When Cigarettes Burn

*This story features strong family conflict, and smoking. This also mentions briefly about prison, theft, cheating, addiction, and bullying.*

“So did you do it?”

“Huh?”

“Did you seriously forget?”

“Uhm… I don’t know…? I went to work, then I came home. I don’t think I was missing

anything…,”

“Daniel.”

“Hm?”

“Daniel…,”

“What is it? Spit it out, Elizabeth.”

“You forgot to pick up Charlie from school.”

“...oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you have to say? Geez, Daniel. I’m halfway across the country for a meeting, and the one thing you say is ‘oh’ for forgetting to pick up your own son.”

“It wasn’t like that, Elizabeth…,”

“How do you forget?! I leave you with him for two weeks, and the next thing I know you’re forgetting to pick him up at school.”

“Elizabeth–,”

“This is the thing with you, Daniel. You’re always so forgetful, and I have to do everything because you forget! You don’t write anything down, and oh… where is Charlie now?! Where is he? I’m calling Laura.”

“Elizabeth! Wait.”

“What?!”

“I did not forget to pick up Charlie. I will never forget, Elizabeth, you have to know that.”

“Yes you did. You just told me you forgot.”

“I did not forget to pick up Charlie because he never went to school.”

“What is he sick? You should’ve called me if he was sick.”

“Christ, Elizabeth. Charlie is sixteen. He’s not a toddler anymore.”

“He’s with you, of course I would be worried about him. You were in prison for the past five years.”

“That doesn’t mean I won’t protect Charlie. I love him as much as you do, Elizabeth. I’m different now, and I want to get to know the kid. He’s my son too.”

“Yeah, you come crawling back into my life.”

“I… are you smoking?”

“Why does it matter?”

“I thought you quit.”

“I’m different now.”

“You get mad at me for things I do, then you turn around and do the same thing. You were always like that…,”

“Say it then, Daniel. Say what’s on your mind, I really want to know.”

“You already know, so there’s no point in me saying anything.”

“No. No, I don’t think I do. Refresh my memory, Daniel. Once upon a time you were an algebra professor. Lecture me.”

“You’re immature. Why bring up my past?”

“There it is.”

“Don’t do the chuckling at me, Elizabeth. And for your information, I got a new job, and that’s where I’ve been all bloody day.”

“You say I’m immature yet I wasn’t the one who was caught stealing a car.”

“Are you serious?!”

“You stole it off the dealership premises!”

“I was in a different state of mind! My brother was going through addictions, I was fired from my job, and you slashed my tires! Don’t you dare say that I was immature. You cheated on me more than once, and you lied to me about money countless times. Don’t you ever say I’m immature.”

“And I could’ve left Charlie with somebody else. He’s probably having the time of his life since you let him stay home from school.”

“Don’t you scoff at me. Do you even talk to him?!”

“Oh, I talk to him, don’t you worry.”

“Really? Really, Elizabeth?”

“That stupid sighing of yours, the most annoying sound in the world.”

“Who cares?! Do you actually know your son?!”

“Daniel, for months he’s been begging me to let him see you.”

“You know that I could’ve picked him up. Why did you not want him to see me? Hm? Or is it because you can’t get out of that narcissistic headspace of yours?”

“Shove off.”

“You know why I let him stay home today, Elizabeth? Go on. Take an educated guess all because you own an insurance company.”

“He’s sick. Charlie gets colds easily, and it’s around the corner of flu season.”

“You’re actually wrong, Elizabeth.”

“Then what?! Two weeks, and now you’re an expert? What do you know about my son that I don’t know already?!”

“Elizabeth, he’s being bullied.”

“What?!”

“I let him stay home. I’m going to the school tomorrow.”

“Excuse me?! Ever since when is Charlie being bullied?! He never said anything. He’s a straight a-student, and loves going to school. Are you serious, right now?!”

“Christ, Elizabeth. Maybe if you actually talked to him instead of going on expensive business trips, then maybe you’d learn that he isn’t that eleven year old boy anymore.”

“What is he being bullied for? I just… I just don’t get it. Why would he tell you, and not me?!”

“He told me it’s because he wants to be on the cheer squad. Kids are cruel these days, Elizabeth.”

“The… the what?!”

“Kids tell him nasty things, and he just doesn’t want to go to school anymore. I can’t sit around and do nothing. I lost five years with him, I want to make things right. So I’m going straight to that school tomorrow morning, and give people a piece of my mind.”

“My son is being bullied…,”

“I don’t want Charlie to be like me. I want to see him graduate, and not have to worry about what some twerp says.”

“You think I’m invisible?”

“What?”

“You think that I don’t want the same?! He’s my son too. You always make it seem like I’m the bad guy.”

“That’s not what I was saying.”

“Yes it was, Daniel. You’re making me the fool in this conversation.”

“I wasn’t making you seem like anything. Charlie told me that all he wants is quality time with you, does that seem like you’re the bad guy?!”

“I do spend quality time with him. I make him dinner, and I drive him places.”

“You’re on calls the whole time. When was the last time you watched a movie with him? Or watched one of his basketball games? Or even took him out to ice cream?! He’s looking for a mother, not a mentor, Elizabeth.”

“Don’t you tell me how to parent. You’re not in charge of my life.”

“Elizabeth. I’ve known you since college. You’re getting defensive because you know I’m right.”

“Ugh, I’m out of cigarettes.”

“That’s my point. You don’t change.”

“I don’t take advice from you anymore.”

“Elizabeth, don’t do it for me. Do it for Charlie. You also want him to be happy… communication with him would be the best way to start.”

“I’m getting another call.”

“Sure… sure.”

“...doesn’t he like that… space wars or something…?”

“As a matter of fact… Charlie loves it.”