"Gwen."

"Yes mother."

"Can you come down to the basement?"

"No."

"Now."

"Fine." I marched down into the basement, fanning myself off with a magazine. For a May day, it was extremely hot and the basement was a welcomed cool oasis

Walking downstairs, I saw mom in the corner of the bar we have downstairs. She was doing shots and had a big pile of bills next to her. And about 30 of my final warning, failing grades, or failed tests in her hands, "Gwen. What happened?" She looked up, tears in her eyes, "What the hell happened?"

"Mom... I really tried my best it's just so hard. The kids keep being insensitive and the teachers are so mean. And just-"

"Gwendolyn."

I acted all innocent and wrung my hands, "I really tried this time mom."

"Did you really try on this test?" One test that had a big red 'F' on it was slammed onto the bar's countertop, "How about this one?"-slam-"Or this one?"-slam-"Maybe this?"-slam-"Or could it be this one..?"-slam-"Nope."-slam-"No"-slam-"Effort"-slam-"Whatsoever."-slam-"Do you get my point on how shitty your work is Gwendolyn?"

I was about to speak and yell at her, when I bit my tongue. If I get some crap on her later I can body slam her with a shit load of hurt, "Yes Ma'am."

"Go away." She shooed me away

"Um mom?"

"What?!" She looked up, downing another shot of vodka

"Umm..."

"Just spit it out Gwen."

"Well do you remember when things got bad and you were tired of my excuses and you just finally snapped and said okay, if you get another bad grade-"

"I'll send you to boarding school."

"Yea.... Are you still gonna do that....?"

"I don't know Gwen. We're a little tight on money...." She turned and made a shooing motion with her hands as to say, leave

So I did a little curtsy and went upstairs into the heat.