Divided (Enlightened) by Billie Kowalewski

Author:Billie Kowalewski [Kowalewski, Billie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: k'12
Publisher: Billie Kowalewski
Published: 2018-01-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

December 5, 1971

Today is my thirteenth birthday. (Well, technically it’s tomorrow.) It’s Saturday, December fifth, and Mémé has surprised me by taking me and my friends, Evelyn and Leslie, to Moodus Family Fun Center to do a little roller skating.

For obvious reasons, I just couldn’t come here. I wasn’t ready, so I’ve been avoiding it for the last four years.

I’ve come to learn that my Mémé can be quite devious at times when it comes to getting what she wants, or getting people to do things that she wants them to. Even when they insist they don’t want to. She has been known to actually claim that she really does know everything.

She has tried on several occasions to make me go to Moodus Family Fun Center, but I just couldn’t do it.

Normally, for my birthday she comes over to my house for dinner, or we go over to hers. Then after dinner she gives me my gift. This time she’s done things a little different. Today she went as far as picking up my friends this morning, and then driving them to my house just to give me my gift. When they all stood around me insisting I open the darn thing right then and there, I knew something was up. When I opened the gift, I discovered a brand new shiny pair of white roller skates with yellow wheels. A small part of me wanted to chuck the skates at all of them.

But instead, I controlled my anger and I surrendered. I give up. There really is no winning a tug-o-war with my Mémé, especially when she brings an army.

Mom, Katie, and I are no longer living with my Mémé and Grandpa. We haven’t been living there for a little over two years. Mom has rented us a quaint three bedroom cape in a small neighborhood right next to Moodus reservoir. The place is okay, I guess. I do like having my own room. I can’t say I miss sharing a bed with my sister―she steals the covers. But I did think it was a little unfair that she gave Katie the bigger bedroom. “She needs the extra space for her upright,” Mom told me.

I miss living there. I’ve grown very close to both of my grandparents. It can be hard at times, living with Mom and Katie. Mom has never been easy for me to live with, and the older Katie gets the more like my mother she seems to become.

Nowadays, my mother dotes on my sister’s every wish. If Katie wants something, my mother gets it for her. If Katie doesn’t want to do something, she doesn’t have to. Often enough (pretty much every day), I’m stuck doing Katie’s chores because she’s special. My sister’s musical talent has really become a thorn in my side. When I’m not doing all the chores in the house, I’m in my room, with the door closed. I have to say it may be small, but it’s my own personal heaven.

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