When Christian had dropped me off at my house, I was a little disappointed that he didn't stay over. With my mom at work, we'd have the house to ourselves for the afternoon. Even when she came home late, she wouldn't know anyone was here. She would just get a bottle of vodka from the cabinet, a glass, and her pack of cigarettes, and retreat to her room.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDRkTesinw
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3VUdOxkJC
The first thing I saw when I walked through the front door was an open bottle of wine on the table. That was her morning routine before heading off to work. Once I was out of her hair for the morning, she would drink until she felt buzzed, then get behind the wheel.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08dfzkReyx
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjW7GfaHIG
Awesome role model, huh?425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHF5QHoWXRz
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYAM05eHNO
She used to be. I used to look up to her. I used to envy her. I wanted to want to be her. Then my dad left and she completely fell apart. She started drinking heavily, and on more than one occasion she would call me from God knew where to come and get her. I was fifteen at the time, wasn't able to drive, so I had to have our neighbor drive me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzCZy0CrcH
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksW35aNJ8K
My mom was less than happy when I showed up with another person to pick her up. She actually started screaming at me in front of Mrs. Levine, yelling about how she called me to come and not some stranger. I reminded her that Mrs. Levine was a good friend of hers and had been for years.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVeCwMxpY4
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4r7BmpgUBb
The yelling continued in the car, when we got into the house, and into my bedroom. I had finally had enough and shut the door in her face, making sure to lock it. Then I turned off the light and sat in the dark for what seemed like hours.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRv6sJE3Nm
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXD6xnmcK6k
I was brought back to the present by the ringing of my phone. I answered it quickly.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmJXzNmsEU
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffgnMl1NN0
"Hello?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbprEmYGxbK
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapr6buOlSz
"Kendall? It's Dallas Alder. How are you?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNAPnWvLQe
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivqF1Vbt7J
"Hi," I said, picking up the bottle and placing it back in the cabinet. I leaned against the counter, listening to the shuffle of papers on the other end of the line. "I'm okay. How are you? I'm sorry if the session freaked you out."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3JKYv9YSC
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRSD0tRldr
"I'm a Psychiatrist, it's my job to keep calm under any circumstance."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBKs6W4rCh
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJ2MrwTbHe
"You've had worse cases than me?" I heard myself say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHb4p81uP0
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclkHRvgh4g
"I've had worse patients than you," she said softly. "Now, about next week. What time would you like to come by?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXK9oBBP5N
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBU7IqD8JcO
I didn't know. I wasn't even thinking about that. I wasn't even sure what was in store for me for the rest of the week. I just knew that the dreams were going to get worse. I hesitated before answering.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPVIzG4ua7
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqefc06cRr
"I don't know," I said, "let me check the calendar."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuXjnwiP9z
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcSuVn1uxH
While I cradled the phone on my shoulder, something I hated doing because it didn't work well, I rummaged through the junk drawer that was beside the fridge. I yanked it out, figuring that would take less time, and watched every piece of crap we'd ever collected fall to the floor.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHIeeMZA2U
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ePnSqdHWA
"Can you hold on?" I asked.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MF3NBfgx0
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vDujFL3kd
I dropped to my hands and knees and started to clean up. Before I stood up, having gotten everything back in order, I noticed something white under the oven. Curiously I crawled toward it and picked it up. It was a folded piece of paper. I opened it and had to hold something to keep steady. It was only a few words, but they were enough to shake my entire foundation.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuWNzZ4Imv
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAD13uaddk
Your son has been adopted. It's taken care of like I promised it would be. Now you don't have to see us anymore. My daughter will never know you. Goodbye.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBRdwWSELA