Capítulo 49: Now What?

Eden managed to make it through dinner prep by the skin of her teeth. Now for the only thing about this she was sort of looking forward to. The food.

Her mother had been raised in Georgia and knew how to make holiday meals to remember. The bounty in front of them was piled high and she couldn't help but get multiple servings of everything.

That was her mistake. Raelynn had already seen her snacking on candy the entire time she and Ezra had been playing Phase Ten. She had found the next thing to harp on her about—her weight.

Eden was not fat. She was 5'6" and weighed 142 pounds. She was within a healthy range and exercised regularly. Today was a holiday! Was she not allowed to eat what she wanted on a holiday? Normally, she was more on top of what she consumed than this.

"Eden, dear, you really shouldn't be eating so much. You'll gain weight and no one will want you then," Raelynn scolded.

"Excuse me?" she asked in a deadly tone. "What did you say to me?"

"E," Ezra said warningly before trying to change the subject. "Mom, this asparagus is absolutely delicious—"

Their mother ran right over him. "I said you need to watch what you eat. A girl your age shouldn't be pigging out this much. You're done growing so if you keep eating like this, the only way you'll grow is sideways. Men don't like women that are bigger than they are."

She practically saw red. This was the last straw. She had done everything right today from dressing up the way Raelynn liked to measuring each and every word that came out of her mouth. And it still wasn't enough, like always.

Eden stood and slammed her hands on the table. "I don't care what men like! You're always on my case about something. Let me tell you this—it's not my fault Dad left you. I don't know if it's your fault either.

"It was his choice and it sucked for all of us. But here's something I know is your fault—you can't stand the thought of being the only one miserable so you have to spread it around to everyone else. Give it a rest!

"I am SO SICK of getting picked apart over every little thing whenever I see you. Do this, don't do that. You're trying to vicariously fix your mistakes through me without realizing that I am an entirely different person. I don't give a crap about the things that matter to you!

"It's my life. Mine. And if you can't get that through your twisted head I am done with you. Permanently. No more commentary about my job or my fashion sense or my weight. Just stuff your pie hole, you miserable hag!"

"Eden," Ezra mumbled in dismay.

The cat was out of the bag now. Almost every negative thought she ever had about her mother had poured out at once.

At least she hadn't said anything about how Diana was more like her real mother. Raelynn had always hated how close her daughter was to another family while simultaneously not doing anything to stop it because it kept Eden out of her hair.

Raelynn was so furious her face turned purple. "Eden Elizabeth, you take that back! You have no idea the sacrifices I made for you—"

"Yeah, thanks for raising me and doing the legal bare minimum not to get arrested for child abuse. You deserve a medal," Eden sneered before turning to her brother. "I'm sorry, Ez. I'm out. You're on your own for Mother's Day."

"Eden—" he entreated but she had already stormed out of the kitchen and was gathering her things. He rounded on their mother instead. "Why do you always do this? Can't you ever give her a break?"

"Oh, so now this is my fault?" Raelynn demanded, trying to play the victim. "Excuse me for being such a terrible mother that both of my children hate me!"

Ezra growled in frustration. "Give it a rest, Mom! Don't try to act like you aren't at fault here. If you would just stop picking on Eden—"

"Picking on her? How is giving her motherly advice considered picking on her?"

Eden could still hear them arguing as she fled the house. This happened every single time she came home without fail. How could she have ever thought it would be different this time?

Tears filled her eyes as she got into her car and drove away. She would have to apologize to her brother for bailing on him later. Right now, she needed to go home and sleep off this awful day before going back under the watchful eye of Zim, who was waiting for her to make a mistake.

She needed to fill up her car again after driving to and from Universal and Ezra's house. She wasn't on empty yet but she didn't want to stop again on the way home. While she held the gas nozzle, she debated about texting Aubrey to see if she would call and try to cheer her up but decided against it.

Her friend was busy doing things with her fiancé's family. She didn't need anyone intruding on that. It wasn't like she could call Ezra either because he was likely still dealing with their mother.

Now what? Was she supposed to cry the whole way back to San Jose?

Eden finished filling up the tank and sat there in her car for several minutes as she tried and failed to pull herself together. This really had been such a disaster of a weekend.

The only other person she could think of that might cheer her up was Troy. He had said in the past that she was always welcome to complain to him and would love to hear from her no matter what but she was afraid if she talked about this that she would bawl all over again and might crash the car.

He was probably busy with his family too but at least they lived nearby so he saw them regularly. Of the few people she trusted enough to potentially call right now, he would likely be the least bothered by the intrusion.

She wiped her eyes and texted him to see if he was available, not sure what she would do if she tried calling him first and it didn't go through. That would somehow be more devastating than getting turned down over text.

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