Page 17 of Sassy Pants
“A few weeks ago. Listen, I gotta get to work soon, and Jelissa said dad’s scripts were ready.”
“It’ll be a few more minutes. Have a seat over there.” He points a boney finger toward the row of blue plastic chairs shoved against the wall. “I’ll call when its ready.”
“Right. Thanks.” Ugh. Jelissa. I plop my bottom into one of the bucket seats and pull my cell out to check my email to see if there is anynews from the insurance company. Not that I am expecting them to work quickly, but the agent said he’d send me some information about a rental until I figure out my car situation.
“I don’t know. Which test should I buy?” I look to my left down the aisle where the drugstore sells pregnancy tests and wish that I hadn’t. Freaking Maxi. Ugh. You’ve got to be kidding me. “It’s been a month, maybe two. I don’t know, Trixie.”
“Dobson,” Mr. Wiley calls out and Maxi looks in my direction as I get up from the chair. I ignore her and grab the bag of my dad’s medications. This day keeps getting better and better.
The moment I turn to leave Maxi is blocking my exit. “Hey, Gianna, right?”
“Yup. That’s me.”
“I don’t know what you heard, but I’d appreciate it if you did hear anything if you’d keep it to yourself.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but if I did its really none of my business.”
“Stud might pretend he likes you, but the guy is all talk. The minute he gets bored he’ll come back to me.”
“I don’t owe you any explanations, but Stud is a grown man, and I’m capable of making my own choices. You want to scare me off him. I get it. You got feelings for the guy. It sucks when you want to be with someone, but they don’t give a shit about you. Because if he did care, Maxi, he wouldn’t have forgotten about you, kept you waiting, and kicked you out of his bed so I could sleep in it. That’s right. I slept in his arms all night, and I didn’t have to fuck him to get his attention. And I sure as hell don’t have to fake a pregnancy scare to keep him.”
I bump my shoulder against hers and this time she gets out of my way. It doesn’t take long to drive to the trailer park. I swore I’d never come back to this place and yet here I am.
Thirteen trailers packed closely together in a bottom right outside of the city limits. These trailers have been here longer then I’ve been breathing. Rusted tin cans forgotten in time. The world keeps turning while they stand still. I drive through the park until I reach lucky number seven. The sticker on the end has long faded, cracked, and peeled but the outline remains above my former bedroom window.
The truck that broke down when I was fourteen sits unmoved since the day the engine died. Dad swore he’d get a new job to repair it but never did. I park next to the heap of junk, grabbing the bag of medication as I exit the car. Most of the snow and ice from yesterday has turned to slush. I hope I don’t get mud on thehem of my work pants. I don’t have time to go back to my brother’s house to change.
The steps creak, the nails sliding up and back down with the boards. Chaser will have to replace them before the old man goes through them. When I get to the door my dad is waiting with a toothless smile that breaks my heart. “Hey, Dad.”
“Gia, it’s great to see you girl. Come on in out of the cold.” He shuffles aside, and I follow him into the living room. He doesn’t get around as fast as he used to. “Sit down here.” He shoves his blankets to the floor.
“I can’t stay. I only stopped by to drop your medication off. Jelissa was held up with the baby.”
His face falls. “Oh. I see.”
Shit. My stomach churns at the smell of old garbage and the piled up dishes. When I look to the entertainment stand, I find all my pageanttrophies, crowns, and ribbons on display and my heart crumbles.
“Tell everyone about my Gianna. Prettiest girl in all of Kentucky. Never was a beauty contest you couldn’t win.”
“Dad.” My throat grows tight. Tears burn in the backs of my eyes. “Have you eaten today?”
“Nah. Don’t worry about me. All these medications mess with my appetite.”
I stare at his scrawny appearance. “You should eat. My treat. I’ll take you to the Dairy Bar and get you a hotdog or whatever you want.”
“‘Preciate the offer, sis, but I stick to my liquid diet.”
“Should you be drinking on your pills? What’s all this for anyway?”
“Blood pressure and my ticker don’t work the way it used to. Doc’s got me on shit for mycholesterol too. Says I should eat better but the sooner my body gives out the better off I’ll be.”
“Why do you say that shit?”
“Nobody cares about me. Jelissa takes pity on me but you and Chaser been done with me for a long time. I know I wasn’t a decent father. Was a terrible husband. No one will miss me when I’m gone. I’ve made my peace with it. You should too. Shouldn’t have come back here. Nothing here for ya.”
“Yeah well Chaser, Jelissa, and Erik are here. I’m staying with them so if you need something you can call me, okay?”
“I do all right.”
