Things Hadn't Been Easy Without Jeff

An excerpt from the award-winning novel, Mended
Emmett stormed into the room, rousing Ashley from her glass-half-full thoughts and declaring for the third time that afternoon, “I still don’t understand why I have to go to some stupid after-school program. I’m not a little kid! I can stay here alone until you get home from work.”“Emmett, we’ve been over this. The terms of your probation specify that you can’t be without adult supervision. So unless you can find some other kind of adult-supervised activity that your probation officer and I approve of, you’re going to that after-school program.” She wanted to add, “And frankly, I don’t trust you to go anywhere without a responsible adult,” but her blunt honesty wasn’t very well received these days.“This is such crap.” His face reddened. “Why can’t I just come home after school?”Ashley took a deep breath to steady herself. “Emmett, I’m not talking about this anymore. This is what’s happening. Accept it and move on.”“This sucks,” he yelled as he moved toward the front door of the house.“Emmett, stop.” Her voice rose. “You can’t just leave. You need to tell me where you’re going.”“I’m just going for a walk. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”His disrespectful attitude was downright offensive. Was every thirteen-year-old boy this rude to his mother? She didn’t think so and it made her bitter. After a few deep breaths, she counted backward from ten. When she felt calm enough to avoid yelling, she said, “You may go for a walk but you have to stay in the neighborhood. And take your cell phone with you.”“Whatever.” He continued moving toward the door.“And if you’re not home in twenty minutes, I’m calling your probation officer.”“Okay! Chill out, Mom.” He stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him.Ashley’s gaze caught the potted houseplant by the door. It rattled in its dish, its leaves trembling as if a train was rumbling past. As she placed her hand on the pot to steady it, she caught her reflection in the mirror on the wall beside it.
Her ocean blue eyes looked weary and troubled and her long golden hair was frazzled from tugging at her roots. Her ivory cheeks were flushed with irritation and frown lines lay between her eyebrows. Life hadn’t been easy without Jeff.
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