Daddy's little BluePrint

•Chapter Two •

*The issues we had at home*

(Gavin's POV)

I sat down on the sofa next to her and she asked "So how was school?"

"It was good!" I replied. "In theater class today, we started working on our own monologues."

My mom darted her eyes at me and asked "Why in the hell is that the only class you ever talk about? What's happening in your core classes?"

Nervously picking at my fingernails, I responded, "Well, in English, we're studying different narrator's points of view; in math, we're learning how to distribute fractions; in history, we're discussing the Renaissance days, and in science, we're looking into the periodic element chart."

She took a puff of her cigarette and blew it in my face. I waved it away, and she asked, "Do you remember what Wednesdays are?"

Confused, I asked, "Wednesdays?"

She slammed the papers down and exclaimed, "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? Do I have to do everything by myself? Today is the day you take out the trash because the dumpster trucks come by! Why didn't you put the dumpster by the road like you were supposed to?"

Covering my mouth, I realized I completely forgot about it. "Mama, I'm sorry, I accidentally-"

"-What!? You forgot! Oh, but when it comes to these extracurricular activities that won't matter in twenty years, you can remember them, but you can't remember to do a SINGLE CHORE around the house?"

"But Mama, it was the only time I forgot! I do it every week, just like you ask."

"That's the problem! YOU ONLY DO THINGS WHEN I ASK!! Why can't you just voluntarily do things without me having to ask you huh!?"

"I'm sorry, Mama..."

"Yeah, you're always sorry! Sorry isn't enough it's just excuses! And since you wanna be so forgetful! I want those dishes done, and clean out the fridge today too."

"But Mama, I have homework to do!"

"AND?? You stay up late talking to Kyan on the phone all night anyway. You might as well stay up and do your chores."

My leg continued to shake uncontrollably, and anger was boiling up inside me. She stood up, put out her cigarette, and said "I'm going back to work!"

I stood up and started walking away, but she called out, "Come here!"

I turned around and approached her slowly, keeping a certain distance between us.

"I'm sorry," Mama sighed.

"Sorry?" I asked in disbelief.

"I'm sorry for the yelling I just did I didn't mean it. It was uncalled for." Mama said as she stared at me with genuine remorse and regret.

Mama put her hands together and explained. "I've been stressed out because of work and all the bills. It doesn't excuse me for acting this way, but I want you to know I'm having a hard time too."

I looked up, knowing that my mom was genuinely sorry. "I know and I'm sorry for not taking out the trash..."

She walked up to me and grabbed my hand, "I know it's not right for me to take out my stress on you. And I shouldn't have compared your chores to your schoolwork. They're not the same. And you know school always comes first!"