Every Lesson Learned: Chapter Five - 1st October, 2015

Note: I was going to write the whole story before posting it but after rewriting chapter one l decided to post it as I go. Rewriting the first chapter made it necessary to rework the follow-up chapters almost in their entirety. It's a pain in the ass but I hope the story will end up better for it. In the original version I wrote had myself into a corner. I really hope I can avoid doing the same thing again.

"So, who was that?" Mom asked when I hung up the phone.

"Ms. Lee," I said, heading for the door. My stomach was a knot and I couldn't think of anything other than getting over to Ms. Lee's as fast as I possibly could.

"And where do you think you're going, Missy?"

I stopped and turned back to look at Mom. "To Ms. Lee's, don't wait up for me."

"You're not going anywhere," Mom insisted, "not when we have a family situation still unresolved."

I turned my back on her. "I'm sure you and Dad can scream at each other without my help. I'm leaving."

I only got a couple steps before I was grabbed by the arm and violently yanked around to see Mom's furious scowl. "I said you're not going anywhere!"

I jerked my arm out of her grasp. "And I said I am!" I matched her look of anger with my own expression of fury. My guts were a twisted mass of raw nerves. Something was wrong with Ms. Lee and I needed to see her immediately. At that moment Mom was nothing more than an unwelcome distraction and an obstacle blocking me from the only thing I could think about.

"Summer, sit down."

I backed away from her. "No." My fists were tightly clenched and I realized that I was getting ready to hit her. I took a deep breath and stepped back from her in an attempt to calm down. "Ms. Lee said something big happened and she really needs to talk to me right now."

"Some sort of lawncare emergency?" Mom said, scoffing. "Well, whatever it is it can wait until tomorrow."

I shook my head. "No, it can't. Whatever it is, it's really important." Ms. Lee's voice had a sense of urgency that I was sure wasn't faked. I didn't know for certain what the important news was but I could guess. There weren't many possibilities that would warrant a call to my house late in the evening.

Mom gave me a long hard look. "Okay then," she finally said.

I heaved a sigh of relief.

"We'll all go."

That brought me up short. Having the whole family tag along was not an improvement. I had a sinking feeling I knew exactly what Ms. Lee needed to tell me and it wasn't something I wanted anyone to find out. Mom in particular. Unfortunately, Mom was obviously suspicious and for good reason.

I shook my head in refusal. "No, it's something between me and Ms. Lee. It doesn't have anything to do with you."

"You're still in high school," Mom said. "Anything going on with you most certainly involves me."

"But-"

A hand on my shoulder cut me off. "This is probably the best deal you're going to get from your mother," Dad said as she squeezed my shoulder gently. Whether in warning or reassurance I wasn't sure.

"I don't have to go, do I?" Autumn asked from where she was still sitting in the loveseat.

"Are you part of this family?" Mom asked.

"Well, I guess," Autumn muttered.

"You don't know?" Mom replied. "Well, I'll have to give you a reason to figure it out when we get back home."

The four of us filed out of the house and headed to the driveway. Autumn had a hangdog look that I know I mirrored, although our reasons were quite different. Whatever it was that Ms. Lee needed to tell me I was pretty sure I didn't want an audience for it. I suspected that Ms. Lee wouldn't want one either.

As to what the big news was I could only speculate but I had an idea I knew what it was. I knew if I was right there would probably be a massive family firefight and it would happen right in front of Ms. Lee. Worse than that; Ms. Lee would be an active participant. After all, if I was right she would be part of the family.

Well, her and I would be fam

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