Chapter 7.
That afternoon in the McGuire household, Lizzie was in sour mood. Science class following lunch was extremely awkward for her, Mr Pettus had asked her to read out the chapter on tissue diseased with cancer. Everyone else in the class had thought she stumbled and tripped over her words as a result of nervousness. The whole situation had left Lizzie feeling frustrated again. Following her dramatic return home with the slamming of the front-door, Lizzie slinked into the kitchen and grabbed a juice-box out of the refrigerator. She moved into the living-room, slumped down on the couch with her one leg extended across it lengthways, a recognisable sign that she did not want to be bothered. Grabbing the remote she flicked on the Television and proceeded to watch the only good thing on, a melodramatic soap about the lives of depressed rich and famous people. It made her feel better. Moments later the phone rang. Throughout the house bellowed four separate voices making the same request to nobody.
"Could you get that?"
The phone continued ringing.
Lizzie looked around and behind her, Jo came running into the room and answered the phone on speaker.
"Hello, Jo residence, McGuire speaking! Oops, Uh, sorry, McGuire residence, Jo speaking!"
"Hello Jo, this is Imogene Baker, I'm the nurse at Hillridge Junior High."
Lizzie turned the volume of the TV down slightly. She began to get nervous, but she knew that making a quick exit would make it obvious that she knew what was the call was about.
"Oh, hello, how can I help you?" Jo asked, oblivious to the situation during gym that morning.
"Nothing much, just wanted to warn you about the panadols Lizzie took this morning, they were out of date."
"Out of date? Oh dear!"
"Don't worry ma'am, she'll be ok, she just might feel nauseous. They weren't too over date, only two months. In case she feels ill, it might be worth keeping an eye on her."
Lizzie groaned, her mother didn't notice.
"Oh dear, I didn't know she took any at all!"
"Don't worry, ma'am, just routine monthly issues. She'll be perfectly fine."
"Monthly issues? Oh, well, thankyou Miss…err"
"Baker."
"Yes. Have a goodnight."
"You too."
Jo hung turned off the speaker phone and turned to face her daughter, who had re-raised the volume on the TV and appeared to be absorbed in a cat fight between too aspiring brides-to-be.
"Lizzie?
Is it true? Are you three weeks early?"
Lizzie shrugged.
"I dunno."
Jo came over to the couch and tried to shove Lizzie's legs off. Lizzie stiffened them in an attempt to throw her mother off. Jo resigned and sat on the armrest.
"Of course you know. If your this early, maybe your feeling stressed or something!"
Lizzie scrunched up her nose. "I thought it worked the opposite way!"
Jo sighed. "A lot of things are out of whack in this house right now." She trailed off for a moment, Lizzie glanced sideways, but glued them on the pot-plant above the TV when Jo caught her eye. Suddenly she lurched forward and put her hand on Lizzie's forehead. She swiped at it and ducked.
"MOM! I'm trying to watch Beverly Hills Blues!"
"I'm sorry honey, I just want to make sure your not sick or something."
"I'm not sick."
"Yes, but I can't help but feel your Dad and I have been neglecting you a bit. I mean, with the cancer and all, we've had a lot to deal with these few weeks."
Lizzie sighed angrily.
"I'm ok! Really!"
Jo chuckled. "I know, I know, but you're my baby, I just wanna hug you and keep you happy!"
Jo placed a loving arm around Lizzie in a tight squeeze. Lizzie let it stay for a moment before leaning out of it, pretending to reach for the other remote, hoping Jo would quit with the 'public' display of emotion.
"Awe, c'mon Lizzie! Can't ya let your mom give ya a hug!"
Lizzie gave a nasal sigh. Jo laughed.
"Oh these teenager days! Why, before you know it you'll be all grown up and womanly!"
That was it, Lizzie had taken the last straw and Jo had used it to mix chocolate milk. She really couldn't take the over sentimental 'mother-daughter' moment.
"Mom!" Lizzie shut off the TV and stood up. "Don't worry! I'm not early! I'm not on at all. I just used it as an excuse to get out of Kelly's boot-camp, now if you'll excuse me, I have homework to do!" Lizzie stood and made it to the door before Jo made a reaction.
"Now hold on young lady, you are not excused! Come here this minute and tell me why you lied like that! And convinced the nurse to give you drugs!'
Lizzie stomped her right foot and about-faced.
"Mom! Please, I am 14! I can choose how I want to use my excuses! And I didn't convince them, I even threw it out!"
"How did you get them? Your not supposed to"
"I called Dad, alright! Its his fault too!"
Jo looked confused for an moment, then the hurt creeped onto her face.
