Page 11 - By Any Other Name Fall 2019

Fall 2019 Page 10

“This is Doug. He’s...a friend here to help me sell
…Mom, everything.” She nodded to him. “I wish I could leave you
Continued From Page 8. some family heirloom, but my treatment was too expensive.”
My mother, strong and resolute, looked up at him like a lame
I started to look around horse, begging for life.
and my heart sank. “Just...whatever you
Little white paper tabs think.” He nodded his
pockmarked several swooped-back hair
items, items I had and left the room.
grown up staining with I was speechless.
food. I pinched one Too much was hap-
between my fingers, pening at once, a con-
reading “~$60” and stant barrage of emo-
sighing. tions. I could barely
I dropped the process anything be-
tag and turned around fore my mother spoke
slowly. “Mom, what is again, but I had al-
this?” ready pieced every-
“I’m dying, An- thing together. “You...
nie-Clair.” She hacked that’s the Doug you al-
out, sitting down on the ways told dad about.”
couch, right where she I stammered out. She
always did. seemed to be taken
I was inclined aback that I even re-
to laugh. Not out of membered. Sadly, the
sadism or hatred, but same girl who drew on
because my mother the floor with crayons
was so cruel that she still remembered the
would pull something arguments she could
like that. But I saw the hear through the floor.
bloody handkerchief My mother tried
tucked in her pocket to take my hand again,
and my throat got that but I threw it off and
ache it tended to do (Above) Illumination, Fiona Ireland, Grade 10, Photography. stood up. “You brought
when I had regret. “What? From what?” I choked out, slowly in a boyfriend, and you’re leaving all your money to his
stumbling forward in disbelief as if she were already a spec- care?” I screamed.
tre appearing before me. Her face turned sour, and she heaved herself up,
“The eggheads think it’s cancer.” She looked up at slapping me and withering when I didn’t heave as I used to.
me, no vulnerability in her eyes. She never showed that kind “So I’m not allowed to date? God knows you’ve been busy!”
of thing, like an emperor to a dog. I slowly lowered myself “Busy! I’m barely out of college! You’re in your six-
onto the couch, holding her hand. “That’s why I called you ties and you’re making the decisions of a three-year-old!”
here.” She sighed quietly. “I wish it was to say it was to put I wanted to stomp off, but my feet stayed glued, taking in
you in my will, but I’ve got nothing to leave you.” She took my the warm colors of the aging house screaming around my
hand back, rubbing her thumb over my fingers to check if I’d mother.
been fighting. “I just wanted to say goodbye.” “You never returned a single letter I wrote to you!
“Hey, whaddya think this’ll fetch?” A voice rounded I haven’t heard from you in years, and you come stomping
the corner, pouring out of a man in his 40s, holding a desk around in my house, telling me what to do?” She scoffed at
clock like a slab of meat, prime for destroying. I recognized the thought, still an intimidating presence after all this time.
the clock: I used to see it when I cracked the office door to I rolled my eyes, a habit I could never shake. “God,
see what my mom was working on, and she’d say go away. you’re insufferable. It’s no wonder that dad left! You’re on
I did not recognize the man, but he seemed to reason who I the verge of death from smoking six packs a day and you’re
was as he meandered up and took my hand from my moth- still just in it for yourself!” She stopped her advance, taking a
er’s, shaking it. “You must be Annie-Clair! Lovely to meet breath and looking me up and down. “So, yes, I’m so sorry I
you.” never returned your letters. I was trying to make a name for
My mind hummed with a slight ache as I turned to myself so I never had to come back here!”
my mother. “Who’s he?” I asked bluntly, seeing her face sink
at the question. Mom, Continued on Page 17...