"What's to prevent him from stabbing another student? The school has very strict disciplinary guidelines when it comes to violence." I sat in the principal's office at Austin's school. I was more eloquent than my mother and she often asked me to sit in on his conferences, whether it be academic accomplishment or other. Because I help him with his homework.. "It wasn't just violent. It was a premeditated attack by a child! With severe aggression!" I coughed, attempting to get their attention. "The 'attack,' as you call it, was not premeditated. And although I don't excuse his actions, your son has been bullying Austin since we moved. Possibly he was just reacting to aggression that your son faced him with?" She looked appalled that I would even suggest such a thing of her son, while the principal gave a knowing look in my direction. "We're taking it very seriously." My mom decided to step in, "I don't know where he learned this behavior. It is inexcusable. Clearly, he's struggling emotionally." I nodded, agreeing, before Cynthia needed to add her two cents, "Zach required a stitch! Who knows when he'll next hold a tennis racket?" I stifled a laugh and the principal looked away with a smile. Oh no, the country club will miss him.
"This is my fault. I must have missed Austin's cries for help. I'm...so sorry this happened." I disagreed; he just needs to learn how to process his emotions better. And, honestly, do we really care that devil incarnate got a stitch? "Austin shouldn't be allowed back into the classroom." Mom agreed, as did I, even though I thought the way Cynthia said it was rude as hell. "Austin needs time away from school to process this." The principal came to a conclusion, "Given that this is his first offense, I think suspension is appropriate. Cynthia? Do you agree?" She repositioned herself into a soccer mom pose and spoke, "He should be in therapy." Mom just agreed vigorously, "Oh, absolutely. Therapy, yes. This aggression is not OK."
They turned to me next, "I agree with therapy...however, I think your son needs to stay away from Austin. If he comes home crying ever again, I will get a restraining order. He also made a comment about my mother that he stated you said, about my moms 'tatas'? Inappropriate to say in front of a child you think? Maybe you should work on your parenting skills. Oh, and, if his glasses are broken again, I'll call a lawyer." Finishing my sentence, I smiled creepily, "Are we in agreement?" I said cheerfully. Cynthia shook her head rapidly up and down. "Perfect!"
"Let's go."
"Well? How'd it go?"
Mom gulped and shook her head, "I'm not gonna lie. It was..." Ginny had to interrupt, "You're not gonna lie? That's weird." She bent down to speak to our brother, "I'd like to hear from Austin. How'd it go?" Austin looked down sadly. "I'm suspended, and I have to do therapy. Mom said she was worried." Mom switched positions with Ginny to talk to Austin, "Baby, I'm not worried. There is nothing wrong with you, and you don't need to go to therapy. That Zach kid had it coming."
"I'm sorry. Are you suggesting the nine-year-old deserved to be stabbed through the hand with a pencil?" I rolled my eyes, episode two of the Ginny Show: Bitch, Imma Mother. "I'm sorry, but you've got a lot of opinions today. I don't remember anyone popping out of your birth canal! Can it." I laughed and Austin did too.
"He needs to see someone, Mom! Clearly, he's not handling things well with your whole secret family surprise."
"I like Caleb!"
"Virginia, not everything is about you! Did you even know that Austin was getting bullied?" Her eyes widened and the mouth shut. "See? You're out with your friends all day and then suddenly decide to play mom. You don't know what's best for Austin! You dont even know his favorite color!" She guessed 'blue.' "It's red. And I know you are not using Austin as an excuse to yell at mom about some random ass family. You can't even stand this one! Why would you wanna know any more?" Mom gave me a slight grin, "Thank you, Y/n! See, I didn't tell you about them for good reason. Maddie is trouble! You can't trust anything she says."
"Oh, that's rich. Please, lecture me more about who I can trust. I'm rapt." Austin still looked scared, though. "I don't wanna go to therapy." Mom reassured him "Don't worry. You're not. I'm not paying for some twenty-nothing, latte-drinkin', tweed-wearing hypocrite who thinks they have any idea about my life." My twin seems to believe that this proves her point adding, "Austin's life! You mean Austin's life!" I rolled my eyes again, "You literally just used Austin's 'life' as an excuse to pick a fight! Go home!"
