The Morning After

Chapter 2

Raelyn woke up on Saturday morning to the smell of bacon frying on the pan. To most this might have been a good thing, but, seeing as Rae was a vegetarian, it made her feel liking throwing up. She sat up with a groan and finally had a chance to look around her room.

She sat on a canopy bed with sheets of light blue. The rest of the room was white except for a corny boarder at the top of the walls of mermaids and seashells. There was a wooden dresser with a mirror connected to its top. And that was it except for her luggage in a corner, the window, a door probably leading to a closet, and a nightstand with a digital clock on it.

The window was open letting in a good feeling breeze and the annoying squawk of seagulls. Looking down at the clock, Rae saw that it was almost 10 o'clock. She sat for a couple of minutes contemplating nothing of importance: how this first day would be, going to a new school, etc. Then she heard slippered footsteps coming down the hall toward her door.

Raelyn's back stiffened as she heard her door open. She kept facing with her back to the door.

Rae's suspicions were confirmed as an overly happy, and yet very fake voice exclaimed, "Oh, great! You're awake. I wasn't sure if you were ever going to get up. Well, come on. I've made some bacon and eggs for breakfast." Tammy clapped her hands in excitement as she waited by the door.

Realyn didn't move a muscle. She could feel and hear Tammy getting tense as she started to shift back and forth. When Rae didn't think Tammy could stand it any longer she finally stood up. She turned to she Tammy with rollers in her hair and wearing a bright pink nightgown that her fake bosom made balloon out in the front.

"Fine," Rae said simply.

Tammy's face now a sort of stony look to it. HaHa, thought Rae. But Tammy tried to salvage her false cheeriness and turned back to the kitchen. Rae waited a minute then she too went into the kitchen.

The house wasn't that big so it was pretty easy to navigate. The whole place seemed bright and open, yet it was cozy at the same time. The bathroom was right at the end of the main hallway between her room and another. This might be a problem, Rae thought as she saw the other room next to the bathroom had a big sign stating that it was Jack's Room. Up the hallway a little were two more doors. One, she assumed, would lead to her Dad's, and the other was probably to the basement. Once you were out of the hallway the house was no longer cut off. The only way you could tell the rooms changed was that one side was tiled and the other was a wood floor.

Rae's father sat on a couch placed in front of a beautiful bay window. He was watching Saturday morning cartoons. Rae repressed a smile. In the kitchen Jack was sitting at the table shoveling bacon into his mouth. Tammy was at the stove making more to stuff down his throat. Raelyn sat down across from him.

"Hungry?" she stated, a little of her old sarcasm coming back.

He looked up as if she had never been there till that moment, "As a matter of fact, I am." He said this as he shoved another piece into his mouth. He only had boxer shorts on, and his hair was slightly tussled.

Just then Tammy practically slapped a plate of still bubbling bacon in front of her, and put one down in front of another seat for herself. As Tammy and Jack continued to eat Rae just stared at the plate in front of her. Those poor little piggies, she thought, have to give up their lives to help feed these two.

She was snapped back to reality by Tammy's voice, "What's the matter," she sounded as if the world was going to explode, "aren't you hungry? Don't you like bacon?"

"You said you have eggs too," Rae said not bothering to give an explanation.

"Yes," Tammy said a little forcefully. She got up and almost knocked over her chair. She then grabbed the plate from in front of Rae, and banged it down onto the counter. All the while muttering things like I know my cooking isn't great but……rude.

Jack leaned in next to Rae to whisper, "Why the hell did you do that? Now she's going to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day." Oh that's just peachy, thought Rae.

" It's just that I don't eat meat. I'm a vegetarian."

Tammy stopped in mid-sentence, Jack's mouth hung open with a big piece of bacon hanging out of it, and even her Dad looked up from Scooby Doo. It was as if it was some kind of sin in their house. Tammy recovered first, some of her cheerfulness returning.

"Oh well then," she said as she put down a plate of rather soggy looking eggs, " why didn't you say so?"

Raelyn ate her eggs in silence. When Jack was finished he leaned back with a satisfied sigh.

Then he pushed out his chair and stood, "Well, I better start getting ready for the End-of-the-Summer-Beach-Bash. It starts at 2 this year."

Tammy nodded starting to bring his plates to the sink when Rae's dad spoke up, "Hey, I have an idea," Rae didn't like where this was going. "Why doesn't Jack take Rae with him down to the beach. This way she can get acquainted with the neighborhood and meet some of Jack's friends."

Raelyn grimaced. She didn't want to go anywhere with Jack. And judging by his attitude she wouldn't like any of his friends any better. But when she looked up she saw that Jack and Tammy had the same face of horror as she did. It was even as though Tammy knew if Jack took her it could be potential social suicide. Sam Kelly seemed oblivious to all three of them.

"But, Sam," Tammy started. But he interrupted her, "No, I think it's a great idea. So, Jack and Rae, you both should go get started.

Rae and Jack stood motionless. And then they both seemed to give up at the same time. Raelyn headed down the hallway towards the bathroom. Just when she was about to turn the handle Jack smacked his hand onto the door.

"Ok, you got lucky back there," he snarled," but there are going to be rules. 1. I'm dropping you off a block from where I park. 2. Don't talk to anyone you see me talking to and 3. Don't mention that we are related in anyway."

"Only as long as you return the favor," Raelyn snapped looking up right into his eyes.

They glared at each other for a few minutes, till Jack grabbed the door handle and lunged inside. "Shit!" Raelyn shouted and banged on the door. She heard the door lock, Jack laughing from inside. She growled and turned. She stomped into her room and slammed the door.

……