such a terrible time

 "You don't even care!" Jody's voice was deafening, or so Jared thought. Of course, he was hungover and unsure exactly who's couch he was on at the moment. He winced trying to digest what his sister was trying to tell him.

"Yeah, I know, mom text me," he finally said. They didn't really talk anymore because he hated phone calls, but she texted and sometimes he replied, but not lately. "I dunno what you're worried about. She always lands on her feet."

"But..but she's getting so old," his sister said.

"Oh really?" He hadn't paid much attention. "Why don't you let  her come live with you? If you're so worried about it?" No way was he asking anyone to live with him when he didn't even have a home at the moment.

Actually, nothing had been the same since high school. Or was that since Bridgette left? She'd gotten him through high school and he assumed back then she would always be with him, but she'd met some young Airman was was now off in the fires of California and with child. He didn't think it was his, but as unlucky as he'd been, anything was possible.

It was true, just as his grandmother always said, "You're too good-looking for your own good." He was quite possibly an alcoholic too. His driver's license had been revoked. And just last week, he'd slept with his roommate's girlfriend. Clearly a bad decision but of course, he didn't make all that many decisions lately.

Jared listened to his sister go on about how no way could their mother live with her and her fiance.

"What would you like for me to do?" He finally asked still sleepy-eyed and bad couch hair to boot. Naturally, he and his mother never got along. She was on his ass about something, all the time. He'd flunked out of college and clearly couldn't do manual labor.

"Go see her!"

"Oh, I'd just cramp her style," Jared didn't want to tell her about the roommate situation. Hopefully, he'd find someone to take him in, but this last girl he'd slept with still lived at home so he really didn't think it would be a good idea to live with her and her parents. "I bet she's got someone waiting. She's like that you know. If she wants something, she goes for it."

"Who are you talking about Jared?" Jody bellowed.

Jared sighed. Maybe it was himself. But honestly, he didn't have the energy. It was true he hadn't really accomplished much these last few years. He was not the electrician they expected him to be. Honestly, he didn't like hard work. Working at the sandwich shop was already above the call of duty. He didn't even know his real problem? Maybe it was too late for him to really learn of this world. Yes, he was depressed but there was no need to talk about it.

"Just be happy, will you? You got a great guy who can put up with you. So be thankful." That was all. He clicked off his phone. He didn't want to listen to anymore, but he guessed he'd call his mother like a good son was supposed too.