I get a prickly feeling on my neck, like someone is watching me. I don't move my head, just my eyes, and see the man who beat up Dad. He's staring at me. Does he remember me and how I stopped him? Does he remember the rage in my eyes before I came after him. Ready to kill him?
My stomach rolls at the thought of how ready I am to kill another human being. I need to tame the monster that grows inside me.
I flip my phone open and casually check the doors, making sure they are locked. Georgie picks up on the fourth ring.
"I can't talk right now. Danny's watching baseball on TV and doesn't like distractions," she whispers.
My stomach doesn't roll at the idea of hitting Danny in the face.
"I'm going home and just wanted to know if you needed anything." I pretend to glance in my rear view mirror, checking on the ugly man. He's gone. My breath comes out steady and warm. He really is ugly. Broken teeth, yellow skin, totally thinning hair, beer belly.
"I'm good. Gotta go."
I wait for her to hang up but she doesn't. It's important I stay on for some reason. I almost hit my head on the roof of the car when Georgie screams.
"I told you no phone calls!" Danny shouts.
I bite my tongue to keep from yelling at him.
"I needed to make sure Daddy was okay," Georgie says.
"Who cares about your pathetic family? I'm the only one in your life."
The phone goes dead. Now I yell. What can I do? The sight of the Ugly Man has awakened the angry monster inside me. I can't go to Danny's or I really will hit him, making things worse for Georgie.
Without another thought, I dial Aiden's number.
"Hi, Mom!" he says.
Mom? What--
"I'll be home as soon as Tiffany and I are done with Calculus."
Tiffany giggles in the background. I don't have time for niceities. "Georgie's at Danny's and he's hurting her."
I hang up. I'm mad at myself for calling Aiden. But I'm mostly mad that I'm not the one in the background giggling.
I force myself to drive home and not to Danny's.
My stomach rolls at the thought of how ready I am to kill another human being. I need to tame the monster that grows inside me.
I flip my phone open and casually check the doors, making sure they are locked. Georgie picks up on the fourth ring.
"I can't talk right now. Danny's watching baseball on TV and doesn't like distractions," she whispers.
My stomach doesn't roll at the idea of hitting Danny in the face.
"I'm going home and just wanted to know if you needed anything." I pretend to glance in my rear view mirror, checking on the ugly man. He's gone. My breath comes out steady and warm. He really is ugly. Broken teeth, yellow skin, totally thinning hair, beer belly.
"I'm good. Gotta go."
I wait for her to hang up but she doesn't. It's important I stay on for some reason. I almost hit my head on the roof of the car when Georgie screams.
"I told you no phone calls!" Danny shouts.
I bite my tongue to keep from yelling at him.
"I needed to make sure Daddy was okay," Georgie says.
"Who cares about your pathetic family? I'm the only one in your life."
The phone goes dead. Now I yell. What can I do? The sight of the Ugly Man has awakened the angry monster inside me. I can't go to Danny's or I really will hit him, making things worse for Georgie.
Without another thought, I dial Aiden's number.
"Hi, Mom!" he says.
Mom? What--
"I'll be home as soon as Tiffany and I are done with Calculus."
Tiffany giggles in the background. I don't have time for niceities. "Georgie's at Danny's and he's hurting her."
I hang up. I'm mad at myself for calling Aiden. But I'm mostly mad that I'm not the one in the background giggling.
I force myself to drive home and not to Danny's.
