Taylor didn't get a chance to talk to her brother about why he had detention. It really bugged her that he wouldn't just tell our mother, but then again when she was drunk after work nothing was safe.
In the morning, Taylor looked at the family computer not being allowed to have a Facebook she was getting a few happy birthday messages on her messenger. She smiled cause people remembered and replied with a bunch of thank you's. just as her mom walked in she closed out and went to look for breakfast. Taylor's mom puffed when she saw Taylor's outfit.
"Why are you wearing that?" She motions to my jeans and layered white and red top.
"What do you mean?" Taylor asks confused at why her outfit is wrong.
"It's hideous. I mean it's your birthday for Christ sake. Go change I'm sure Sam will wait for you"
Taylor sighs and she knows fighting with her mom is pointless so she goes up stairs just as her mom leaves.
Eric knocks on Taylor's door.
"Eric did you miss your bus again?" Taylor asks through the door.
"Yea..." He sounds disappointed. "You think Sam could bring me? Please."
Taylor sighs she knew that would mean being late to home room but she also knew that if she didn't her brother had to deal with the wrath of their mother after school.
"Yea. But you owe me."
"Thanks Taylor."
Taylor finished getting ready and this time he was wearing a nice flowery summer dress that went to her mid thigh with bleached jeans under and some nice flats. It was better and slightly too different but it worked for her mom. Taylor pulled on a white knit button up sweater, that wasn't too heavy and not too thin and went back down stairs.
"Sam just pulled in." Eric informs me.
"Hello, birthday girl!" Sam walks in smiling.
"Hey Sam" I smile at her nodding to my brother "we need to make a detour"
She sighs. "Yea I assumed. What happened this time?"
"Mom didn't wake me up so was a few seconds late going outside"
"Eric you know you can't count on mom getting you up these days"
"Yea I know. Sorry taylor"
"It's alright." Taylor sighs and they all grab their bags heading out the door.
After they dropped Eric off at his school.
"So is your mom really getting that bad?" Sam asks worried
"Honestly, it's been like this for awhile. She's just good at hiding it but she really cracks down on Eric he barely talks to her anymore."
"Wow. Have you guys thought about going with your dad?"
Taylor sighs. "I've thought about it but who would take care of my mom?"
"Taylor she's a big girl. She can take care of herself."
Taylor drops the conversation she can't handle it anymore her mom was a drunk...and a bad one at that. She hated seeing her mom like that but there was never away around it. We pulled into the school just as the homeroom bell rang and ran into the school barely making it into the classroom before our names were called.
That school day dragged on and Taylor smiled and said thank you all day but finally it was lunch time and Taylor could relax and see her friends Sam and Cheyenne.
Taylor walked into the cafe holding her books for her next class and got in the lunch line. She looked at what the meal was and retreated it, it looked like it would come alive and try eating her, so Taylor got a sandwich and say with Sam and Cheyenne.
"Hey birthday lady" Cheyenne smiles.
"Hey" I smile back
"So what are we doing tonight?"
"What do you mean?"
"Um it's your birthday?" Cheyenne and Sam say at the same time.
"I know that but I hadn't planned on doing anything."
"Tay you can't just not do anything for your 17th birthday." Sam the person of reason tells her.
"Why not? Who says I have to do anything?"
Sam and Cheyenne look at each other then to me and say "us"
"Wow" I look at them "that was creepy."
"And true" Cheyenne pops in.
"Guys you know my mom. I can't have anyone over on a school night."
"Fine then we are taking you out Saturday morning." Sam smiles and I open my mouth to protest but Cheyenne cuts me off.
"And don't say anything about your brother or your mom cause it happening"
I sigh. "Fine"
Taylor's classes almost flew by after lunch and she kinda hated it she liked her classes and her teachers were great but soon it was time to head home to the world of fights. Taylor walked out to Sam's car which much to Sam'a dismay was covered in happy birthday stuff.
Laughing. "Wow"
"Yeah well it's your birthday so when we get to your house this is all going with you"
"Who did this?"
"I don't know but it must have been at lunch cause we were late today"
"Yea." Taylor giggles and they both get in the car Sam driving and Taylor in the passenger seat. Sam sighs. "What now?"
"I just can't believe your not doing anything tonight"
"Sam I can't." Taylor looks down. "I want to but there's no way I can with how my mom is right now."
"Who said it has to be at your house though Tay?"
"Where else would it be?"
"I don't know. My house?"
"Yea I'm sure your mom would love that." Just then Sam pulls into Taylor's driveway and Taylor's moms car is there.
Sam Confused. "Umm do you want me to come in?"
"Uh...no no it should be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Sam it's fine really"
"Alright I'll pick you up in the morning."
"Thanks. Bye" Taylor says getting out of the old beat up car.
"Text me!" Sam yells out the car window and Taylor looks over her shoulder.
"Will do!" And with that she goes inside.
Taylor opens the door to see nothing...not her mom, not eric, no one. She didn't know what to expect, but an empty house for sure wasn't one of the thing's she had considered.
"Mom? Eric?" Taylor yelled. There was no answer. She yelled up the stairs. "Eric?!"
Still nothing. Taylor sighed and sat at the computer and started writing another blog post.
Happy Birthday to me!
Well here I am. Home alone... You know I should be used to this by now with everything that's going on I mean it IS Friday night. That means Eric is proably staying at a friends house ALL weekend to get away from the wrath of our drunk mother, and mom she proably dropped the car off and went right to the bar
Taylor stopped typing and looked around sighing her life had become something that was so predictable that even she, herself, was bored with it. It was her 17th birthday and all she had planned to do is wait for her mom to get home so she could take the insults as she put her to bed. Her mother could be a real sour drunk and she wished there was something she could do, sadly there was nothing...
this life is really getting too boring for me. I don't know what to do but staying at home is really dull.
Just then someone knocked at the door and Taylor got up and answered it
"um...can I help you?"
"package for...a... Taylor Hillridge?"
"That's me" the package guys hands over the brown box and smiles.
"have a good day" he walks away and gets into the FedEx van driving away leaving Taylor with the heavy box. It took Taylor a few seconds to get herself together and go back inside but she did and set the box on the table and just stared at it.
Taylor never got mail, never the less a heavy brown box, she started to open the box it was taped up pretty well so it took her awhile. Taylor finally got the box opened and inside there was another box only this one was wraped in birthday wrapping paper and there was a card that read:
"Happy Birthday Tay Tay! I miss you so much and I'm sorry I'm no longer there for you and Eric tell him I love him and you both. I hope you love your gift I wanted it to be perfect and I knew that you loved writing so I love you and good luck hiding it from your mother.
Love always, Dad"
She had started to cry as she read the card but she wiped them away and tore open the gift her dad sent finding the perfect blue laptop that had been on the top of her wishlist since she found out just how much she loved to write. Taylor smiled through her tears and ran upstairs to her bedroom with the latop, box and card all in hand before anyone could come home and see any of it.