Another World

Six

That night I was sitting in the dining room with my parents, Nicole and Eddy. We were seated on the one thousand pound-looking chairs. I was trying my best not to get sauce all over them; it wasn’t easy since we were eating spaghetti with meatballs. Everything looked beautiful, the shiny silver cutlery, the pans, the decorations. The dining room was perfect, too perfect. I felt like I somehow didn’t belong here. Next to me sat Nicole, across were my parents, and my little brother, Eddy, was at the end of the table. Nobody had said a word since we had sat down, my plate was half empty and I was fiddling with the last meatball I had left. It was an awkward silence of epic proportions. All I could hear was that horrible crunching noise people made when they ate.

It was the same routine every night, for the past five weeks. Nobody said a word, nobody looked at each other. All you had to do was sit down, eat, and bring your plate to the kitchen for the cleaner to wash. Yeah, we had a cleaner. Her name was Elena and I think she was Indonesian. She was more of a mother to me than Janice was. Sometimes when I got really lonely, I’d go down to the basement and talk to her. Well, it wasn’t really a talk as I’d basically have a rant about how horrible my life was.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, breaking the silence, and everyone stared right at me.

It was a text from Jackie

I’m at the mall buying clothes for the kiddo.

Send me a picture of the ultrasound! x

I looked back at the text from Jackie and smiled, then turned my phone off and returned to fiddling with my meatball. Earlier that day Zayn and I had seen the first ever ultrasound of our son. I stroked my stomach with my left hand as I stuck my fork in the meatball.

“Eat with two hands Melissa” My mother said angrily, she didn’t even bother looking at me.

Nicole looked up at me, rolling her eyes as she exhaled a giant chunk of air. I smiled back at her and looked over at Eddy, who was pocking his spaghetti with his fingers whilst licking tomato sauce of his face. Hypocrites.

“So how was the ultrasound?” Nicole asked, trying to start a conversation. My parents hadn’t asking for a single detail since I got back from the hospital.

“It went great. I’ve got tons of photos of the baby and…” I began

“Sweetie how’s work” My mom interrupted me

 “It’s been awfully busy lately with all the meetings for the new brand” My dad said

 I looked over at Nicole. Her nostrils were flaring and she was breathing heavily.

“Mom, where’s the baby’s room going to be?” Nicole asked

Another silence

“Excuse me?” My dad frowned

“The baby is going to have to sleep somewhere isn’t it?” Nicole said,

I was starting to get extremely irritated at my parents’ lack of interest in their soon to be grandson.

“I thought she was getting it adopted” My dad whispered to my mother

“I guess not.” My mom said without emotion

Nicole’s face was tomato red, she honestly looked as if her head was about to burst open and cover the room in a gooey tomato sauce.

“COULD YOU TWO AT LEAST PRETEND TO GIVE A SHIT?” Nicole screamed as she slammed her fist onto the table causing everything to shake like crazy.

“DON’T YOU DARE USE THAT LANGUAGE IN MY HOUSE” My father screamed back at her,

“OH SHUT UP” Nicole spat, I could see her veins popping out from under her skin