POD 42 -Aftereffects

Guilt is the price we pay willingly, for doing what we were going to do anyway.

Use of F word! (once)

Philosophy of the Dark

Chapter 42

-Aftereffects

“Jamie, come down here,” Mary called from downstairs.

Jamie sighed and locked eyes with Amber. Amber closed the notebook and

stood up, offering a hand to Jamie.

“No, I’ll stand up on my own, thanks.”

Amber caught the hint, “If you have to.”

“I do.”

They walked downstairs together. All the lights were on again, Jamie

noticed. Just like before…

Mary was in the kitchen, Jamie went in there with Amber.

“Hi Amber,” Mary said. Her voice was pleasant, but with that stern edge that

hinted something was wrong.

“Hello Mrs. Dumont,” Amber chimed back.

“Jamie,” Mary said, facing her daughter again, “Your father’s in the living

room…there’s something we all need to discuss as a family.” She looked at

Amber.

“I can go upstairs, wait in Jamie’s room,” Amber suggested. Jamie met her

eyes, pleading for her to stay. Instead Amber shook her head and

shrugged.

“Your own two feet,” she whispered to Jamie as she left to go back upstairs.

“Your father…well, he’s upset about some things,” Mary began, slowly.

Weighing her daughters reaction.

Already Jamie felt lightheaded, ready to faint or throw up. Was he that

angry already?

“When he woke up…there were…some complications.” Mary was tracing

nervous circles around the rim of her wine glass. The wine was supposed to

be saved for dinner.

“What kind of complications?”

“Nothing serious…” Mary said shrugging, “But we need to teach him a few

things…”

“What kind of things?” Jamie pried, hoping her thoughts were wrong.

“Well, some speech things, walking, eating, bathing-”

“I am not giving Richard a bath,” Jamie objected.

Mary stood up and slammed her hand against the table. The wine glass fell

to the ground, shattered in a pile of dark red and shining shards.

“He is your father, so you will be calling him as so. I don’t ever want to hear

the word Richard escape your mouth ever again.” Mary’s lips were in a tight

line as she spoke. Her voice was soft, but the tone was not. “Second, you

got us in this mess, and I don’t want to hear you complain another bit

about what you have to do now.”

“He is not my father.”

“Not another word, Jamie.” It was as close to as scream as you could get

still whispering. Mary’s eyes found the mess of glass on the kitchen

floor. “Clean up this mess,” she said before walking out of the room.

Jamie’s hands balled up in tight fists, and she shook with rage. Amber

walked cautiously into the room.

“I heard a crash,” she said, looking around, “is everything okay?”

Jamie shook her head slowly, holding her breath and counting to ten until

she could calm down.

“What happened?” Amber picked up the broom from a corner and started

sweeping up the mess.

“I have no idea.”

“What do you mean you have no idea?” Amber dumped the glass into the

trash can and picked up a towel.

“I mean, I have no fucking idea what more they want from me.”

“Jamie-” Amber tried as Jamie ran out of the room.

She burst into the living room, “Tell me what I did wrong! What did I do

that was worse than h-”

Jamie froze.

Her mother was sitting on the couch next to her father. Richard wasn’t on

the couch though, more like next to it in a chair of his own. One with wheels.

Mary was glaring up at her daughter, holding Richards hand as he cried.

_______________________________________________________

Next:

Chapter 43

-All too Real

-On Both Accounts