Untitled.

 8:00am

He glanced at his watch impatiently as her voice continued to drone on and on. She wasn't even looking at him and if she had been she certainly would have found more to complain about. His lips moved with every word he knew she would say, mocking her rehearsed rules and regulations. His eyes rolled with every piece of advice and threat of consequence should he partake in the action. 
"I have to go mom, I'm gonna be late for school."
"Well you remember what we have talked about this morning Joseph. Remember it well because when you walk in that door at curfew, which is 1am in case you are unsure, my mothering senses will heighten and I will know exactly what kind of night you had."
"Bye mom, see you at 1."
The door slams.

"Remember our 'conversation'....." Joseph mumbled under his breath as the cold air hit him like a brick.
There hadn't been a conversation. There never was. The relationship he had with his mother was 100% dictatorship, which was fine when he was a little boy, but at 18 and a senior in high school it had long become old. He slid into the seat of his 1997 Honda Civic and started her up. Backing out of the driveway was like taking his first real breath of the day.

As the door slammed her head fell and she put down the plate she was washing.
"Lord Jesus I don't think that boy listens to one word that comes out of my mouth." Josephs mother whispered in defeat. 
Everything she did she did for him. The long hours at work, the nights cooking dinner when all she wanted to do is order pizza and tell everyone to fend for themselves. She had put every single desire and dream she had on hold in order to give him everything she could. She had not yet made it to Italy, Greece or even across 2 states to the Grand Canyon and doubted she ever will. By the time Joseph was out of the house she would be up to her ears in his college debt. She had not had one relationship since her husband left, fearing that one wrong guy would traumatize her sons forever. For the past 18 years it was like she hadn't been able to take one real life giving breath. 

 1:30pm

"She is impossible dude. It's like I can't do anything without her making sure I don't have any fun, and if I do, she's gonna know about it and if she knows about it I'm gonna pay for it. I cannot wait to get to college." Joseph inhaled his cigarette and held it in until his lungs burned. "Technically I am an adult, I can do what I want. I'm a couple months away from grad, it's Friday night, my girlfriend is having a party and not only am I going, but I am going to have fun, without worrying about her bullshit 'spidey senses' and what will happen when I get home." He threw the butt of his cigarette and grabbed Chloe by the waist. "May I escort you to 6th period?" 

"Thank you for calling  Comcast could you hold please?" She pressed the next blinking switch. "Thank you for calling Comcast could you hold please? Farrah it is after one and I haven't even taken a break, I am starving."
"Go ahead and eat- just please hurry, this switchboard looks like the 4th of July!" Farrah shooed her in the direction of the break room.
The oppressive fluorescent lighting felt like weights on her shoulders as she walked down the corridor to the lunchroom. Everyone else had eaten lunch and she was grateful not to have to make small talk as she sat in the quiet room. 1:30pm....that would put Joseph on his way to 6th period, math. He hated math. She smiled as she recalled his 8th grade teacher calling her to let her know he was refusing to math all together stating that it was 'inhumane'. He was always such a free thinker. She admired that about him and knew it was a trait inherited from his father. She practically inhaled her ham sandwich and hustled back to her little cubical.
"Thank you for calling Comcast may I please have your account number?"

 7:00pm

"Who in the hell did you convince to buy you alcohol?!?" Joseph smiled as he bumped knuckles with Aaron.
"Some of it I snatched from the liquor cabinet at home and some of it I paid my sister to hustle from work," the greasy haired adolescent replied with a nod of the head.
"SWEET! This party is gonna be sick. Chloe is in the kitchen with the bag she bought from K. He said it was the best he has had in awhile. Purple sticky punch for everyone!!" Joseph mimicked Pauly Shore, and walked toward the kitchen.
"Whats up Aaron," Chloe looked up. "Holy shit that's a lot of booze. Put it over on the counter with the soda, Sarah should be here with the keg like, now."
Joseph walked up behind Chloe and wrapped his arms around her waist. She put down the papers and leaned into him.
"I'm glad you're here," she said.
"Me too babe." Joseph replied.

The house was dark as she pushed open the front door, hands full of mail. She flipped the light switch and fumbled into the kitchen where she dropped everything on the table. She was too tired to bother finding real food and headed to the junk cabinet for a bag of chips. Doritos, dinner of champions. She grabbed the $2 bottle of wine from the fridge and didn't bother getting a glass. As she sank into the couch, shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She was tired. Actually, tired was an understatement. She was worn, exhausted and on the verge of losing hope that there was anything better for her. She sat in silence and finished off both the Doritos and the wine. 

4:45am

Joseph opened the door so slowly it took over a minute to get it wide enough to wedge himself through. The house was dark and still. He shut the door and didn't bother to turn the lock knowing that it would make noise. He clenched his keys in his palm so not to jingle them and he began to move slowly on his toes toward his room in the back of the house. He wasn't drunk or high, although he had a few drinks and taken a hit or two. He was pretty good at moderation and didn't actually have the desire to get all out wasted anyways. He could count on Chloe to do enough for both of them and knew he needed to have his wits to deal with her. As he tiptoed through the living room he saw a silhouette on the sofa. His mom had fallen asleep waiting to chew him out, he was sure. She was still in her work clothes and had the orange glow of Doritos crumbs in the corners of her mouth. She looked sad even in her sleep. Risking being found out he grabbed the throw off the top of the couch and covered her. She didn't even flinch. Relieved he dropped his guard and fumbled through the dark to his room.

7:00am

She had no idea what time it was when she fell asleep, but she knew for sure it was past curfew. She had drifted off in the midst of  rehearsing all the things she would say to him when he walked through the door. How disrespectful, unthoughtful and immature he was. He would probably smell of a mix between cigarettes and alcohol an she needed to be ready with her argument. The half bottle of wine had gotten the better of her and her anger subsided into a quiet, peaceful sleep. She sat up slowly realizing Joseph had covered her when he came in. Moving the blanket and pushing herself up she headed toward his room ready to not only give him an earful but to drag him from bed and put him to work. His door was open and the sun was coming through the blinds onto his disheveled body. He was still fully dressed from the day before and hadn't even bothered to get under the covers. She stood in the doorway and watched him for a long time before she shut his door and headed toward the kitchen to make coffee.