"Baby, listen to me."
"You're perfect."
"But I heard you. You said you were worried."
"Nothing I said was true! I was try..."
"Lying!"
"Shut up, Virginia"
"Protecting you."
--
We got home and Virginia was upstairs, while I was with my brother and cousin. "Boys! Dinner!" Austin asked me politely to grabbed some sheets and yelled at mom from across the room, "Mom! Austin and I are gonna make a spaceship!"
"I have a black light!" The boy cheered, "Awesome!"
"It's gonna be awesome!" The boys then went on about Harry Potter and Quidditch. How adorable of them. Austin wanted to know how long Caleb could stay, to which Mom said "Couple of days couldn't hurt. At least till you go back to school." He cheered, "Yeah!" Mom ignored it and just urged them to eat, "Go on. Eat. 'Fore it gets cold."
"You too, princess." She beckoned me over after she finished talking. "Y/n, sit. I want you to know something," she took my hands in hers, as I slipped into the chair next to me, figuring it might take a while. "I trust you. I do; you take care of Austin, you're respectful, kind, and, honestly, the best daughter I could ask for. Don't tell anyone I said that, though." I smiled and returned that favor, "You're the best mother I could ask for." She blushed lightly and waved her hand at me, "Oh, stop...but don't. To be serious, though, because I trust you, I want to start telling you the truth. My, and our, past. I'll start in the middle, but I'll get to the whole thing for you, hopefully. Are you ready?" I nodded eagerly, waiting patiently for her to spill all of the family drama.
Georgia's POV
"When are you gonna let me take you out?" I turned back to him and responded shortly, "I work for you." I wasn't trying to date his pudgy ass. I looked back to Virginia and Y/n playing peacefully. "I could fire you." I sighed, rolling my eyes, "Anthony..." He double up on his proposal, though. "Then we could get married, and...we both wouldn't get lonely in our old age." I'm not lonely, but good on you for trying, dummy. "Thanks for watching them." I was grateful that he gave us a place to stay and took care of ginny and Y/n, but other than that, I was good with our arrangement.
"Anything for you, gorgeous. You know that. Let me take you out to dinner, huh?" He leaned in excitedly before finishing his thought, "Huh? Get you out of this rattrap." I sighed again, becoming annoyed quite quickly. "You own this rattrap." He shrugged and responded that his dad owned the place. Well, duh, you idiot. You sit around all day while he makes the money. "He just happens to like living in Florida better. Which... Can you blame him? Come on! Let me buy you something nice. A pretty yellow dress? A bath balm? Something mango?" he was really eager today, unlike any other day of the usual begging. Why would I want something mango? that's so random. I thought of what I might want. He was desperate to buy me things, anyway. Might as well get the bag and then leave.
"How about health care? Ginny had a fever last week. It cost four months' salary for them to tell me to have her drink fluids. And I have to pay for Y/n to go to some special brain doctor that I cant afford.
"Come on. You know I can't do that. My dad doesn't even know I'm paying you under the table. Doesn't it mean anything that I'm letting you stay here for free? With baby Ginny? And baby Y/n?" I sighed for the third time and gathered all my things, organizing and spacing out. id didn't want to hear their stupid game.
"...poker, Scotty win."
"And a bold play by Daniel."
"See you tomorrow?
"...all your money off of game..."
"Pretty Georgia. I have two queens."
"He's gonna muck the king, queen. But he says he has two queens."
As she finished, I swallowed, taking it all in. "Damn, what a scumbag. How many times did he beg like that?" my sarcastically started counting on her fingers and reached ten, waving her hands in the air. "Too many times, is how much." I smiled sadly at my mother, she's gone through so much and hasn't even told me the half of it. Her hand squeezed mine, still sitting right on top. I opened my mouth to say more, ask why I had to got to the doctor, when Ginny slammed the door. Right when it was becoming peaceful in here. The second she came in the house, she started blabbing about whatever happened at Blue Farm. "...then I saw Maddie. And then she just came in and sat down with my friends. With my friends, Mom. It was so embarrassing! She can't just show up at Blue Farm and talk to my friends. That's my place of work." I rolled my eyes "You're not supposed to talk to your friends at work, either." She gave a nasty look and I stepped towards her quickly, making her flinch. Good.
