Sadly Mistaken

Did You Just Compare Me To Your Mom?

"How was your sleepover at Bree's?" My mom asks as I'm sitting on the couch doing some homework for English.

"It was good."

"Good, that's it?" My mom inquires. Great. She's already suspicious of me.

"Yeah, we watched a few movies and talked for a few hours after. It was a low key, but fun night." I say, surprised that it came out so smoothly. I've never been much of a good liar.

"Sounds fun." She says, and I silently give a sigh of relief until my mom asks yet another question. "Was there any alcohol involved Kat?"

My first mistake was my delayed response.

My second was my stutter.

"N-No mom, why would you t-think that?"

"Maybe because I grew up with an alcoholic father and I know the smell of alcohol from a room away."

I look away from my mom in shame. She's figured me out.

"Kat, where did you really go last night?" She asks me softly.

"A party." I mumble. My mom sighs, and looks a look.

"Kat, I hope you're not going to make this a habit." My mom says, concern lacing her voice. I feel a pang of guilt in my stomach. My mom hardly talks about her childhood because it brings back bad memories of her alcoholic father and absentee mother, and I've just hit a tender spot in her heart.

"Mom no, I would never make it a habit to go to many parties and drink too much." I frantically say, trying to ease the pain I've caused her. "Trust me, it was just a one time thing."

"Kat, I'm sorry but I have to make sure this doesn't happen again." She says. "I want you to start looking for a job. It will occupy some of your excessive free time, and you really need to save some more money for college."

"But mom," I whine, "I've had a summer job for the past three years! You told me I didn't have to get a job during the school year so I can focus on my studies!"

"That was before you went to a party and drank alcohol Katherine. If this is what I have to do to make sure it doesn't happen again, I'll do it."

"But mom-"

"Katherine, I'm not changing my mind. You can start looking for a job this weekend."

"Okay." I sigh and walk up the stairs and head to my room.

~~~~

Jobs are hard to find. So many small details to pay attention to, like hours, wages, and working conditions. The closest I've gotten to finding a job that I liked, was a small cafe in the town next to me that was looking for a barista. I called the number on the website and a grumpy old man informed me that the website was from three years ago and since then the cafe has shut down. Let's just say it was an awkward phone call.

Meg walks into my room just as I'm shutting down my laptop. I still have one day left in this weekend to find a job, and staying up late searching for a job isn't going to help.

"What are you doing up this late?" Meg asks.

"Just looking for a job. Mom is making me since I went to a party and drank alcohol last night."

"You've had a summer job though, right?" She asks.

"Yeah, why?" I ask.

"Can't you just reapply for one of the places you've worked for during the last few summers?" Meg asks.

Where the hell has my brain been for the past 4 hours when I was searching nonstop for a job I practically already have?

"Well now I feel dumb Meg, but thank you for saving me another day of searching."