Crawling from bed, I have a crying hangover. My head is stuffy, my nose is plugged, and I feel like I went ten rounds with a bottle of tequila and lost. As I turn the light on in my bathroom, I see I don’t look much better.
My eyes are swollen, and my nose is red. My cheeks are blotchy, too. I wash my face with cold water to try and bring the swelling down. Quickly, I brush my hair and teeth before deeming myself presentable to my parents.
Not that they would care what I look like. They have to love me.
Quiet chattering can be heard from the kitchen, and I’m not impressed to find Mom’s worst gossip friend, Sonia, sitting there all smug with her overly made-up face, and Mimi—the mean girl from the Drew Carey show—colored eyelids. The woman makes me shudder. She’s all fake smiles and bullshit lies to anyone who will listen. She likes to distort the truth into any way that benefits her best.
“Oh
, good morning, sweetheart.” Mom comes rushing over to me with a comfortable hug.
“Hey, Mom,” I murmur into her cinnamon-smelling hair. “Did you make sticky buns?”
“Just for you.” She grins as she pulls away.
“You’re the best.”
“Glad to see you up and about again, Marnia.” The jerk purposely gets my name wrong every time she sees me. She acts as though she hasn’t known me my entire life.
“You too, Snotty.” I don’t have the patience to hide my disdain from her today.
Mom hides her snicker behind a cough while Sonia acts outraged. “Well, that was uncalled for,” she huffs.
“So is getting my name wrong for the past 22 years. But since we’re not pulling punches, how about you leave Mom and me to visit since I came here to see her and Dad.” I let the implication that I don’t want her company hang open.
Shoving her hair back, Sonya stands and says, “I’ll see you another time, Claudia.” The slamming door in her wake has Mom and I bursting out laughing.
“You’re feisty this morning, Marnia.” Her mockery of Sonya has us in fits of laughter again. She hands me the cacao as she sits down, an inquisitive look on her face.
Blowing on the hot liquid, I stall for as long as I can. I know there is a question in her observation. I just don’t know how to answer her. Arsen hurt me deeply, but I understand. Therefore, I don’t want my parents to have ill will towards him. He’s a good man and doesn’t deserve their judgment.
On the same note, I deserved more. He came barrel-assing into my life and made me fall for his sweet words and sensual touch.
“I think I’m in love,” I tell her instead.
“Think?” She cocks her head to the side. “Honey, you either are, or you aren’t.”
I can hear Dad stomping through the mudroom door as I try to work out my feelings. He likes to garden his own vegetables, and I bet he has been plucking the weeds from his precious goods.
“How did you know you loved Daddy?” I ask, hoping to distract. Her sly grin says she knows what I’m doing.
“I remember the exact moment I knew Dennis was it for me. He’d just dropped me off at home after our third date. We went to the drive-in and made out the entire time.”
“Mom, gross.” I fake gag.
“Like you haven’t done it.” She winks at me. “I fell over backwards on to my bed and sighed. My heart skipped a beat, and I had butterflies in my belly. My lips still felt the touch of his for a week.” She sighs happily as Dad walks in behind her.
“I knew from the moment I met your mother that she was mine. All that dark hair and those chocolate eyes sucked me right in.” He leans down to kiss the top of her head. “She’s my girl.”
The love between them physically hurts me. Seeing it, the way they explain it, I know I’m in love with Arsen.
“He hurt me.” The sob leaving my chest cracks my emotions wide open, and the tears start to flow. “I told him, and he just left, and I haven’t heard from him since then.” My words sound erratic to my own ears.
“Marina.” Mom tries to soothe.
“I’m broken, and he doesn’t want me anymore. I hate this stupid body!” I scream, unable to control my agony.
The doorbell rings while Mom tries to comfort me. “Marina, there is not a damn thing wrong with you, and if he can’t see that, then he isn’t the man for you.” How I wish I could believe her.