What? (1)

"Where have you been, you said you'd be back at three-forty five, it's four thirty, dammit!" Ria's mom looked vexed her red hair thrown everywhere, her keys clenched in her hand. She tilted her head as if that didn't make her look even more angrier.
"I'm really sorry mom, there was traffic." Ria said softly. Her mom pulled her purse off of the dining room table and stared at her.
"Really traffic, it's called back roads Ria. How am I supposed to tell Mr. Morrison why I was late? He is going to think I skipped out on him or some crazy notion what ever passes through that man's mind! Lord!"
"SORRY THERE WAS TRAFFIC." Ria loudly shot back. Her mom owned a practice up the road for psychiatry. Sometimes, she thought her mother was the one who needed psycho therapy and not the patients.
"Alright, whatever I guess i'll have to make do with what I have right? Danny's in the game room playing the gamebox, supper is in the oven and Larry called so call him back." She slammed the front door, seconds later she pulled out of the driveway, finally silence.
It seemed if hours had shot by as she watched tv and ate her dinner, which was nothing much but pan fried chicken, and green beans. Her brother had passed out on his controller, and she had to wake him up and walk him to his bed. He was 18, and thought that XBOX, and food were the only ways of life. He also thought drugs were the way to go, but since he had been back from rehab a year ago he had been pretty good.
Her step dad never answered when she tried to call him several times. Figured, she thought. He wouldn't answer her phone call if the house was on fire. He was in Showboat, Texas which was located 200 miles away near the Galveston Beach.
He was away on "business" or really coming up with slogans for Texas Future Commercials, or TFC. He traveled everywhere, and frankly he didn't have to. His boss already implored him to retire. It was his 30th year at TFC, he was fifty three, started as an intern. He wouldn't retire from that job, because that would mean he would have to stay home with Ria and Danny half the day, he wouldn't risk that. Fact of the matter was, Danny and Ria scared him, because they were more aggressive than passive, a little more over the assertive line; and with his open mouth they would be sure to smart mouth back... and he just couldn't handle it.
He had, once, tried to punish Ria for accidentally swearing infront of him, but all he got from her was a mean glare, a cold shoulder, and a slammed door. He didn't know how to be assertive without pissing them off. Danny, was quiet and usually only talked to his sister. Which bothered Larry, he always had a feeling they were conspiring against him as if they were going to poison his food or something of that sort. It all started when he was introduced to them, and he heard the way they talked to their mother, so short and rude like.. It almost made him fearful, as if they knew from now on he would be sleeping in their father's bed from now on, and he would be relaxing in the big recliner. And when he finally confronted them about it, they ignored him and to this day still give him evil eyes.
Ria turned up the television and searched through a magazine when she was interuppted-
"Here at Corton's O' Lee, you can get the best kind of tea, watermelon or strawberry it's all here!" It must've been Larry's doing the melody so annoying already -a five year old could've practically came up with that BS, she thought. It continued to play on the TV for what seemed like every five minutes.
"Ria, where's mom at?" She rolled her eyes and looked up at her brother perched on the first step of the second set of stairs leading to the kitchen.
"She's at work, til ten thirty, you know this."
"What? She told me she didn't have to go in?"
"I'm sure she did say she wasn't going in, but her plans changed."
"They always change." He said, almost too soft to hear.
"Story of our life. Anyways go back to sleep."
"You know, I can't remember one day mom has actually just stayed here with us without that moron."
"Larry's up her ass that's why.. also because he is afraid of us, haven't you discovered this already? He doesn't like us, he just wants mom to himself. He probably makes up stuff about us too."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
"Go back to sleep."
"Way ahead of you."

Before she knew it she opened her eyes and the morning sun was peeking through the blinds, and by the looks of the empty dining room table her mom hadn't made it home yet; because, her keys weren't sprawled over the shiny cherrywood table.
She got up from the sofa and headed to the kitchen.
"Danny!" She yelled up the stairs.
"I'm over here." He quietly said as he sat on the counter top in the study. He still had on his black sweat pants and blue shirt from the previous night. He was as skinny as a stick, and Ria on the other hand was a little thicker, with more muscle.
"Get off." She ordered. " Mom hasn't made it back?
"I noticed, I am hungry and no donuts are on the island. He rubbed his stomach and jumped off the counter.
"I'm hungry as well. Well, I guess I can just take us to The Donut Shop, call mom will ya please while I get ready?"
"Fine."
She walked up the stairs while wiping off the hard sleep that settled near her lacrimal glands.
On their way to Dana's Donut Shop she learned her mom was not sure when she would be returning on friday, which was in six days. It seemed she needed a break from her life all together, except for the old-fart of a husband ofcourse. She left at eleven thirty lastnight, she also left two hundred dollars in the cookie jar, a change pouch in her key holder and pre-made dinners in the freezer as if Danny and Ria weren't capable of making food.
"You know what this means right?" Ria turned to her brother whose brown straight hair naturally folded over the right side of his face, his green eyes hitting the sun; and still in his clothes from the previous night.
"What?" She breathed out concentrating on the road.
"House Party-"
"No, nope, sorry." She talked over him.
"It's Christmas Break, there is nothing to do but count how many times the air comes on."
"Why would we?"
"Because, it would rock that's why!" He said slamming his hands on the top of his knees.
"You know what my answer sounds like now? Oh-Hell-No. Sorry, but i'm not risking anything."
"I got hook-ups for beer and the works, dude!"
"I'm not a dude." She rolled her eyes and pulled into the black-top parking lot.
"You're such a goody-goody, no fun when it's you and me." He said sourly.
"And you're a lazy freak."
"Gollee." He huffed out.
"Look, were here go get your donuts- little rebel." He rolled his eyes and got out of her truck.
Her phone started to ring loudly, and even before she answered it she knew it was her mom.