Cozy Cabin Getaway Ch14

There is a moment of silence. Riley can almost feel her mother’s blood pressure rising.

There’s a bump from the downstairs bathroom, followed by a muffled “Motherfucker!” from Kayla.

“OK,” Riley says, coming to her senses. “We need candles and flashlights and stuff. Mom, you just stay here, OK? I love you.” She kisses Mary’s cheek and gives her the full wine glass, taking her empty one. “We’ll take care of it.”

Mary sits there in the dark as Riley and Michelle get flashlights from the kitchen and start lighting all the decorative candles. There aren’t very many, so they gather them together and put them on the coffee table. The couch is a little crowded with four, but now the heat is off, so the warmth isn’t exactly unwelcome. Riley and Mary are in the middle, and thus the most comfortable. Mostly.

They gaze pitifully at the little collection of candles. There’s not even enough light to read by.

“So, I didn’t hear everything,” Kayla says. “I mean, I did hear everything. Like, my big sister fucking her coach’s brains out. But I didn’t hear the conversation. Are we cool now?”

“Yeah,” Mary says grimly.

“Please tell me someone brought a peace pipe,” Kayla says.

“That’s cultural appropriation,” Riley tells her.

“Shut up, Riley.”

“Yeah, Riley. Shut up,” Michelle says.

“Oh my God.”

Moments pass. Mary makes a weird noise and pulls something from the pocket of her cardigan. It’s a plastic baggie full of gummies.

“Oh, bet! Let’s go!” Kayla throws her hands up. “You had that this whole time?”

“I didn’t know how to get rid of it.”

“You fucking eat them,” Kayla says excitedly.

Mary gives her a reproving look, then turns her gaze on the baggie. She opens it and reaches past Riley to offer it to Michelle.

“Peace pipe?” Michelle asks uncertainly. “Is this a test?”

“I don’t care if it is,” Riley says, plucking one out and gobbling it down.

“Peer pressure. If everyone’s doing it it’s OK,” Michelle says. “I guess that’s not the best thing to say when I’m trying to make a good impression on your mom.”

“I just drank two bottles of blackberry wine. I’m not judging,” Mary says tiredly.

“In that case, don’t mind if I do.” Michelle partakes and Mary goes back to looking at the bag in her hand. Kayla’s eyes are like saucers and she’s vibrating with repressed need. It’s all she can do not to tackle her mother to the ground and wrestle her for the bag.

The seconds stretch. The silence is painful. Expressionlessly, Mary grabs a handful of gummies and stuffs them into her mouth.

“Mom!” Kayla shrieks, horrified.