Open Door

"The door was open, I'm sure of it. Why do you keep asking me that? How many times do I need to say it?”

"I just want to be sure."

"It's annoying, don't ask again."

"You're so easily annoyed. Why is that?"

"Don't ask stupid questions."

"You're afraid to answer."

"You're still being stupid."

"If I'm so stupid, why are you the one who always calls me to get together?" 

"I don't always call."

"Yes, you do."

"As I said, the door was open, and Kayla was laying there on the bed. I saw her big as day."

"You don't like Kayla much do you?"

"Well, I think she's, ok; if you like that sort of person."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I digress. She was lying there fast asleep, uncovered, and completely naked."

"Does that bother you in any way?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, I’m just asking."

"You're so tiresome."

"Once again, I have to ask, why do you call me?"

"God, you are so stupid."

"Yes, so you've said."

"So, I just went in and shook her. Just woke her up."

"Why?"

"I told her to leave. I wanted her gone."

"So, what are you going to do when your future daughter-in-law becomes part of the family?"

"God, if you weren’t my favorite ‘Sister’."

"I'm your favorite now. Last week it was our seldom present older sibling."

"Don't remind me of The Wicked Witch of the Mid-West. Did I tell you what she said to me?"

"No, but I'm sure you will."

"She's canceling her Christmas visit. Uh-huh, yeah, can you believe it, she hasn't seen any member of the family for, what, twelve years. And she’s canceling."

"I'm sure she has a good reason."

"Are you?"

"Didn't she?"

"She said, 'I've converted'."

"To what?"

"Buddhism; Buddhist don't celebrate Christmas. What do you think of that? She’s never mentioned anything about it before; where did it come from?"

"I told you she had a good reason."

"God, you're such a smart ass at times."

"Damn, and here I have been working towards ‘all the time’."

"So, I kicked her out."

"How, she lives in Chicago?"

"Could you TRY and keep up?"

"Sorry, I forget; a’ storms a’ brewin’."

"’Kayla,’ I told her, ‘get out!’ Chad had already left for work, why did she need to be there?"

"She practically lives there."

"No. You know she lives over there in that crap shack."

"Crap shack? That’s low even for you."

"Well, that’s what it looks like. Chad called me later. She had called and cried to him. I just told him, 'It's my house. When you get a house of your own, you can have whatever vagrant you want in it, but not in my house.' He's damned lucky I let her stay with him on occasion."

"Damned lucky."

"And then, later that evening, guess who calls?"

"Please, I'm aquiver with suspense."

"Kevin! Kevin, can you believe it? What nerve."

"A lot, I mean you haven't received a call from your ex-husband in, what, a week?"

"I know. I couldn't believe it. He gave me that line about how she's a good girl and good for our son. What does he know?"

"One can only imagine."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"How is my estranged brother-in-law?"

"The tart is ok, I'm sure."

"But is he?"

"So, he said, ‘I need to stop treating her the way you do.’ Prick!"

"Who, the tart?"

"Kevin! I swear sometimes you just seem to be really slow. Why are you so slow?"

"Genetics."

"So, I told him, ‘You should be more worried about whom your son is involved with.’ If he got more involved in his son's life, he'd know what I know."

"What is it you know?"

"For one thing, she's not the only one Chad is involved with."

"Come on!"

"It's true. I see them. Chad thinks I don't, but I do. The redhead for one, I've seen how he looks at her."

"How he looks at her?"

"Yes, how he looks at her. Ravenous."

"Ravenous?"

"Yes. But, what do I know? I'm only the mother."

"Why do you act this way?"

"What way?"

"So put upon."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Why?"

"You are not a mother."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Mother's know."

"A mother knows what, that their son is in love and happy? You're evading. I liked to say that I'm surprised about that, but it is your M.O."

"You're being stupid, again."

"Am I?"

"Yes. I thought that finding, and sequentially losing, your…'soul mate'…might have helped you figure out what I've known all along."

"And that being?"

"That this world is out to get you."

"I'm a wanted person, finally, some good news."

"Yes, you're so good at being flippant."

"Wow, you’ve noticed. The doctors were right there are signs of improvement."

"It's so funny to you, isn't it?"

"What?"

"That I'm here."

"Funny, HA HA or funny, Weird?"

"You can be such a Bitch, sometimes."

"Yes, that’s because you were such a great teacher."

"The student has far surpassed the teacher."

"Wow, more praise. This must be my lucky day. I should play the lottery or something."

"You're stupid."

"Don't you think that has sunk in by now?"

