I walked home and when I walked through the door the phone was ringing. It was dad. I wiped my face off and tried to pull it together before answering.
“hi dad.” I said.
“oh, gabby, thank goodness. Honey im so sorry about zach.” He said.
“yeah I am too.” I responded.
“are you okay?” he asked. I never quite understood why when a loved one passed away everyone would ask if youre okay when you clearly aren’t. Or why people said sorry. I mean its not like its their fault they died.
“am I okay?” I snipped back. “ dad, please, don’t act like you actually give a shit about how im feeling.”
“gabby,” he said back. “I care”
“no you don’t. you’ve never cared. If you cared you would have been there when I started kindergarten. My first day a freshman year. When I learned to ride a bike, drive a car. Graduation. You would have seen me grow up. You would have been there every time I cried. Every time I was hurt. You would have kept your promise of taking me to swim with those damn dolphins. And you would be here right now but guess fucking what dad? You’re not!” I slammed the phone down and hung up on him. As much as I sounded like a bitch it felt good to say that to him.
Later when my mom got home I could hear her foot steps back to my room before she opened the door.
“are you okay honey?” she asked. Standing in the door way.
“I really wish people would stop asking me that.” I said rolling over and sitting up to face her.
“sorry.” She said Looking down at the ground.
“dad called” I told her. She shot her head up.
“What did he say?” she asked.
“nothing really” I lied. She’d be pissed if she knew I freaked like I did. “mom, I’m tired. Can you leave me alone?”
“of course. Good night gabby” She walked out and shut the door.
