Taking the picture with her, she went to the kitchen and hung it up on her fridge. She was going to have to start hanging artwork the kids made for her someplace else, the refrigerator was almost full now; a colorful patchwork of crayon drawings and finger paintings and crafts.
The children were so sweet, she loved her days at the day care center. She couldn’t wait until she graduated with her degree and could go to work full time. Working with kids gave her life some meaning. It gave her a purpose. It made her feel like she was contributing something to the world.
Sticking the picture into the last spare bit of space, Avery stuck a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster. It wasn't much of a dinner, but she was too tired to cook something, and if she ate a quick meal, then she might be able to stay awake long enough to call her boyfriend after her bath.
Not bothering to butter her toast when it popped up, she merely picked it up and took it with her down the hall to her bedroom, kicking off her shoes as she went. Avery loved to walk barefoot—if she had her way, she’d never wear shoes again. Although, that wouldn’t be very practical for the cold, snowy winters. Still, whenever she was indoors, her shoes came off.
In the bedroom, she froze.
The vase of flowers her boyfriend had given her for their six-month anniversary was laying on the floor beside her bed. The crystal vase was shattered into a million pieces.
How had that happened?
Avery looked at the window, but it was closed, just how she’d left it. She didn't have any pets that could have knocked it over.
Confused, she set down the half-eaten piece of toast on thedresser and went and gathered the roses up. They were still wet like the vase had been knocked over recently. She shook them off and carried them back to the kitchen, retrieving another vase and filling it with water, and then putting the flowers inside. Leaving them on the counter, Avery grabbed a brush and dustpan and returned to the bedroom.
It was so weird. How did the flowers end up on the ground?
Had someone broken in here?
Nervously, she looked about.
Itdidn'tlook like anyone was in here with her, nor did it appear anyone had been in here earlier. Nothing looked out of place, and it didn't look like anything was missing.
Then it hit her.
Her mom.
Her mother was the ultimate control freak. She had micromanaged every single aspect of Avery’s life since she was born. She was nineteen now, an adult, but still, her mom couldn’t let go. She disapproved of every relationship she’d ever had and disliked her current boyfriend because she believed that he wasn't good enough. Avery still lived on her parents’ property, in a small guesthouse apartment out the back. It wasn't that she wanted to, but her parents were paying for her college, and one of the conditions was that she still lived at home. This guesthouse had been the compromise.
She and her boyfriend had talked about the possibility of her taking out student loans to pay for her own education. Between the two of them, they could probably make it work. He was a few years older than her and had already graduated. He had a good job, and between his wages and her continuing to work a couple of days a week at the day care, then they might just be able to manage.
Besides, anything had to be better than this.
Avery wasn't sure she could take it any longer.
Especially if her mom had taken to breaking in and snooping around.
Annoyed now, she began to gather up the broken crystal shards. How dare her mom think it was okay to come in here uninvited while she was at work. This kind of behavior had to stop. If her mom continued to act this way, then it was going to wind up ruining their relationship, and Avery didnotwant that.
She loved her mother, despite her control freak tendencies. She wanted them to be close; she wanted her mom to be an active part of her life, especially once she was married and had kids of her own. But if her mother was always treating her like a helpless child, how could that happen?
It was time for her to move out.
This settled things.
She’d take her bath and then she’d call her boyfriend, and they’d formulate a plan. He’d already asked her to move in with him, so Avery knew he’d be excited to hear she was ready to move off her parents’ property. Then she would have to apply for loans, which might mean missing the rest of this semester, but at least she’d be able to pick up more days at work. More work meant more money.
Tomorrow she would have to talk to her mother.
She didn't relish the idea, but if she wanted to be treated like an adult then she had to act like an adult, and adults didn't run and hide from their problems, they faced them and dealt with them.
And her parents would understand.
She was sure of it because, underneath her controlling behaviors, her mother loved her.
Besides, it was Christmastime, and that was the season for joy and peace and goodwill toward men.