Page 106 of Pride High 3: Yellow

“Cool. I love you!”

“I love you too,” Cameron said hoarsely.

He hung up and listened once more, hoping the call had disturbed his mother. But no. Even if hehadhelped her to bed last night, he still would have needed to knock on her door in the morning and get her downstairs for freshly brewed coffee and something to eat. He remembered a time when providing breakfast had been her role, but that seemed like ages ago.

Despite being ready to leave, Cameron left his backpack in the entryway. He went to the garage, hit the button to make the door rumble open, and approached the wall that functioned as his woodworking shop. He felt guilty when he picked up the first tool. Cameron had never been the type of person to rock the boat. He didn’t like upsetting people. Following the rules was simply good manners, so skipping school went against his instincts, but a deeper need drove him now, because he couldn’t do this anymore.

Around ten o’clock, Cameron heard the phone ring. He ignored it and continued whittling. He didn’t even turn around when the door to the house flew open behind him.

“That was the school!” he heard his mother say. “What are you still doing here?”

“The same thing as you,” he replied. “Don’t you have any appointments this morning?”

“Oh shit!” His mother repeated this a few times under her breath. Louder, she said, “I have to get ready. Go to school, Cameron!”

“I can’t,” he said, gesturing at the open garage door where the rain was still hammering down. He finally turned to face her. “I’d need my mom to give me a ride.”

Brenda looked like hell, half of her hair sticking up, the rest pressed to her face. She was still in her bathrobe. He wondered if she would grab the keys and drive him to school that way. Or retreat inside to drink more. What if this little stunt pushed her over the edge? Then again, that had already happened. He’d simply been gripping her wrists this entire time and holding on for dear life so she wouldn’t fall.

The interior door slammed shut, Brenda on the opposite side. Cameron’s pulse was racing as he resumed working. This didn’t feel good. For either of them. He prayed that it would make a difference.

When his mother reappeared, she was dressed and presentable.

“Grab your things,” she said. “We have to go. I’ve already missed an appointment and am going to be late for another.”

Cameron’s intention wasn’t to torture her. He sprinted to the entryway, grabbed his backpack, and returned to the garage. He was seated in the station wagon in under a minute.

His mom started the engine and backed out, her mind elsewhere—on where she needed to be, perhaps—because she barely interacted with him until they neared the school.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asked.

“Why didn’tyouwakemeup?” he retorted.

“You always set your alarm!”

“Then why didn’t you set yours?”

He wasn’t trying to be a smartass. He wanted his mother to confront the reason they were in this situation—to finally admit that her drinking had, and continued to, cause problems. Instead of answering, Brenda began gnawing on her bottom lip. So much for being subtle.

“I guess we could move the alarm clock down to the couch where you pass out every night,” Cameron added.

“Very funny,” his mother replied.

“I’m not kidding. How else are you going to get up in the morning? I’m not waking you anymore. Do you think there’s another kid in this entire town who does that for their parents?”

“Fine,” Brenda said. “I’ll get up on my own from now on.”

“That’s not the real issue,” he said. “There’s a support group that my friend—”

“I don’t have time for this!” she snapped as the car came to a sudden halt. The school was still a block away, but the rain had slowed to a drizzle.

Cameron didn’t budge. “We need to talk.”

“Yes, fine, but some other time, because a young couple is waiting for me on the other side of town, and I’m already late. So please… Just not now. Okay?”

Cameron swallowed. Then he nodded. “Okay.”

He got out of the car, ignoring his mother when she said that she loved him, because at the moment he didn’t believe her. Not that it would change anything. His own feelings were certain. Cameron loved her and wouldn’t give up until they got the help she needed.