Chapter 28

                                    

                                          


                          
My father was the one to come to the door.  He gave me a look of displeasure, but opened the door and gestured for us to come in.
                          
"Mr. Olson," Ryan said, nodding at my father.  
                          
"Ryan," my father replied.  "How are you?  How're your parents?"  He sauntered into the family room and patted the seat of the couch, gesturing that we sit.
                          
"Mom and dad are good," he answered, politely. "Thank you."
                          
"I see your brother managed to get Amber's car back in time and unharmed."
                          
"Yeah..."
                          
There was an awkward silence that followed.  I looked at Ryan who shrugged uncomfortably.
                          
I knew what I needed to do and the only reason I mustered up the courage to do so was the fact that I was sure my parents wouldn't leave without things being resolved and I wanted them gone more than anything.
                          
"Dad, I'm sorry for the way that I behaved yesterday. There's no excuse for it.  I was feeling stressed and I took out my frustration on you and mom. You guys didn't deserve that."
                          
My father looked at me, studying me so intently I felt like he could see my soul.  He nodded and replied, "Your mother spent most of her night crying, Amber.  I have been with your mother a very long time and have never seen her so upset, not even after your grandmother died. I accept your apology, but you will need to do more than that to fix things with your mom."
                          
I looked down at my hands.  I was so ashamed of myself and I felt even more horrible hearing that I had made my mother cry. All the things I'd said, I hadn't meant, but I was angry and scared and didn't know any other way to get myself out of the situation.  I was turning into a horrible person - why couldn't I have just called the cops from the very beginning? I asked myself.
                          
I left Ryan downstairs chatting with my dad while I went up to confront the elephant in the room with my mom.   
                          
I knocked on the door to her bedroom and opened  it just enough to peek my head in.  "Mom?" I asked.  "Can I come in please?"  I didn't hear a response so I let myself in.  She was in the master bath brushing her teeth. I was relieved by this because I would be able to say what I wanted and she wouldn't be able to respond, but when she saw me approach she stopped and looked up at me.
                          
"Mom, I'm so sorry for how I spoke to you yesterday.  I was horrible to say the things I did. I didn't mean any of it, I swear," I started, but before I could go any further, my mother broke down in tears.  I was unprepared for this because I'd never ever seen my mother cry and honestly, I'd assumed my father had exaggerated things a little bit.  Now, standing before her, I was stabbed by the guilt.  
                          
"I didn't mean it mom, I swear!"  
                          
She reached for a tissue and patted at her nose, her eyes rimmed red and her cheeks flushed. "You're right, Amber.  Everything you said...you were right."
                          
"No, Mom, I wasn't right.  You've done so much for me and I know you love me. I've never once doubted that."
                          
My mother stood there sobbing and though I hugged her, she wouldn't stop. Why did she have to cry like this, I wondered.  It was just making everything worse. I knew that I never should have said the things I did and had it not been for me hitting Michael Cates, I would have never in a million years said those horrible things.  I just needed to be left alone. I wished that I could take it all back.  I wished that I could tell her everything - she deserved to know the truth.  But, knowing the truth would likely cause her more pain and I wasn't going to do that.
                          
"I've made up my mind, Amber," my mother began, holding my hands in hers.  "I'm cancelling the trip and staying home with you.  I think right now, making sure you're okay is the most important thing."
                          
Her words stung me like venom, poisoning my mind.  This can't happen, I thought.  My thoughts were racing, trying to get ahead of the situation and detour her plan.  I couldn't believe that my parents, my mom, would cancel her investment meeting for a small argument. Even worse, I needed her to leave.  I needed more time to wrap my head around all of this Michael Cates stuff and try to get myself back to normal.  
                          
"Mom, I really don't need you to miss this investment meeting.  That would make me feel terrible.