Tears
My mother was never one to love the idea of church, but she wanted to make a good first impression for our neighbors and community, or at least that's what she said. I could sometimes tell when she had more deviant thoughts on her mind, because well, she was my mother. Who knew better than me?
No man could, of course. I had smiled when my mom announced she had dumped that new boyfriend- thank goodness he's gone! No man knew the plans my mother was making and plotting. Just me.
The plan?
The Marino's were supposedly the best of the best in town. We had just moved in to the new house two days ago, far from where we used to live. My mother had said, "Courtney, if I can get their approval, I can win this whole little city over, and then- and think about this-" She had held up her hands high, waving them around, a huge grin on her face, "I could be mayor, or something!" My mom was always trying to make it big ever since my late father had told her that she was going to leave everybody in the dust the first day he had met her. Mom used to tell me about that all the time.
I would sometimes wonder why Dad would have said that to her when he could make no promises. For better or for worse. Where was he when the worse came in?
So she made me wear a dress, and no, I'm not one of those girls who hate anything girly or that I have anything against the whole dressy thing, but church? I just couldn't find it in my heart to know I belonged here. I mean, I don't really know what to believe yet, not saying that I'll never know, but right now I'm just kinda thinking He is great and good because well, I'm in a church.
Dad used to drag us to church all the time. I wondered why my mom stopped going. No man should ever leave you behind, or make you leave something else behind.
My mom spots the Marino's in the front row after the whole church part is over- everyone was singing songs and I was kinda humming along because I didn't know the words. I know amen. Does that count for anything?
Mom is losing it because from what I can tell so far the Marino's are a very nice family. They are well dressed and wealthy looking, and mom is eating it up. I can tell they are falling for her act too, the way their eyes get warmer and they smile so their eyes crinkle a bit. The man's smile is much less noticeable but the woman is bright and her blonde hair is straight yet somehow bouncing off her shoulders, the man's arm around her. You could tell they probably didn't get along all the time, since he was much sterner than her, but they seemed to connect, to intertwine with each other as though they were always meant to be this way, arms tight around each other yet so natural and loose.
It reminded me of my mom and dad. It was sick.
My mom gestured me over and introduced me. "This is my daughter, Courtney. Courtney, this is Mr. and Mrs. Marino." Mom's smile was so wide and bright I thought it might strain her jaw.
Mr. Marino shook my hand, his rough over my smooth one. "You can just call us Alex and Tami."
Tami looked at me as though I was the prettiest thing in the world. "You know, there's something about you that reminds me of my son."
Alex fidgeted. "Yeah." He smiled at me, with sadness in his eyes.
My mom was very eager. "Oh, that is just lovely." She patted my hand, and I looked to her as though she was the craziest woman in the world. I guess that's how all kids feel about their parents.
Tami looked so happy. She asked to be excused, and Alex quickly followed her. My mom screeched about them the whole way home, and she told me to bring them a gift basket. She decorated it for hours.
"Oh Courtney!" She yelled, throwing up her hands. "I can't wait for you to give this to them." You had to wonder why the woman wouldn't just do it herself. I didn't really seem to like the Marino's- don't get me wrong, they were nice people, but they seemed too happy to actually be a family. They had a son, a wife, a husband. I just thought of them and looked to me and mother and all of a sudden it would hit me abruptly about what was missing.
Mom tried to get to dress up, but in the end I just wore some normal clothes, some jean Capri's with a regular red tank top. My mom begged me, oh dear lord will you please change and make these people think you are the best thing in the world so they will love me please Courtney please just this once don't be so damn stubborn. That's literally how she said it. All jumbled up so I could barely understand.
I walked over to the Marino's house, realizing how much bigger it was than ours. I scowled a bit, imagining Tami's face all bright and lit and happy. I really hoped her son wasn't there. Seeing the whole family together might make me a little too mad.
I ranged the doorbell, and man! It was loud. Tami didn't answer the door. It was Alex instead. He looked at me with surprise and frowned. "Hello Courtney." I heard someone whimpering, and, nosy as I am, I tried to peer in. Alex shut the door behind him, leaving both of us now standing on the porch. "It's not a good time."
I didn't like the way he talked to me. He spoke to me like a father figure, and it hurt a little. "What's wrong with her?" I knew the way men worked. They hurt you, and hurt you, and they left you disappointed.
Alex pointed to the door. "Well she-"
"Are you hurting her?" I clamped my hand over my mouth. Why in the world had I said that?
His brow furrowed, but he only looked sad, not angry. "No." He was quiet. "She's just upset about Duncan." He looked up at the sky, taking the gift basket from my hands. "Our son."
I blinked. I didn't really know what to say. "What about him?"
Alex shook his head. "He died seven years ago today." He shut the door quietly, and as I peered through the window, I saw the shadow of a man leaning down to hug a broken woman.
…
I told my mom what happened when I got home. She had just got this far off look, and I understood what it meant.
Tami had a sadness in her eyes just like my mothers. Men could hurt, yes, but only because of the bruises they could leave.
No man is worth your tears, but when you find one that is, he won't make you cry. –Unknown
A/N: I wrote this a LONG time ago for a short story for class. I didn't use Duncan and Courtney's names, but that's what I had in mind the whole time. I thought it'd be cool to write this, because romance stuff is kind of wearing me down. Don't get me long, I love a good romance, just… I like different topics too. :D
Sorry if there are some problems. Again, I wrote this a long time ago. I found it on a flash drive… cool, huh? The things you find on old computer hardware…
Thanks for reading!