Don't Talk About Mickey

21 - Nothing but Trouble

Carly wheeled her car up against the curb and groaned when she saw both her mother's car and Mickey's motorcycle.  Damn it!  She slammed her hand against the steering wheel.  She'd stayed away from home last night in order to avoid them and they were both here.  Stepping out of her car, Carly eased her door closed.  She took off her high heels and made her way across the garage to peek in the kitchen door.  The kitchen was empty so Carly opened the door and tiptoed inside.  Carly made it through the kitchen and to the stairs before she was caught.

"Charlotte Marie Jenkins where the hell have you been all night!" Eliza's voice rang out from behind Carly.

                 

Carly halted mid tiptoe, her back hunched over and her head tucked down into her shoulders.  Straightening slowly, she turned around and looked at her mother.

                  "I'm waiting for an answer, young lady!" Eliza demanded, her foot tapping and her arms crossed over her chest.

                  Carly saw red when she saw Mickey standing behind her mother glaring at her.  "I was out," she said defiantly straightening her spine and standing tall.  "I am eighteen now, and I've never had to check in before.  What's the big deal?"

                  "Sebastian and I were up all night worrying that you were dead in a ditch somewhere, that's what the big deal is!  You might be eighteen, but you're far from behaving like an adult," Eliza said harshly.  "You showed more responsibility two years ago than you did last night.  I called your cell phone and texted you repeatedly and you couldn't even answer or text me back to say that you were okay."

                  "Left my phone in the car," Carly shrugged.

                  "Oh well that's just dandy," Eliza scathed.  "You just left your phone in the car.  And where the hell was the car?  In fact, give me your keys.  You're not going anywhere for a while."

                  "Oh get real, mother," Carly said.  "I have dance classes this evening and I'm sure you aren't going to cart me around everywhere.  You can't punish me like I'm five without punishing yourself too.  And we both know that you aren't going to do that."

                  "Where were you last night?" Eliza growled through gritted teeth.

                  "I spent the night at Sam's," Carly yelled.

                  "Sam?  Sam Clayton, our old chauffeur?" Eliza asked.  At Carly's nod, Eliza went off like a rocket.  "Are you fucking that boy?  Do you want to ruin your life?  How could you be so stupid?"  Eliza began pacing.  "Please tell me you're on the pill or using condoms?  Sam is a nice kid, but he has nothing to offer you.  He's so beneath our class."

                  "What!" Carly shrieked.  "You want to talk about class, look at who you're marrying?  Talk about hypocritical, mother."  Carly glared at Mickey who was leaning against the doorframe with one foot crossed over the other, his trademark ripped jeans and tee shirt making him look like sex on a stick.

                  "You know nothing about Sebastian," Eliza raged.  "And this isn't about me.  I'm a grown woman who can make adult choices, you're just a little girl who wants to play house with the hired help!"

                  "You have no idea what you're talking about," Carly said disgustedly. 

                  "Keys," Eliza said striding over to Carly and holding her hand out.