Eleven Years Too Soon
The music faded into another song as Mandy laughed lightly, moving away from the small group of people she had been visiting, allowing her hand to slide down that of her old nursing partner. Sighing out, wanting to go to the bar and get a drink to wet her parched throat, she manuevered her way through crowds of people dancing, talking, and drinking. Every so often she would stop to say something to someone, whether it be to laugh at a joke or to thank them for coming. By the time she had made it to a clearing, the bar within sight, she felt a sigh of relief, almost as if she had made it out of a minefield without injury.
Stepping up to the counter of the bar that had been set up, she bit her lower lip, glancing at the small menu sitting on the counter, not sure if she should have another sex on the beach or champagne. Going with the latter she thanked the hire on bartender and turned around to lean her elbows on the edge. Her eyes scanned the backyard, the hanging lights casting a beautiful golden hue, echoing the warmth of the night and the calm breeze. As she stood there, basking in the festivities and the happiness of the day, a grin constantly playing on her lips, Mandy titled her head, watching someone off in the distance talking very exaggeratedly.
"I didn't get you a gift, I hope you don't care." A voice to her left brought her out of her daze, her happiness slowly disipating as she recognized the drunken voice. Her face fell to something that resembled shock, if not horror. Slowly, cautiously, Mandy turned her gaze to a woman wearing a black sequined dress, her hair curled professionally, yet slightly tossled from whatever it was the woman had gotten into. The champagne glass in her hand was full, surprisingly, and the finger that tapped it made Mandy nervous.
"What are you doing here?" She questioned the lady, her dark eye makeup slightly smudged from crying, or just because it was poorly done. The woman lifted her chin, a grin pursing her rouged lips as she slid down the edge of the bar, stopping mere inches away from Mandy, who now stood in a very protective stance. The woman's chocolate colored eyes scanned Mandy and she could feel them judging her in the moment of silence. As a low laugh escaped her lips, she took a drink, raising her eyebrows as she peered off into the crowd.
"Well, you sent me an invitation, why else?" She answered as she swallowed. Mandy turned to face her completely, clenching her jaw as she tried to harden her exterior.
"I sent it as a courtesy, I didn't think you'd actually show up." The bitterness in Mandy's voice was venomous, as was her stare that shot the woman daggers.
"Mandy, I had to come and see what fool of a man would put up with you for the rest of their life. Which, by the way, will be short. We all know how you put people in an early grave." The bitterness the woman shot back at her as she took a messy drink of her drink made Mandy's blood turn cold. Her eyes scanned her once more, praying to god she wasn't real and that this was just a horrible day dream. "A paramedic, Mandy? Really? Is that what your father and I taught you?" The dark eyes that collided with her own seemed to flash red, the lights bouncing off the onyx hues and almost mimicking the fiery pits of hell.
"Mum, the only thing you ever taught me was how to not live my life." The drunk snort, followed by a slosh of the woman's drink made Mandy jumped back as to not get anything on the white dress she had put on after the ceremony.
"Mandy, you are no better than I am. You fucked half the damn island, or so I hear."
"Yeah? And whom do you know here to get said information? Last time I checked you were too busy slagging around London and keeping away from mutants. I am actually surprised you are allowing yourself to step onto this island!"
"What? And miss my loving, doting, caring daughter's wedding?" Mandy set her jaw as the woman spoke, the drunken voice as annoying in person as it was on the phone.
"You probably came in hopes of free alcohol, it already appears you have had more than your fill." Reaching out to grab the glass, not wanting things to get out of hand for her mother had a talent of causing scenes, she quickly retracted, stumbling back slightly out of Mandy's reach.
"Mandy Christina Lynn Webber, how dare you act like you are any better than me. Should I go find Robert and introduce myself to him?"
"And what? Let him see what a drunken whore looks like up close and personal?"
"No," she responded angrily. "To show him what you are going to be in a few years." For a long moment the two stared at each other, Mandy's heart hammering in her chest as she tried to fight the urge to punch the woman in front of her, trying to keep this conversation as civil as it could get.
"I hate to disappoint you, Mum, but I will always be better than you." The words Mandy spoke fell on deaf ears as the woman rolled her eyes dramatically, taking a long drink of her champagne. Setting the glass down she grabbed the one Mandy had ordered, something she always did. Once she finished a drink, she was grabbing for another.
"Whether you like it or not, you are like me." Mandy watched her mother with intent eyes, judging her harshly for not only showing up without warning, but already drinking to the point where she was stringing her words together and stumbling slightly. "You are a Webber-"
"Was, Mum, was."
"Oh, piss off, Mandy! You will never amount to anything and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you and Robert can get this stupid thing annulled. Come to think of it, what did you do to coerce him into matrimony? We both know you are as faithful as a fucking cat in heat. You pregnant? Wouldn't surprise me if you were!" The jumbled thoughts that kept being flung from the woman's mouth was testing Mandy's patience, let alone her ability to be calm. They hadn't seen one another in over eleven years, and this was how they greeted each other? With anger? Mandy figured it was fitting for the last time they exchanged a glance was her being left at the airport. Slitting her eyes, Mandy stepped as close to her as she could, gripping her naked arm and jerking her close, the champagne spilling slightly.
"You keep telling yourself that so you can somehow feel less of a failure. You never wanted to be alone, Mum, but you coming here today should only make you realize that you will be. I am the one who will be surrounded by people. Whether it is with Robert, my son Jasper, or the many people here whom I call my friends. I have more company and more family than you will ever have in your poor, pitiful excuse of a life.
"You will be sitting in your McMansion drinking your alcohol, smoking your cigarettes, crying your eyes out. Not only that, but you will be doing it all alone." Her words came out harshly, all the hate and anger she had for the woman seeping through her pores. Her hand grew warm from that anger, her fingertips sparking slightly as she found herself becoming emotional, her abilities starting to suffer. The hate she had crept slowly in between the ridges of her fingerprint and onto the cold skin of Thomasina Webber, the woman Mandy held no respect for, letting her know once and for all how she truly felt.
"You're going to finish your drink, you'll go congratulate Robert on making me happy and then you will leave this island without incident. You will get on that ferry, go back to California and onto a plane that takes you back to England. You will never come here again, you'll never speak to my son and you will never, ever ruin my life anymore." Swallowing she clenched her jaw, watching as the woman slightly cowered with every word she spoke. Leaning in, her face very close to that of her mother's she nodded.
"Have a nice life." Staring at her she saw the woman's expression shift to fear, something that gave Mandy great satisfaction. "Those words sound familiar, Mum? They should. You said them to Dad, who by the way is here and having a lovely time! But you also said them to me, your daughter, weeping at the airport. The day you die, it will be a bigger cause for celebration than the one I am having today."