Truth:Chapter 11

“Tell me, again. Why we are going to visit your Uncle Jim? He hates me!” Tom said.
“He doesn’t hate you.” I said calmly, buckling my seatbelt.
“He threw a dinner roll at me.”
“It’s his way of welcoming you to the family.”
Tom looked at me in that way that he always does.
“Right.”
“It s should take about 6 hours to get there.” I calculated.
“We live in New York,they in Maine. Its more like 9 hours.”
“Smart ass.”
“Just for you, darling. “ there was a pause.”You need to stop making me watch those black and white movies.”
“Why? You are just like James Dean! All Suave and Debonair
”Uh huh. You hungry?” he asked.
“No. I just ate.” Of course, I didn’t. But, right now I couldn’t stomach food- it just seemed a waste for my body.
He shrugged.”Okay.”
0000
“Stop here!”I exclaimed. I needed a coffee fix.
“Ah, two hours without coffee. How did I know?”
We stopped at this place called “Coffee Jungle.”
“Hello,” a stunning blonde greeted us, immediately eyeing Tom”Welcome, have a seat anywhere.”
On whim I grabbed Tom’s hand, it was rough, yet smooth at the same time. He gave me a confused look.
“Let’s go, pet.”
When we were seated, the first thing he said was ”Pet? That sounds pedophilic.”
“Shut up. “

“Make me.”
I grabbed a spoon mixer and flicked it to his head.
“Damn, Chris. I didn’t mean literally. Good aim. For a girl.”
“What? There is such a thing as WNBA, you know? There is-“
“Oh, here goes your man-hating, non-shaving, burn-bra, feminist rant.” He sighed
“What does pointing out blatant chauvinist turn into feminism? I mean it is- but there is such a negative condensation to it. There is nothing wrong with being a strong, independent woman. I am, or I try to be.”
“Of course.” I knew that Tom was trying to change the subject, but I kept going because I liked him flustered. It was a little cute actually.
“Not to mention, when a woman wants something in life, and goes about it just as ruthlessly as a man, she is considered a bitch.But, if a man does it- he’s The Man. It’s such a double standard.
“Your coffees are done.” Said the elderly woman, apparently the blonde twit got mad and left. Okay, she was on break. “My, ya’ll are a cute couple. How long have you been going out.”
“Oh, we” I started
“A year.” Tom finished for me.
The older women left us with our coffee.
“Tom Dugrey.” I started. “Why did you say we are going out.”
He shrugged, taking a bite out of his bagel.
“There must be a reason.”
“God, Christina, it’s just a joke.”
“Oh, so going out with me is a joke? My, that wounds me. My heart is breaking.” I hid a smile.
“ Another topic for your therapist, Neurotic.”
“You love it.”
“I love you.” He coughed.
“What did you say?”
“I mean, you’re my best friend. Of course, I love you! Don’t you love me?”
“In a matey-mate way, of course.”
“See. Misunderstanding cleared.”
00000
“Ooh, my song.”
“Please, don’t sing! My ears can take only so much.”
I glared.
“Sorry, I forgot you have feelings.”
“Tom, honestly, you are such a prat.”
“It comes with the good looks, doll.”
“Haha, 30s lingo!”
“Damn you! I’m never letting you make me watch black and white movies again.”
“You will. You can’t resist my smile. It’s perfect- the angels above blessed it. The stars wink, butterflies flock to me-“
“It’s chipped- hillbillesque.”
I gasped. I grabbed my coffee mug and threw it at him.”It’s adorable! You giant asshole! “
“I’m sorry, it is adorable. “
“You’re just saying that because I have a deadly weapon.”
“I hardly think a coffee mug is a deadly weapon.”
I moved to throw it at him again.
He raised his arm up in defeat.
That’s right. I wear the pants.
00000