"Apparently it hasn’t."

"Have you noticed, that most of the time, you don't answer the question?"

"Kevin stopped by this morning."

"I guess you haven't."

"Haven't what?"

"Kevin stopped by…"

"Yes, he stopped by. Fortunately, he left the tart in the car. He said he wanted to see how I was feeling."

"That was thoughtful of him."

"Yes. I guess it was."

"A softening of ways?"

"What do you mean by that? I swear you should come with an instruction manual."

"It wasn't important. I'm just being stupid, right?"

"Yes."

"So, I sense that you were happy to see Kevin. Is that true?"

"Yes, it was nice to see him without that tart. He looked rather handsome."

"Rather?"

"Yes. You know, he was wearing the suit I got for him on his last birthday. He looked really good in it. He brought me flowers – Roses: expensive. I had to ask him what that meant."

"Roses...hmm...what did he say?"

"Oh, he gave me some line about ‘he thought they would help me feel better.’ Pure schoolboy gibberish, I know why he brought them."

"Do you?"

"Of, course."

"Please, tell me, I can't stand the suspense."

"Don't tease, you know. He's making advances; letting me know, sending me signals. It's so sweet. Don't you agree?"

"Not really."

"That's why he left 'HER' in the car. He wanted to make sure I got the hint. So sweet."

"Aren't you being overly hopeful?"

"No, of course not, a girl knows."

"And boys don't?"

"Not all boys. Some do, but most don't."

"Does this boy?"

"You, please. I thought you did, but no, I’m sorry you don't."

"You're sorry?"

"Kevin gave me a kiss on the cheek before he left."

"Did he?"

"Yes. It made everything so much better."

"I'm sure."

"He said he’d see me more when I get out."

"Did he?"

"Yes, and I know he meant it."

"I don’t think you should be so emboldened by such a small gesture of support."

"I said, he meant it."

"But, don't get your hopes too high."

"Why are you always so negative?"

"I'm not being negative; just…realistic."

"Realistic."

"Yes, realistic."

"You're always like this. Every time something good happens to me, you're negative. You put it down. Put me down. Why can't you just be happy for me?”

"Because...that type of happiness or lack of happiness..."

"What do you know about happiness? You can't maintain a relationship."

"That's not fair."

"Oh, not fair. You're talking about fairness. When have you ever been fair to me?"

"I'm always honest, that's more than you receive anywhere else."

"Honest! You're not honest."

"Who told you about Kevin's infidelity then?"

"You were being hurtful, not honest."

"Do you really think I wanted to hurt you?"

"Yes, Victor was being unfaithful, so you wanted me to be miserable with you: the whole misery needing company thing."

"Victor was forgotten by then, you know that."

"Do I? How Victor was your first real love and you were devastated. So, you destroyed my life too."

"I can't believe you're saying these things."

"Why? Can't you take the truth? You've always been a vicious little fagot: a truly bitchy fagot!"

"Fagot, you are the most ungrateful..."

"And what do I have to be grateful to you for? What do I have to be grateful for, period?"

"You have a lot to be grateful for?"

"Like what? An ungrateful son, cheating husband..."

"Ex-Husband..."

"I still think of him as my husband! My son's trashy future wife, a sister that doesn't care about anything or anyone but herself, and you a vicious, venomous,
cruel fagot who swoops in to spoil the day."

"And here we are again. We always come here. I am not your enemy, have never been. I am the one who is here when you are in most need. Think about
it, you have been here for two weeks, how many visitors have you had other than me?"

"Don't be stupid."

"I AM NOT BEING STUPID! I'm being honest and you will hear everything I have to say. You are here because I can't take it and no one will help. You are here because YOU cannot take it anymore. Yes, I was devastated when Victor left, but it had nothing to do with your husband's affair. I told you so you wouldn’t have to go through what I went through.'

"What gives you the right to decide what I can or cannot take?"

"It wasn't a right it was an act. An act of sibling love and caring, something you're not familiar with."

"Well, I know that Kevin and I will get back together despite your meddling."

"I was not meddling. You are in denial. You and Kevin will not get back together."

"Kevin will pick me up and we will be together forever."

"No, Kevin will not pick you up. You will not leave here. You will be here until you are better. It is time to fix the problem and stop ignoring it. This is the fourth time and I can't take it. You can't live like this anymore."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The cuts on your wrist will heal and so will you Sara. Kevin will not be back. Chad will marry Kayla. I moved on after Victor. It's time for you to move on. It's time to close the door."