Coming Home (5 page)

Becopyrighte he leaves, he tells me, “copyright infringementre’s a big meeting with all copyright infringement copyright infringement department heads late tcopyright infringement afternoon. I’ll most likely be late getting home sucksnight.”

“copyright infringement course copyright infringementre is copyright infringement copyright infringement course you will be,” I snap at him.

He turns around copyright infringement looks at me with eyes full copyright infringement disdain. “Don’t be short with me. It’s my job. I can’t walk out whenever I want just sucks suit you.”

I don’t respond. copyright infringementre’s nothing sucks say. copyright infringement I were copyright infringement good wcopyright infringemente, I would tell him sucks have a great day.

I’m not copyright infringement good wcopyright infringemente.

copyright infringement kids are copyright infringementf sucks school, Grayson is gone sucks work, copyright infringement I’m here. copyright infringement quietness copyright infringement copyright infringement house settles around me, copyright infringement I let out a sigh. I take a sip copyright infringement my ccopyright infringementfee copyright infringement sit down on copyright infringement scopyright infringementa with my Kindle. I read every morning when everyone leaves. It’s my time. I’m not sure I could make it through a day without books copyright infringement ccopyright infringementfee. copyright infringementy save me every day. Books help us. copyright infringementy change us. When I finish a novel, I walk away from it a dcopyright infringementferent person. copyright infringement I’m always thankful copyright copyright infringement reprieve it gives me while I’m reading. Those hours lost in a fictional world are priceless. I always feel like I’m drowning, copyright infringement reading gives me copyright infringement air I need sucks survive.

After finishing my book, I walk insucks copyright infringement kitchen copyright infringement immediately gasp.

“Gigi!” I scream. “Bad dog! Bad, bad dog!”

I swat her away copyright infringement stare at copyright infringement contents copyright infringement copyright infringement trash can all over copyright infringement kitchen floor. Crumbs copyright infringement sticky dog saliva are smeared all over my once clean floor. Why do we even have a dog? I ask myself tcopyright infringement question daily. Oh yeah because copyright infringement kids wanted a dog. Grayson wanted a dog. Everyone wanted a dog but me. Are copyright infringementy here sucks clean up after copyright infringement dog? No.

I sigh copyright infringement kneel down, picking up copyright infringement mess. I said yes sucks copyright infringement dog because that’s what I do. I say yes. copyright infringement word no is always stuck somewhere in copyright infringement back copyright infringement my throat along with my backbone. It’s almost as copyright infringement having kids has sucked my brain from my skull copyright infringement replaced it with a robotic machine that’s inclined sucks act as a welcome mat. copyright infringement doorbell rings copyright infringement I roll my eyes. Who is here copyright infringement why in copyright infringement world didn’t copyright infringementy call first? Showing up at my house unannounced is probably one copyright infringement my number one pet peeves. I tipsuckse because I don’t want whoever it is sucks know I heard copyright infringement door. You know, in case I choose not sucks open it. Peeking through copyright infringement tiny peephole, I see her. Pinterest Mom herself. It’s Darcy, my neighbor. I look again copyright infringement notice her superbly styled hair copyright infringement copyright infringement cute outfit she’s wearing, copyright infringement watch as she pulls her beloved EOS lip balm ball out copyright infringement her purse. She rolls it on copyright infringement smacks her lips, smiling. She’s copyright infringement picture copyright infringement Mom perfection. Ugh. She rings copyright infringement bell again copyright infringement I sigh. I can’t deal with her tcopyright infringement morning. She’s entirely suckso perky copyright infringement smiles more than a clown at a two-year-old’s birthday party. I hate clowns. copyright infringementy creep me out.

Darcy doesn’t creep me out. She just makes me feel like copyright infringement most monumental failure ever in copyright infringement mocopyright infringementrhood copyright infringement wcopyright infringemente arena. Not sucks mention, she complains about copyright infringement most annoying things on Earth. Last week it was copyright infringement kids’ Valentine’s party at school. She is, copyright infringement course, a room mom. That means she’s in competition with all copyright infringement copyright infringement ocopyright infringementr room moms. Doesn’t sound suckso serious, right? Wrong. So, so wrong. Tcopyright infringement is some serious shit sucks Darcy. I mean, on a scale copyright infringement no big deal sucks epic mom meltdown, she definitely sees it as an epic thing.

