"William. Xavier. Thompson. Get in here right now!"

Oh dear lord, she's using my full name. My stomach did a somersault; it was an automatic response.

"Yes, Ma'am!" I called as I ran inside.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" my mother all but screeched.

"I— I don't understand. I'm outside playing with my friends?" I phrased it as a question because I wasn't sure that was the answer she wanted.

"Yes, William, I can see that. What is it that you are supposed to be doing?" she asked, hands on hips.

"Umm..."

"Don't 'Umm' me, William. You know that it is Saturday. What do we always do on Saturday?"

I sighed. So, that's what it is. "We clean the house."

"That's right. So, what are you doing outside playing with your friends?"

"Well, you were still asleep and I didn't want to run the vacuum cleaner..." It was the truth, but it sounded lame, even to me.

"Since when do we vacuum first?" she asked. "I swear, William. Sometimes, you are as dumb as a box of rocks. I don't know why I put up with you."

I seethed. I hated it when she insulted me like that. I had straight As. I am not stupid.

"Go strip the beds and gather the laundry," she said, exasperated.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said as I trudged off to her roo, scowling. It didn't seem to dawn on her that I couldn't have done this, either, when she was sleeping.

Mom worked second shift. I had attempted to be thoughtful by going outside and letting her sleep. Apparently, that wasn't appreciated.

"She mad at you again?" Tim asked me when I got off by myself.

"Yeah," I said as I started to pull the comforter off her bed to get at the sheets underneath. Tim was my best friend, but he only came out when I was alone.

"Bitch," he said.

Tim certainly had a way with words.

"So, what are you going to do about it, huh?"

I stiffened. Apparently, Tim's visit was going to be one of those.

"Nothing. I keep telling you that."

"You should do something about it, Will. You know you should."

I decided to ignore Tim. Sometimes, when I did, he went away.

"She's gonna keep at you and keep at you, Will. You know she's gonna. You gotta show her who's boss."

I pulled the fitted sheet off the bed, trying to wish Tim away. He hadn't always been like this. When I was little, he was my constant companion. Then, my dad left and mom started to work a lot. When she changed, Tim changed.

"I'm telling you, you'd be better off if she were gone. Then, it'd just be you and me, buddy."

Somehow, I knew that the voice in my head would bring more trouble than I could handle one day.

"Yeah. Just you and me." He cackled then and I covered my ears. It didn't help.