1
Lizzy slammed her foot on the brake for nearly the hundredth time during traffic. A heavy exhale left her nose as she tried to be patient .
“Just stay calm.” Lizzy told herself. “No need to get angry, the hardest part is almost over.”
However, the hardest part was not in fact over. Driving on the interstate 90 in Illinois was always a pain, especially since she had to drive to the O’Hare airport to pick her sister up. Lizzy flipped through the different radio stations and finally found her favorite childhood one, 103.5 KISS FM. She wondered what music would be like in the Chicagoland area now, her hand turning up the volume to get a good listen, but it seems like nothing had changed considering this was a guy singing about his girlfriend again.
Times had never changed in the Chicagoland area or Northwest Indiana, everything has stayed the same, all except her family. Their lives have greatly changed, including hers, some for better and some for worse. Lizzy reminisced the day that her family had found out about the inheritance, some people overjoyed , others confused, but mostly overjoyed to gain a big sum of money. It was almost as if people had forgotten that her grandmother had died, but Lizzy hadn’t, which is why she traveled to Northwest Indiana a few weeks prior to when her siblings were supposed to arrive, to help prepare for the one year anniversary of her grandmother’s death.
Lizzy drummed her thumbs on the steering wheel as she noticed traffic began to clear up, the music changing to a more upbeat and ‘summer fun’ type song despite it being November and freezing. She was just driving down this highway a little bit of a week ago to leave the O’Hare airport herself. Lizzy had just flown in from the John F. Kennedy International airport in New York, and before that flew from the Birmingham Airport in England. It was a lot of traveling, but she knew the consequences when she moved away from family a year ago to live in Great Britain.
Her foot slammed the brakes suddenly once again thanks to an Illinois driver cutting her off, she was tempted to slam her fist on the horn and let her car do the talking, but instead Lizzy just let it be.
“I don’t miss Illinois drivers.” Lizzy casually told herself to cope with the near collision and her anger towards the idiot driver.
There wasn’t much Lizzie missed about home at all, sure she missed her family, but as this year passed by and all of their lives changed they all grew more distant with each other, almost like strangers. Although, she wouldn’t pick up any regular stranger from the airport, especially the O’Hare airport.
“Siri, show me the way to the Chicago O’Hare airport.” She said to her phone, one that she had bought many years ago and hasn’t gotten an upgrade since.
Lizzie followed the GPS system to the confusing route into the O’Hare airport terminals to pick up people arriving from their flights. What a relief, this will finally be done soon. She drove down the designated terminal trying to find her sister. She parked, and waited, and waited, until an employee in a light green vest came over to her window, shouting over the loud horns and engines of different cars, telling her that she cannot park here and has to continue to drive in a circle. Lizzie listened to the woman’s orders and decided to drive around again trying to not get hit as she pulled herself back into traffic.
Round and round in circles did Lizzie go around the terminals of the O’Hare airport. She tried to call her sister, but there was no answer to her phone, and she couldn’t try and text her either, in Illinois calling her while driving was pushing it as is.
“Where is she?” Lizzie asked herself after the fifth drive around in her car.
After the seventh drive around the O’Hare merry-go-round, Lizzy spotted Laura. She was standing on the curb with her Yves Saint Lauren luggage. She looked as if she were being painted in a family portrait . She plopped into the passenger seat. Lizzy could hear glass clinking in Laura’s jacket pocket. She pulled out one of the small Cîroc shots. “Saucy .” Lizzy mumbled in a low tone.
Laura Twisted the cap off and downed the shot. “Hey Lizzy. Still driving that same shitty car? Good ol’ Blue. I just purchased the new Range Rover.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Blue. So, why would I buy another car? That to me is a waste of money.
“Okay, but I’m sure it will cost a lot of money to ship it to England.”
“It wasn’t as much as a new Range Rover. I usually help the hungry, sick, and homeless . You should come out with me sometime.”
“Nope, I will leave the charity cases to you. I just came back from Rome, and I flew first class. I am not in the mood to be doing any labor.” Laura pulled another glass bottle from her pocket and put the bottle up to her mouth.
