A Curse Of Torment

by E A Owen

  “Sounds like a lot of fun. Let’s try the place out.”

  The place was packed, and we had to wait twenty minutes before getting seated. I was beyond starved at this point, and I was anxious to see all these cool tricks I’d been hearing about in school.

  We got seated at a table with a bunch of strangers, which was a little odd, but it wasn’t long before the entertainment started. The chef walked over to the table and squirted sake on the hot stove, which just sent flames shooting high to the ceiling. He continued to do a bunch of tricks with knives, throwing them high up while they were spinning, catching them and throwing them around his back. Then he did a bunch of tricks involving eggs. The chef tossed the egg back and forth between two metal spatulas and then flipped it in his front pocket of his shirt, then took another egg and spun it around on the hot grill and tossed it up with a spatula into his tall chef hat before cracking all of them over the grill. This is when he made the fried rice and shaped it into a big heart. The chef then layered rings of an onion on top of each other, largest ring on bottom to the smallest on top, to make a volcano with shooting flames through the top. I decided I definitely wanted to take Julia here sometime.

  “THAT’S IT!” I yelled.

  “What’s it?” my dad asked, confused.

  “Sorry! Did I say that out loud?” I snickered. “I’ve just been racking my brain about something special to do for Julia, you know, to take her mind off of everything. I should take her zip-lining and then to the Hibachi Grill for dinner afterward. I think she would have so much fun!” I said enthusiastically.

  “I think that’s a great idea!” my dad said as he nodded.

  I remembered doing the same thing right before the accident. Uncertain what to do the day Julia and I were supposed to be alone for the first time, I remembered thinking at work, right after Julia and her parents left Taco Bell, that I really wanted to take her zip-lining.

  When we got home and walked through the front door, the smell of smoke was hardly noticeable. My dad walked to the answering machine because the red light was blinking, alerting us that there was a message waiting. Not many people call the house line, except Mom’s doctor, at the treatment center.

  “Hi Mr. Williams. This is Dr. Harrington. I’m sorry to bother you this late in the evening, but I was busy in meetings all day. I just wanted you to know that I have approved for your wife’s release from our clinic. If you show up around 2:00 on Sunday, we should have all the documents ready for you to sign. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office.”

  My dad just stood there in disbelief. I wasn’t sure if he was excited or upset. It was hard to read him. I broke the silence. “Dad, that’s great! Mom finally gets to come home!”

  “I know; it’s fantastic!” my dad replied, but he didn’t seem very happy.

  ***

  I heard a gentle tapping on my door. I opened my eyes and glanced at my digital alarm clock, sitting on the night stand next to my bed. It read 8:35. “Trevor? You awake? Breakfast is ready,” my dad said quietly.

  “Yeah, Dad. Just give me a minute,” I replied half asleep. I could hear my dad walk away from my door and down the hall.

  As I walked into the kitchen, my dad had just finished setting the table. He had made waffles, fried eggs, and sausage links for breakfast. I walked to the cabinet and pulled out a glass, then poured myself a glass of orange juice as my dad was topping off his coffee. I dragged my slippers across the floor because I was just too lazy to pick my feet up. I let out a big yawn and sat down at the table across from my dad. I reached for the strawberries. My dad was cutting up strawberries last night before we went to bed. He says if you generously coat the strawberries in a bunch of sugar and leave it in the refrigerator overnight, the natural juices from the strawberries get drawn out and they are then perfect for drizzling over waffles the next morning.

  I love strawberries! My mom makes the best homemade strawberry jam. It’s been years since she made it, but now that she’s coming home, and is better, maybe she will start doing some of the stuff she used to do before she started drinking too much. I really hoped things go back to the way they were before the alcohol took control of her life, when we used to be happy and enjoy each other’s company. I really hope my mom can stay away from the booze this time. Otherwise, I’m afraid she will drive my father away again. But I have a good feeling about this! I just need to stop dwelling on these negative thoughts and keep things positive.

