Chapter 15
Nick’s jeep pulled into her driveway. Hannah’s house looked empty. The garage was closed and the front door shut. No cars parked outside. “Well, looks like your home alone,” Nick said.
“Yea. Thanks for the ride.”
“ Do you want me to stay with you and help explain last night to your mom?’
“No, I’ll be fine,” Hannah smiled.
“You’re sure? What are you gonna say?”
“I don’t know yet, but I’ll come up with something. Don’t worry about it.”
“All right, if you want to go out for dinner or something later just give me a call.”
“OK, thanks Nick,” she leaned over and gave him a small hug good-bye.
After Nick pulled out of the driveway she opened the garage and went inside. Lights were on everywhere and the TV was blasting. “Mom?’ she called. Walking through the house it was a mess. Food was all over the kitchen and there was broken glass on the floor. Her mom’s car was in the garage so she had to be home. Upstairs Hannah found her mom with bottles of scotch scattered around her.
“There you are mom, I called for you.”
“Oh sorry hon, didn’t here you,” her voice stuttered as she spoke. She was drunk.
Hannah threw her hands up in the air, “All right, well I’ll be downstairs.” Just as she turned to leave her mom crocked vomit all over herself. Disgusted Hannah went to the bathroom and got a cold washcloth. Vomit was on the tile. She returned to her mother’s side and wiped up the mess.
“Thank you honey. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I must have caught something at work.” Hannah agreed and went down to the kitchen to begin cleaning. With tear-stung eyes she piled glasses and threw empty alcohol and aspirin bottles in the trash. She shook ashes and cigarette butts in too. Her mother had recently taken up smoking. Turning off the TV she stacked up the magazines and straightened the cushions on the couch. Upstairs she mopped the bathroom as her mom lay passed out in bed.
Hannah retreated in her room and crashed on the bed. Tears rolled down her cheeks, ‘She didn’t even notice I was missing.' Laying there Hannah wondered what went wrong in her life. She’d resorted to cleaning up her mother’s mess while everyone else her age was out enjoying their summer to return to college in the fall.
Journalism, that was what she was planning to study. In high school Hannah had been the editor of the yearbook and had been accepted to UCLA. She had a great life ahead of her. She had a boyfriend, David. She had many friends. She had a future. But now what? A dead father and a drunk mother. No boyfriend, no friends, no college plans..no future!
“I have to get out of this. I have to leave,” she told herself as she wiped her wet eyes. “I deserve better than this. I need better than this.” As the sun set Hannah contemplated different ways to better herself. She knew her mother wouldn’t support her, so she’d have to go about it alone. In the morning she’d call UCLA and inquire about enrollment in the fall. She’d been offered a scholarship back in high school, and maybe when she explained her situation it would still stand.
It was a long shot, but definitely worth trying. No longer could Hannah sit around as her life dwindled away. “I can do this,” she assured herself. “You’re strong Hannah, you can make this happen for yourself. You lost a year and a half to your father, you don’t have to loose the rest of your life." Glad to be striving to get ahead, making plans for herself, Hannah smiled. A small sense of relief came over her as she set the number for UCLA on her bedside table. “First thing tomorrow,” she promised as she closed her eyes and dreamt of California, a better life.
Chapter 16
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