"Mom? Are you even listening to me? Hello? Mom? Hello? Am I invisible? Am I a ghost? Can you hear me? Do I need Whoopi Goldberg?" She waved her hands in front of mom's face as she'd spaced out. I giggled and shook my, making her give me her attention. "It's just a damn avocado."The hell? "Mom, are you OK?" She didn't respond to her. My leg vibrated and I reached in my pocket to grab my phone. I saw that Maxine had texted me exactly 54 times. It began with flirts and her asking me to come over to her house. Then, she says Marcus needs something from me with an eye roll emoji. Then, 12 texts about our yard being on fire. Fuck, on fire? I dashed outside as Ginny stayed to speak to mom, "Um, Mom, I know you're having a nervous breakdown, but Maxine just texted me, and our yard is on fire."
"A fire?"
"My garden!"
"It's on fire."
I saw Austin running around with Caleb and two torches. "What the hell happened?"
"Austin!"
"Hey, you stop right there!" the screams did nothing to stop him. I was filled with anger. I raised him better than that. "AUSTIN MILLER, PUT THAT DOWN, NOW!" He dropped the torch, turning it off. Caleb seemed to be afraid of me as well and dropped his. Maxine and Marcus started from across the street. "GO TO YOUR ROOM!" He sped up the steps and into the house, Caleb following. "Mom, the kid's starting fires! I know a therapist that he can go to." I shook my head, 'Why don't you focus on getting your own therapist, Ginevra." Calling her that always annoyed her. "What? No!" I agreed, I'd talk to him myself, tonight. I hate how Ginny attempts to be 'mom' every once in a while and then leaves and doesn't speak to Austin for like a day. You couldn't even bring him Trick or Treating, Virginia. "Can I go to your house?" "Fine. Nothing this fun ever happens there." I pleaded in agreement, 'Yes, please, take her Maxine, I can't stand her." She shrugged, a causal response. Oh, thats weird. "Anything for you," she winked. There it is. "Marcus said something about a project? He needs you to come over." I held up my hand, to signal I needed a minute and then left again.
--
I talked to Austin and he looked like he felt a lot better. I left both Caleb and Austin at home playing aboard game, leaving a nanny cam hooked up to my phone on a shelf watching them. if they did anything wrong, I could yell at them through the speaker too. I put on clothes and got into the car.
I'd talk to Marcus later, I needed to get my mom...and my aunt?
I arrived at Blue Farm, seeing my other's car outside. I walked fast into the restaurant, "Would you do him in a box? Would you? Could you? With a fox?" My mom laughed and told her sister to shut up. "I am Dr. Seuss." I laughed, "Horton hears a simp." Mom and Maddie giggled, "Hi, Savannah," mom said, "Who's watching Austin and Caleb?" I pulled out my phone, "I am." Maddie looked impressed, "A mini genius here." I shrugged awkwardly and mom added, "Of course, my daughter is brilliant." Joe came back out, "You're paying for this." Mom stared him off defiantly, "I'm not paying for it."
"He's not gonna let you pay 'cause he wants to get into your pantaloons." I laughed and looked at my phone. Marcus had texted, 'did you get my message from Maxine? I din't have a project, but I wanted to spend time with you. If you're free, if not, that's fine.' I decided to go see him, hoping mom could get home on her own. "Are you okay here, mom? Do you want me to stay?" She smiled at me, "It's fine, I can drive!" She took another glass and I itched the back of my ear, nervously. "I'll take her home, don't worry, Y/n." I looked at Joe who was giving me a kind grin from behind the counter. "Are you sure?" He waved his hand at me, "Of course, go have fun!" I gave him a 'thank you' and left.
