Living With Them

Living With Them (2)

"Out of food? How can you be out of food and notice now?" I ask. Pierce had joined us in the kitchen and lifts a shoulder in a shrug.

"We order food," Pierce answers. 

"This calls for a grocery shopping trip!" Colin declares. 

"First, I need to make a list. While I do that, you two should tidy this mess up," I order. 

"You're not even here for an hour and you're already bossing us around?" Colin chuckles. He makes no move to start cleaning the mess in the sink, so I glare pointedly to the sink. He seems to get the hint, since he groans and starts clanking the dishes too hard. 

"You'll break the dishes if you continue to bang them around so loud," I tell him, as I sit at the sticky table with a pen and paper I found. I make a face at some old peanut butter stuck to the table. This place is disgusting. If I wasn't so desperate for a place to stay, I would have been out the door after taking one look around this place.

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"Where would the lettuce be..." I mutter, grasping onto the list. Pierce glances at me and turns his attention back to check out some girl in the Produce section. I roll my eyes at him and turn to look for Colin. I sent him off to get eggs and milk but he disappeared. 

"Pierce, I don't understand why you act like you don't give a shit about anything, but please, for the love of God, give a shit about the lettuce and tell me where it is" I beg. 

"Just turn around," he says. I turn around and feel my cheeks turn a slight shade of red. There before me, was the lettuce. 

Colin appears with a gallon of milk and a carton of eggs. He beams at me and places them carefully into the cart. 

"Where were you?" I ask. 

"Well you see, there was this hot girl getting eggs too. So I took that opportunity and helped her pick out eggs. I also got her number," Colin wiggles his eyebrows. Pierce coughs and ducks his head. I had to look again because I could have sworn I saw a hint of a smile. 

"Okay. I'm going to send you off to get some pasta. And you better only come back with pasta. Not some girl's baby," I joke, which grants me a small laugh from Colin. 

"I promise I won't," he walks off to get the pasta, his hands stuffed in his black Adidas hoodie. I take a quick inventory of the items in my cart and compare to the list in my hand, before deducing that I have enough to make a few meals for the week. I begin to push the cart I the direction of the registers, with Pierce trailing behind me. I stop to look at some chocolate, my weakness, but before I could pick which candy I wanted, a redhead pops out of nowhere and jabs a finger in Pierce's direction. 

"So this is why you broke up with me. To date some random slut," she shoots daggers in my direction. The people in the aisle with us quickly shuffled out to avoid the drama that was about to ensue.

Pierce takes a step back in shock, clearly not expecting her to be here. "Eryn, chill. If I broke up with you to be with someone else, I would have upgraded." The comment felt like a slap in the face. The anger that I had begun to feel for this Eryn bimbo only intensified at Pierce's comment. 

Eryn's glare softens. "Really? So would you consider getting back together?" she purrs, draping one arm across Pierce's shoulders and the other caresses his face. 

Pierce gives her a look. "I don't repeat my mistakes." He pushes her off and starts heading towards the Exit. I look between them both and try to make my escape before Eryn steps in front of my cart and places a hand on top of it. 

Damn it. 

"I don't know who the hell you are, but no one is allowed to be around my Pierce," she hisses at me, her hair as fiery as the look in her eye. "You better watch yourself." 

I don't answer, only watch her turn on her heel and stalk out of the store.

Colin appears next to me. "I see you have met Eryn..." He looks apologetically at me. "Whatever she said, don't let it get to you. She's crazy and a bitch sometimes."

"So I've noticed," I mutter and begin to make my way to my original destination. I'm starting to feel annoyance towards Pierce's bullshit attitude with everything. With the lack of enthusiasm he shows, the coldness I can't help but feel from him, and the fact that he left me alone for a little with his obviously crazy ex. 

"You know what, I'm gonna go for a walk. I'm sorry. Can you go and ring these up? I'll meet you back at the apartment," I tell Colin, handing a twenty dollar bill in his palm. He gives a small nod. 

"Just be careful, it's getting dark out," Concern is hidden in his features, to which I feel some gratitude towards. 

I nod and walk out of the store. The stars are up and shining and the breeze cools down my cheek. I shut my eyes for a second and let my feet lead the way. 

Soon, I'm in front of Rosewood Cemetery. I look at the iron gates and push through them. I walk for a couple of minutes before stopping in front of a familiar tombstone.

                                                                     Daisy Autumn Parker

                                                              May 4, 1962- June 16, 2002

"Hey Mom," I say, sitting down on a patch of grass near the stone. I clear away some fallen leaves and just stare at the cold stone with my beautiful mother's name carved into it. I picture her during the times she was happier, before Bert came back into our lives. To the times it was just me and her, curled together on the couch and watching movies. To the times we baked cookies and brownies only to eat the desserts as soon as they were cool enough. When it was just me and her. When we were happy.

 "He kicked me out of the house today. Truthfully, I'm happy he did. No more kicks in the stomach." A tear splashes on my hand. I raise a hand to wipe away the others that have spilled over. "Why does he even do this? What have we done bad to him? Why did he come back. Why couldn't he have died and not you, my angel. Life's not fair. Can I just join you, please? I hate it here. I'm just so scared to go. I'm such a coward," I give out a choked sob and clutch my hands to my chest, which has felt empty for the past eleven years. "I miss you, Mommy. I need you so much. You always knew what to do. I'll come back as soon as I can. I'm sorry my visits are so short. Next time I'll bring you flowers. I'll bring daisies. I love you."

With that, I pick myself up and walk back to the apartment. The long was long enough for the tears to dry and for me to compose myself. It is best not to dwell on Bert and how much he fucked up my life. 

It's time for me to start a new chapter. Time for me to make my mother proud.