“Christina! Wake up! We are at the Day’s Inn.” Tom shook me awake.
“Ugh.” I said groggily.”Are you sure?”
“Well, there is a building with a sign saying ‘Day’s Inn’ on it. So, I’m pretty sure this is it.”
“Smart ass.”
“Comes with the territory.”
“Pray to the imaginary Lord that territory is in a secluded area.” I mumbled.
“I heard that.” Tom said, grabbing our bags from the trunk.
“You always do.Prat.”
“Heard that too.”
0000
“You should shower , first.” I told him.
“Do I stink?”
“No, but I’ll take all the hot water.”
“Point taken.”
15 minutes later, Tom came in with only his boxers. They were green silk. How cliché.
When I saw him, I burst into giggles.
“What are you laughing at? I have a nice body!” he defended.
“Let’s see if you pass the test.” I walked over to him
“Hmmn, “ I touched his stomach”One, two, three, four abs. Passable. Turn around. Hmmn, back. Passable. “
I turned away, but he grabbed me close to him.
“So, did I pass?”
“Just barely.”
“Let me inspect you then.” He smirked.
“Why! I am a good girl! A lady. Dare I say it, are you trying to take advantage of me?”
We laughed.
0000
“Christina!” my Uncle Jim deep voice boomed”and you brought your friend Tom.”
“Yes, Uncle. I told you on the phone, remember?”
“Yes,that’s right. Come in. Your Aunt Helda wants to show you her new cat”Uncle Jim said”crazy furball -have been trying to run over the damn thing for days.”
Tom rose an eyebrow to me.
“Shut up.”I told him.
“Christina! You brought your boyfriend, Tom. How wonderful! Meet the new baby, Crooks. Isn’t she adorable?” My Aunt Helda then shoved the orange tabby cat into Tom’s arms.
“Oh, he’s not my-“
“When’s dinner?” a portly man interrupted.
“Billy!” I exclaimed and ran over to hug my favorite cousin.
“How are you?” I asked.
“Not doing so well. The baby didn’t make it. Doctors said there is something wrong with my ovaries.” Billy smiled.
“Billy,you been using your man-pregnancy excuse for years. Besides, men don’t have ovaries.”
“It worked for that other guy.” Billy defended.
“Who used to be a woman.” Tom said from across the room.
“Who are you?” Billy asked “I like him. He can keep up.”
“This, “ I said, pulling Tom over”is my best friend, Tom Dugrey. Tom, this is my favorite cousin Billy Watson.”
“Nice to meet you,man.” Tom shook his hand.
“Same here. MOM. When are we going to eat!” Billy yelled.
“I don’t know. When are you getting a girlfriend and give me grandchildren?” Aunt Helda called out from the kitchen.
A half hour later, the food was done and we were all seated at the dining room table.
“Tom, what are you studying at the university?” my Uncle Jim asked.
“I’m a junior, studying premed.” Tom replied.
“ Very ambitious.” Uncle Jim concluded
There was a silence for a moment, until Billy burped.
“Billy, you disgusting child, how many times do I have to tell you not at the dinner table!” Aunt Helda scolded harshly but with laughter in her eyes.
“Sorry, Mom. I’ll face the wall tonight, and promise to eat all my vegetables.” Billy said solemnly.
“That hardly counts.” I said.”Since we are eating spaghetti”
Billy tried to kick me under the table, but missed.
“And now you are not allowed dessert, because you kicked your poor mother in the shins” Aunt Helda told Billy, who looked scandalized at the loss of dessert.
I stuck my tongue out .
I still wear the pants.
0000000
“Who are you texting?” I asked Christina.
“Char. He’s asking when I’m coming home tonight, so we can grab dinner.”
Oh. Asshole.
“Why?” She looked up, curious.
“No, reason.”
“Oh, I know why!”
“Why.”
“You sa-woon when you see him!” she started. I braced myself for a lunatic rant she tries to pass off as a ‘reasonable argument’ “You get that look in your eye, like a boy in the playground, a dog ready to hump a lamp post-“
“A lamp post?”
“A gay crush is the word I’m looking for!” She said ignoring me.
“Right. I have a gay crush on that pansy Char? That will happen when a woman becomes president.” Ha.I touched a sore spot.
She waited a few minutes, before she responded.
“Hilary Clinton was a strong contender! Look at all her accomplishments. She endorsed bills to 'extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11', 'pay for city projects in response to 9/11', 'assist landmine victims in other countries', 'assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care' and 'Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the Wilderness Preservation System'.”
“You wiki’d that. I see it on your phone!” I told her.
“So? What do you think I am, a genius?”
I scoffed “Certainly not.”
Christina made a move to throw the coffee mug at me.
“But, you are pretty.” I reassured her.
She smiled, and dropped the mug.
That’s right. I wear the pants.
0000
When I got home, I was contemplating the wedding invitation I received from Serena in the mail a few days ago. I didn’t tell anyone about it. Mostly, because I didn’t think it was true.
Sighing, I went to the kitchen to make coffee. It was then I saw another letter from Serena.
“Christina, it appears that you were sent an invitation to my wedding by accident. Be assured, you are not invited. Seeing you again after four years, reminded me how much I enjoyed the lack of your presence. Don’t bother replying. You’re not a sister of mine, never were really. This is the last form of communication, I will ever send”
Serena”
I dropped the letter. Suddenly, I remember Serena making fun of me in front of her friend; Serena lying about me to our parents; Serena sending me…to that place, Serena-
In an eerily calm way, I looked at the pills on top of the fridge.
Lamictal, Invega, Prozac, Tomapax. They are just chemicals mixed together in a little tablet.
These pills, miracle drugs, are supposed to make me feel better, make me sane.
And I wanted to prove something- it’s stupid, and made sense at the time, but I wanted to prove that I can get better by myself, by taking these pills- without anyone telling me to, by me doing it myself.
As if in rage, or sadness, I don’t know- I grabbed the pills from the medicine cabinet on top of the fridge, and swallowed. 10. 15. 20.
My heart didn’t slow down or anything. It just felt like my vision was hazy. My legs wouldn’t move. I laid down. Everything was numb…what.
Someone knocked on the door, but I couldn’t get up to answer it. I hear someone open it and-
“Shit.” A manly voice said. And then I promptly passed out.