One Too Many Lies

It was the 3rd of October and my house was about to be packed with people for my mom’s annual “Firecracker” party. Half of Lanesboro was gonna be here. Lanesboro, Minnesota, was where I lived. It was a small town, about one-hundred forty people. See I told you. A small town.

Ever since my father passed away we’ve had this party in honor of him. He died on October 3rd. I know what you’re probably thinking: you shouldn’t have a party on the day your dad died! But he would’ve wanted us to be having fun instead of crying over him. He’s probably up in his big house in Heaven partying with us.

I never understood how mom could afford everything she gets for the party. I mean, we weren’t poor, but we certainly weren’t rich.

Nevertheless, my mom went all out for the party. Fireworks, streamers, balloons, and all the food you could eat. I’m probably the only seventeen-year-old who doesn’t like to be around people, but this party means a lot to my mom so I guess I’ll try to be there.

I never ate anything until everyone left, but no one seemed to care. I hate loud noises and fireworks, but once again no one cares. I don’t mind though. I’m not exactly what you’d call a “people person”. The only person I open up to is my brother, Brady. I don’t open up to my mom anymore. She started drinking after my dad died and she still hasn’t stopped. I was beginning to get worried about it.

My mom has had a history of boyfriends ever since my dad passed. I think she was trying to get over him, but every man she dated never stayed. Every time I think she’s gotten over it, I find her crying alone in her room, or drinking.

She never cooks anymore, so I’m supposed to have everything ready. Not that we eat much. I never really have, and she’s getting pretty thin, so thin that it can’t be healthy. I worry about her all the time, but sometimes I think she forgets about us, and everything else. She rarely pays the bills so our house is cold and dark. She only pays them once every year. The night of her party. I do love her but she needs to be a bigger person and think about us more than herself.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around, the house looked a hundred times better than before. Ding dong went the doorbell. OH NO! I thought. I looked horrible! I hadn’t changed yet! I rushed to my bedroom and opened my closet door. I only had two dresses so I grabbed the yellow one that my mom bought me last summer. Well, I bought it. My mom came, and she gave me the money, but she couldn’t care less which dress I chose.

I ran to the bathroom and brushed my brown hair. Everyone at school was envious of my hair since it had natural blond highlights, but that was before I dropped out of school. My mom didn’t drive anymore, and I had to take care of her. Usually, Brady or I get groceries, so she doesn’t get out of the house much.

I rushed out of my room to get to the door and I saw my mom. Wow. She was gorgeous. I wondered if anyone could ever look so beautiful. Then I remembered it would all be gone tomorrow, and I grimaced.

I walked to the party part of our enormous house and went over to the box with my father’s memorial items. I opened the box and found something I’d never seen in there before. A note. I knew it wasn’t there last year, and the overwhelming impulse to open it was getting stronger every second. I take it before thinking and run upstairs to my bedroom. I suddenly feel guilty. This was a note for my father, not me. Maybe someone added it, hoping maybe he could read it in Heaven. Still, something didn’t seem right… I thought over it again and decided I would read it, then put it back.

I carefully broke the seal, and peek inside. Inside is a small piece of yellow paper. Curiosity gets the best of me, and I cautiously pull it out. When I see what’s on the paper, I gasp.

Its says:

Watch your back. I took your father, I can take you too.