The Ice Cream Girl

[5] - Did I miss something?

[ c h a p t e r 5 ]

"The only thing that ultimately matters is to eat an ice-cream cone, play a slide trombone, plant a small tree, good God, now you're free." - Ray Manzarek

🍨🍧🍦

"Oh god, Mom is going to kill me. Look at the time!" I exclaimed as we turned on to Brower St. where Caleb and my house was located.

"Chill. It's only 9:45, Iddie." Caleb said beside me in a bored tone.

I glanced at the clock on the car's dashboard and frowned

"It's now 9:52 and it's a school night plus I didn't text them to tell them I'd be late!" I frantically replied. I so, did not want to be put through another one of Raina Marie Burn's lectures, not after the day I had had. Plus, the last time I was late from coming home my mom decided it was the best to sit me down and deliver yet another Birds and the Bees talk, old school Biblical style.

"Thanks to you" I added.

"Me? You were the one who wanted to stop and go down to the brick house!" he growled back.

Caleb closed his eyes and started rubbing his temples with his index fingers. "I'm getting a headache" he stated.

"Surprising since all you had for dinner was what, beer and paint fumes?" I chimed in.

"Look who's the mom now." he grumbled.

"You know what, "I started, fumed that he was having yet another go for the day. Surprising, just minutes ago I was actually praising this idiot for his masterpiece of juvenile vandalism. What was I thinking?

"Look" he sighed. "Just stop at your house and I'll just walk to mine. Okay?"

I glanced at him momentarily before going back to looking to the road surprised that he even suggested such a thing. He was actually being decent for once.

I nodded and mumbled out a quick "Thanks"

"Sure. Anything to shut you up." he replied snidely.

Yup and there's the Caleb I know.

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As soon as we reached my house I parked out front and got out. Not even seconds passed until the front door slammed open to reveal a furious looking Raina Burns, my mother. She rushed towards the car stomping on the front lawn grass with her precious heeled black Mary Janes.

"Idona Jeannette De la Cruz Burns! Where have you been?" she hissed as she stopped in front of me.

Figuring it was just too late to come up with a plausible excuse for not even texting or calling her that I'd be late I decided with the truth. I mean, isn't that what they say? The truth shall set you free!

I shuffled my feet and started ringing the keychain I had in my hand with my fingers.

"Mom we finished kind of late at the Creameria and I-I had to bring Caleb home but we stopped some place for a late dinner" I replied to her. Okay, it was partly the truth but, I had my reasons. One, I didn't want to tell her I had to bring Caleb home because he was drunk. Two, I didn't want to tell her about the vandalism. Most parents frown upon that kind of stuff, you know.

Mom's eyes widened and she looked passed me towards the car.

"Caleb?" she asked as she squinted her eyes at the figure standing in front of the passenger side door of the car.

"Hey, Aunt Raina" Caleb said scratching the back of his neck with his left hand.

"Oh." Was all my mom replied.