Faith: Delilah

Chapter 4: Anyone Home?

I strode quietly through the front door. I wasn't ready for another confrontation with Oscar or my mom. I could hear the sharp crack of a kitchen knife against wood followed by the kerplunk of heavy objects dropping in water.

Mom must be chopping potatoes for dinner.

I think Oscar must still be at work.

I didn't see his car, and I can't hear the television.

I walked as softly as I could to my room. Our think carpet hid the creaks in the floor boards of the stairs pretty well. Up the stairs, to the right, down the hall to my haven. My door opened without a sound. Once inside, I dropped my book bag on the floor and patted Messy on the head.

"I guess I should go tell mom I'm home, huh?"

Messy grunted with approval.

"Want to go outside?"

He yipped and stood up, wagging his tail.

"Okay, but not for long though. I don't want to stay downstairs. I don't want to get caught down there when Oscar gets home."

Messy let out a huff from under his lips, making the flap. I couldn't help but smile.

Messy trotted ahead of me. His heavy paws thudded against the carpet as he pranced down the stairs. I followed him to the back of the house to let him out our sliding glass door. He ran as soon as it was open. I left it open a crack, so he could let himself back in when he was ready.

I walked out of our family room and into the kitchen where mom was wearing an apron, still chopping vegetables.

"Hey, Mom. I just wanted to let you know I was home."

"Ok, Delilah. Dinner will be ready in a half hour. Oscar won't be home until after hour 23. He has to work a little over time. Something about a disturbance outside of the city."

I wasn't hungry, but I couldn't very well tell Mom no thanks when Oscar wasn't going to be home.

He's been pulling a lot of late nights... and there always because of a disturbance.

If he's cheating on my mom, I'm going to be the disturbance.

"Okay. I'm going upstairs and work on voice."

There, Oscar.

Mom will report my obedience to you.

Messy trotted in and sat my feet.

"Dinner's in half an hour." I told him.

He looked at me with warm brown eyes and huffed again. I laughed at his obstinacy.

"Call me when dinner's ready?"

"Sure sweetheart."

I shut the patio door before heading back upstairs.

She is always so much more herself when Oscar isn't around.

I miss my dad.

Its been awhile since I thought about him, but I miss my family.

Some days are worse than others with Mom... three years this year since she met Oscar and changed entirely.

I absentmindedly followed Messy back to my room, well, our room. He slept on the floor beside me every night, and more than not, slept in my bed. He's more than my best friend. He's my rock. Messy nuzzled the door open and jumped up into my bed, the covers fluffed around him as landed. His bronze-gold hair spread over my sage green comforter, gleaming in the light of the sun coming through my window.