BACK TO ALBUQUERQUE

 “Gloria, we’re moving back to Albuquerque.”

          Mom and Ed had reconciled and we were leaving Farmington.  I had mixed emotions.  I hated having Ed back in our lives but I looked forward to spending more time with Al.

          The 3-bedroom, adobe apartment was located in the SE Heights of Albuquerque.  One of Mom’s friends, from the beauty school in Farmington, moved with us. Marty was in her late twenties, red headed, with large blue eyes She wore the latest craze “blue mascara”. We shared a bedroom. In spite of our age difference we became good friends and I began confiding in Marty.

           It was the summer before my senior year. I was sixteen years old. I thought I would be finishing high school at Sandia High School after all..... Little did I know.

          Al would pick me up at the apartment every evening.  I was becoming more and more dependent on him. 

              

            Mom was on me constantly. I was very unhappy.

          The summer afternoon sun shone through the open door.   Marty and I sat at the small kitchen table. 

          “Marty, I just want to get away from home, I can’t take it anymore.”

          “I can see how it is for you, but Gloria don’t do anything foolish.”

           “What would be foolish?”

“I want you to…” Marty’s voice trailed off as she glanced at the door.

          I turned in my seat. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.  Mom was glaring at us through the screen door.

          It was never the same between Mom and Marty. Mom thought she was interfering. It wasn’t long before Marty left. I missed her.

Ed was gone!  I never knew why he left or even when he left. He just wasn’t there anymore! 

My joy soon turned to panic.

         

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