Fallout (Crank 3)

Yeah, and? Nothing has changed.

Still dealing with the fallout of choices,

not her own, made twenty years ago.

Anyway, slow down, you grow mold.

Another favorite saying. “But don’t

you ever get mad about … stuff?”

Hunter, I used to live “mad.” Didn’t help.

I REACH WAY BACK

Into memory, to another

Christmas. I must have been ten.

Kristina was here with Donald.

He would have been three.

Ron was supposed to come

with them that year, so Mom got

them a hotel room. That man

will not stay under this roof.

She didn’t give a reason, and

I wondered why she was so angry.

On their way out of Vegas,

Ron was arrested. Kristina claimed

it was an outstanding traffic

ticket. We found out later it was

for a domestic violence warrant.

Kristina came alone, checked into

her room on Christmas Eve,

and when she didn’t show up for

our usual family dinner, Mom

was mad. You can’t ever rely on her.

But she was also worried

and sent Dad out to look for her.