A Hidden House

Chapter 1

In my dream, I was running. I couldn't see what was chasing me, but I felt its presence. It loomed over me creating a feeling of dread and fear that buried itself inside of my chest making it harder and harder for me to breathe. Finally, I tripped, as I always did when I had this nightmare, my dream self reaching out to stop my fall, arms outstretched, and then I fell into nothing.

The alarm clock on my bedside table was going off when I cracked my eyes open, the dim light from the window covered by teal and gold spotted curtains softly wafting in. It hurt to look at and I quickly shut off my alarm and with a groan rolled over dragging my blanket over my head in an attempt to get a couple more minutes of sleep. I heard my phone vibrate and I groaned again knowing it was my mother who all too often woke up at the crack of dawn to get her day started.

My mother is a force of nature unlike me. She always knew what she wanted and would go after it wholeheartedly. When my father left us, she worked hard to provide for us. She got her real estate license and was now a very successful businesswoman who had her bleached teeth and blonde hair brightly plastered on every bus stop bench within the city limits. I rolled over and grabbed the phone, unlocked it with my finger, and began reading. M: Where are you? You agreed to help me with this house showing! It begins in an hour.

Oh shit.

I groaned and swung my legs out of bed, before shooting off a quick reply.

E: I'll be there soon! Just running a little behind.

I got up to my feet, stretching my arms above my head popping my back and running off to the shower. I stripped quickly, and jumped in, the freezing water hitting my skin and giving me goosebumps. "Oh, fucking Christ that's cold!" I screamed. I had no time to wait for the water to warm up and began the furious process of both scrubbing myself and my teeth at the same time. When I dropped my toothbrush in the drain is when I knew I would be having a fantastic day.

Just great, I thought as I stepped out and toweled off before rushing back into my room to dress quickly.

Mom would just have to deal with me having wet hair as I didn't have time to dry it off. I quickly grabbed an outfit my mom had previously purchased for me while loudly declaring "It would make you look like an adult!" in the store much to my embarrassment. I threw it on and spot-checked myself in the mirror. I looked presentable or at least partially up to my mother's standards. I turned and quickly grabbed my purse and keys before sprinting down the stairs and out to my car.

The drive over was uneventful and I found myself doing it automatically as I had been to this house many times. This house was quickly becoming a nightmare for my mother. She had been unable to sell it for many months now and I could see the frustration wearing on her. That's when I had promised to help her with showing the house. I pulled my car into park and began sprinting up the yard to the front door, passing the sign with my mother's sparkly face on it and the bright red balloons declaring an open house in the yard. My mother was already inside, perfectly poised, her face pinched into a small frown upon seeing me.

"I thought you would at least put a little makeup on..and your hair?" My mother quizzed me, her perfectly arched eyebrow rising at my appearance.

I tousled my still-damp hair and walked towards her. "It's not a big deal, it's a refreshing look.""Elizabeth..' my mother started placing her hands on her hips. 'You know this open house is very important. Besides you're nearly 28! You should be keeping track of your commitments a little better. I know you just barely woke up."

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the table of snacks she always brought out for these kinds of things grabbing my favorite, a chocolate chip cookie, and began happily munching on it as my mother continued to whinge at me and my life choices.

It's not like I wanted to be a disappointment to my mother, it just sort of happened. Somewhere along the way, through my path in life, I simply stopped caring about the future. What's going to happen will end up happening no matter how hard I try to change it. Getting my mother to recognize that is another matter entirely.

"And when are you going to bring home a nice guy for me to meet?" my mother continued. I opened my mouth to reply to her the doorbell ringing at that exact moment. "I'll get it!" I walked quickly over to the door letting my long strides take me away from disapproving mother. I checked my teeth for remnants of the cookie, and then opened the door and began ushering in our guests.

My mother completely in her element began greeting everyone, showing the focal points of the house. I could still feel her gaze drifting to me over the heads of her clients and I knew in my gut our conversation was far from over. But what exactly could I tell my mother? That I had no idea what to do with my life? That I barely graduated from college and now couldn't find a job much less a respectable boyfriend who wouldn't end up leaving me for someone more full of life? No, I couldn't tell her any of those things. Not my mother who had stepped up to the plate so readily and who continued to push herself and me. 

I grinned at everyone who came in, but I barely understood much of what went on. I passed the day in a haze, with so many faces, handshakes, and names flying by me, and as it all blurred together until the day came to an end and I realized that I was no closer to an answer for my mother or my life then I had before.