Memories [random updates]

Memories | 07

“What was that?” My mum asked as I muttered a train of profanities under my breath as I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen that morning.

My mother was stood at the kitchen counter, making coffee for everyone whilst my father was waiting patiently for his toast to pop up from the toaster. I guess you could say that this looked like quite an ordinary family, a loving mother, a doting father and a teenage boy who was the centre of his parents’ attention.

Well, let me tell you something. Whenever something seems like something, it normally isn’t.

“Nothing.” I mumbled as I dropped onto one of the stools at the kitchen counter. It was quite ironic that it was the same one that had attacked my last night during my late night escapade.

My mother thrust a bowl and spoon at me, quirking an eyebrow, silently ordering me to make my own breakfast. After a moment of huffing and puffing, I reached over the counter top for the cereal box and the milk.

Tapping my spoon against the bowl nonchalantly, I chewed on the flakes of cereal and the occasional nut.

Glancing up from my bowl of milk and honey-gooey goodness, I was able to catch a glimpse of my parents looking at each other in a suspicious, silently communicating with one another as if they were able to speak telepathically. “What was that?” I questioned, deflecting my mother’s earlier question and sending it right back at her.

“Nothing.” She rushed, attempting to brush the matter to the side. “It was nothing.”

Reaching out for the fridge door, she opened it and stuck her head inside despite the harshness of the cold breeze erupting from the fan at the back of it. She attempted to pass it off as her looking for something at the back of the fridge, something she usually did when she wanted to avoid something.

My dad face-palmed himself at the lack of subtly that my mum was currently displaying. “Audrey.” He called out to my mother, “You’ve just gone and given us away now.” He added, shaking his head whilst a few chuckles erupted from him.

I was still staring a hole into my mother’s back whilst devouring my bowl of cereal and crunchy nut.

There was obviously something going on which they didn’t want me to find out about, at least not yet anyway. The minutes ticked by and the tension only increased in the kitchen as my dad hid behind a newspaper to avoid the subject and my mother just stared down at her hands.

My eyes constantly flicked between the two, my mind curious as to what they wanted to hide from me.

Before the awkward atmosphere could drag on any longer, my dad spoke up. “We heard you coming in last night.” He stated, folding his newspaper and laying it down on the counter before turning his head to the side to look at me. “It was quite late.”

Nodding my head, I chewed on my breakfast before I spoke. “Okay.” I replied with nothing else to say.

My mum piped in at this moment of time. “Why were you so late?” She asked, her voice edgy.

“I was at a friend’s house.” I lied, my jaw twitching as I did.

My dad pretended to sip on his coffee, calm and collected, pondering on how to make his next move. My mum on the other hand was the total opposite as she ground her teeth, seething. Now, if this was a cartoon then I’m sure that she would have steam flowing out of her ears.

She too in a deep breath and then addressed me. “You went to see her again, didn’t you?” She questioned, accusing me.

Breathing out through my nose, I got off the bar stool and dumped my bowl and spoon in the kitchen skin in no mood for washing. “Look, I’m not in the mood for this and besides, I have class in an hour.” I said, attempting to dismiss the conversation which was heading my way.