“We didn’t always have money. That could’ve been us!” Shouted Lizzy .
“Well, grandma made sure it wasn’t us. I honor her by enjoying my life to the fullest.”
“You think spending all this unnecessary money is what grandma would’ve wanted?”
“Why do you have to always be the noble one. The perfect daughter, granddaughter, and person. No one can live up to the righteous Lizzy, so why even try .”
“You only think about yourself. You won’t even take time out of your day to possibly save someone’s life. Grandma saved our lives. She could’ve left us nothing. You’re a real spoiled brat.” The car was filled with awkward silence and tension. Laura crossed her arms and looked out the window. Her eyes focused on the graffiti painted viaducts down I-94, and storefronts. Lizzy was focusing on the speedometer, as if the numbers were a part of her meditation process. She finally gave in and broke the silence. “Look, I don’t want to fight. Let’s just make it through this weekend, for grandma.”
Laura smirked as if she won the fight, “Okay.”
“Want to stop and get an Italian ice?”
“Yeah, it’ll go great with my Ciroc.” They pulled into the parking lot of Maxwells . Laura volunteered to go inside. Lizzy kept the car running. As soon as Laura made it into the restaurant, Lizzy belted a scream. “Ugh she is such a BRAT!” This whole family is messed up Lizzy thought to herself. She knew her family would never be normal, but at least before the money they had each other. Is this why grandma never told anyone about the money? Maybe she knew what it would do to us.
Laura opened the door and passed her two-lemon flavored Italian ices, both with bright red plastic spoons sticking out. Lizzy took the cups and Laura dropped in seat and slammed the door. Lizzy passed Laura hers first. She then poured a shot into the cup and mixed it.
“You are drinking an awful lot. Are you okay? You can always talk to me .”
“I need a drink to deal with this family.”
Lizzy could sense something, but she let it go. She turned on to the highway and began going with the flow of traffic. She knew by the exit signs they were almost to grandma’s house.
“Look, Saucy, this weekend isn’t about me, you or Matty. Okay? This weekend is about honoring grandma’s memory. So don’t be the spoiled entitled ungrateful brat .”
Laura scrolled through her new iPhone ignoring Lizzy. She drove up the long-heated driveway and parked at the big crimson colored door.
The house was large. It was more like an estate than a home. “Did grandma really live here alone?” wondered the sisters. They had never seen the regal estate before, since their grandmother always came to visit— and eventually lived with them once she became too old and their mother insisted she move in. Lizzy and Laura both sat in the car gawking at the large white colonial house with its ionic columns and manicured lawns. Although November had stripped most of the plants of their leaves, it was clear that the mansion had been well kept. The walkway and door were framed by red rose bushes, grandma’s favorite flower. All that was left was prickly branches, leafless and bloomless until spring would come again.
Lizzy looked at the spiny branches and remembered grandma, how excited she was when she moved in with them, and then her slow decline in health over the years. Lizzy had spent them helping her mom to take care of grandma.
“Red roses were grandma’s favorite” Lizzy half mumbled out loud.
“She’s got— er, had great taste! This place is seriously impressive, even to my standards” said Laura. Laura wasn’t much for gardening but could appreciate stylish landscaping. “Look at this place, Lizzy! Its huge and beautiful, why the fuck haven’t we been here before?”
Lizzy ignored her question, and smirked thinking about how Lizzy was so easily impressed by shining things— like a racoon. The thought made her laugh a little.
“What’s so funny?” asked Laura.
“Nothing, Saucy, but don’t you think it’s weird how nice it is? Grandma hasn’t been here for a while and I don’t think Mom has moved out of our old house…”.
“Don’t question the good things” said Laura as she took another shot from her pocket. She twisted the cap off, threw it onto the floor of ol’ Blue and downed the contents .
Before Lizzy could ask again about the drinking Laura has unbuckled herself and left the car with a little excited hop and a slam of the door. Laura sighed, killed the engine and followed behind Laura up to the impossibly large front door. Without knocking or any sign of hesitation Laura opened the door and let herself in, walking into the corridor of the warm house, loudly announcing her presence. She had left the door open , and Lizzy made sure to close it tightly after entering herself.
