Chapter 12- The Wicked Witch of the West

December 26th, 1991, 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

Maddie and I have been driving now for a couple of hours. Right now, of course, we're stuck in traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike. This really frustrates me- I've never been great when it comes to driving, and I'm already nervous because of our travel destination. I know I haven't spoken to my mother in a couple of years, but I'm still nervous about how they will react to Maddie, especially after Maddie's parents' reaction to me. They seemed a lot more normal that my own family…

Suddenly, I feel Maddie tense beside me. "Mark?"

"What is it, Mads?" Now I'm tense too.

"How is your mom with cleaning?" I laugh.

"Ma's a complete germophobe. She won't let anyone into her house who's sick." Now Maddie breathes a sigh of relief. "What?"

"Mark, I can't get exposed to any viruses or anything like that. Though I'm in remission, I still have to be careful."

"Oh, okay. Well, anyway, you'll be fine. Even Cindy leaves her kids at home when they're sick, because she understands about Roger."

Finally traffic starts moving again, and we're on our way. As we drive past the exits for New York City, I say, "We don't have to do this, Maddie."

"Sure we do," Maddie grins. "I suffered through a visit with my parents, now I want to see yours." She gives me the puppy-dog eyes. "Pwease, Marky?"

"You've spent too much time with Mo," I mutter.

"Yes, Mark, I've been forever corrupted by your friends," Maddie puts a hand to her forehead, pretending to moan.

"Ha, ha."

"Oh, you know you love me," Maddie smiles.

"I know, I wouldn't be going back if I didn't love you."

"Why don't you ever talk to your mom and dad, Mark?"

"My parents… are everything I'm not. Everything I've ever hated. My dad worships at the feet of Ronald Reagan, and when I was nine he told me that all fags go to hell after they die of AIDS." Maddie's mouth drops open. "I know. We've never been able to agree on anything, my dad and I. He was always furious at me because I never went out for any sports. My sister played about a million sports and still did well enough in school to get a free ride to SUNY. She was Dad's golden girl. I was never good enough for him, I got into fucking Brown and he still yelled at me for not joining the Marines!"

I just now realize I'm shaking with anger- I haven't vented about my father in a long, long time. Maddie just pats my shoulder as she checks her wig in the rear view mirror to make sure it's straight. I wonder how I'll tell my family that my girlfriend- fiance- is a cancer patient.

"He also drinks like you wouldn't believe, so he's even less pleasant most of the time."

"My dad used to be an alcoholic," Maddie nods.

"As for my mom, politically she just followed my dad, but she was so adamant about me working hard in school. The complete opposite of my dad that way. But other than that, she never stood her ground. She was one of those totally suffocating moms- always hugging and kissing and standing over my shoulder checking on what I'm doing." I shake my head. "How my sister and I came out such liberals I'll never know."

Maddie just kisses my cheek. "Poor Marky. Have I mentioned that my family's not perfect either?"

"No, I learned that the hard way," I wince.

Within twenty minutes, I pull into my parents' driveway. As soon as the car shudders to a halt, my nephews bolt out the front door.

"Uncle Mark! Uncle Mark!" They attach themselves to my legs, so I can't help Maddie lug our suitcases out of the trunk. I can't believe they still remember me. It's been at least five years since I came home.

"Hey, Aaron, Jared! How are you guys?" I say, prying them off me. They then see Maddie and have to run over to give her a closer look.

"Who's she, Uncle Mark? Your girlfriend?" Aaron, the older one, says.

"You learn fast, bud," Maddie grins. "I'm your Uncle Mark's friend, Maddie."

"Hi, Maddie," the boys chorus.

Now my sister runs outside, looking exactly like she did the last time I was home, but she's holding my little niece in her arms.

"Mark!" she yells, and runs over to see me.

"Hey, Cin, how are you?" I give her a kiss. "And who's this little beauty?"

"This is Audrey," my sister smiles. "My latest bundle of sleep deprivation." It's good to see my sister again, much as I wouldn't like to admit it.

"I thought you'd be bringing home a new girlfriend," she says, noticing Maddie.

"Oh, right. Mads, this is my sister, Cindy Cohen-Jackson. Cin, this is my girlfriend Maddie Parker." They smile and greet each other. "Where's Ma, Cin?"

"In the kitchen, probably."

"How's Dad?" My sister rolls her eyes.

