Stings Like A Bitch (Book 2)

Peter's Dad

It always snows around this time of the year here but the hit was more colder then I'd remember it. Dad carries one of my lighter bags with his right hand up; the two flight of stairs while he shuffles keys in his left hand. He stands at the door for a few seconds but it opens with a welcome warmth of fresh cooked turkey in a brown chocolate woman''s right hand. "Not having trouble founding your keys again?" She wears a bright smile that shows of her white teeth. "You must be Peter, your Father talks about you all the time, its a great pleasure meeting you, Names Sarah" She reaches in for a hug but then quickly stop half way backing back and then nods her head in a tight smile.   Dad must of told her that I have a no touching  policy. "She's the new  care taker" Dad turns his head around hanging his coat  on the wall hanger. "What happened to the last one?" I simply ask putting my bags in my bedroom that now looks like a half storage room on the right; an exercise bike is on the right top side and my bed on the other side.  "Didn't like my jokes" He rolls his eyes putting down four different shades of blue bed sheets and covers next to my grade four square pillow that has stars and a rocket ship on it.  I made my bed that felt like it took a few minutes after dinner was ready to be served.  We watched tennis on the TV for a few hours that night without any words besides "pass me a beer would you" or Dad saying a few tennis jokes. Some where lame dad jokes and some where pretty funny. I'd tell him though; we'd never lie to one another. Dad falls asleep on the couch forgetting that he'd have a bed to go. The next four days where a repeat, I'd wake up my normal early routine taking a light jog around the block, I go shopping at the corner  convenience store for things that dad needs in the house besides beer and frozen pizza meals. Sarah only come's to Dad's every Monday's, Thursday, Friday and late afternoons on Saturdays. Beside those days I skip the store's all together.  By nine o'clock I finish my coffee on the go and freshen up. I start cooking bacon on the pan when Dad  wakes up at ten O'clock. His in the same clothes he wore yesterday. "Love the smell of greasy food on the grill" He opens the fridge and opens a lid to an orange juice bottle. "When was the last time you had a shower?" He close's the fridge rolling his eyes. "I'll have one today when Sarah come's in the afternoon"    I turn the button on to the fan as the room get smoky. "Put on some clean clothes on too" If my mother was watching she'd be laughing in a disappointing way.  Not the part about my father because she already knows but how I am being. "These are clean" Dad pinches his top for a slight second and lets go of it.   The street outside seems busy with traffic looking out the window while I finish plating breakfast. Dad grabs a heavy amount of bacon and a pinch of eggs into his mouth.  I place a plate underneath him as if it too catch the falling food from his mouth. "Alright, I'm out of here see you later on tonight yeah?" He nods his head without questioning me on my where about's.If he'd ask I would just say I'm going to the pub. Which wasn't a lie at all but in his mind he wouldn't understand why I would be behind the bar instead the front.  The pub is four blocks into town central as we are on the outer corner to the north side of town. The pub is small but they have a lot of loyalty customers. The pub belongs to a British family that they've known me  since I was a young boy . Every time I come they always offer  me casual work. The hours are sometimes at One PM to midnight but most times its Seven PM to  Two PM.  There days are very flexible.  Today shift is One PM to Eight PM. Oscar the chef always makes me a plate for my breaks even if I go over time, I always give him his favorite dark chocolate VB drink and  a twenty pack in return.  "My favorite boy!" He grabs them with both of his hands through the kitchen counter top hole.   His rough britches accent that I'd always loved to hear in the kitchen on winter days like these.  His very witty but never get on his bad side; not that  if I would,  it wouldn't  concerned me.   The night is filled with families at the booth around seven thirty and that's when I get a call from Father wanting food from the pub. "Didn't Sarah cook you food?" His was mumbling,  as if to sign that she did and he'd  not liked it.  Last night's dinner was amazing turkey with pepper gravy and roast vegetables. I guess that's how healthy people normally eat but not my dad. He wanted a burger with the lot, extra mayo sauce and large chips with onion rings. I don't write the order down just yet. "Dad are you sure you should be having this?" His well known of his heart condition but seems to keep at it.  "Dad, I'm getting you a salad"  I hear him swearing on the other end of the  line but calms down when he reply's. "Fine but put extra meat and mayo on it." I write it down and give it to Oscar. "I'm so proud of you" He tells me to shut it before hanging up the phone. I make a couple of drinks for a few more customers until it turn three O'clock. I take a break on the booth eating my Chicken Parma with salad  scrolling through my phone when a text comes up onto my screen; it's Hannah.  ** Fiona's training is doing great, thought you should know**  I wasn't sure if she was being a smart ass because it wasn't or that she just thought I should know. Hannah does have a soft heart towards others but never to me. Maybe she thought  if I'd know something about it ; I'd turn up.  **And?** I sent it without hesitation.  I take a few bite of my chicken and then take a sip of my water before another text message comes through from Hannah. **The pack needs you, We are leaving in a few days....Don't you want to be happy at last Pete?** I didn't reply to the text message. I knew what she was referring too. It would be easy but I just cant risk losing another person I would love.  That night I'd come back to father's. I'd found his head in the toilet bowl unconscious. His body was so dam cold and his skin is so white. I dial in the ambulance  number  as they put me on loud speaker to aid me with first aid on dad.  The lady on the phone remained calm  as if she'd done heaps of these before. I feel like I was going to break dads chest how hard I was hitting it. On the forth hit dad gasp air in and then throws up small liquid out of his mouth. The ambulance got here within  five minutes as they put dad into the van onto a roll bed.   I take a sit beside him; a the man on the other side puts an oxygen mask on his face.  "Hey son" Dad reaches his hand out but I pull away from his touch. "When will you stop this?" His face looks puzzled but his eyes knows fully what I'm talking about. "I know son but its not easy"  The ambulance doors closes behind us. " Nothing good for you is easy dad" He rolls his eyes taking off the mask on his mouth. "Come on Peter, Don't be like this" The van starts moving. My stomach is in knots and I don't think I could look  Dad in the face as I feel his grey eyes stare into my soul. We didn't say anything during the ride only questions that the Nurse asked. Dad stayed in hospital for two days while I worked at the pubs night shifts. The third day Sarah picked him up from the Hospital,  she cooks him a small healthy meal and then we head out to the North beach pier were we fish for a few hours. We catch some small tuna's and one squid that its ink went everywhere on our clothes.   Sarah and Dad walked near the beach shoreline hardly wetting there feet.