clack loudly on the tile floor. I look up from my book to see she's carrying two coffees. She sets one on the desk as she passes by. Darcy reaches up and takes it without looking away from her computer. I shake my head.

"Sorry I'm late," she stops in front of me and exhales a sigh. "Ready to go?"

I cap my pen. "I was ready at noon."

"Well, grab your stuff. Let's go." She turns away, completely ignoring my tone. "Dad and Sawyer are waiting. I have to get dinner started."

She strolls away before I can even put my feet on the floor. She returns to the front desk, engaging in conversation with a nervous-looking Darcy.

My mother is the type of woman people move out of the way for. She holds herself proudly – shoulders back, chin up, eyes filled with determination. I feel sorry for whoever dares to get in her way or on her wrong side. But, unfortunately, I seem to be on that side often.

Her usual black pencil skirt is crisply ironed, and her lilac blouse still looks new. She never leaves the house without full makeup or her hair done. And God forbid she goes without her bi-weekly manicure. She's the definition of immaculate.

She pauses her conversation with Darcy and glances over her shoulder at me. "Waiting on you now."

I stuff my Sudoku book into my backpack and gather my things, consisting of a tiny duffle bag and Sawyer's old backpack. I sling the backpack over my shoulder.

"Okay," I say quietly. "I'm ready for my discharge photo."

Mom looks at her watch. "Avery, we don't have time. We have to get home before rush hour."

Darcy raises her eyebrows. "It'll only take me a moment; the camera is –"

"It's been lovely chatting with you, Darcy, but we've got to run."

Darcy opens her mouth to reply, but my mother walks away, lowering her sunglasses back to her eyes.

When the automatic doors close behind her, I curse under my breath. Darcy shakes her head.

"We can do the photo real quick." She says as she stands.

I shake my head. "No, it's okay." Darcy lowers back into her chair, her eyes holding that look of pity again.

"Well," she sighs. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope I never see you again."

I can't stop my smile. I reach into my bag and pull out my Sudoku book, setting it on the counter. "To remember me by."

Darcy smiles widely and takes the book, tears rimming her eyes. She thumbs through a few pages. Her expression saddens as she skims over the notes I leave myself in the margins and spaces between puzzles. My tiny doodles decorate every page. A sad sigh slips from her lips.

"Please take care of yourself, Avery Parks."

"I will."

I wave goodbye – hopefully for the last time – and walk out of Second Course Recovery.

And back into reality.

~

The car ride home is fourteen minutes of pure hell. And yes, I counted. It was the only thing I could do to stop myself from diving out of the moving car or strangling myself with my seatbelt.

The moment I shut my door, Mom dives right into her regimented speech – the same speech she delivered the first three times I was discharged.

She casually weaves through traffic as she talks.