"Dad? Why…you always call me when you have problems…"
"I knew that you would know I was lying!"
"No! I would have been concerned for my daughter's health!"
"C'mon Mom! Seriously, your always going on about how I'm almost a woman, but you won't give me space to make my own decisions, and when I make the ones you don't like, you get mad!"
"Lizzie! I'm afraid I can't trust you with big decisons, how can I consider you a woman if I can't trust you'll make the right choices!"
"Oh C'MON MOM, IT'S HARDLY AS THOUGH ADULTS DON'T MAKE MISTAKES. YOU MAKE MISTAKES!"
"LIZZIE! I think you need to spend some time in your room!"
"NO!" Lizzie screamed as she grabbed her back-pack. "I THINK I MIGHT SLEEP-OVER AT A FRIENDS TONIGHT!"
Jo gave an annoyed, half-spiteful chuckle. "You can't do that! Miranda isn't expecting you!"
"Then I'll go somewhere else! Gordo's parents are at a conference this weekend! I'll go there!"
"YOU ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT!"
"YOU ACT AS IF YOU HAD A SAY IN IT, MOM, YOU DON'T!"
Lizzie stalked out the door and slammed it behind her.
Jo opened it and ran after her daughter.
"ELIZABETH MCGUIRE, IF YOU LEAVE THIS YARD, YOU WILL LOOSE ALL YOUR TELEVISION TIME AND I WILL TAKE YOUR PHONE OUT OF YOUR ROOM!"
Lizzie didn't answer as she left the yard and turned the corner, only looking back once.
Jo stopped calling after Lizzie when Sam ran out to her side. She turned towards him and shook her head.
"My baby doesn't love me, Sam!" She broke into a mournful sob.
"Oh, Honey!" Sam took her into his gentle arms.
"She does love you! She's just…upset. She probably had a bad day. Girls stuff, you know?"
Jo didn't answer him. She just sighed and buried her face in his shoulder.
Gordo sat down to enjoy an un-interrupted night of short-films on the Culture Channel, when the doorbell rang.
"Is my life doomed to be shaped around the mercy of fellow humanities' timetable! Augh!"
Reluctantly he got up and approached the door. On the doorstep, Lizzie stood wringing her hands, nervously going over her prepared chat.
"Ok, Gordo, turns out my parents don't care about me, can I stay here tonight?"
Gordo opened the door. "Hello…Lizzie?"
Lizzie went to say what she had planned, but her words got caught in her throat. All that managed to escape her lips was a meek squeak and groan.
"Are you ok?" Gordo asked.
Lizzie took a deep breath and opened her mouth.
"Gordo lets have a sleepover?"
Gordo's mouth was agape, he raised one eyebrow and shook his head confusedly.
"Sleepover? Isn't that…I! You know my parents aren't home, right?"
Lizzie sighed and shook her head slowly.
"Oh Gordo, I am such an idiot." She looked upwards, her eyes again glistening with fresh tears. "I mean, I can't be sensitive or anything. I am so self-centred and…Gordo what's wrong with me!" She started to whine, but the whine wasn't accompanied with tears. Gordo was about to give her a hug, but Lizzie pushed him away.
"No Gordo! Don't you see? You're trying to comfort me! ME! Its all about ME ME ME! I have to be un-focused on ME and on other people!"
Gordo lifted his arms up and frustratedly flailed them in mid-air.
"Lizzie! Its ok to be self-centred! You are dealing with a really big issue, your defence is to look out for number one!"
Lizzie pouted. "Gordo, your far too analytical of my emotions!"
Gordo smirked. "Hey, I am the offspring of two psychiatrists, I had to inherit it somewhere."
Lizzie stood on his doorstep silently. She didn't want to seem presumptuous, but she did want to sleep-over. She didn't want to ask though. Gordo, being the sensitive friend saved her.
"You still up on the sleepover deal?"
Lizzie shrugged. "Yeah…I don't have Pjs though."
Gordo laughed. "It'll be fine, what are t-shirts and boxers between best-friends right?" Gordo held his hand out to accept Lizzie inside.
Lizzie smiled and took his hand. "Right!"
Gordo closed the door behind them.
"By the way, we'll be spending our evening eating cheezels and watching artsy films."
"How could I expect otherwise, Gordon?"
A/N
Yay. Another day, another chapter. Sigh. I have to develop some real dramas soon though, I need something serious to happen…ah yes. I know. Lol, you will all have to wait and see, it may take a chapter or two to build up, but it'll all be good.
Yes, Imi, Imogene is named after you…you snookums rotunda you!
