The old Camry she drove was one of the few things her father had not taken when he left years ago. It had served her well but now its carpet was stained and the floor was littered with fast food wrappers and school papers. While at a stop light, she rummaged through her bag and backpack looking for something to her tie her hair up with before the honks of drivers behind her returned her eyes the open road ahead. With one hand on the wheel, she sped forward while pulling her long brown hair into a loose ponytail.
As the city turned to suburbs Alice's mind began to wander. Her thought's trailed along a daydream of the fun awaiting her in the coming fall. Thoughts of new friends and places filled her head before arriving at the events of the night before. The conflicts with her mother had sharply escalated over the last three months and last night was no exception. Her eighteenth birthday combined with a college acceptance letter had a dramatic impact on her sense of freedom and responsibility. It had become difficult for 'notify' her mother, Judith, of her whereabouts or come home before midnight. Alice simply saw this as a right she had recently gained. Why should she have to listen to her mother when she would be on her own in a matter of months?
The night before she had been caught in another lie about where she had been. She and a few friends had spent the evening driving around downtown, not doing anything in particular. The problem had been that she had told her mother she would be studying at a friend's house a few blocks away. Her mother had called to check in on her only to find that she was never there. When Alice returned home, her mother uneasily confronted her. Even though this evening was not unusual for the last few months, she and her mother had a terse argument. It culminated with Alice calling Judith a bitch under her breath as she walked off towards her room. Her poor mother was left softly calling out 'Alice, what's wrong with you?'
After pulling into the driveway of her simple, small home she pulled her bag and backpack out of the car and threw them over her shoulder. It was the first warm day of Spring and Alice had taken this as a sign; she had chosen a knee length, floral print skirt with a black tank top for the day. Teal foam flip flops squished into the gravel as she walked towards the door. She quickly mulled over the possibility of having to re-engage with the previous night or face repercussions before quickly dismissing this possibility. Until recently, Alice had been a mild mannered and well behaved daughter. There had been few reasons for conflict between her and her mother as she had always done well in school and never been in serious trouble. Her recent rebellions had taught her that her mother was meek and not eager for confrontation. Alice had memories of her mother as vibrant and confident but these were from years ago. After her father had left them, Judith had become a reluctant workaholic. The vigor had left her eyes as she struggled to provide for the two of them and save for Alice's future. Her failure to draw lines with her teenage daughter had only added weight to her already heavy head.
Alice opened the front door and proceeded to dump her belongings on the couch. Her mother wouldn't be home for another hour so she walked to the kitchen to pour herself some ice tea. Her mind continued to circle. It wasn't as though she was oblivious to how her mother had felt, she was simply able to justify it with her new found status. Unable to shake the little tinges of guilt in her stomach, she began to slowly pace the kitchen and develop rationalizations for her actions. On her third pass by the dining room, she noticed a small piece of paper on the table. A handwritten note read.
'Alice,
I hope you had a lovely day at school. Will you please go see Mrs. Miller when you get home? I expect you will give her your respect and full attention. See you soon.
Love,
Mom'
The note didn't strike Alice as being particularly strange but she couldn't quite figure out what it meant to give her 'respect and full attention.' Wouldn't that simply be implied? Mrs. Miller was a friend of her mother who lived down the street. She had a son that was a year older than Alice who had left for school the year before. Perhaps she just needed help moving something around the house or something small. With this in mind, Alice put her flip flops back on and walked out the door. As she walked along the warm concrete sidewalk, a sense of apprehension began to build in the base of her stomach.
Alice had known Janice Miller since she was young. She had been brought over for many play-dates as a young child and came to know Janice through the years. Unlike her mother, Mrs. Miller had a stern and piercing personality. Her speech was slow and serious which made her the kind of person that few people said 'no' to. Alice always seemed to be on edge when around her. As a child she had been caught throwing rocks by Mrs. Miller. The scolding she received stuck with her and laid the foundation for a healthy fear of Janice. Into adulthood, Alice always felt the need to be particularly formal and polite in her company.
When she finally arrived, her mind was searching for reasons why she would have been sent here. Perhaps her mother had forgotten something at Janice's house. Maybe she needed someone to house sit for a week. None of her ideas squared with the note her mother had left. In the back of her mind she thought that it was likely her mother had asked Mrs. Miller to talk to her. She dreaded the thought of a lecture or 'tough conversation'.
The doorbell rang silently inside and Alice down the seconds in hopes she could leave if there was not a prompt response. Unfortunately for her the front door quickly opened. Mrs. Miller's salt and pepper hair and glasses pulled around the half open door.
"Oh hello, Alice. I'm glad you're here. Won't you please come inside?" Mrs. Miller said cordially.
"Thank you. How are you doing this afternoon?" Alice replied as she opened and entered the screen door.
"Oh alright. It's just another day around the house for me" Mrs. Miller replied. "Please take off your shoes and have a seat."
Alice left her flip flops in the entryway and walked into the living room. It had old beige carpet, an armchair, and a single sofa which was topped with folded blankets. There was a coffee table that was empty except a wooden cooking spoon that had been placed right in the center. It was clear that Mrs.Miller had kept up a fastidious cleaning routine despite the absence of her son. Alice took a seat on the sofa, careful not to disturb anything.
Mrs. Miller followed her into the room and took a seat in the armchair. She had on a simple grey blouse with a pair of 'mom jeans' and a thin maroon shawl draped over her shoulders.
"How have you been lately?" Mrs.Miller inquired dryly. Her voice was low and deliberate. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"Oh you know... school is meh. At least I'm done soon..." Alice replied not wanting to converse more than necessary.
"Ah yes, a little senioritis? Your mother and I have been talking about you more often over the last couple of months. She's very worried about you."
Here it was, the lecture Alice had dreaded. She nodded slightly as her body tensed up into a defensive position. Her hands clutched the sides of her skirt while her feet fidgeted in place.
"She tells me you've been sneaking out and lying to her" Mrs.Miller continued. "Is that true Alice? Is that what you want to be doing months before leaving?"
"Uh well... that's kinda true" Alice responded meekly. This drew raised eyebrows from Mrs.Miller as Alice continued "It was just once or twice and it's not a big deal since I'm going to be on my own soon."
"I don't think that's the whole truth. Your mother and I are very proud of you for being on track to graduate but that doesn't mean you can lie to her and leave as you please. She worries about you every day and it's not fair to treat her like that is it?" Alice didn't respond. Her eyes were fixated on the legs of the coffee table and her foot wobbled anxiously. Janice repeated her question more forcefully "Is it?"
"No it's not"
"Look at me Alice" Mrs.Miller commanded. Alice did not want to face her mother's friend or her own actions but she managed to raise her gaze. "You know how hard your mother works more than anyone and this is how you treat her? You think it's okay to lie and call her names when she's about to send you off to college?"
"No, it's not. I'm sorry" Alice whispered.
"Don't apologize to me, apologize to her. You know better than to act like this."
"Okay, you're right. I'll go apologize." Alice put her hand on the armrest of the couch to get up. She wanted so badly to be out of there, to have this conversation over with, and be out of Mrs.Miller's gaze.
"We're not quite done here Alice." Janice interrupted."Your mother didn't only ask me to talk to you."
