the king and the pauper

Cancelled Fun

It was Saturday and it was normally my favourite day as I don't have work and I can finally lie in and relax but this morning was different as I was awake before my alarm went off. My head was busy trying to find ideas or something to change my daddy's mind but it all just feels so hopeless. I was so excited about today as I want to spend as much time as I can with Elvis but daddy's stubbornness has put a stop to that.

I think that this is the first time that I don't like my daddy. He was unnecessarily cruel and after all that I do to help my family and how much I have stepped up and become the person who brings the most income into our home, I just feel like he doesn't appreciate what I'm doing. He thinks that what I'm doing is to be expected but there are not many 17-year-olds who would put their life on hold to help their parents.

After I got washed and dressed I went into the kitchen to find mother where she normally is every morning in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

"mama let me help you," I say walking over to her.

"no child just you sit down and relax it's your day off"

"I'm an ok mama I like to help as you never get a day off."

"I'm ok don't you worry. How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm pretty sad. I work hard every day and I took all those extra hours and it's hard mama it is so hard. I do all that to help my family and daddy isn't doing the same and now I'm getting punished for asking him to help us. I feel like where daddy is concerned is that he doesn't care about how it all affects me."

" Holly he only punished you because you were answering him back and he finds it disrespectful."

" Mama I wasn't being disrespectful I was just begging him to do his bit."

"I know and I tried to talk to him but he won't listen."

" I was so looking forward to today. I never have time to see my friends. I never get to be a normal 17-year-old and I finally am in touching distance of feeling like a teenager again and daddy has taken it away from me because the truth was too hard to digest. I know I should not have answered him back mama but I am just so frustrated."

" I know and I'm just as frustrated with him but he is still your daddy and you should respect him whether he is working or not."

" mama lately it is so hard to keep that respect for him as he isn't helping himself."

" I know honey but we just have to try a little harder."

"Mama, do you think you could change his mind?"

"No I'm sorry but he won't budge."

"what if I apologize?"

"you will be apologizing to him, Holly."

" Do you think if I'm extra sorry and extra kind to him that he will change his mind?"

Before mama could answer my question daddy walks into the kitchen like he hasn't a care in the world.  I wonder how he can be so normal when he knows how much he was hurting his family.

" Daddy," I say walking towards him and daddy turns to look at me.

" I'm so sorry for how I spoke to you last night."

"that's ok just don't make a habit of it. You're normally so sweet to me."

" I know and I'm sorry I think I was just over-tired and was needing to sleep."

" It's ok all is forgiven."

" Daddy please can you allow Elvis to come to visit us? I really could do with having a friend with me. It's all arranged already and it would be a lot of waste to cancel now especially when we got some extra food in."