  My father was quiet during breakfast, he didn’t say much at all. I knew he must be deep in thought, and maybe worried about Mom coming home today. I stood up from the table and grabbed my dirty dishes and set them in the sink. My dad finally spoke up. “I would like to leave by 9:30 at the latest.”

  “No problem, Dad! I just have to jump in the shower and I’ll be ready.” I walked toward my bedroom and closed the door behind me.

  ***

  There was an awkward silence the entire four-hour drive to pick up Mom. You would think we would be excited that she was coming home, but something wasn’t quite right. Of course, the whole ride got me thinking. Maybe Dad doesn’t love Mom anymore. Maybe even if she does stop drinking for good, it won’t fix what has been done. We are a broken family and maybe we can’t be fixed.

  I just hoped that, once he saw Mom, his heart would change. I knew my mom still had a lot of work to prove herself, but it was possible. Miracles do happen, I told myself. I know this cost my dad a lot of money to put my mom into this treatment program. I overheard my dad talking on the phone one night with his brother Joe. He said something about how the insurance covers a majority of the bill but he will have to pay the rest out of pocket, which is about twenty grand.

  I thought, maybe Dad is afraid Mom is beyond help and she’s just going to waste all the money he just spent putting her in the most prestigious program out there. Then I caught myself. Who am I kidding. I can’t read minds. All this silence and over-thinking was going to make me insane. I needed to break the silence.

  “Dad?”

  “Yes, Trevor?”

  “Do you think Mom is better?” I asked quietly, like I was a little kid afraid to speak. My dad took a deep breath.

  “I don’t know. I really hope so! Dr. Harrington seems to think she is better and can come home now, and so we have to trust his professional opinion.”

  “I know, Dad. It just seems like you’re distant and deep in thought, and I don’t know what to think right now. We should be happy that Mom’s coming home today, but it seems like you’re not happy about it.” I looked down at my hands while I was twiddling my thumbs, a nervous quirk of mine.

  “It’s complicated, Trevor. Adult issues are something you shouldn’t be worrying about right now. You should be hanging out with your friends, going on dates with Julia, having fun! Not over-thinking like you tend to do and worrying about everyone else. Your mom was right when she said you have an old soul. You are just too smart for your own good!”

  “I will take that as a compliment,” I said with a smirk.

  XIII

  Trevor & Julia

  “I’m glad I finally get to meet your mom!” Julia said with a sparkle in her eye.

  “I’m going to warn you, my mom is a talker. We will get trapped at my house for hours if you let her,” I said, concerned.

  “Don’t worry so much, Trevor. If we get to talking, it’s not the end of the world. How about this? If your mom and I have been talking for more than an hour, just give me a little nudge or speak up and we can take off. Okay?”

  “Yeah, sounds good,” I said with a half smile.

  “I’m going to be honest with you, Julia. I’m really nervous about you meeting my mom. She was a complete and total mess five months ago. My parents were on the verge of getting divorced. My dad would disappear for days at a time. My mom thinks he was having an affair. My mother had a serious drinking problem. She was a severe alcoholic, to the point that alcohol controlled her entire existence. She sto
pped taking care of herself. She went into a deep depression. She would go days without showering, and she put on over one hundred pounds in less than five years. She stopped cooking and cleaning. She would start drinking the moment she woke up, and by the time I got home from school, she would be passed out on the couch, sometimes covered in puke and her drink spilled all over the carpet. I never invited any friends over because I was embarrassed. I didn’t want kids whispering and pointing fingers in the hall, making fun of me. It’s hard enough going to high school with all the rumors that spread like wildfire. I didn’t need this to add to it.”

  “It’s okay, Trevor. Your mom is better now. She hasn’t had a drink in over five months! That’s a real accomplishment. You should be proud of her! I’ve heard that alcoholism is an extremely hard habit to break. It destroys families and lives every day,” Julia said with a sympathetic tone.

