No Strings Attached

Chapter 21: A Tired Day

Cringing at the pineapple tie wrapped around his neck, Mom groaned, "Mi amor, when are you going to toss that stupid tie in the trash?"

"NEVER!" Dad declared as he marches upstairs.

Hearing his footsteps thudding against the wooden staircase, Mom groans to me: "I do not understand your father. Why does he carry that tie around him?" 

I shrug my shoulders. "I guess it's luck."

Mom rolls her eyes. "Luck my ass. Mark my words, Nadine. When your father is not looking, I am going to throw that despicable tie in the trash can."

"I heard that, woman!" Dad shouted from upstairs.

"I know!" Mom shouted back.

After my parents were finished bickering, I whispered to Mom: "Did something happen at work?"

"Nothing, Nadine," she answers, picking up my finished plate.

I followed her over to the kitchen where Mom scraped the chicken bones and remains into the garbage.

Her dark eyes lost its cheerful spark, as Mom twists the sink knob then watch as the hot water rushing down on the grease-coated plates and silverware. 

Picking up the yellow sponge close to the dishwasher, Mom silently filled it with hot water, applied it with lemon-scented soap, and began washing the plates.

"Is there something you are not telling me?"

Mom washed my dirty plate, barely looking in my direction. "Míja-"

"Don't lie to me." I snapped. "I know something happened at your TSA job. You need to tell Dad."

Rinsing plate, Mom places it in the dishwasher rack then grunted: "Let it go, Nadine."

"Why?" I pressed. "Did something bad happen at your job?"

Mom ignored me, scrubbing the kitchen utensils in silence.

Relentless, I continued pestering her for details when Dad came downstairs without his lucky pineapple tie.

Sluggish, tired, and stuffed with food, Dad made his way over to Mom and kissed her sullen cheeks.

"Hey babe, " he greeted warmly. "do you want me to take care of the dishes?"

Mom blushed. "No thanks, sweetie."

Dad squints at her. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, " Mom groaned. "I'm tired, okay?"

"Let me wash some plates for you, " he insisted.

"But David-"

But Dad wouldn't hear it. "I'll clean up, you hurry up to bed."

Gazing me directly, he added: "Including you, Nadine."

I frown in annoyance. "But Dad, it's not even 9:30."

He gives me a meaningful look. "Even though you and your friends are taking the day off, it is still a school night, and you need to be off to bed."

"Please?" I begged. "Can you bend the rules this time?"

But Dad laughed at my weak pleas.

"Come on Sugar Bean, " he chuckled. "It's time for you to go to bed."

"Fine, " I grunted, "Good night, Dad. Night, Mom."

"Buenos Noches." Mom replied.

Kissing them on their cheeks, I headed upstairs to sleep when Dad asked Mom if she is okay.