A Reason to Exist

Chapter 20

I was hardly three feet through the door when I heard mum yelling out 'Macy?'

I dropped my skateboard in the hallway and walked into the kitchen.

'Yeah?'

'I've been wondering where you've been. You're late. I expected you home ages ago. We'll have to reconsider this skate park thing on school nights if you're not going to be sensible about it.'

I had no energy for this so I simply nodded. 'I'm not feeling well,' I said. 'I'll probably just go to bed.'

Mum looked up from the kitchen bench. She was slicing a sweet potato. 'What have you eaten?' she asked.

Just sixteen years of your bullshit, I thought to myself, it's more toxic than gluten. 'Nothing,' I said. 'My stomach feels off.'

'I'll bring you a ginger tea.'

'Don't,' I said. 'Please don't. I want to go to bed.'

'I'll give you a handful of caraway seeds. They work a miracle.'

There was no food that could cure what I had. 'Any Panadol?' I asked.

'You know I don't like you taking Panadol.'

'I'm getting a migraine.'

'Have you drunk enough water?'

'I'm going to my room,' I said. I was done with the third degree on how I'd made myself sick.

I lay down on my bed, slipped my shoes onto the floor, closed my eyes and wondered why those who should be the closest to us are often the most distant.