Unfortunately, a week goes by and I don’t see or hear from Jack. Even more weird, I don’t see my mom or Eddie either. Eddie I can live without, but no matter how shitty my mom’s behavior was, Denise is my mother and we occupy the same house. It’s not hard to avoid another person in this mansion, seeing that it’s huge and the two of us rattle around inside. But still, it’s strange. Where is Denise?
I resolve to confront her. We can’t avoid the issue forever because let’s face it: she slept with my boyfriend. Gritting my teeth, I throw a bag of popcorn into the microwave and resolve to wait. Denise has to come home at some point, and I’m going to talk to her when she does.
Settling myself on the couch, I turn on a movie, although I’m not really watching the rom-com. The hero and heroine are arguing over some inane matter, something about whether he took her dog to the right doggy daycare. It’s lame. Have they ever had their mom sleep with their boyfriend? No, I think not. That would definitely shake things up, I bet!
The movie’s nearly over, and I’ve eaten through most of the popcorn when I hear the front door open and my mom strolls in. Denise’s eyes go straight to the popcorn bowl in my lap and she purses her lips unattractively. Her lipstick’s bleeding at the edges, and the dark maroon color only makes her look older.
“Really, Dakota? Consuming empty calories this late in the evening? No wonder you can’t lose that gut of yours.”
Gritting my teeth, I sit the bag of popcorn on the coffee table and ignore her comment. It’s pointless to argue with her about food, and we have more important things to discuss anyways. I follow her into the kitchen, where she snags a bottle of water from the fridge and turns to look at me.
“Why are you following me around?” Denise asks, disdain dripping from her voice. Her blonde hair is blown into a shiny, stiff helmet, and she’s wearing a tweed skirt suit that looks like Chanel, but is actually a lower-end brand.
“I think we need to talk about the other day,” I say in a stiff voice.
Denise takes another sip of her water, unfazed.
“What about it?”
I grit my teeth. “I don’t know, Mom. How about the fact that I walked in on you having sex with my boyfriend?”
“I have told you to call me ‘Denise.’ I would appreciate it if you’d respect my wishes.”
I slam my hands on the counter in anger. “Nobody else is here. Nobody’s going to care if they hear me call you “Mom,” and that’s not the point anyways because the fact is that you are my mother, and you were having sex with my boyfriend. In our house!”
But Denise just shrugs her shoulders, and I have to grip the countertop to keep from launching myself at her. “It’s not a big deal, Dakota. It isn’t like the two of you were going anywhere in your relationship. Besides, it was just sex. All men need it. Women too,” she says airily.
I swear I can see red. “No big deal?” I guffaw. “Are you demented? When a mother sleeps with her daughter’s boyfriend, it is a very big deal, trust me.”
She waves her hand in the air dismissively. “Honestly, Dakota, you’re being so dramatic. If anything, I’ve done you a favor.”
I sputter with disbelief.
“How is you sleeping with Eddie supposed to be a favor to me?”
She smirks.
“Well, at least now you know the truth – your ex was never attracted to you and it’s because of your weight.” She runs her eyes down my body and her lip curls in disgust. “Honestly, you shouldn’t have been surprised by what he said. A jock like Eddie is never going to find you attractive because you’re his opposite. He’s a football player with six pack abs who works out three hours a day, whereas when was the last time you exercised, Dakota? Last year? Never? Come on. You’re not a match and you were delusional thinking that you are. I just helped open your eyes.”
I gape at her.
“I cannot believe you, Mom,” I spit, emphasizing the word “Mom.” “I can’t believe you’re blaming this on me! The same way he did!”
She smiles cattily.
“Oh, Eddie told me how he couldn’t get it up around you, but sweetheart, it’s not him. He had no trouble getting hard around me, and believe you me, your ex has a shaft of pure steel.”
I want to scream. I want to wring her neck and then wring Eddie’s too. But instead, I turn around and stomp off, tears brimming hotly in my eyes. How is it that I’m surrounded by such horrible people?
In a frenzy, I snatch my keys and purse off the entry table and run to my car. I take off driving without any real destination in mind, seething, slobbering, and crying all at once. My vision is blurry and I’m a threat to humankind, even as I drive slowly around these residential streets. That’s when I notice lights up front, and suddenly remember that the annual block party is underway. It’s a neighborhood shindig that actually encompasses the entire section south of Lapiers Street, and suddenly my heart leaps because there will definitely be alcohol. Maybe it’s just warm beer, but who cares? At this point, I’ll take it.