Chapter 45
As they entered the kitchen, Suzy noticed the kitchen sink overflowed with dirty dishes. She glanced at the counter. The lid was off the slow cooker. She peeked inside. The roast, carrots, and potatoes were gone—obviously devoured by Izzy’s friends or hungry wolves. The television blared but the kids were nowhere to be found. Suzy turned to Ken. “I hope you like grilled cheese.”
“Dammit. I was looking forward to that.”
Suzy banged plates and glasses onto the counter and slammed a frying pan onto the stovetop. “I’m not doing their dirty dishes. Izzy is going to do them.”
Ken headed toward the sink. “Calm down. I’ll do them.”
Suzy swirled around, facing her husband. “No, you won’t. It’s her responsibility. Stop treating her like she’s ten. She has no manners and it’s wearing thin.”
Ken frowned. “Forget the grilled cheese. I’m going out for a burger.”
She watched his stiff back as Ken walked toward the garage. “What the hell am I going to eat?” she yelled through the closed door. Suzy was too angry for dinner and marched toward Izzy’s room where rap music blared. She covered her ears and yelled, “Izzy, either turn that music down or turn it off.”
Suzy glanced around the trashed room scattered with clothes, shoes, and school books. Some clothes were heaped on the bed but most were on the floor. Izzy’s friends sprawled across the bed and floor. One had a book open and two others stared at their cell phones.
“I said turn it off.” Suzy found the plug and pulled it out of the wall.
Izzy jumped up. “Hey, what are you doing? This is my room.”
Suzy crossed her arms. “I don’t care. It’s my house. You’re going to learn some respect, young lady.”
Izzy glared at Suzy. “Who do you think you are?”
Suzy stiffened. “I’m your dad’s wife and your stepmother.”
“You aren’t my mother.”
“I never said I was.” Suzy scanned the girls’ faces. “Who ate the roast?” One continued to stare at her phone and the other pretended to be interested in her homework.
Izzy jutted her chin out. “I’ve always been able to eat whatever I wanted in this house.”
“Didn’t you think your dad and I wanted dinner?” Suzy asked.
“How would I know what you two lovebirds want?”
Suzy felt her cheeks burn. “I’m sick of your rudeness and disrespect. Get in the kitchen and do those dirty dishes.”
Izzy leaned toward Suzy and hissed, “You can’t boss me around. I repeat, you’re not my mom.”
Her friends scrambled to their feet. One said, “Bye, Iz.” Another turned to Suzy and said meekly, “Thanks for the roast. It was good.”
Izzy glared at Suzy. “Look what you’ve done. You’ve ruined my study group.”
Suzy roared. “Study group? It looks more like an eating/trashing/music/phone group to me.”
Izzy stomped to her door and motioned toward the hallway. “Get out. This is my room.”
“Do the dishes and I’ll be happy to leave you alone.”
“No. I’m not going to wash dishes.”
Suzy wished Ken would be a man—and a father—and stand up to his defiant, disrespectful daughter. Suzy crossed her arms. “I’m not doing them either. I didn’t dirty them so they can sit there until they draw ants for all I care.”
She couldn’t look at the brash teen one second longer, stomped to the breakfast table, and opened her laptop. Rubbing her temples, Suzy couldn’t concentrate on beach venues—Halloween decorations—or much of anything. How Ken forgot to mention his little princess when he proposed was beyond her. Arms folded, Suzy paced the kitchen like a cougar on the prowl. She returned to the table to check her Facebook business page but it was useless.
When she heard Ken’s car motor in the garage, Suzy stiffened. She hated confrontations.
Ken opened the door, scanned the still-dirty kitchen and living room. The first word out of his mouth was not hello but, “Where’s Izzy?”
Suzy pointed with her head toward Izzy’s bedroom.
He returned after several minutes with his mouth set in a thin line. “You made her cry.”
Suzy put her hands on her hips. “That’s priceless. She’s spoiled, Ken. You need to teach her some manners. She won’t listen to me.”
“She’s just a kid. I’m going to do the dishes. It smells in here.”
Suzy’s voice rose. “She should do them. She dirtied them.”
Ken rolled up his sleeves. “I don’t mind.”
“I mind.”
Ken pulled Suzy close, rubbed her shoulders, and kissed her. “Let’s start over. Izzy told me she had a rough day at school. One of the kids asked if they could eat the roast, and she said she couldn’t say no. Since we weren’t home, they ate it all. Iz is sorry and she’s studying now. Can we move on and salvage this evening?”
For a fleeting moment, Suzy wanted to get to the bottom of her complicated relationship with Izzy once and for all. Then she remembered how she had pined for Ken since high school. He was worth putting up with Izzy. He really was. She softened. “Okay. Let’s start over. But I’m still not doing their dishes.”
Ken laughed. “You shouldn’t. Sorry about the roast. It would have been much better than my greasy burger.”
Izzy marched into the room and made a beeline for her dad. She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’ll help you with the dishes, Daddy.”
“That’s my girl.” Ken kissed the top of her head.
Suzy rolled her eyes and went to the bedroom. What a long freakin’ day. My son never acted like this.