Page 14 of Cam
Slapping the top piece of bread on the sandwich, I found a plate that wasn’t too dirty on the counter and set it on it. Swiping a beer from the fridge, I put both on the tray beside him. I grabbed the empties, but he swung his arm out, knocking them to the floor with a clatter, one rolling across the worn and stained carpet.
“I’m not done with those,” he snapped.
I left them and stepped back. When he grabbed half of the sandwich, I quietly went to my room and shut the door. This was the only space in the house that was tidy. It was painted pink, just as it had been my whole life. I didn’t like pink any longer, but there was no money for paint and the last thing I wanted to do was put any of my hard earned income into sprucing up this house.
I wanted out. I hadn’t gone to college since there was no money for it and my dad expected me to work. While I was good with horses and people, I had no degree. No real marketable skills. I’d imagined being a nurse like my mom had been, but that meant schooling. That wasn’t happening. I couldn’t leave town and there was nothing else in such a small community to do.
Before I flopped down on my twin bed and fellasleep, I grabbed my sweats and towel from the hook on the back of my door and took a shower. I changed into sweats and was brushing my teeth when Dad hollered for me.
“What?” I called, sticking my head out the bathroom door. The air was cooler and the scent of the trash made my nose twitch. I missed the humidity and the strawberry scent of my generic shampoo.
“Where’s the cash?”
Shit.
I ran down the hall and through the living room, where his recliner was empty. He was by the front door digging through my purse. A chapstick went flying, my keys. My wallet was open on the table.
“Get out of my stuff,” I told him, tugging on his arm.
“Where’s the money?” he asked, shrugging me off. It made me fall on my butt. “The cable bill’s due and you know I need my shows.”
He didn’tneedhis shows. He didn’tneedto drink my entire paycheck from the Feed and Seed.
“There is no money. It’s not payday,” I told him, pushing myself to my feet, then rubbing my tail bone through my sweats.
“Do you think I’m an idiot?” he shouted. “Jesus, you can’t get a solid job or keep a boyfriend.”
There came a knock at the door, making both of us freeze.
“Who the fuck are you having come over now?” Dad asked, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
He flung the door open and there stood Cam.
Oh my God.
Tonight couldn’t get any worse. Not only had Cam told me to get out of his sight, but now he was at my house and seeing what my life was like. No doubt he heard it through the door.
I had some gas in my car. I could get as far as I could until it ran out and then live the rest of my life wherever that was. Somewhere I could hide in shame.
“Hi,” Cam said, eyeing my father and I. “Everything okay?”
What was he doing here? Did he want to yell at me, too? If he did, I didn’t want it to happen in front of Dad.
“Come on, Dad, let’s go watch your show.”
His gaze narrowed on me. “You bringing men into this house behind my back? I didn’t work my ass off for this place for you to slut around.”
“Dad, that’s not–”
“What did you say to her?” Cam said, stepping offthe stoop and into the house. Dad had no choice but to step back.
Cam was several inches taller than Dad. Fit. Muscular. Dad smelled like the bottom of a beer bottle, had dirty clothes on and was weak and well, pathetic.
“I told my daughter to get me some dinner and she made me a sandwich. Didn’t even have enough mayo on it. Now she’s got men coming over.”
“Dad!” I shouted, then, took his arm, trying to steer him back to the living room and to calm down.
Once more, he shrugged me off, knocking me into the wall. I hit my shoulder, hard enough to shake the wall. The framed wedding photo of my parents fell to the floor and the glass broke.
