Part Four of an untitled mini-series about a character named Steve, a young college student with ambitions of being a writer. Written in 2009 at the College of Santa Fe by BW Derge. In the fourth part, Steve's mother pays a visit.
Start at the Beginning: Read Part One.
Untitled Series about a character named Steve
Episode Four: "Yes, Mother."
Wooden floors creaked. A dusty curtain made a pitiful attempt to shroud the sun. The mother sat on a worn out dark green sofa, looking across a messy coffee table at her youngest son. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
"I don't know."
"That blanket looks filthy. And so do your pants." She looked around his small apartment. "Does this shithole even have a bathroom?"
He leaned back from an initial hunched position. "Yes, Mother."
"Let me take you out."
"Why?"
"Because I'm in town! And it looks like you need food. Come on, let me buy you a nice hot meal."
"Why did you come here in the first place?" Steve asked.
"To see you!"
"Yeah, yeah. Cut the crap, ma. You've got something you want to discuss in-person with me."
"I miss you." The older woman looked down at the floorboards. "There's nothing else."
His pale furry cheeks smirked. "Your life doesn't let you get bored enough to drive up here and visit, even if you actually did miss me."
She sighed and looked into his blue eyes. "Let me take you out to lunch, Steve. I miss you."
"Tell me first."
"Tell you what?"
"Mom..." His eyes pierced her hesitation. "Tell me what you came all the way up here to say or I'm not going to lunch with you."
His mother shook her head and looked away. "Something happened, Steve."
He straightened up and lost his grin. "What?"
"Well... it's your father..."
Laura put the story down and looked at the writer. "I don't get it."
Steve smiled. "You know... I don't really get it either..."
to be continued...
© USA 2009, 2025
This was the fourth part of a cross-genre short story composed in 2009 at the College of Santa Fe.
