The next morning, the usual routine.
It started like any other.
A little later than yesterday, today I woke up just a few minutes after 6.
Last night I went to sleep around 10 O'clock. I have already started to adjust to my new sleep schedule and make minor adjustments. Let's just try to keep waking up in the morning, instead of the afternoon.
As the day progressed, I progressed on my continued efforts of gaining experience.
That was until lunch time.
I headed up stairs to the kitchen like always, unaware of the storm brewing upstairs.
I went about my business, you know, making my chicken tenders. Happy go lucky, a skip in my step, even humming a little song in my head.
"What is that in the back yard?" My mom demanded somewhat harshly.
Without looking up, I answered blissfully unaware of her tone. "A StarConnect satellite. I got it on sale, for a whole $200 off. Pretty cool, huh." I responded way too cheerfully for my own good.
I pity my foolish self.
Like a flash bang going off, in a Dereliction of Duty game.
"Why would you buy something like that!? Don't you know what a stupid, narcissistic, evil man Leon Tusk is! He and that fool of a president are ruining this country! They are both racist, sexist, and homophobic!" My mother rattled off like a machine gun.
I could only say I felt like I got hit by a flash bang only for it to wear off to realize I had also been poisoned and was under a poison effect.
Bang! Eeee. Oof. Ah. Eh. Oh.
I was so shell shocked I could only stand there in a daze, completely dumbfounded by this unexpected turn of events.
I felt my head start swimming with the rush of blood to my head, I actually felt a little faint.
She continued without so much as a breath. "How could you give money to a man like that!? Don't you know how bad a person he is! I am appalled, ashamed and disappointed in you. I really don't even know what to say. I am that exasperated. Do you understand? Do you! Well, why aren't you saying anything!?"
There was an eerie silence that permeated the air that caused it to stale and become thick.
But, I truly didn't know what to say, or even where to start.
I managed to stammer, "I just got it to try something."
"Try something? Like what? What could be so interesting that it would warrant giving that man any money!" She raged.
I was struggling with what to say. I have an upgrade ability? No way in heck! She would think that I finally lost it.
"Umm, I don't know? Like the efficiency of running it with the solar panel." I quietly replied.
"You think that's enough? And why couldn't you just Foolgle it? Actually speaking of the solar panel, did you leave it out all night!? What if something happened to it or someone stole it? That is incredibly irresponsible. I would not have expected that from you." Mom said in a huff.
"It was fine, we live in a cul de sac that is surrounded by over 100 hectares of forest. Not to mention we live in the south, and every one of our neighbors has guns. In fact we have guns." I finally managed to make a small argument.
"That may be so but we still shouldn't tempt fate." Mom scolded.
"Yeah, I suppose." I agreed.
Sigh.
My mom sighed before continuing. "You know he's a bed person right?"
"Uh huh."
"Then you won't buy anything from him again right?" She asked in a demanding tone.
"I don't think I'd have a reason to?" I questioned, mainly to leave a moral loophole just in case I need to. Which is weird. I'm not usually this sneaky. I'm slightly Impressed with myself.
"Good. I just don't want to feed into the evil of the world." She said resigning.
After which she turned and walked away, headed back towards her office.
I just turned back to the oven that had been singing for a bit, that it was warmed up.
After throwing the chicken tenders into the oven I made my way back downstairs.
Sitting back in my office, I grumbled silently to myself. I'm a grown man, I'm 25 years old and she still treats me like a child that she can boss around. I know that I kind of act like it; childish. But, I still hate having to tiptoe around the house.
I wish I had enough money to live on my own. However it is impossible to do that around here. The average salary is $45,000 to $55,000. A new home starts at $500,000 around here, and they are not even nice or big houses. They are just crappy mass produced little boxes. Not to mention that the lowest interest rate for a house around here is 7% annually. That is $35,000 a year just interest!
Nobody can afford a house here, so what can I do? Have 1,000 roommates? Not going to happen when I have my current set up at home. I would have to be a fool to do that. Besides, it's not like my mom and I have a bad relationship.
My whole family is very close. My family consists of my mom, Elizabeth, her little brother, Erik, my grandfather, Lance, and finally my grandmother, Nancy.
That's it. My father's side of the family is dead to me. That, though, is a story for another time.
I'm not one to care about politics, and my family doesn't usually place that much emphasis on it either. So I don't really know what that was about. Both my mom and uncle are pretty far on the democratic side, while my grandparents are both a little on the right.
It makes an interesting dynamic, but like I said nobody usually puts that much emphasis on politics. I just try to stay out of the way when the topics come up. Not that they argue, they just lightly talk after dinner sometimes.
While I either keep my head down reading on my phone, or excusing myself to the living room, to read.