There wasn’t much—a suitcase and my work bag filled with essentials like makeup and dry shampoo. Sad how my whole life from this trailer could fit into a couple of bags. She got out before I could respond. Her fur vest and flawless skin were way too sophisticated for this town. She looked like she belonged in LA.
She tossed my stuff into the trunk. “Cute pants. Your ass is banging.”
“Thank you.” I blinked at her. “I know.”
I still couldn’t believe this was happening. Maybe I was in shock. When Occum threatened me that night, I didn’t think he’d actually hurt me. But then Ford came up with this crazy scheme. Everything happened so fast from then I hadn’t had a chance to think about it all that much. I was used to living in the moment though. No point in planning ahead.
The trailer screen door slammed and my heart sunk. Daddy must’ve heard me, hangover or no. He barreled out of the trailer in a stained wife-beater and his tighty-whities.
“Oh Lordy,” I muttered to myself.
Gretchen raised an eyebrow. “Your dad?”
“Yeah. Give me a minute.”
She snapped her gum again and shrugged. I stepped toward Daddy with my arms out like he was a wild raccoon. “Go back to bed.”
He glared past me and frowned at Gretchen. She checked her phone unfazed.
“I knew you’d leave. I knew one day.” His red, mushroom nose flared as he spoke. “Just like her.”
“I told you I’d be back in a few weeks. And I’ll still come check in on you every week and go grocery shopping.”
I didn’t look at Gretchen because I didn’t need to see her judgmental eyes. Her with her perfect stupid style and me with my white trash trailer and drunk dad.
“Yeah right. That’s what your momma said too. Tell me how that turned out.” He held a hand over his bloodshot eyes to protect them from the midday sun and looked at the car and Gretchen again like he was trying to place who she was. Daddy barely knew what the internet was; there was no way in hell I was about to explain ride-sharing.
Behind me, the trunk slammed shut. This was humiliating and I just wanted to go already. “Daddy, I gotta go. You’ll be fine. And go put pants on. We talked about this.”
In more movement than I’d seen from him in years, Daddy ran down the metal steps and grabbed for my hand. “No. No.” He tugged as he swore. “You can’t go. You just gonna leave me to fend for myself?”
I tugged back. “Daddy!” But I was so caught off guard I fell on my backside into the gravel. “Dammit.”
“You can’t just leave me.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Without warning, Gretchen came around the car holding a baseball bat raised above her head. “Drop her or I’m breaking your knees, old man.”
My dad did as he was told and stepped back. “She’s my little girl. You got no right.”
“She wants to leave.”
He flinched at her words. I hated that look. Like he couldn’t understand why life kept taking everything from him.
“It’s okay.” I looked between the two of them. “It’s okay. He’s going inside now.”
She didn’t lower the bat and her gum snapped a bubble loudly. Her eyes were unreadable under the giant shades. Of course, Mrs. Albensi chose that moment to come out of her trailer. She had a cat under each arm and wore the same mustard-colored polo and white polyester pants she always wore.
She gestured with a cat—Shortcake, I think—toward the bat. “Whack him upside the head. He’s got it coming.”
“Mrs. A, mind your business.” I put a hand on the bat and pushed it down. “I promise. He’s harmless.”
My dad frowned at that. “Sure, I’m just an old man. Used up. Nobody wants me. Nobody cares about me. I’ll just go bring a toaster in the tub with me.”
“We don’t have a tub, Daddy.” Or a toaster, actually. “And I’m saying for the last time, I’ll be back by Christmas. And every week till then. You’ll be fine.”
He crossed his arms. He glanced to Gretchen who was repeatedly smacking the bat into her palm and staring him down. Mrs. Albensi hovered on her small cement pad, greedy for gossip to tell the neighbors.
