It's My Life • Shawn Hunter

73| Janitor Dad

In the morning Cory and Zoey went over to the Pink Flamingo Trailer park before school to pick up Shawn. The two of them entered the trailer and saw the three occupants of the home were standing in the middle of the kitchen.

Zoey instantly picked up on the thick tension in the room, causing her eyes to dart worriedly over to Shawn to see how he was handling the situation. So far, he looked fine.

"Hey, Mr. Hunter, Mrs. Hunter." Cory greeted with a wide smile. "Boy, it sure is nice to see you back together, a whole family again in happy domestic bliss."

"Well, aren't you sweet." Virna said warmly before she narrowed her eyes at Chet. "If you don't want to see this entire family livin' in an Amana refrigerator box, you get your sorry act together and find some way to pay these bills!"

"Perhaps we should wait outside where there's a little less tension." Cory suggested as he looked between Mr. and Mrs. Hunters awkwardly.

Cory pulled the trailer door open hastily.

"You spineless deadbeat, hiding the bills in the cat box. I'll kill you!" A wife yelled at her husband from a neighbouring trailer.

Cory reluctantly shut the door.

"First of the month in the trailer park?" Zoey asked her boyfriend.

Shawn nodded. "Yep."

"Now, Virna, sugarpie, honeybunch, don't you go chewing my leg off over a minor financial fracas." Chet told his wife before he turned to the three teenagers. "That's your new vocabulary words for today, fracas."

Virna rolled her eyes and grabbed his ear tightly. "Chet."

"Yes ma'am?" Chet asked calmly.

"I have been tearing tickets every afternoon at the movie theatre so we don't have to hide the bills in the microwave, but pay 'em like normal people, Chet." She released his ear in favor of clutching his robe and shaking him. "I want to be normal, Chet!"

"You know, Virna, if we're not pleased with our little job at the theatre, maybe we should seek employment elsewhere. Preferably one that gives us a little more job fulfillment." Chet told his wife before noticing the incredulous expression on her face. "What?"

"We?" Virna repeated as her eyes widen in disbelief.

"What?" Chet questioned, not seeing the issue.

"We. You said 'we' work. 'We' don't work! I work! I work like a pig!" Virna shouted heatedly before she stomped off into the bedroom.

"Well, maybe you better ask for a raise cause we got a microwave full of bills, honey." Chet called after her and immediately ducked when a balled up shirt was thrown in his direction.

"It's gotta be better out there." Cory said hopefully as he opened the door again.

"I want to be normal, Spud!" The wife called out.

Zoey closed the door for Cory and patted his shoulder sympathetically. "We're stuck."

"Dad." Shawn sighed. "Mum came back because she believed things would be different, so you gotta do something to show her that you've changed, that it is gonna be different."

Chet scoffed. "You're talkin about me getting a 9-5 job?"

"That would be different." Shawn pointed out.

"Well, maybe you're right, Shawnie. Maybe it's time I quit my wats of dreamin' and schemin', and settled down, got a job, and focused on reality. Course, we'll have to move to Portugal." Chet insisted.

Shawn's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Portugal? Why?"

"It's the pearl-diving capital of the world, Son." Chet answered as if it were obvious before he turned to Cory and Zoey. "You know, I can hold my breath underwater for over four minutes?"