"Drunk out of his mind. Be prepared for a less-than-joyful homecoming- he's not exactly going to kill the fatted calf for his prodigal son."

Our discussion is interrupted by a scream from the front door.

"MARK!"

My mother makes her traditional greeting from the front stoop. "Come here, son, you'll catch your death!" With that, Maddie and I head towards my mother's house.

"Hi, Ma," I say, smiling sheepishly as I give her a hug.

"'Hi, Ma?' That's all you can say after five years? Give me a kiss, Mark." I do, and then my mom sees Maddie. "Who's this, dear?'

"Oh, I'm sorry. Ma, this is Maddie Parker, my… girlfriend." It's too soon to tell Ma that Maddie and I are engaged. "Mads, this is my mom."

"I'm so glad to finally meet you, Mrs. Cohen." Maddie shakes my mom's hand.

"I'm so glad I could finally meet one of Mark's friends," Ma smiles sweetly. "Come inside, dears, It's almost time for dinner."

When we go inside, Maddie seems to become a deer in the headlights- all eyes and no noise. She observes silently the surroundings that I mindlessly passed for seventeen years. She grins when she sees a family portrait of us when I was twelve- I wince. I wasn't a very attractive teenager, which didn't help my already faltering self-esteem.

I hear a noise from behind me, turn and see the face I've been dreading all these years.

My dad sits in the corner, uncharacteristically quiet as he watches Maddie. When my dad's quiet, that's never good. That means he's probably drunk, and my dad is not a pleasant drunk. Finally he speaks- "Who the hell are you?"

Maddie spins around, shocked by the question. "I'm Maddie," she squeaks, finally. "Maddie Parker. I'm Mark's… girlfriend." My dad grunts and his gaze swings towards me. "How're you?"

"Fine, Dad." I say.

"Still living with those bums and low-lives?"

"Yes, Dad, Roger and Collins are still my roommates," I have to swallow my smile.

"Don't you smirk at me like that. You're nothing but a bleeding-heart commie film-making dropout." My smile disappears. Suddenly all the reasons I ever had for running away rush back. My instinct is to back up to the wall and beg for him not to hurt me, but the touch of Maddie's hand stops me.

"And you!" my father slurs at Maddie. "What's wrong with you, missy? How dare you come into my house, you little shiksa? What makes you want to spend time with the little pansy who calls himself my son?"

Now I see my mom trying to head off my father. "Now, Harry, please, she's a guest…" I forgot how afraid my mother always sounded what she spoke to Dad.

"I didn't invite her here. I don't know why she wastes time on him- he's probably not even that good in bed." He lets this sink in, and examines Maddie quietly for a moment. "She's not half bad looking, though, is she, Lisa? Especially her pretty red hair." My dad reaches out to touch her hair, but, since he's drunk, inadvertently knocks the whole wig clean off Maddie's head.

My mother's house has never been this quiet before. Even my nephews don't know what to say. The only noise comes from Maddie, who has burst into quiet sobs.

Finally, my mother tiredly leads my dad upstairs and locks him in her bedroom. The boys head towards the TV. Once they're both gone, my sister walks over slowly and gives both Maddie and me huge hugs.

"So," my sister asks Maddie. "You're a cancer patient?"

"Yeah…" Maddie says tiredly. "I've been undergoing treatment for leukemia for two years now. I just forget sometimes that not everyone knows."

Cindy nods reassuringly and smiles at me. "I noticed the ring when you guys came in," she grins. "I'm so happy for you Marky!"

"Thanks, Cin," I say, relieved that someone in my family is pleased about all this.

"We'll probably eat without Dad, so that's a perfect time to tell Ma. She'll probably be thrilled, just because it's you, Mark. She's always wanted to see you married, ever since Nanette." I roll my eyes at the mention of my girlfriend in the early part of high school. Maddie giggles, remembering the story of how I learned to tango. "And she'll figure out how to tell Dad."

"Tell Dad what?" my mom asks as she comes down the stairs. Maddie smiles and simply holds up her left hand. My mom squeals and starts chattering merrily in Yiddish, a language of which I can only say a few words. Cindy rolls her eyes at me, and we head for the dining room, where we finally sit down for a slightly cold supper.

A/N: So… that wasn't overly dramatic or anything like that… Anyone agree with my interpretation of Mark's home life? That's how I always imagined it. Hope you all enjoyed it, anyway.