Stacy's Girls

1 | Nothing Short of a Miracle

"I thought I asked you not to have my child out there gambling with those hoodlums, Ant! I said both loudly and clearly that I didn't want Anastasia anywhere near the stables and you still defied me."  My mother snatched the can of beer my father had been calmly drinking at the dinner table and poured it down the sink's drain aggressively. Foam from the shaking of the can landed on her hair, face, hands and clothes but she was so angry that she didn't even flinch.

"I understand you're upset baby but this is way bigger than any one of us. Ana's got a gift and I just wanted to harness that." My father pleaded with eager eyes and intertwined hands to match. He had been practically begging for my mother to calm down so he could explain himself but it seemed as though she was growing more and more irate.

"Baby if you'd just relax alittle I can explain everything." My mother cut her eyes at him and slammed the empty can down on the counter next to the sink and smashed it until it was as flat as the sidewalk. "Start talking. You got sixty seconds to make sense before I'm packing your shit." My father lifted his hands in the air.

"Remember when Ana was 5? Remember how she always knew those answers to those questions on Jeopardy and that perplexed us?" My father's eyes desperately balled back and forth as he tried to search my mother's eyes for any sign of recognition. "Yes. I remember. What does that have to do with anything?" She folded her arms impatiently.

"Baby, our girl is some kind of genius. I don't know how and I don't know why but Ruth, Ana knows what's gonna happen before it happens. She guessed those answers right on that show and tonight," My father repeatedly tapped his winning ticket. "She demonstrated the same thing. I brought her to that stable because I wanted to see if she knew which horse would win baby and she did. She got us that winning ticket." My mother shook her head. Although she was a bit calmer than before, she still wasn't convinced. In fact, she was more concerned about his drinking habit.

"And all you do is drink! You had my kid out there betting on horses so you can feed your filthy addiction. This wasn't about us, this was about you! It's always about you!"

"I drink because I like it!" My father shot back. "That's bullshit Ant and you know it! You haven't put  the bottle down since Miss Evaline passed away and that was 3 years ago!"

"You don't bring her up! I asked you not to bring her up, why do you always bring her up? Why do you always go there?" My father fumed. Suddenly he went from calm to hysterical. I sat perched behind the wall that separated the dining room from the kitchen, peaking my head out so that I could both see and hear the exchange.

"Because it's true!" My mother finally broke down into tears, palming her reddening face. "You think just because you don't beat the shit out of us when you get drunk that makes it okay. You don't understand how much of you disappears when you drink. You're not here with us! How do you think that makes us feel?!"

"Mama?" I interjected softly. I stepped out from behind the wall, one hand cradling the other. I parted my lips to say something but no words would come out. "Ana, go upstairs. Mom and Dad are having a discussion right now. We need a minute." My mother assured me sternly.

"It was me, mama. I asked Dad if he would take me to the stable." I nervously spat. "It's okay Ana, you don't have to take the fall for me sweetheart." My father responded but it was true. I begged him to go. Only difference was I wasn't aware that my mother and father had prior conversations about me going. I didn't even know my mother didn't want me over there. I hardly knew what gambling was.