That darkest night

r?" she said, still short of what to say. At least, that would kill the tension rising inside of her. She saw Melinda and Andrew exchange looks. "Why? Isn't it okay to sit on the sofa?"Melin

's this for?" Andrew asked, looking puzzled. "Jason?" Michelle said, ignoring Andrew. "Yes, Mom." Jason answered. Michelle paused and looked at her children again. She tried to collect herself

nything to-" Michelle said, but Mel interrupted. "May I talk?" she raised a hand. "No. Wait, please. Like I said, you would have a chance to talk." Michelle didn't want that. She didn't want her daughter to behave rudely. "Since your Dad has left us ten years ago, I've been doing everything." Michelle said, her voice choked with emotion. "That man is an asshole." Andrew remarked and the two others laughed. "No, kids. It's not a funny thing. That man is still

talk. "I didn't mean that, Mel. I didn't." she countered softly, tears pricking the back of her eyes. "You did- because you said it. You keep complaining about us, but you don't see it whenever we make room for you to do whatever you like. We don't like spinach and broccoli, but it's part of our diet because we allow you to! The day we complain about one meal in a hun

her a concentrated frown. "Mom, you think we don't understand. We do understand. You're the one that doesn't understand what I mean!" she put in with an irritated tone. Michelle stared at her coldly. Her children could never understand how she felt. "Alright. So, what should I say about someone that's asking me for money to buy a coat during summer?" she decided to ask. She wanted to know what

." Melinda said. Michelle felt very angry. She had known that all the arguments would turn into vacation stuff. "I don't really have any money to spend on vacations. I'd take you on outings downtown, but I can't afford a vacation this year." she answered, folding her arms. "Wow. That's what you said last year. And you promised to take us on a vacation this year. Now, you're saying a different thing." Jason added immed

wished she had been patient to hear what her children were trying to say, although they were using the wrong terms. She had blown things up in

ay, she would assign Melinda to go and get groceries and tidy up the kitchen, Jason was to wash the dishes without using the dishwasher- half of the plates were broken just two weeks later, Andrew had to clean up the windows and furniture. One day, she returned from work, only to find out th

ry scary event happened on their vacation. They had lodged at a hotel, it was afternoon, she wanted to have a nap. But she didn't find Jason in the room. They all wanted to get some rest after the morning tour, but one of them was missing. She alerted the hotel security and asked if th

elf as she thought of all the terrible things her children had made her pass through. She sighed. She couldn't recall those memories any more. She didn't know how she could wipe away those memories. The bad memories.

table. Michelle was humming a song, so that she could forget her worries. That didn't work- her mind kept flashing back to the previous day when she had tried to get

ou have

hat doesn't unders

ee what you're

you, Mom? I'm sorry if that soun

ill asleep, she had no intention to wake them up, or else she might hear a barrage of complaints that would spoil her day. After bathing, she quickly got dressed up and walked out of the room, holding her bag

ne that gave birth to these

from her family and friends had failed. Nothing she had tried to do concerning training her children had worked. "Michelle, are you okay?" her colleague, Elise asked, jolting her from her thoughts. "It's nothing. I just wanted to take time to rearrange myself." Michelle replied as she smile

Tim's daughter from an earlier marriage, and she

ccasional visits. It had been a year or two since Rose had come on such visits, because she was already in the university. Michelle remembered discussing with Rose on the phone, and the girl had said that she would like to come and stay with them. Rose was also attending a university in Pierre Hills, and Michelle had been considering for her the distance from Bax City, where Grandma lived, and to her institution in Pierre Hills, almost everyday. What she was really drivi

the other one. Rose is going to stay in your room. You're going to be sharing your room with her." Michelle answered as she picked up her bag from the sofa, ready to head to her evening job at the coffee shop. "I don't like this, Mom." Andrew said with a frown. "How?" Michelle wanted to know. "Yo