  “I know firsthand how true that is. It’s like living in a nightmare. I felt so helpless. I tried my best to take care of my mom, the house, and myself since I was twelve, while still going to school and keeping up my grades. My dad is big on education, but he traveled a lot for work. He would be gone for weeks at a time. So, it just left me to take care of my mom. I just hope she never takes a sip of alcohol again.”

  “I am so sorry you had to go through that, Trevor! That must have been hard on you at such a young age. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for you growing up with an alcoholic mother and a father gone all the time. I had an easy childhood. No hardships like you experienced. I was able to be a kid and have no worries in life.” I think Julia felt bad for even saying it.

  “Don’t get me wrong! Before my mom had a drinking problem, we were a happy family. We used to go on family trips together, trips all over the world. I don’t know what happened to us or why my mom started drinking so much, except that she suspected that my father was cheating on her when he was away on his business trips. Instead of confronting my dad about her concerns, she just drank to take the pain away and to make herself feel better. That resulted in her turning to alcohol to comfort herself a majority of the time. That’s when it started becoming a serious problem and she just stopped caring about everything and everyone, even me.”

  A hard lump formed in the back of my throat and I tried to choke back my tears. Julia leaned over and gave me a big hug. She squeezed tight and didn’t let go for a minute or two, which felt like a long time.

  We kept hearing the front door open and close several times. “My mom and dad must be home from grocery shopping. Let’s give them a few minutes to put the groceries away, and then we can join them in the other room,” I said, trying to regain my composure.

  “Yeah, of course,” Julia replied with a smile.

  ***

  “Tammy! I think it’s time you let Trevor and Julia get to where they were planning on going today,” my dad finally interrupted.

  “Travis, I’m just enjoying Julia’s company. This is the first time we have met, and I’m just trying to get to know the girl is all,” my mom replied.

  “But you’ve been doing most of the talking, my love,” he said as he raised both of his eyebrows.

  “You know, Julia, Trevor really adores you! He talks about you all the time,” my mom said, glancing over at Julia and then at me.

  “Mom!” I said, gritting my teeth, as I could feel myself blushing.

  “Isn’t he so cute when he’s embarrassed?” my mom went on.

  “Okay hon, let’s leave these two alone. Let’s go into the kitchen and discuss what we are going to make for our romantic dinner date tonight.

  “Okay, Okay!” my mom said as she got up from the recliner.

  “It was really nice to finally meet you, Julia.”

  “Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Williams,” Julia said as she stood up and shook my mom’s hand.

  “You don’t have to be all professional with me, my dear. Give me a hug!” my mom said as she reached for Julia. “You two have fun!” my mom said as she followed my dad into the kitchen.

  I looked over at Julia. “You ready to go now?”

  “Sure am. What do you have planned for us for the day, or are you keeping it a secret?” Julia asked as she ran her fingers through her long, silky, honey blonde hair.

  “I want it to be a surprise, and so I’m not going to tell you. You will just have to wait and see,” I said with a big grin.

  “So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get going!” Julia said cheerfully as she grabbed her purse and followed me out the door.

  We pulled up to Mountain Lake Treetop Adventures. “What’s this place?” Julia asked curiously.

  “You ready for an adrenaline kick?” I asked, psyched.

  “I’m not so sure,” Julia replied with a little caution in her voice.

  “We’re going to have so much fun! Just trust me,” I said as I grabbed her hand and led her down the trail to the office. I glanced back at Julia, and she had a grin from ear to ear. We approached the counter.

  “Can I help you?” the lady asked.

  “Yes, we would like two for the zip-line tour,” I replied.

  “What exactly are we doing?” Julia asked as she glanced at me.

  The lady behind the counter spoke up. “You will walk over sky bridges, swings, rope ladders, and zip-line through the forest. It really is exhilarating! Are you the super adventurous types or would you like the less challenging course?” she asked us.