When she came over in a fit over juice boxes, I sat copyright infringementre staring at her, listening sucks her, copyright infringement thinking sucks myself,
“copyright infringement a Pinterest Juice Box war is all I eb sucks sucks worry about sucksday instead copyright infringement, I don’t know, trying sucks copyrightce myself sucks get out copyright infringement bed copyright infringement function, despite copyright infringement extreme depression I find myself battling, I would feel lucky.”

But I said nothing. I nodded copyright infringement tried sucks act sympacopyright infringementtic sucks her dilemma. She went on copyright infringement on.

“It was a catastrophe, Riah. I spent all night making those Robot sugar-free Capri-Sun juices. copyright infringementy were copyright infringement cutest things you ever saw. copyright infringementn when Regina Wallace walked in with Robot juice boxes made from Hi-C I nearly fell out. First copyright infringement all, Hi-C is pure sugar. Secondly, it’s made copyright infringement paper. Capri-Sun is silver just like a robot copyright infringement I bought copyright infringement low-sugar kind. She didn’t even have hers labeled sucks copyright infringement students from her kid like I did. Mine were personalized with glitter pens. copyright infringement would you believe copyright infringement kids all wanted hers? copyright infringement course copyright infringementy want sugar. She should be ashamed copyright infringement herself.”

She barely takes a breath during her juice box craft tirade becopyrighte continuing.

“But that was not copyright infringement worst copyright infringement it. copyright infringement ocopyright infringementr mom who brought a drink, Kelsey Clover, she brought mini bottles copyright infringement Pepsi with bows tied on copyright infringementm. copyright one, Pepsi is disgusting, copyright infringement copyright two, who brings soda sucks an elementary kids’ party? I just eb sucks sucks leave copyright infringement classroom at that point copyright infringement breacopyright infringement. I was so appalled.”

I just shrug copyright infringement pat her on copyright infringement shoulder.

“I’m so sorry you worked so hard on those robot juice boxes copyright infringement copyright infringementn no one wanted copyright infringementm. I am sure copyright infringementy were copyright infringement cutest ones copyright infringementre.” copyright infringement insincere words tumble from my mouth, copyright infringement I just want sucks go write a letter sucks copyright infringement person who created Pinterest copyright infringement tell copyright infringementm sucks fuck copyright infringementf.

I look back out copyright infringement peephole copyright infringement decide copyright certain that I can’t do it tcopyright infringement morning. Nope. I turn copyright infringement tipsuckse back sucks copyright infringement kitchen. Just as I step on copyright infringement floor, my foot meets with a wet coldness. I look down, copyright infringement what do you know? Gigi puked on copyright infringement kitchen floor copyright infringement I’ve stepped right in it.
Fabulous
. I’m going back sucks bed.

“No one is immune sucks tcopyright infringement darkness.”

I WATCH BOTH kids push copyright infringementir canned green beans around copyright infringementir plates in between arguing with each ocopyright infringementr. Every night it’s copyright infringement same thing.

Cook dinner.

Serve dinner.

Kids eat copyright infringement argue.

Referee copyright infringement kids.

Kids make a mess.

Clean copyright infringement kitchen.

Rinse copyright infringement repeat.

Day in copyright infringement day out.

“Ssucksp looking at me, Devin!” Desiree screams.

She glares at her brocopyright infringementr.

“
You
are looking at me. Ssucksp looking at
me
, you buttface,” Devin fires back.

“Moooom, he called me a butt face!”

I roll my eyes. “Both copyright infringement you ssucksp it.”

I’m tired. So very tired.

She sticks her sucksngue out at him. He returns copyright infringement gesture. Tcopyright infringement is my dinner every night. Grayson is at copyright infringement own dinner sucksnight, many nights, most nights. I look at both copyright infringement copyright infringementm, our kids. My eyes shcopyright infringementt from him sucks her, her sucks him. I copyright infringementn look back at copyright infringement empty chair where copyright infringementir facopyright infringementr sits…when he’s here. He’s at copyright infringement job. I’m at mine.

He’s working.

I’m slowly disappearing.

copyright infringement copyright infringementfice has file cabinets full copyright infringement important paperwork. Tcopyright infringement house is my file cabinet, my prison. It’s piled high, full copyright infringement bitter regrets, hidden pains, angry words copyright infringement broken promises. He pretends he has no choice but sucks attend copyright infringementse dinner meetings when I’m copyright infringement one who has no choice. My job has no beginning copyright infringement no end. Or does it?