Dead Attachment

Chapter Eighteen : Surprises

-EIGHTEEN-

SURPRISES

                “We’re back!”

                I flinch, jerking my head up from the cushion as I rub my eyes briskly with my fist. I fell asleep while watching Phineas and Ferb and now The Princess and the Frog movie is showing. This was my favorite fairytale when I was little and I usually fell asleep listening to Mom telling me this. I shake the thought away, feeling my heart ache for a moment.

I must’ve been asleep for two to three hours. Fortunately, the storm has passed. Before I fell asleep, I had to raise the TV to its maximum volume to comfort me from the thunder sounds that make me yelp.

                “Darlene!” Grandma says in a sing-song tone. “Where are you, dear?”

                My eyes are still heavy and I had no dream. I slump back on the couch with a groan, feeling annoyed that my sleep had been cut off.

                “I’m here in the living room.” I say with a grimace. I sit myself up and I see myself covered with a white, cotton blanket. I run my hand over it to see if it’s really here because from what I can remember, this wasn’t here before. I don’t remember bringing or seeing any blanket when I came here.

                I hear loud thuds and clicking heel steps. I raise an eyebrow, suddenly feeling curious if Grandma wore heels.

                Grandma enters the living room with a smile on her face. “Oh my, it’s dark in here, dear.” She switches the light on which makes me groan. I snap my eyes shut and cover my eyes with both of my hands from the light.

                “Grandma, it’s too bright.”

                “Well, it’s too dark here, dear.”

                I can feel her presence coming near me and the next thing I know she slides the blanket off of me, grabs my arm ad gently helps me on my feet.

                “Grandma. . .” I grumble. “I’m tired. Can’t you just let me sleep for another hour or something?”

                With my eyes half open and my body half conscious, I hear faint laughter coming from the kitchen while Grandma links her arm around mine.

                “Not now, dear. Could you please at least fix your hair?” She says in an irritated voice.

                “Why?” I complain as I rub my eyes and see that we stopped at the foot of the stairs.

                “We have a visitor!” She hisses at me but the not-really-angry hiss. “Now fix your hair or I’ll fix it myself. Here, brush it.”

                I take the brush from her and run a few strokes in my hair before I fix it in a ponytail. I hand it back to her as she gazes at me.

                “That’ll do.” She says as she fixes my shirt and wipes something off of my chin.

                “What—Grandma? What is your problem?”

                “Don’t go snappy all of a sudden on me, dear. I’m doing you a favor, if you only knew.”

                “What favor?” I say flatly.

                “Your Dad and I planned this yesterday as a surprise and I hope you’ll be thrilled!”

                “What?”

                She grabs my arm and leads me towards the kitchen. “We’d like you to meet—” We stop at the entrance and sitting there in the dining table, in my chair, all giggly and smiley, is this blond young lady who stands up and looks at me with her light blue eyes. I must say, she looks prettier up close. I don’t know why but I’m not at all surprised, instead I feel annoyed.

                “Anne. Anne Robinson.” Grandma finishes as she unlinks her arm around mine.

                Anne takes a few steps towards me, holding out her hand. “I’m Anne. I mean, you Grandmother just said it but I’d like to introduce myself personally. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

                I stare at it for a moment and finally take it, shaking her hand gently and briskly letting go. “Yeah. Me too. I’m Darlene.” I say flatly.

                She smiles hugely again, showing off her perfect, white teeth. “Your father has told me a lot about you.” She chuckles and then stops awkwardly when she notices I don’t seem amused. “Well, uh, we brought dinner.”

                She leads me towards the dining table and I plop on one of the chairs. I study her for a moment intently. If her eyes aren’t blue and if her hair is dark brown, I would’ve mistaken this woman as my Mom. The thought seems overwhelming and good, but it only brings back the reality that my Mom is dead. That she’s gone and this woman is not her.

                I try to fake a smile. I try my best to look happy but I just keep remembering Mom. Those times when I would look at her from the dining table at dinner and when she would throw her head back when she laughs so hard that I was often afraid she’ll get a stiff neck. Those times when she would ask me if I liked to eat more and I would object and those times when she would brush her hand through mine unexpectedly that it only makes me look at her and smile.

                I can’t cry now and ruin this surprise. Dad, Grandma and this woman—Anne, planned this. I know I told Dad I would be happy for them if they start a relationship but this is utterly new to me. He has dated women after Mom died but this is a first when he actually brought one home for me to meet. And as usual, people get scared, even terrified, at first times.

                Gradually, their voices become louder as the thought passes my head. They’re all laughing, not even minding me as I’m lost in my thoughts.

I stand up, dragging the chair back that it made a scratching sound on the floor. I sprint for the door and grab my jacket on the coat rack, feeling myself shake as tears start running down my cheek and blurring what I see.

“Darlene?!” Dad worrily yells.

I can’t help it. I’m not ready for this. It’ll only get worse if I endure staying there. It’ll be chaos if I do.

I’m sorry.

I try to say out loud but I’m too shaken. I’m sobbing so hard, that all I can do is just walk away. For the third time now.