The Players (TP4)

10 - Driving me crazy

Lana

When Lana walked into the kitchen, her mother eyed her suspiciously. She looked down at her comfortable sweatpants and tee-shirt and determined she had dressed decently. She wasn't used to sharing the cottage with her family, but it was a holiday weekend. Luckily, her mother, father, and brother couldn't travel north every weekend during the summer. Both her parent's work kept them busy and Will's baseball schedule always kept them away until school let out. Her little brother was sixteen and would probably sleep to noon if their mother allowed.

"Where's Dad?"

"Out for his run. You know him, he'll end up at The Landing discussing the headlines with anyone who will listen." Nora smiled which she rarely did.

"It will be busy up there. I've been waiting in line every morning for weeks."

"Why do you waste money buying coffee every day?"

She never knew if she should reply to her mother's critical questions or ignore them. She changed the subject. "That younger Harris is a poor substitute for Heidi. I can't believe she didn't plan her pregnancy better."

"You of all people should know pregnancies can't happen according to plan."

"I can't believe you said that! God Mom, you can be so mean. I was in a good mood and you ruined it. And... and you're right. Your unplanned pregnancy is asleep in the other room."

"Lana! That was inappropriate and rude. You're acting thirteen."

Lana just shook her head and walked away. She and her mother have been butting head, since she was about thirteen. She said that to hurt her mother, knowing it her parents had tried for years to have a second child. She loved her, but her mother always had an opinion and an 'I told you so' whenever Lana made her own choice and failed. Lana's marriage was the biggest example. Her mother warned her of potential issues with Erik's health, but Lana ignored her and thought she was overreacting. Her mother was a pathologist, so sure she was a medical doctor, but it didn't make her an expert in every specialty.

During their difficult teen years, Lana realized it was good her mother never saw her patients, because she had a horrible bedside manner. Meanwhile, her father had the best. He had enough personality for both him and his wife. Also a doctor, he was an orthopedic surgeon.

When Lana went into her room to hide from her mother, she heard her father's voice. Looking out the window, he was talking to Bethany. Smiling, she thought the orthopedist and the physical therapist would talk for an hour. William Drake loved to talk with anyone about anything. He wasn't one of those annoying talkers who talked at you. He asked questions and encouraged a fruitful exchange.

From her room, she heard when her brother woke and frown when her mother's tone changed and began harping on Will. A few moments later, there was a light rap on her door. Will opened it and lumbered in flopping himself on her full sized bed.

"She's driving me crazy!" He groaned.

"She's been driving me crazy, since before you were born." Lana felt sympathetic for her brother who had to live with the woman.

"You know I'm gonna go crazy this summer. Please, can I stay here with you?"

She never considered him staying while their parents worked. Her mind filled with pros and cons. She loved her little brother, technically younger brother was a better description since he was taller. She enjoyed hanging out with him, but she remembered what she was doing on the beach at night at sixteen. If Will got into trouble, her mother would blame her.

"I work too much to keep an eye on you."

"Come on, I can't do anything around here. Every adult has eyes on me."