Page 20 of Hot Mess

“I’ll leave you girls to your gossip.” Mom closed the door behind her.

Amber stared laser beams at the door. Waiting until she knew my mother wasn’t waiting outside, listening in. I wouldn’t put it past Mom to do that.

After what seemed like forever Amber started talking. “Okay, what gives? How bad was LA? You came home early. And before you try to tell me it was because you were sick, we both know that's complete bullshit.”

I blinked over at her and burst into tears. I buried my face against her shoulder and sobbed. She wrapped her arms around me and made cooing soft sounds. It was hard to hear exactly what she was saying over my own noises. I don’t know how long I cried on Amber's shoulder before I pushed away and wiped at my tears. I grabbed a tissue and blew my nose.

“It was that bad, huh?”

I tried to swallow down my pain and frustration. I ended up having a coughing fit.

“It was worse. So much worse. I got to go to the beach, and my cousins called me Moby Dick. The great white whale because I have no tan, and well.” I gestured at my body.

“They were so passive-aggressive it actually took me a few days to realize they were being mean. I was the epitome of a dorky tourist. Oh, Amber.” I wiped at my tears as if that would make them stop. They hadn’t stopped for days.

“It’s okay, Kayla. You’re home now. I love you. And there is nothing passive about my aggression.”

Amber always made me laugh. Even when I was wallowing in self-pity.

“They really took advantage of my naivety. To them, everything about Los Angeles is boring and normal. They really don’t get how exciting someplace like that is to someone who has never been out of the same freaking county, let alone state. LA is amazing. I needed better tourist guides who weren’t jerks.”

“That bad? Wasn’t your uncle around?”

“Uncle Dave was there but he didn’t care. He didn’t care that Jessie would go out in dresses so short her butt was hanging out. I came back from a party on my own and he asked if I had fun. He didn’t ask why I was back without my cousins. He didn’t ask if everything was okay, but just if I had fun.”

“You got to go to a party in LA?”

“Amber, not the point.”

“I get it. Uncle Dave checked out. Maybe that’s because his kids and you are all adults, and he is letting them be in charge of themselves.”

I covered my face with my hands. She was right. I was so used to being told what to do and how to live, the second I was treated like an adult I reacted as if I was being neglected.

“Okay, so your cousins suck. Why are you home early? You should still be in LA. And don’t you dare say anything about helping your mom get ready for Thanksgiving. You know she already has a turkey in the freezer in your garage. Knowing your mom, she bought three because they were on sale.”

Amber was right, Mom was well prepared for our two days of cooking before the big potluck feast at the Auxiliary Guild. We always did the big community dinner. It was a pitifully small meal for a major feasting holiday if it was just the two of us.

My plane ticket home had been for the weekend before Thanksgiving. If I hadn’t left early, I’d still be in LA. I could have been in LA having lunch with Nick, shopping with Jessie, and eating burritos. I fell in love with burritos.

“Where is the closest burrito place around here? I think I miss the burritos more than anything else”

Amber shrugged, and then started laughing. “Figures you would miss food.”

I glared at her.

“Oh, shut up. You know what I mean. Taco Bell? They have burritos.”

I shook my head. Taco Bell out by the bypass had been my definition of Mexican food for so long. Now that I had authentic, well more authentic than what a fast-food restaurant could do, I didn’t think I could ever go back.

“There’s that El Mariachi place on the other side of the old K-Mart. Have you ever been there?”

I shook my head. Mom was not adventurous when it came to food. And I took after her a little too much. “No, have you?”

Amber jumped out of bed and held her hands out to me. “No, but I think it's time we go.”

She pulled on my arms until I slid out of bed.

“Get dressed, I’ll drive.” She had to drive. I still didn’t have a license.

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