The house glowed with a warmth and smelled sweet like apples and cinnamon. Lizzy stepped further into the house, admiring the chandelier white marble floors. Suddenly she was puln from her day dreams by the sound of her mothers voice. “Elizabeth!” a familiar voice called out to her— but clearer than she remembered it. Without the grain of a telephone. Anne stepped around the corner and began rushing down the long persian runner with her arms outstretched. The two embraced and Lizzy felt even warmer in her mothers arms than when she had first stepped into the house
. Laura interrupted their embrace with a needy tone “I’m hungry, when’s dinner?”. Lizzy refrained from giving a glare in the presence of her mother. It was easier to ignore Laura when their mom was around, she felt more content then she had in a very long time. “Oh Saucy, can’t you wait a minute you both just got back, lets talk for a while” she said. “Mom, you know I love you, but the plane ride was long and I haven’t eaten in hours!” replied Laura. Lizzy, still clinging to her mother, kissed her cheek and said “let’s feed little Saucy and we can talk over dinner”.
Anne laughed, patted Laura and began leading the girls down an even longer hallway and to the left. The room they entered was on the frontside of the house but the walk made it seem miles away. Through an arched doorway they entered a sizely dining room with a long gold colored tablecloth. On top of the tablecloth were an assortment of crystal glasses, embroidered napkins and elegant looking dishes and silverware. At the head of the large table— which could easily seat ten— was a framed painted portrait of Anne and her late husband. “Mom, you didn’t have to do all of this for us,” said Lizzy. “Oh sweetie, I had help , have a seat, there is an amazing dinner waiting for you ” said Anne. Confused, Lizzy had begun to inquire what ‘help’ her mother meant but before she could ask a man and a woman appeared in through the doorway carrying a wine bottle and an ornate looking serving dish. The ‘help’ which Anne had referred to were Bernice and John. They had been hired by grandma Elizabeth decades ago, and were responsible for the estate. The sisters would learn all of this and more, over fine wine and a delicious eight course meal.
The year was 1983 and Lizzy was a young, only child at this point. It was a brisk fall day nearing towards winter and she held a bit of malcontent at her mother for having gotten pregnant and the fact that she would soon have a younger sibling. “I don’t want to see Grandma for thanksgiving!” she exclaimed to her mother in the family Cutlass. “Darling, she loves you and it’s a holiday, it is important to visit with relatives on holidays,” Anne replied. Lizzie pouted and gripped her stuffed kitty cat tightly as if the strength she used was a projection of her anger at her mother. She looked out the window as the lights from the shops on the street skated by like streaks on a pane of glass. She wondered what this gathering was going to be like. “Mom!” She yelled, “Where are we going?” “We’re going to a restaurant to meet Grandma and aunt Cathy.” Anne Replied. Lizzie imagined a large table with candy and snacks all set up for them with plenty of juice and fun things to do.
As her imagination wandered as to how the events of the night would take place, they pulled into the parking lot of a Bennigan’s Irish Pub. “Moooommmmmmmmm!!!!!!! I Hate Bennigans!!!!!! Can’t we go somewhere else?!” she cried as tears began rushing down her face. Her mother ignored this childish response and instead of consoling her daughter opened the car doors and began removing Lizzie from the back seat. With her legs flailing around in her mother’s arms she began to throw a temper tantrum. Her mother stopped in the middle of the parking lot and set her daughter down on the pavement. “Listen here, you little brat, I am not going to put up with that kind of attitude on an occasion like this. You are going to be on your best behavior for grandma and aunt Cathy. If you behave we can go get dessert afterwards.” Lizzie seemed delighted at the prospect of ice cream so she complied with her mother’s wishes.
