Back Home Pt 3

Her phone rang for the fifth time that morning. She looked down and wasn't surprised to see it was Tom. She sighed in frustration; why couldn't he just leave her alone. After all he was the one who gave the speech about no second chances. Yet, here he was calling her five times at seven in the morning. She was planning on rolling over and trying to catch at least another hour of sleep, but her plans of peace were ruined when her mom barged in.

"Great your up!" Her mom walked over and opened up the blinds. "I was thinking we could go shopping today. After all, you've been mopping around so much, it's depressing me. I think it would be good for both of us to get some fresh air. So up and at it! We leave in an hour!" Cathy groaned as her mom left her room. After the initial shock wore off, Cathy forced herself to get up and take a shower. After all, she thought, her mom was right. The past few days she had done nothing but stay at home and overthink her past choices. She once again, wasn't accomplishing anything. So for the first time in a while, she put on some makeup and a cute dress and walked down to the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Your up early," her dad said behind his newspaper.

"Not by choice," she responded grabbing some toast off her dad's plate.

"Ah, so where are you girls headed to today?"

"We're having a girls day at the mall!" her mom squealed as she came down the stairs.

"Of course," her dad groaned. "Try not to put a huge dent in our bank account okay?" Her mom glared at her husband then kissed him on the cheek.

"We'll be home by dinner. Love you." Cathy waved good bye to her father, as her mother practically pushed her out the door and into their old Toyota.

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Cathy sat down with a huff. Her feet were killing her and her arms were sore from carrying so many bags. It had taken her twenty minutes to convince her mom to sit down for lunch and she was officially starving. But all complaining aside, Cathy was actually having a great time. It had been a long time since she went shopping like this, and she was thoroughly enjoying herself. Surprisingly her mom hadn't questioned her, or lectured her yet.

Cathy and her mom were always a little too alike. They had a reputation of arguing over nothing, and always getting into each other's way. But at the end of the day they always hugged it out, or got over it. Still, as a teenager Cathy couldn't wait to leave Ohio, partly because there were days when her mom drove her absolutely insane.

"So how is Bob?" Her mom asked. Even though Cathy wasn't visiting, her mom still called once in a while to forced details out of her beloved daughter. Her love life was always at the top of the list.

"Tom, Mom, his name is Tom. Actually he proposed." Her mom chocked on the soda she was drinking.

"I'm sorry? He proposed! You didn't think this was good information to tell me and your father? We haven't even met him yet!"

"That's okay you are never going to meet that shallow jerk," Cathy spit out, her bitter tone not getting passed her mother.

"Excuse me?"

"Tom cheated on me Mom. I found out about it the day after he proposed." It was the first time Cathy said it out loud and her earlier happy mood had vanished.

"Oh honey."

"My shift ended earlier than I had expected, and I got to the apartment to find him with her. Mom it was awful, there was so much yelling. I threw my ring at him, then his suitcase and told him to get out. I mean, and to think I almost married him," Cathy spit out the story. She just wanted to forget about it, not talk about it and replay it in her head.

"Well have you talked to Tom about it since that night?" Her mom sounded disgusted.

"He came over to my apartment a few days after, but I really wasn't in the mood to talk to him."

"Has he called you?" Cathy really wasn't in the mood to talk about her cheating fiancé, especially while she was having such a nice day with her mom.

"Look, just drop it okay. It's over and I''m handling it." Cathy regretted saying it the minute it came out of her mouth

"No Cathy, I'm not just going to 'drop it.' I just found out your boyfriend, no excuse me, your fiancé cheated on you! I am your mom, so yes, it gives me the right to ask questions, or even care! Alright?" This argument was reminding Cathy on why she left for New York in the first place.

"Wow, I've suddenly lost my appetite. Can we go?" she was trying not to lose her temper.

"No, we are not leaving. Sit down," Cathy didn't even know she had stood up. Not wanting to further anger her mom she sat back down. "I'm sorry if me asking questions angers you, but I'm your mom and it's my job. I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, I just want to make sure you're okay. So, are you okay?" Cathy took a deep breath.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm okay," Cathy smiled.

"You're lying," Cathy's smiled dropped with her mom's response.

"Look Mom, can we just enjoy our day without anymore fights."

"Sure, I'll forget it for now, but when you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here ready to listen."

"Okay, sounds like a deal." Cathy was slowly starting to regret coming back home.