Pink Flowers

“Hey, Rach, I am so glad you are here. We need to talk.”

“What’s up? Nothing good ever comes out of a ‘we need to talk’ talk.” She giggles at her joke.

I take a deep breath before I tell her, “My mom asked me for an additional two hundred dollars.”

“What? When does she need it?”

“I need to send it within the hour.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I wanted to ask you what you thought about me taking another job?”

Rachel looks sad, then her face lights up, “Oh, I can ask Owen. He probably has something available.”

“I don’t think I’m experienced enough for that level of work.”

“Hm… Well, how good of a dancer are you?”

I roll my eyes at her, “I have two left feet, you know this. Remember your brother’s wedding. That was a bad day for everyone.”

She starts laughing. “Yeah, I just like messing with you. There are waitresses, bartenders, and other things.” Her laugh is even more laborious.

I roll my eyes and shake my head. “What time do you want to leave?”

“We can leave now. I just woke up, so I am good to drive. You can sleep, then you drive on the way home, and I will sleep.”

“Okay, that’s a good enough plan. I need to shower first.”

“Okay. I’ll run by the club and talk to Owen.”

I nod, then head to the bathroom. We have a small two-bedroom apartment, and each bedroom has a private bathroom attached. It works great until a guest comes over, and they must go through someone’s bedroom to use the bathroom.

I stare at myself in the mirror. I look exhausted. Maybe it is good Rachel is taking the first shift in driving. I take a long shower and get dressed, putting on black leggings and a turquoise top. I brush my dirty blonde hair. I stare back into the mirror; my reflection looks better, more refresh. I hear the door open and Rachel calling, “Honey, I’m home. Are you ready?”

“Yeah, coming,” walking out, I grab some snacks for us to take on the road and turn towards Rachel.

“Eww, no, I want road trip snacks.” Rachel looks at the snacks in disgust.

“I can’t afford road trip snacks.”

“I can; I got you.”

I roll my eyes and nod. Rachel smiles and claps her hands. “Beef Jerky, here I come.”

I fall asleep as soon as I get into the car. Rachel wakes me when we reach my mother’s house. I told my mother we were coming and that I would have her money when we got there. I knock on the door, and her ‘guy friend’ answers. I am not sure what he is, but he is there at midnight. My mother is all too excited to see me, and by that, I mean, the first words out of her mouth are, “Do you have it?” I nod and hand her the money. She turns and gives the guy most of the money. He kisses her on the cheek before leaving.

“Mom, who was that? I thought you needed the money for rent and shoes for Jason and Jan.” I can’t hide the anger in my voice.

“It’s my money, don’t question what I do with it.”

“I am going to question, or I am not giving you money anymore.”

“Do you want your siblings to grow up homeless or without their mother?”

“If it gives them a better life, then yes, they should grow up without you.” Anger flows through me; my mom begins screaming. I can’t take it anymore and walk out the door. Rachel is right behind me. We get to the car, and I hold my hand out for the keys. Rachel did not say a word but hands them over. We drive off without a second glance. I drive across town to my Aunt’s house on my father’s side.

My father died when Sam and I were three. I don’t even remember him. When we turned 18, Sam found his family. We built a relationship with his parents before they died and his sister, Lauren.

I call my Aunt Lauren. I explain to her what happen and ask to stay at her house. She agrees. As we pull up, she is standing outside to hug me. She is an amazing woman. I hate my mother for keeping her away from us.

“I am so glad you are here, Mel. I wish it were under different circumstances. Rachel, how are you?” She hugs Rachel after me.

“I’m good, Aunt Lauren.” Rachel smiles at her. Sam and I met Rachel in middle school. She is a part of the family now.

We go inside and talk for a short time before heading off to bed. One of the many nice things about coming to Aunt Lauren’s house is that Rachel and I don’t have to sleep on the floor. We do have to share a bed, but it beats the floor any day.

The following day, we wake up to the smell of bacon. Rachel and I jump out of bed. I say a quick hello to my cousins before heading to the kitchen. Lauren smiles at us. “You girls look hungry.” We both nod.

“You won’t believe how hungry we get when we don’t have to cook,” Rachel says with a smile.

We sit around the table and all talk. My two cousins are in high school, their dad, my uncle, is working this weekend. We say a quick goodbye and head to the flower shop after breakfast.

I get pink tulips. Sam’s favorite color is pink. During Sam’s funeral, I promised to bring her flowers and make sure she has the nicest grave. Tears began to form in my eyes before we get to the cemetery. “You okay?” I nod. Rachel knows I’m not okay, but she doesn’t push.

Tears run down my cheeks as we walk towards her grave. It’s impossible to hold them back as I lay the flowers on the vase connected to the headstone. Rachel and I sit, pushing my back against the cold stone. Rachel tells Sam about the club and everything new in her life. She looks at me and says she will give me some private time and heads to the car. As soon as she is gone, I sob. I tell Sam how angry I am at our mom, about the man in her house, her constant lies and manipulation, and the financial stress I am under because of her.

“I miss you, Sam. You shouldn’t have been driving that day! Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t feel like you could drive?” The pain in my chest starts to grow.

Flashback:

“I have the worst migraine, sister.” Sam grabs her hair.

“You have to go to class Sammy, just think in two years, we will both have Ph.D.’s, and everyone will call us Doctor.” I put my hand on her shoulder and smile at her.

“Yeah, you’re right. I hate to go to the campus on the other side of town, though. Traffic is awful.”

“I don’t have anything until one today. Want me to go with you?”

“No, stay here and do your literature review. We have to push each other.”

Less than an hour later, I get a phone call from the police department. I race to the hospital as fast as I can. When I tell the receptionist who I am, she looks at me with sympathy. I know then the news isn’t good. A doctor comes out and speaks with me. He tells me she lost consciousness and swerved into a semi. The doctor assures me that she probably didn’t feel anything because she was out and didn’t suffer. I ask to see her, but he strongly recommends against it. He stresses that the way she looks now is not the way I want to remember her.

End of Flashback:

“I should have driven you that day, Sam. I should have told you it was okay to stay home. If I had, you would be here.”

I stand up and walk back to the car. Rachel hugs me as soon as I sit down.

We start heading back to Seattle in silence. Halfway home, she starts talking. “Owen said you could interview Monday at eight.”

“What is the job?”

“Cleaning offices or bartending. Just look cute when you go in, and it will all be fine.”

“Is he that much of a pig?”

“He’s more like a wolf,” she starts laughing. I don’t get her joke but decide it is best not to ask. “If you saw him, you would want to look cute.”

“What does he look like?” I ask curiously.

“Girl, he’s dreamy. Wait until your pretty grey eyes feast on his amber ones. He has sandy hair, built like a Greek god, and his smile is to die for.”

I roll my eyes. “If you say so.”

“Oh, I say so, just you wait.”

Little do I know how right she will be.