They were sat at a booth towards the far middle end of the restaurant and it was only them and Cathy that had arrived on time. “Where’s mom?” asked Anne to Cathy. “I’ve no clue, she said she would be here..” just as she said this, Elizabeth walked up to the table. “So sorry im late, I was doing my makeup and then there was traffic, how are you kids? Happy Thanksgiving!” Cathy mentioned, “Well technically, thanksgiving isn’t for another three days..” As the adults continued their greetings, Lizzie kept steady focus on her crayon drawing with the provided tools left by the hostess . “And how are you my sweet Lizzie girl?” asked her grandmother. “I’m good” Exclaimed Lizzie as she went back to her drawing after a big hug and a sloppy smooch on the cheek. The dinner went on smoothly without a hitch and just as promised, Anne took Lizzie out for ice cream afterwards. Aunt Cathy came along.
“Look at my sundae!” Lizzie excitedly said to her aunt, “very nice! I’m sure it’s quite tasty!” She replied. They all talked for a while and made their goodbyers. “It was so nice to see you, Lizzie! I hope you have a good holiday.” “Thanks Aunty Cathy! You as well!” They all hugged and kissed goodbye. Little did they know, this would be the last time they ever see aunt Cathy .
“Bzzzzzzzzzzt ” Matty’s phone buzzed for the third time since he woke up.
“Shit, where is my damn phone”, Matty said while ripping pillows off the couch. He knew that this was an alarm and not a phone call because of the immediate headache he got from the noise. The last cushion was pulled off the couch and with it Matty’s phone. Matty winced as his phone smacked the ground. “Not another crack”, he said while picking up the phone and slowly turning it over. “Thank god,” Matty sighed, relieved that there were no new cracks to his already near shattered phone.
The alarm was still going off and was named Family Dinner . At the sight of this title Matty rushed to the door not even worrying about a jacket. He was at least an hour and a half late to the first full Family Dinner since his grandma passed away and Laura got her indefinite vacation fund . As Matty closed the door to his car he looked in the rearview mirror and saw a cop car pass by. He thought no need to speed now I’m already late and definitely don’t want to get pulled over high.
Matty drove as legally as possible and mentally prepared himself for seeing his family. This past year has been very straining his relationships with his siblings. Lizzy had always been preachy and judgmental, but after their Grandma passed Matty felt that she had gotten much worse. The way Matty saw it Lizzy was trying to control how he and Laura spent their inheritance. But Laura wasn’t much better. Instead of being on a moral high horse Laura’s high horse was fitted with the finest saddle and had been all over Europe just like Laura.
Mattys thoughts were cut off by a sharp pain in his temples. The alarm must not have been the only thing causing his headache. He slapped his hands down on his jean pockets. “Fuck”, he yelled, they were empty. He then started digging through all the garbage in his cup holder. At the bottom there was one pill and it was covered in grease and little dirt but Matty did not care one bit and popped it in his mouth .
As he parked his car in front of the house he took a minute to prepare himself. He flipped his sun visor down and checked his eyes. They were not too red which he explained with the nap that made him late. He put on a little cologne to mask the smell of weed and finally felt ready to face his family.
As he was walking up the driveway he realized that he forgot a jacket and held himself to try and keep warm. Thankfully the curtains to the front room were left open because the light from inside the house was the source illuminating the walk way. Matty thought to himself that it was weird that the outside lights were off as if they were not expecting anyone else. As he got closer to the window he peered inside to see that no one was in the living room. This was surprising because where else would the family be hanging out? That’s when Matty had a realization and checked the window on the other side of the front door. When he looked in he saw his family sitting around the dinner table talking, laughing, and eating. They clearly had not waited for him at all. This really hurt Matty . He was once again the forgotten child that was never anyone’s main focus. He had forgotten all about the cold while watching his family be completely happy without him.
“Bzzzzzzzzt” His phone went off again, this time it was a text. It was a text from Lizzy that said, Where are you at?” Why can’t you ever be on time? This pulled Matty out of his trace and he noticed the goosebumps and shivering. He was too cold to spend any more time sulking outside. He took a deep breath and grabbed the freezing door knob and walked in and immediately felt the warmth of the home. He didn’t know if the warmth was from the furnace or a happy family.