Samantha Joseph has had a rough life and a slightly less rough, but more turbulent, past couple of years.
Her life really began when she ran away from her father, to escape yet another beating, and wound up in the back yard of none other than Tyler...
Dad made me feel all warm and fuzzy with his words at dinner. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve all the things they've given me and done for me. And then they say something like what Dad said at dinner and remind me how much I really am loved, how much I matter to people, and I feel, well, pretty darn good.
"Do you have any homework?" Dad asked as we finished dinner.
"A little," I said. "I can probably get it done in, like, an hour."
"Okay. Let's go back upstairs, you can do your homework and then we'll see where the night takes us."
"Hopefully not too far," I said. "My ankle is killing me."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I bashed it before the game on the locker room door. It's just throbbing. I'll probably take an Advil or something."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure," I said. And it was the truth. It was just throbbing some. Painfully, but no worse than before.
Dad signed the chit for dinner to be put on our room tab, and we headed back upstairs. I sat down at the desk and pulled out my math homework.
It took me about 20 minutes to get through and then I did my history and social studies homework, and finished up with some music theory. All in all, I think my homework took an hour and a half.
I put my books away and looked over at Dad on the couch. He'd fallen asleep. I pulled out my phone and took a picture. I texted it to mom.
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"Hey Mom. Looks like I outlasted Dad. 🤣"
"It would be a shame if that wound up on social media,"
Mom texted back and then asked what I'd been doing while he fell asleep on the couch.
"Homework," I replied. "Guess my homework was too boring for him. LOL."
Mom responded with a laugh emoji.
"Well, wake him up and make him take you to do something fun, or take over the TV. Did you guys have dinner?"
"Yep," I said. "And I'll probably take over the TV."
"Good. Have fun with your dad, sweetheart," Mom said. I smiled and put my phone in my pocket.
I flopped onto the part of the couch Dad wasn't lying on.
"I'm up I'm up, let's lay that track," Dad sputtered.
"Good god, Joseph!" I said in a deep voice. "We're never going to get this album finished if you keep falling asleep!"
Dad peered at me.
"You have no idea how much like Mark you just sounded," he said.
"It's almost as if I've spent a lot of time around him..." I laughed.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep," Dad said.
"Why? I wasn't great company while I was doing my homework."
"Touché," Dad smiled. "So, it's still pretty early. What do you want to do?"
"Let's go do a walking tour of Columbus," I said,
"Are you sure?" Dad asked. I laughed.
"Yeah, Dad," I said. "A walking tour. On my broken ankle. Honestly, can we stay in? Maybe watch a movie?"
"Sure kiddo. If that's what you want," Dad smiled. "Find a movie, I'll get popcorn."
"Where?"
"Room service," he smiled.
I flipped through the options and chose the most recent superhero movie. Dad had room service bring up popcorn and pop and we settled in to watch.
"Bolus," Dad said, as I took a handful of popcorn.
"Duh," I said. "I already did."
"You're too quick," Dad smiled.
We watched the movie, chatted a bit about nothing consequential, and at the end of the movie, Dad declared it was bedtime.
"Teeth, PJs, bed," he said.
We said good night and I went into the washroom to change and get ready for bed. Dad was sleeping in the living area where there was a pullout couch. He'd given me the bedroom because of my ankle, and because I'm a "teenage girl who needs privacy".
I lay down in the bed, pulled the covers around me and sighed. Things were definitely good.
In the morning, I woke up with the sun streaming in the window through the sheer curtains. I hadn't pulled the blackout blinds.
I yawned and stretched, then hobbled my way into the bathroom to change. I decided to try to shower - well, more like sponge bath and washed my hair in the sink. Once I was done, I actually felt pretty clean, and dried off got dressed and went back into the living area where my dad was still snoring. I looked at my watch and saw it was only 8:30 in the morning. I decided to let him sleep a little longer. I could wait for breakfast.
I went back into my room and pulled out the novel we were reading for English. Granted, I'd be way ahead of everyone if I sat here reading it, it was all I had to do and it was quiet.
My phone bleeped.
"Good morning, Sam. How was your night?" It was Mom.
"Hi Mom. It was good. We watched a movie and then went to bed. I just woke up, like, an hour ago."
"You're up early!" Mom replied.
"I forgot to close the blackout blinds. But it's okay. I slept really well."
"Good. Is Dad awake yet?"
"Nope. I thought I'd let him sleep until maybe 9. Then bug him to get breakfast."
"That's nice of you. Rosie says 'hi'." Mom said. I smiled.
Tell her I say hi back and we'll see her tomorrow."
"I will. Have fun with your dad, and we'll talk later. Enjoy the game tonight!"
"I will! Love you, Mom!"
"Love you too, sweetheart," she responded.
I smiled. I couldn't remember if my birth mom called me 'sweetheart', but Mom and Dad do. And I love it.
"Sam? You awake?" I heard Dad call from the living area.
"Yep!" I called out, grabbed my crutches and hobbled to the door and opened it. Dad was already dressed.
"Ready for breakfast?"
"Am I ever!" I said. I put my phone in my pocket and followed Dad out of the room.
