American Dream?

The Bombshell

As my mum unlocked the door of the house. I was rooted on the spot, feeling a slight tingling sensation on my cheek were Jason’s feather soft lips had touched. I was faintly aware that my mum was talking. I wasn’t in mood for hearing what she had to say, I just stayed where I was in a daze.

“Alex!” I snapped out my trancelike state and saw my mum standing in the house, one hand holding the door wide open, the other resting on her hip. She staring at me, analysis my expression and giggling under her breath.

I took one step in front of me, to hear mum mutter, “So, was that a new boyfriend I saw.” My cheeks burned, I went bright red all the way down to my roots. “Shut up mum, he’s just a friend.”

“Yeah, a friend.” She said sarcastically and started laughing to herself. Sometimes my mum can be a complete child.

As I walked into the house, I could still smell the bacon lingering in the air. A flashback came to me about this morning. I was about to question my mum on ‘big news’ she was about to tell me earlier. But Serena shoved passed me harshly, throwing her coat to the banister and dragging her coat up the stairs.

I looked up at her. “What’s eating her?” I quizzed my mum. For a flash of a second her expression flicked to a worried, even panicked look, but then she resumed her almost permanent smile.

“Mum so-” The phone rang; the melodic tune filled the house. My mum ran to the phone calling up to Serena, “I’ll get it. It’s for me!”

I saw that I had no chance to talk to my mum and obediently walked up the stairs to Serena huddled into a ball, sat on the top step and hugging the banister. Her make-up had run leaving little track down her cheeks for the tears to flow. Her hair, usually styled in some trendy way was sticking on end, each hair going in its own separate direction. Something wasn’t right. Just the fact that she was at home at 8 p.m. was shocking.

I sat next her and out an arm round my 11 year-old sisters shoulders. Her head cocked up and rest on my shoulder. I automatically started to stroke her silky soft hair. With my free hand I reached into my handbag and got out a tissue that I passed to her. She wiped her face and her eyes widened as she looked down at the black stained tissue in front of her.

“I don’t want to go…” she sniffed finally. “It’s all be OK” I whispered softly, not quite understanding what see was talking about. Probably some school dilemma, as usual. For the first time in years, my sister actually looked her age, she looked venerable and childish. I couldn’t understand how something at school could be so meaningful. “I don’t want to go” she kept muttering to herself repetitively. I hugged her tightly.

“Dinner” called my mum in a tuneful voice. “Come on Ser” I told my sister, gave her a little pat on the back and got up. As I started walking down the steps I stopped and turned round. Serena was looking straight at me with her make-up stained face and emerald green eyes. Her expression was hard to place. Concern maybe.

“She hasn’t told you, has she?” Serena said in a small voice. Who told me what? I thought to myself. None of this made any sense. “What?” I answered in a confused voice. “Go ask mum.” She whispered, with that she got herself up aided by the banister, walked to her room, and it wasn’t long till the faint murmur of pop music came drifting out of her room.

In utter astonishment at what she said I turn on my heals and made my way towards the kitchen. The smell of lasagna filled the air and tantalized my taste buds. I pulled open the door to see my mum sat at a beautifully laid out table. The best china plates were set out, the starling silver cutlery set neatly next to each plate and a massive baking tray lay in the middle of the table next to a glass vase with some jasmine flowers that filled the air with their sweet aromatic smell. There were two places free with name plaques resting on each free plate.

“Overdoing it slightly” I laughed. “It’s a special day today, we have something to celebrate.” She remarked triumphantly. I went through mentally all the special occasions. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, National holidays etc. None were on today. “O-K” I said, elongating the work making it two syllables instead of one. 

“So, what’s the occasion? Please tell me it’s not another boyfriend.” I said with a hit of sarcasm. “God no!” shrieked mum with a laugh. I let out a sign of relief, nothing could be worse than that. “It’s even better than that.”

“Uh” I hinted for her to go on as I drank some water.

“I have a new job offer. Yesterday I got off the phone to an employer who has accepted my offer and has hired me as a journalist. It’s my big break.” She remarked in a rushed tone as if the words would explode from her.

“Wow mum, I’m so proud of you!” I cried as hugged her. I sat back down and started eating. What was Serena so emotional about, this was good. Mum life ambition was to be a journalist, ever since she was 16. I couldn’t have been happier.

“I’m so glad you understand.” She commented. I smiled at her, I was genuinely happy for her.

“So, when do you start?” I asked. Let’s face it, me were going through tough times financially. My mum still in a happy mood replied, “As soon I want”.

“Why haven’t you started yet?” I said shocked. What was she waiting for, we need the money badly. Her face darkened slightly “Um…hon, we can’t go yet-“

“Why not?” I hadn’t pieced together what my mum was saying and what Serena had said before.

“Well?” I asked impatiently. There was something she wasn’t telling me, something big. She chewed the bottom of her lip. Serena walked in, fresh faced, hair drawn back into a high pony-tail but still wearing a sombre expression. “Why don’t you tell her mum?”

“Um…” my mum looked down at the table cloth while playing with one corner of the paper napkin. “The job is…”

“In New York” my sister finished in a lifeless tone. “We’re moving in two months.”

My jaw dropped and my fork fell crashing into the ground.