Once I got to Marcus' house, I felt winded. Whew, I've been around today. "What's going on? Is this about that biddy from Blue Farm? She was like a human Fyre Festival." I walked in to see Ginny and Maxine in the hall, not noticing me behind them. " You can't tell Abby or Norah." I wonder what she'll say. I smirk and lean against the wall. "Ooh. It's gonna be good, isn't it? I love sentences that start with 'don't tell Abby or Norah.'" Virginia then goes to tell whatever drama, "Apparently, Georgia has a sister that she forgot to tell me about." I rolled my eyes, Still on that? And 'me?' You have two other siblings.
My wonderful boyfriend sauntered down the steps at that moment, "Hey, loser. Dad said Mom's working late, so we're on our own for dinner. You OK?" Ginny shook her head, "Not really." I huffed, how dramatic. "What's up?" Maxine got sassy, though, "None of yo business!" Ginny exhaled dramatically, "No, it's OK. He can hear. Georgia has a secret sister that I never knew about who just showed up. Austin might be the next Ted Bundy, and I thought my mom's parents were dead. But, hey, fun news... they're not." I possibly get being mad about the other things, but it really nerved me how annoying she was about Austin. She didn't even care about him the other 23 hours in a day, she just wanted something to complain about. And Bundy is a serial killer...that's not similar to stabbing a pencil..Bundy had psychological issues.
"OK, I would watch the shit outta that show."
"That sucks." She agreed like she was having the worst day in the world, "Right? Thank you. And when I ask Georgia about it, she just lies and pretends like everything is sunshine and butterflies. That's what bothers me most. Obviously, there's a lot she's not telling me. Why all the secrecy? It affects me too."
"So ask your aunt."
"Ok, but 'Kim, there's people that are dying.'" they jumped back like they saw a ghost. "Boo, bitches." My smirk grew wider and Marcus steered his way to be, before realizing that we were dating in secret, at least in front of Maxine, so he stood awkwardly in the door frame next to me. He gave a quick 'hey' wave and stood there. My called my phone, "Hey, mom. I'm at the Baker's. Ok, sure. Love you too, bye." My twin looked confused, "I told her I'd watch Austin earlier, but I left. She wants me to go check on them." I opened my phone and saw that they were still playing the same game. "Are you guys okay," I spoke into my phone. They jumped as well and I scared my second grouping of the night. "Y/n?" I said, 'yes' into my phone and they relaxed. Austin yelled to nowhere, "We're great," with a toothy grin. Caleb agreed, "Yeah, totally. But can we have a snack?" Austin stood up and turned in a circle, rubbing his belly. "Yeah, the tummy's a rumbling!" I laughed, as did Maxine, ginny, and Marcus, and I turned to leave.
"I'll come." Maxine followed me out the door, as I suspected she would've done even if I had left later. Ginny also came to the door. Marcus put his hand in my back pocket quickly, making sure Maxine didn't see. "Yeah, me too." She got sassy with him again, but made sure to make it sound kind of nice because I was there. "No, you won't." He put his hands up in defense, "What? I'm invested now. Is mystery uncle next? Can't wait." He came out of the house with us and we waited until Max and Gin were a good distance away. "I actually was worried about you. Are you ok?" I grinned at him, giving him a short kiss. "I'm fine. It's just Ginny, she has to make everything about her. it's just like, we'll be having a nice day, night, or whatever and then she'll come home and it's the pity Ginny show again." He left my pocket and put his arm around my waist instead. "I'm sorry, that must be ass."
"Yes, very much ass."
--
"Ooh! Don't touch the lava! OK, boys. You gotta follow me. Jump! Come on! OK! We gotta get to the sofa to be totally safe! Ready? Don't touch the lava!" Marcus was playing a game with my little brother and cousin. He was surprisingly really good with kids. I smiled widely at them as I watched them jump around. And even as they responded to dumb questions, I smiled all the same. "Austin? Caleb? Now, if you could have a dog or a monkey, which one would you have?" The both responded, "A monkey."