  I looked at Julia, waiting for her to answer. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said, “I feel like living on the edge today, so let’s take the more challenging course!” Julia replied with a nervous smile.

  “You sure, Julia? We can take the less challenging one if you want to. This is our first time doing this and there’s no pressure,” I replied.

  “I feel like being a daredevil today! I was in a coma for almost three months, and I need some excitement in my life!” she said as she bounced onto her toes.

  ***

  We spent two hours of the most fun I’ve ever had in my life, and Julia was in heaven. I don’t think she wanted to leave, in fact, but our time was over and I was getting a little hungry.

  “So, how did you like it?” I asked Julia.

  “Trevor! That was soooo much fun! We have to do that again!!!” she said, giddy as a kid Christmas morning. I just smiled.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked.

  “The adrenaline rush definitely made me super hungry.”

  “Good! I have the perfect place in mind.”

  We pulled up to the New Hibachi Grill. It was 4:25, a little early for dinner but we were both ravenous. Best of all we beat the dinner rush and there was no waiting. We got seated right away. There was a cute elderly couple holding hands at the other side of the table from us. They had to be in their eighties. I wondered what their secret to being so happy after so many years together, probably over fifty years, could be.

  Julia glanced over the menu for a few minutes, then set it down on the table just as the chef approached and the entertainment began. I kept glancing at Julia, her beautiful, contagious smile. She was mesmerized by all the fascinating tricks. Her eyes got big every time the flame shot up like a volcano. The food was fantastic, and I think Julia was enjoying every second of it. She turned her head and glanced at me with a smile.

  “Are you ready for some fried ice cream?” I asked her.

  “Are you kidding me? Of course I am!” We split the ice cream and headed back to the car after I paid the bill.

  I drove Julia back to her house and gazed up through the windshield at the millions of stars that lit the dark night like diamond dust. The sky was crisp and clear, not a single cloud up there to hide the brilliant display of the radiant full moon and all the constellations dancing through the sky like a magical dream come true. I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now, I thought.

  I pulled into Julia’s driveway and parked the car. Julia leaned toward me and put her hand on my knee. “Trevor, I just
wanted you to know that I had the most amazing day ever! I don’t remember ever being this happy before. I don’t want this day to end.” She closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss. Her lips were soft and sweet, I never wanted this moment to end. I was falling deeply in love with Julia and could only hope she feels the same way.

  I glanced up and saw a shooting star fall from the sky and disappear into the distant silent night.

  XIV

  The Surprise

  Four years after the night we first kissed under a shooting star, so much had changed. We graduated high school, and I was getting my engineering degree at Ferrum College and Julia a nursing degree. Julia’s aunt and uncle moved back to their home town in Mississippi, and I moved into her massive house with Julia. My parents visited us every other weekend. My mom still hadn’t had a drop of alcohol and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She had lost almost one hundred pounds and was back to the size she was when my parents first got married. They were like newlyweds again, very affectionate and playful. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

  I had just got home from taking exams all day and was mentally exhausted. As I walked through the front door, the tantalizing aromas of dinner danced through the air. I walked into the kitchen where my beautiful fiancé was cooking an extravagant meal. I could see that we were going to have a romantic candlelit dinner at the mahogany table in our grand dining area. I couldn’t help but wonder what the special occasion was. Julia loved to cook, but this was definitely something out of the ordinary.

  I walked up behind her and whispered in her ear, “What’s the special occasion sweetheart?” I brushed her hair aside with my fingers and kissed her neck lightly.

  Julia turned around and gave me a seductive smile, then wrapped her fingers around my neck and pulled me in for a passionate kiss. When she pulled away, she said, “I have some great news to tell you, babe! But first, can you please pull the bun out of the oven?” Julia turned to mash the potatoes. I pulled open the bottom drawer with the hot pads, and grabbed the pan, with one bun on it. A little confused, I set it on top of the stove.