“After I get home. So, either when you’re all out together or in bed.” I explained, biting my tongue when I wanted to finish that statement by actually saying ‘ ... or in bed together’.
“Then why did I never have to clean the kitchen in the mornings?” she followed up.
I pointed my thumb over my shoulder, drawing her attention to the already cleaned counter and stove.
“You might’ve noticed that you almost never had to clean the kitchen in the mornings. Even when you didn’t clean it yourself after you cooked. Who’d you think did that?”
“But we would’ve smelled it!” Aaron added.
I didn’t answer immediately. When I realized why that was, I sighed.
While it was true that they never noticed when I did cook in their house, I didn’t exclusively cook in their house. The majority of my learning process, that regularly left the easily noticeable smell of burned food and ill-advised seasonings behind, was done somewhere else.
“Well ... Tess and I enjoyed cooking together whenever we spent the evening at her place.” I supplied, while drying off the last bowl and then stored it away.
When I got back up and looked over the counter, I noticed two things. First, the mood had, once again, turned quite subdued from my comment. I realized this was the first time I had ever told them anything about my life with Tess. They were not expecting it, and probably didn’t know what to say now.
The other thing I noticed was that there were only two pancakes left, and Grandpa was just taking one of those, which caused my own mood to drop. I contemplated if I should say anything about it, but was saved by the doorbell.
“Oh, Morning!” I greeted John after opening the door for him. “Sorry again for waking you last night.”
“And I already told you not to worry about it!” He gave me a reassuring smile.
“Well, help yourself to breakfast in the kitchen! There’s only one pancake left, but I think it came out well.”
Instead of accompanying him to the kitchen and watching him eat as well, I turned to the stairway. Arriving upstairs I heard John’s voice again.
“Morning everyone! ... What’s with the mood in here, who died?”
I felt a sad smile stretch my lips, thinking about Tess again as I packed my bag.
About forty-five minutes later, I was just pulling up my pants after my morning shower, I heard Danielle call me downstairs. I went to investigate, not bothering to find a shirt first.
“What’s up?” I asked, stepping into the kitchen where the family was still assembled. To my surprise, they had already cleaned the table themselves.
“Ava just walked by your room and saw you’re packing. Are you leaving already!?” Claire asked.
“Yeah. Staples are out, so no need for you to look after me anymore. And you should all be safe now, so no need for me to look after you anymore, either.”
“Are you sure? I mean ... do you ... can’t you stay?” Ava asked, sounding somewhat embarrassed and insecure.
“I don’t have to leave, but why wouldn’t I?”
“ ... I’m worried.” she admitted after a few seconds.
“We all are, actually.” Aaron added, while the others gave me sullen looks.
“No need to be. Just to be sure, I’ll come by next week and install a surveillance system. But they’re gone and won’t show up ag...”
“We’re not worried about those guys.” Danielle interrupted me quickly. “We’re worried about you.”
“Why? I’m perfectly fine.” I said, earning me quite a few raised eyebrows.
“You sure about that?” Grandpa asked in a taunting voice, pointing at the still red cuts on my stomach and chest, my now dark blue and violet right side, the slightly less colorful forearms, the shiners under my eyes, the split lip, and the cut eyebrow.
“I already told you, It looks worse than it is!” I replied, starting to get annoyed.
“That’s not the ... only thing we’re worried about.” Danielle said, like she wanted to carefully hint at something.
“Well then, please enlighten me.”
“Tim ... we’re sorry.” Maggie started. “But when Daddy called Mom last night, Ava and I woke up too. And we ... kinda ... listened in on you and Mom.”
“I didn’t mention it last night.” Danielle continued. “But Ava told us what happened last week.”
“Last week?” I asked, shaking my head, signaling that I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
“The evening she took your painkillers.” Danielle tested.
“Evening? She was here in the morning.” I supplied, but it seemed like I just confirmed their concerns by not knowing what they were on about. Ava decided to fill me in.
“That day, after you had talked to Mom, she was really out of it. She was worried about you. We couldn’t just come check, because you told us to absolutely stay away from the house, but you also didn’t pick up your phone! So ... I thought I could just sneak in here and ... check on you for her.” Until then, her voice was borderline embarrassed, but as she continued, her voice became quiet and thoughtful, and she was wringing her hands. “But when I found you, you were totally out of it. You were lying half on your bed, and didn’t react to anything I said. Even when I took your clothes off and pulled you completely onto the mattress, you just grumbled. It ... scared me. And then I found your painkillers next to all the alcohol, and that scared me more. That’s why I was still here in the morning. I couldn’t just leave you like that.”
“And I have to agree, you seem to be drinking quite a lot. And not just for someone who isn’t supposed to drink at all!” Claire added.
“Tell me, apart from the two glasses I had yesterday, how much am I drinking exactly, that you feel the need to stage an intervention?” I asked, incredulously, looking from face to face. I didn’t hear an answer for a while, so I pressed it. “That wasn’t a rhetorical question, people. Come on, tell me. I’d just love to hear how you all would even know about what I do.”
“It’s not about how much you drink, Tim.” Danielle deflected. “It’s that you drink at all. Regularly. Mixing it with medication. You started smoking. And, while I know now that it was necessary, I’m still somewhat concerned you so readily stepped in front of three men you knew were armed. Tim, your behavior is self destructive. And last night made it clear that it’s too much for you.”
I blinked at her. So, that’s what I get for opening up to the bitch. While I did thank her for the talk we had last night, and I actually really did appreciate her help and assurances, this went too far.
“Well, thanks for your concern.” I started, while secretly concluding that this was only because my exhausted mind had allowed them to know how much cash I stole. “Since we all know what, or better yet who, is causing my troubles, I don’t understand why you would argue against me leaving and putting some distance between me and that underlying cause. I mean, seriously? ‘Too much for me’!? I’m dealing with the shit hand you all dealt me! Since when do you people even give a fuck? Where’s this coming from?” When Claire opened her mouth to say something, I quickly added. “And don’t you dare tell me some shit like ‘We’re Family, of course we care’ again!”
I wasn’t sure whether I should be happy or angry when Claire actually closed her mouth instead of saying something else.
“Tim, I know I’ve been a shit excuse for a sister. I’m sorry for that! But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t care if you ... did something to yourself.” Ava explained quietly.
“Wow. Deja Vu.” I commented, causing quite a few confused gazes coming my way.
“What?” Danielle asked. It seemed she was the one in charge of this little session.