Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
David C. McLavic - 16. Chapter 16
Back in our cabin, Mom was smirking. I watched her as she went into the bathroom and returned wearing her night clothes. She was quite proud of herself. I knew our waiter had two more chances to get even, dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow. Beth Ann and I sat at the window. I took a tablet from my suitcase, showing Beth Ann Cleo. I wanted to make some notes about the train trip. I will enclose these notes in my letter to Carl
Periodically I would look at Beth Ann. Her eyes were wet, she had been crying. “Why are you crying? We will be home soon.”
“Why does Mom hate me? She is my mother and supposed to love me.”
“Beth Ann, I have come to believe that Mom is a bitter woman. Do you remember when we were in Philadelphia? She tried to spoil everything. I think she was spoiled by her dad and she expects people to cater to her. Remember how she acted when we were eating? That was her true self. Uncle Carl took out his frustrations and past grievances on her. He would have killed her if we stayed. Don’t say it.” I knew she would say we should have stayed.
Dinner that evening was another show. Mom ordered Squab under glass as well as the customary bottle of wine. Our waiter brought us a salad. This would be our last dinner so I decided to let our friendly waiter make our food selection, I made the right decision. After our salad, he brought what I thought was a hamburger without the bun. That hamburger turned out to be a very tender steak, I took one bite, and looking at Beth Ann I smiled. I reached over and cut her steak, one taste and there was that smile.
Our dessert was a berry pie with a scoop of ice cream.
We were almost finished with our dessert when Mom’s main plate arrived. There was a very small bird under a glass dome which our waiter removed. I don’t know what Mom thought. The face she made was enough to cause me to chuckle.
“Beth Ann, clean your plate.” There was a little piece of steak on her plate. She quickly put it in her mouth. I watched Mom.
Mom looked at our waiter as to say how am I supposed to eat this.
The waiter took a small knife and fork and removed the legs. Grinning he left. It was obvious to me that Mom’s food selections this trip were foods she heard about but never had eaten. After Mom pushed the pieces of the bird around, her side dishes were empty as well as the bottle of wine she was ready to return to our cabin,
In the morning, Beth Ann and I got up early, Mom was still sleeping. “Hurry up so I can get dressed before Mom wakes up.”
We were both ready for breakfast when Mom woke up. The wine must have made her sleep longer.
Dressed, we followed her to the dining car.
Beth Ann slid in toward the window, I followed her sitting across from Mom.
“David, Look.” I did, we were at the train station. Home.
There weren’t any menus. Our waiter brought Beth Ann and me a glass of milk and a small coffee pot for Mom. He left and then brought a plate of scrambled eggs for Beth Ann and I. There was toast and small sausage on our plates. He returns with the exact same breakfast for Mom. I waited for the explosion and it came.
“I didn’t order this.” Pushing her plate away.
Our waiter explained that was the standard breakfast as they were at the San Francisco terminal. I told Beth Ann to eat her breakfast as I began to eat mine.
When Beth Ann and I had finished, our waiter brought us a small dish of berries in cold cream. When Mom saw that she reached for Beth’s at the same time I added a strawberry to Beth’s plate. My fork with the strawberry jabbed Mom’s hand pretty hard. She yelled and was going to slap me. Our waiter was clearing our table and she slapped his arm causing him to spill the milk from my bowl on her. Now Mom was in a rage.
She started to yell at the waiter and how clumsy he was. People started to leave, no audience Mom headed back to our cabin. I had one ten-dollar bill left, I gave it to our waiter. Beth Ann and I followed Mom back to our cabin. Our suitcases were gone, and Mom started yelling, “We were robbed.”
The door opened, and the man with the white coat was there. He handed me the claim slips for our suitcases and told us we could leave the train at any time.
I took Beth Ann’s hand and followed some people who were headed in the direction when we boarded the train. There was a conductor at the exit who helped Beth Ann down to the platform. I was about to ask where was the luggage area when Beth Ann spotted Dad. She started pulling me yelling “Dad”. Then I saw Dad, and we rushed to meet him. He picked up Beth Ann, I got a hug and a head rub, “Where is your mother?”
“She was in the cabin when a man came and gave me these, He said we could leave and we did.”
“Let’s get your luggage and we can wait for your mom.”
The man in the luggage area quickly found ours. I recognized Mom’s, I gave that ticket to Dad.
With Beth Ann’s and my luggage, I headed to the parking area. You couldn’t miss it, there was a large sign, Station Parking.
Dad caught up with us, “Wait here. I’ll go and get your mother and meet you here.”
We didn’t wait long when we heard Mom yelling, “David, where are you?"‘
Then we saw Dad leading Mom toward the car. I knew she would say something about us not waiting for her. I was expecting it when Dad said he saw us on the train and came for us. Mom just smiled as she got into the car. Dad popped the trunk, I put our luggage in and closed the trunk. Beth got in the back seat behind Mom, I sat in the back seat behind Dad,
“How was the train ride?” Before I could answer, Mom said it was okay.
“We slept in a bed and had our own bathroom. I expected to sleep in our seat.”
Dad looked at Mom. She looked out at the side window.
“Dad, what is squab under glass?”
‘Who had that? I didn’t think they would serve that in tourist class.”
“Mom had that.” While me saying that, Mom turned, grabbed the paper from my hands, and took a swing at me.
“Why did you do that?”
“He’s been causing trouble on the whole trip.”
Poor Beth Ann. “No, he wasn’t Dad. He looked after me while Mom slept all the time.”
I thought it was a good thing Beth Ann was sitting behind Mom or she would have gotten a hard slap.
Beth Ann and I didn’t say anything for the rest of the way home. If Dad asked us a question, we answered. Otherwise, we didn’t speak.
I wasn’t sure if Dad was angry or just didn’t want to talk.
“David, does the doctor know I am coming home?”
Mom was referring to the doctor who she worked with before we left to go East.
“There have been some changes. The infirmary has expanded and now offers services to the town. He has hired two nurses to assist him.”
“Does he know I’m coming home?”
“I haven’t told him.”
I could tell Mom wasn’t too happy about that.
We rode in quiet the rest of the way home.
- 6
- 1
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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