Trouble Times Two

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Friday

At midday, Donovan still hasn't shown up but it was foolish to think that Donovan would even be awake at five in the morning.

He didn't even get back until three, when I heard him banging around the place, which had annoyingly woke me up.

I was super concerned for him, more than anything, but I had no way of showing him.

I was not that sort of a person who did good showy deeds and asked about people's feelings.

Half of the time, I didn't understand even when people did tell me about their feelings.

There was no actual way for me to show my concern for him.

I know I'd go to check on him soon, because the worry was starting to get to me.

I could probably turn grey by the end of this semester with the way Donovan was behaving, which was just short of maniacal.

Donny Jr. starts crying again and this time I try rocking him, feeding him, giving him milk, changing his diaper, singing him a song.

I even check the handbook, which is not suitable for my eyes.

I even do everything again.

Nothing registers until the last singing of the song again.

I had nearly thrown the thing against the wall but keep my composure.

Stacie walks over.

"It's the bracelet. It will register which parent is spending the most time with them and then act out when too much time is spent with one of them. Donovan's grade will go down significantly. Yours will slightly, only if you don't fix this issue." She tells me as she helps set up a flower arrangement as the baby is starting up again. 

Will Donovan show up today at all?

I start doing all the other tables and then prepping the flower arrangements. I place them all on the tables, which takes a good few hours.

When I'm done, I go and grab a smoke.

I'm on the terrace of the building and watch as Donovan stalks in to the place, his suitcase and backpack dragging behind.

He was hungover and pissed, all very evident from his body language and accessories, which consisted a hat and sunglasses.

I put the cigarette out and spray myself with some perfume before getting back to work, trying my best to make myself hidden.

It wasn't hard for him to find me as there's a baby attached to me.

He grabs my hand and drags me away to a family bathroom, like he did at Dacre's party, and I drag my feet the whole way.

I didn't want to speak to him or even look at him because I fear I'd clock him again.

"You left me alone in that apartment all by myself? What if I threw up, choked and then died? What if there was an intruder?" He asks me these questions and I admit, they're good questions. Not that I care.

"First of all, I'm not your mother. I'm somebody who clearly has no value to you so stop acting like I should take care of you in any way. Secondly, I tried to wake you up many, many times and you just told me to go away each time. Thirdly, I secured you specifically so that if you did throw up, you wouldn't choke and I locked the door so much that I know you struggled to get out of it. So leave me alone and let me be in peace." I turn around to leave. For some reason, he grabs me and turns me back towards him.

"Why the fuck are you manhandling me? Get off me." He doesn't listen to me. What's new? He just sniffs me before letting me go

Maybe he could smell the cigarette smoke. It was probably on my breath as well.

I go back to what I was doing. Only now, I can't stop thinking about how Donovan still hasn't taken care of the baby. Like maybe for an hour, if that.

I didn't really want my grade to go down because Donovan can't handle responsibility. I know that he can.

If he just put his mind to it then he could.

However his mind was impaired by the drugs and alcohol constantly flowing through his body. He wasn't a stupid guy either.

I go back to the hotel room and when I walk in, there's Donovan and a woman getting awfully close. I slam the door loudly.

"May I remind you that this is a shared hotel room." I unlock the door to my room, which I asked for a key for because I knew that Donovan would still try and get into it, even though I left him the bigger one.

He loved to snoop and stick his nose in business that didn't concern him.

The woman is still there when I walk out with my charger.

"Can you get out?" She asks, which makes me laugh.

"Get a fucking grip. Leave." I grab her stuff and hand it to her, waiting for her to get up.

I look closely at her, then I laugh, so hard that Donovan has to leave his room to see what's so funny.

"Donovan I can't believe you brought a thief into the hotel room. You chose your women well. Come on Jo, let's go." I pick her up and put my hand out. "Give the stuff you took."

She hands me all the stuff and I know that's not all.

"I'll call hotel security if you don't hurry it up. If anything is missing he's going straight to the police." She's still trying to figure out who I am so I pull my hoodie and t-shirt up so she can see my tattoo that her girlfriend in juvie gave me.

"You know when I heard that there was some crazy broad from Alevana beating up her exchange partner, I should've known it was you. I won't target you or him again. Tell him sorry for leading him on." She says as she finally hands the room key for Donovan's room.

"Yeah, don't go targeting anyone. I know it's tempting but don't. See you." I go back into the room and sit by Donovan.

"A lesbian is pushing it Donovan. What is going on with you?" He doesn't respond and I can see his emotions brewing. I hand him a glass of water and some Advil which I learnt I'd have to carry if I needed to live with Donovan.

He takes it and I leave him be, to continue helping with the set up.

This was exhausting.