The car was on the driveway laden with bags of all shapes and sizes on the roof rack, mom, Aunt Helen and the twins in white frilly summer dresses waiting beside it. Mom was angry, furious to be exact.
– Where have you been? She screamed and took hold of my bike.
– With Peter, I told you, didnt I. I said and just managed to duck moms right hand. Mom was angrier than I have ever seen her before. My attempt at being a smart ass didnt work with mom. A quick change of strategy.
– I wont be long, a quick shower, ten minutes to pack and Im ready to go. I said knowing there was no time for any of that, just as I had planed it.
– No, there is no time for that. You will have to go as you are.
– But, I havent had time to pack. I screamed in panic then mom started to drag me towards the car. My smart plan was unravelling into a complete mess of biblical proportions.
– There is just no time for that either. Lock your bike and do as I tell you. This time moms hand hit its target. My left cheek burned furiously and there was the taste of blood in my mouth. So I did as I was told to accompanied by the twins laughter.
– But, I cant go like this. I said indicating my dirty oil stained jeans and t-shirt with a big hole in it.
– Get into the car, now, this very minute. We will have to buy you something then we get there. Mom screamed raising her arm again. I scrambled into the back of the car and of course had the misfortune to be caught between the twins as they too started to get into the car. There snug faces letting me know how much they loved the situation. Ones more I tasted the bitter brew of utter defeat.
– Uov, keep your dirty jeans from my new dress. Said Marie and gave me a hard shove so that I almost landed on top of Lisa who started screaming that now I was soiling her dress. The car started with a jolt and we were off. Mom was driving like crazy.
For the next hour and a half I sat as still as I possibly could hardly daring to breathe. How could things go so horribly wrong, was all I could think of. I should have been left at home making my self ready for my sailing trip but here I was travelling to an island I didnt wanted to go to with people I loathed with no more than the clothes I wore. This could only end in disaster. Had I been alone I would have cried but now I was forced to keep a stiff upper lip, or at lest try to, and hope mom was telling the truth about buying me new clothes.
Both Lisa and Marie kept complaining that I was dirty and smelly, pretending that they were choking because of me and of course that my dirty clothes was rubbing of on theres. They kept poking me in my ribs probably to make me strike at them. Truth was I wanted to but I didnt dare to I was in to much trouble already.
Mom had kept a good speed for nearly two hours then she finally slowed down to a more law abiding speed.
– The traffic is less than I fought it would be this time of day. So we will be in good time for the ferry but there cant be any stop for lunch thanks to we all know who. She said and gave me a hard stare in the rear view mirror forcing me to look down at my old trainers. The twins shot me daggers of unmasked hatred. I wished I was dead.
– However we have the time to take care of another problem as soon as we can find a place to stop. What was mom talking about theres no shops along the motorway. If that was what she meant, buying me new clothes.