"But what if it was a girl monkey and a boy dog?"
The responded like it was obvious, "A dog." he applauded them, "Right." I shook my head in disappointment, "I raised you better than that, Austin." Maxine commented, "Aw, look! He's found his intellectual equals." We all cackled while he scowled at his sister. "If he had a girlfriend, she'd dump him." Maxine agreed, not understanding, but Ginny and I chuckled. "Guys, that was the wrong answer!" He looked at the kids as though he was in a frenzy and they quickly told him, "Monkey," again. He looked to me for approval and I gave him a thumbs-up. "Hi, Mom! We were playing lava." She looked excited for them. "Oh, how fun! That's great!" Joe ushered the two drunks thought the door, "OK. Hey, I brought them home 'cause they got a little sauced."
"Harry Potter! Ooh!"
"Oh! I remember this one. Voldemort tries to kill him, like, a bunch of times. And then this guy, Cedric? He gets demolished. Poor Cedric." Austin frowned, "What's wrong with Aunt Maddie?" I shook my head, "She needs to go to bed. She'll be OK." Marcus and Maxine got the kids to the kitchen, with a smile from my boyfriend and mouthing that looked like 'I'm the best. Hubby material' "Uh, boys? Who wants ice cream? Let's go." Ginny was in a mood, yet again, muttering how she hated mom under her breath like a freak. If she hates her so much, she can leave. The door's a few steps away! I hopped up the steps to see that Joe had already gotten them in the bed. I smiled gratefully and he returned it, "They're good, I think. I left them in the bed right there."
"Thank you so much! I got hem from here." He gave me yet another warm grin and turned to leave, bumping into another man behind him. "Um...Georgia?" Yay. Paul. "Paul! Aww! Uh...What are you doin'?" Both Maddie and mom spoke. "I'm sorry. Ginny told me that I could come up. But I can go if I'm interrupting something." I rolled my eyes, "Of course she did," I muttered. I wan her to date Joe, but not because Paul thought she was cheating. What a bitch, my sister was. "No, I was just leaving." Paul came further into the room, "Who is this?" I stepped out, not wanting to get in the middle, like Joe did. "See you tomorrow?" I nodded and grinned, "See ya, Joe."
As I closed the door behind him, I pondered on what my mom had told me earlier, about her sister.
"Hey, there's, uh, no food in the fridge." I didn't even turn around, "There was a whole pizza." My little sister shrugged, "I ate it." I huffed frustratedly. We don't have enough food for Maddie to be eating like a beast. "Where's Ginny?" She moved her shoulder again, "I'm giving her a bath." I finally turned, furious, "What? You can't leave her alone in the bathtub. She could drown." My hand twitched and I grabbed it, forcing it to stay still. "She's fine, Little genius' is in there too, just in case." she responded, with no care for the wellbeing of my children. "Maddie, we need to talk." She looked serious for once, "What do you mean?" My other hand started twitching too, "You can't stay here anymore. I'm sorry. I tried. I really tried. You have no idea. And I can't afford to look after you both. Barely makin' it as is."
I had two children and I didn't even had food for myself most days. How could I support my sister and my kids? "Please! I'm sorry, Mary!" I corrected her, "It's Georgia now! Georgia Warren." She pleaded again, "Georgia, please!" But I had already made my decision. I simply couldn't afford it. I didn't even have a well-paying job. "Are you listening? You have to go home. Or you cold go somewhere else, honestly. I really am sorry but you're just not my problem."
She screeched at me, "Don't make me go back there!"
"I'm a horrible sister, is what you're thinking, if I'm correct." I shook my head no, "Of course not. You had two kids and you were barely 18. You just couldn't afford it. You were a little bitchy about it," she jokingly snarled at me, "but Maddie shouldn't have made you her responsibility when you already had two of her own." She thought about what I said as I pulled out the Nutella and made myself banana toast.
--
"Why are their bags packed?"
"They're leavin'." Mom said this quick, readily recieveing complaints from the kids, "No!"
