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“You leaving too?”
“I guess. Iamworking with you tomorrow.”
“Oh, then consider me a good influence,” I smile proudly as I climb out of the hammock.
“I just have to call my brother. Can we go to your car so we can actually hear each other?”
She nods her head climbing out as well and we find her car mixed in the rows of cars parked along the side of the road.
I dial my brother’s number and it rings a few times and then goes straight to voicemail. We get in Alyssa's little sedan and I dial again. Straight to voicemail this time.
“Ugh,” my head falls back on the seat.
“Can’t get him?”
I shake my head, “and I’m so tired.”
“Think he’s out partying with his new friend?”
I shrug.
“Give it a few more minutes. If he doesn’t pick up, I don’t mind taking you home.”
“You sure?”
She smiles and nods.
We wait about ten more minutes and I make one more unanswered call, so we decide to head on. I text my brother, letting him know and then I remember the eerie look in my dad’s eyes this afternoon when his friends were calling out to me.
My stomach clenches a bit as I stare out the window. I dread the idea of being home alone with him. I meant to say something to Danny about it but I completely forgot and there’s no way I’d share something embarrassing like that with Alyssa.
We pull into the trailer park and my stomach turns in knots again as we travel the bumpy dirt road. When my trailer finally comes into sight I see a few low lights illuminating the windows in the living room and the room at the far end of the house. He's there.
I clamp my eyes for a second and blow out a sigh as Alyssa pulls up to my house.
“See ya in the morning?”
“Mm-hm” I purse my lips together and nod.
She pulls off as I climb the wood steps and for a brief moment my whole body tenses. I peer over my shoulder considering waving Alyssa down to take me somewhere, anywhere until my brother can get me, but she’s already too far gone.
I squeeze the doorknob, turning it slowly and stepping inside. I shut it as quietly as possible, moving it slowly and intentionally and turning the handle again so it doesn't pop. The tiny place reeks of the smell of booze and smoke and I swallow the cough trying to come up.
I just need to avoid him. Stay quiet and get to bed. I’m so tired.
The little lamp provides enough light for me to find my way through the mess and into my bedroom. I make sure to step delicately, and deliberately and I finally reach my bedroom door, twisting the knob and pushing it open. It creaks and I wince.
“Chalene!”
He heard me.
A thump followed by a few extra crashes comes from the opposite end of the house and I get the rest of the way in my room fast, shutting the door behind me. It doesn’t lock so I push the folding chair by my bed under the doorknob to hold it.
I'm not sure why he was calling me but I'm pretty sure I don't want to find out. He's been off lately. Something has changed…gotten worse. I don't think he's in there anymore. He drinks from sun up till sundown and then some and takes any pill or pipe that is passed his way.
“Chalene!” his crackling voice yells again as his scattered stomps trail closer and closer to my door.
I jump on my twin bed, curling my legs into my chest shivering.
