Free Cheating to Survive (Fix It or Get Out) by Christine Ardigo Page A

sick. Jean had no problem pulling her dietitians from their floors to prepare food in the kitchen when it involved schmoozing administration. Hairnets, gloves and plastic aprons reminded Catherine of her first job working the tray line in a nursing home. She loved her clinical role, and playing with hors d’oeuvres when her patients needed her tensed her body. Her jaw would certainly hurt in the morning.
    She steered into her driveway, turned off the ignition and collapsed into the car seat. Catherine nudged her bag of half-eaten baby carrots yearning for something more satisfying. Her insides roared, craving stimulation.
    Did Peter save leftovers for her? She opened the door and slogged into the den.
    Peter paced the room, cell phone in hand, homework tossed in bunches, unmatched sneakers littered the floor, the smell of popcorn wafted through the air. Peter hollered into the phone and dug his nails into his black gelled hair. Catherine retreated into the kitchen eager to fling even a morsel of food into her mouth. Her arms dangled beside her but there appeared no reason to raise them. Only abandoned popcorn bowls with worthless kernels dotted the counter tops.
    Emily skipped into the kitchen still in her school clothes. “Hi mommy.” She reached up to give Catherine a tight hug.
    “What are you doing up? You should’ve been in bed a half hour ago.”
    “Playing with Colton and Bentley. Daddy bought them a new video game, Demon Brain Hunters. ”
    “That sounds…horrible.” Catherine marched into Bentley’s room where the two of them sat collectively on his bed, game controllers in their hands.
    “Why aren’t you two in your pajamas and in bed?” They ignored her, fingers flying wildly, faces scrunched like dried fruit. “I want you in bed now. You have school tomorrow. Did you do your homework?” Nothing.
    Catherine twisted back to Emily. “What did the three of you have for dinner?”
    “Popcorn,” Emily whispered.
    She grabbed Emily’s hand and led her to her room. “Pajamas, now.” She returned to Bentley’s room, extended her arm and ripped out a few wires, uncertain what they were. The screen went black.
    “Hey, what’d you do that for?” Bentley screamed.
    “It’s time for bed.”
    “Dad bought it for us, it’s none of your business.” Colton chimed in.
    “I’m your mother and it is my business. Colton, go in your room, Bentley, lights off.”
    Catherine stormed back in to Emily’s room where she found her perched on the end of her bed buttoning her Cinderella pajama top. She sat down, wrapped her arm around her and pulled her in tight. Catherine’s hunger vanished, no longer desiring anything. “What did your dad buy you?” she asked.
    “Nothing.” Emily played with the fuzz on her pajama pants. “He said I was too young for the video game.”
    Of course she was too young, but he could have bought her something else. “Don’t worry, the two of us will go shopping this weekend, that’ll fix everything.”
    “No it won’t. It never does. All you do is shop, shop, shop.”
    Catherine’s heart shriveled into a hollow lump. Clearly, Emily was tired. She knew Emily loved shopping as much as she did. What girl doesn’t like pretty new things? It made Catherine happy, and the other mothers eyed her possessions at the meetings. She was finally fitting in.
    She tucked Emily into bed and read The Giving Tree. Halfway through, she felt like the foolish tree. Cooking and cleaning, running to school functions, volunteering as Emily’s class mom. There would be nothing left of her. What was she getting out of all of this?
    She left Emily’s room and searched the house for Peter. She found him in the garage smoking a cigarette. “Hey,” he grinned.
    Catherine wanted to yell. She wanted to tell him how she really felt, but knew the repercussions would be worse. The arguments they had over the past year, shriveled her self-confidence into a forgotten raisin. A pounding vibration