"Why?" She simply answered, "Because it's time for them to go." Maddie was surprised, "Really? Is that what we're doin'?" Mom was ready, but wanted to make sure no one else heard, "Ginny, take your brother upstairs." She said to mom, "No, Mom, it's OK. We talked," like talking about something random has anything to do with the argument now. "You haven't changed, Mary. Only lookin' out for yourself. Who cares what happens to everyone else? As long as Mary ends up on top." I scoffed, "You're an adult, you can't make yourself my mom's responsibility anymore. She has three kids, if you didn't notice." I didn't really care that she was an adult, as she clearly didn't care either. Mom made her silent, 'yass, period' face, "All fax, no printer, she said, hearing Ginny say it once. I cringed as Virginia spoke, confused, "Mary? Who's Mary?"
"Who's Mary?"
"Yeah. Who is Mary?" Mom was livid now. "Upstairs, Ginny. Take Austin." Virginia tried again to be nosy, "Mom, what is..." She cut her off, "I said now! How dare you come to my house
and meet my children?" My aunt spat back, "So high and mighty. Don't get a nosebleed up there
on your high horse. You may have fooled everyone else in this place, but I know you. What is that?" Mom slapped the stack on the coffee table. "Ten grand. Double what you asked for." She shook her head in dismay, "I wasn't gonna..." We both responded, "Mmmm-hmmm." She spoke, still shocked, "I needed the money!" Again, "Mmmm-hmmmmm." She stopped, "You know what? No. You would've done the exact same thing, and you know it. Ten grand is the least you could do! You built this pretty life for yourself. But you left me behind to fend for myself. I was a kid!"
"And so was she! And I was a kid too! How did you expect her to take care of you if she had two kids that were barely a year old? Huh? You're not speaking now, huh?" She dropped silent, finally reminding me of my family for the first time since I met her. "You don't deserve then grand. Mom's faithful to the family that supports her. Have you supported her?" Still silent. "I rest my case."
"You're not a kid now."
She looked between the both of us, forming a united front. "Fine. Fine. But I know you ain't mad about the PI. You know I'd never rat out what you did in New Orleans. Your stupid little poker game. You're mad 'cause I remind you of him. You can't take one look at me without seeing my dad. Feel him." Mom pointed to the door, "Get the hell outta my house. But I know what it feels like. To have your insides curl up whenever you remember. Of wanting to peel off your own skin...and smash your brain across the room. You know how I know that feeling? 'Cause after you left...he started doin' it to me." My eyes widened and I turned to my mother. "What? You were..he?" She pulled me closer, brushing her hands though my hair. "It's okay, Y/n. I'm ok."
--
Mom told me she'd tell me after she got a sweater from her room, after school. We came into her room, hearing a creaking sound. "What the hell, Virginia?" Why does she always end up in these situations? "What are you doing home?"
"I coulda killed you!"
"I've never held a gun before." Mom was, yet again, pissed at a family member. "What are you doing in here? Why you pawing through my closet?" Virginia acted like she was having a mid-life crisis, "I want answers!" Mom didn't care or understand, as she asked a hollow question she didn't really care to answer. "Answers to what?" My twin waved her hands around, as if to illuminate her point, "All of it! Your past, everything! I'm sick of the lies!"
"I don't care what you're sick of. You have no right to go through my stuff." As usual, Virginia had to be confrontational, "Don't talk to me about what is right. What is all this? Why are there guns in the house? Why do you have to send Maddie away?" I reminded her to mind her business, as usual, and mom agreed, "That's between me and Maddie."
"She's my aunt! Why couldn't I know that? They're my family!"
I yelled over the volume of her silence, "You didn't even like her three hours ago, you imbicile!"
"The past needs to stay in the past. Do you understand?" Virginia made a face before acting fake, like she agreed, "Sure, Mom." After she left the room, looking as though she was starting another dramatic monologue about being a bad bitch and our mother being terrible, mom turned to me. "Come. I want to show you something." I kept pace with her on the way to wherever she was going. But then I faltered; I heard something I thought was weird.
"Hi, Dad."