Change of Plans

Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

Audrey looked up at me from where she was sitting at the kitchen table. She was hunched over her chemistry textbook with her hands wrapped around a coffee mug. "Well don't you look charming?"

"Shut up," I grumbled, sauntering into the kitchen. I raked my fingers through my hair in an attempt to unknot the tangles. Without success, I gave up and focused on pouring myself a steaming cup of coffee. I held the mug beneath my nose and inhaled deeply, relishing the bitter-sweet scent of freshly brewed coffee.

"When'd you get back?" She asked me.

"Pretty late. There were... complications."

"Mom was angry," she told me as if I hadn't already experienced Mom's wrath for myself. "I went to bed before she could take it out on me."

"That was smart of you." I pointed at the textbook in front of her. "Test?"

Audrey nodded. "Chemical equilibrium. It's when the reaction occurs in both directions and the concentrations of both the reactants and products--what?"

I laughed. "Just remembering why I got a C plus in chemistry." I looked around the kitchen. "Where's Jane? She's usually up by now."

"She left for work already. She said she had a meeting or something. I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention," Audrey said. I nodded knowingly. Jane liked talking--a lot. It wasn't a bad thing since she always made good conversation. But they were good conversations that tended to drag on and would eventually end in me being more engrossed in the piece of lint on my shirt.

I sat in the empty chair across from Audrey. She was back to poring through the pages of her textbook. I sipped on my coffee and I turned on the television that was attached to the wall. I flipped through the channels until I reached the morning news channel. The volume was low to avoid waking Mom and I watched as the news anchor did her job. She spoke so effortlessly with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Her face was blank, showing no emotion as she talked about the corner store robbery that occurred two days ago. The suspect stilled hadn't been caught, she'd said.

"How'd you get back?" Audrey asked me.

"I don't really want to talk about this right now. Mom already gave me shit for it," I told her.

"But I'm not Mom."

"I really need to get my own place," I complained, rubbing my hands over my face.

Just as I said that, I heard the familiar sounds of Mom's slippers padding on the floor. Then they stopped. "Your own place? You're too young." I turned in my seat to see her standing in the threshold between the kitchen and the hallway, still dressed in her clothes from last night.

"Good morning to you too," I sighed.

"Beth, you're going to be late for work. You should go change and get ready. Have you had breakfast?"

I held up the mug. "Coffee."

"Coffee isn't breakfast."

"It is when you're in a rush," I retorted.

She looked up at the analog clock hanging on the wall. "Go change. I'll make you a quick sandwich."

I placed my mug on the counter. "Thanks, Mom," I grinned. I pecked her on the cheek before making my way to the washroom.

I stood in front of the mirror and flattened down the creases on the skirt. I wore black pantyhose under my black pencil skirt that reached just above my knees. My white blouse was tucked into the skirt and I buttoned up all but the top button. I used a towel and made sure that my hair was completely dry before I brushed it and pulled it into a high pony-tail. I grabbed my shiny, black pumps from the floor of my closet and put them on.