"Hey," Dad called out as we walked through the door. Georgie invited the blondes to go swimming. They said they would come back then giggled until I slammed the car door.
I wanted to talk to Dad but I didn't so I went in my room to throw on my poor, weathered swimsuit. I came charging out and ran right into Dad.
"Georgie says your mom showed up at the Mall."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"She wants money." I'm trying to get around him but he's blocking the narrow hallway. Diedra followed me to my room, found the swimsuit she keeps here and excused herself to the bathroom to change. I can hear her singing to cover our conversation.
"I send her money every month."
This surprises me. "You do?"
He nodded. He doesn't expand. Just then I wonder if my parents are still married. Dad never talks about a divorce. He rarely talks about mom. Only on cloudy nights where lightening is giving a show and thunder is playing bass.
"She wants $40,000," I spit out. I can't believe she wants that much. Where would it come from? I wait for Dad to laugh but he doesn't. He flattens his back against the wall to let me through only now, I want to stay and talk.
"We don't have that much." I make my question a statement.
"Not to spend."
Not to spend? It's being saved?
"Huh?"
"I have some money for you and Georgie. For college and stuff."
Georgie takes this moment to walk through our conversation and to her room. Dad moves to his room and almost shuts the door before he turns around and looks at me. His eyes remind me of a sad puppy.
"It's your money, not your mother's. But she gave it to you." And with that mystery humming in the air, he shuts his door.
I wanted to talk to Dad but I didn't so I went in my room to throw on my poor, weathered swimsuit. I came charging out and ran right into Dad.
"Georgie says your mom showed up at the Mall."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"She wants money." I'm trying to get around him but he's blocking the narrow hallway. Diedra followed me to my room, found the swimsuit she keeps here and excused herself to the bathroom to change. I can hear her singing to cover our conversation.
"I send her money every month."
This surprises me. "You do?"
He nodded. He doesn't expand. Just then I wonder if my parents are still married. Dad never talks about a divorce. He rarely talks about mom. Only on cloudy nights where lightening is giving a show and thunder is playing bass.
"She wants $40,000," I spit out. I can't believe she wants that much. Where would it come from? I wait for Dad to laugh but he doesn't. He flattens his back against the wall to let me through only now, I want to stay and talk.
"We don't have that much." I make my question a statement.
"Not to spend."
Not to spend? It's being saved?
"Huh?"
"I have some money for you and Georgie. For college and stuff."
Georgie takes this moment to walk through our conversation and to her room. Dad moves to his room and almost shuts the door before he turns around and looks at me. His eyes remind me of a sad puppy.
"It's your money, not your mother's. But she gave it to you." And with that mystery humming in the air, he shuts his door.
