Flood

Chapter 9

We drove toward his house. I step out of the car and walk into the place. I sit at the table, pull out my work, and begin the study. The man sits down with his coffee as I keep working. He lowers my book as he glances at me. "We need to talk," he said. I put away my things as we did. "Sure," I replied. "I was hoping you wouldn't spend this day in your books," he said, "I was a bit shocked by this. "My studies are important to me," I responded. "Yeah but your mental health is important to the kid," he replied

"Let me finish the chapter" I replied, "OK I'm trusting you." He said I nodded. I finished the chapter and put the book down. "Ok, I'm finished," I said as I looked at him. Her dad stood up as he turned around and talked. I sat there confused as he turned around "Right you deaf" he said as he sat back down. "Didn't you have implants?" he asked. I nodded "I did," I said "but" I froze and I stopped talking. "It's ok you can tell me," He said "I got rid of them" I replied. "It's ok you're perfect without them," Jessica's father said.

"Thank you sir" I responded "Now I have one more question be honest with me son" I nod. "Are you planning to have sex with my daughter?" He asked. I felt a bit weird about all this I knew since I renounced my religion. I'd felt differently about Jessica but I still loved her. "It's complicated lately I've been questioning my faith and that's made me question my relationship with Jessica whether I want to go to the next level but if I'm to live here with you and if it's your respect I need I will not but if it's honesty you respect I'm considering I'm just nervous to ask and I know she's nervous too and I want to respect her boundaries,"

The man waves his hand as I follow him. He takes me to a bedroom full of white sheets where he hands me a box. "Here kid, I appreciate the honesty, You seem like a nice kid," He said as I looked in the box and saw some squares containing condoms. "Thanks" I replied awkwardly. The man patted me on the back as he walked me into the kitchen. "Let's get snow cones," he said as he walked me out the door. I place the box in my bag and follow him to the car.

We head to a shack near the edge of town. I order a small cone from a thin paper cup and bury my face into it. The lights glare in my eyes and sting like bees but I just try to enjoy the sugary treat though it feels like lava going down my sore throat. I gag as I feel the liquid cold rush to my ears and into my head. I cover my head and groan. "Fucking shit," I said as I felt my head pound. Jessica's dad chuckled as I looked at him. "Slow down kid," he said.

Out of instinct I apologize and the man chuckles "Don't be sorry kid" he said. I look over at the water and shutter. "Do you know if my dog's okay?" I asked. I looked over at the man as he looked down. "I'm afraid I don't," he said my body felt like it was boiling. Then I stood up and looked at the open where she played and thought of everything my mom could have done to her. Every emotion boiled over and fizzled over the pot as I started to cry.

I couldn't thank my sister, I didn't know where my dog was, I could have died, and I was living with my girlfriend. I was abused. All eyes darted on me but I didn't care. I watched as Jessica's dad stood up and walked me to the car. He sat me in the front seat as he cleaned the mess and drove off quietly not saying anything, just allowing me to calm down.

After a few minutes he taps my shoulder and begins to say "Need to talk" he asked. "Yeah" I replied "I'm just alive I guess but I don't know about my dog, for the longest time she kept me going I felt like God, Roxy, and Jessica were my only love, but I don't know I don't deserve Opal to save me I yelled at her, she deserved to be happy without me," I said

"Look if God loved you he would put you in this situation would God make you unhappy," Jessica's dad said. "No" I replied "but there has to be something out there in control," I asked for a moment. He says nothing and he points at me. "You're in control," He said. "I am," I asked. He nodded. I smile as he hands me a leather journal. "What's this," I asked

"A journal, write down all your thoughts, write down your story, put your feelings in it," He said I nodded and replied "My story, what do I call it, what do I call it," I asked "Whatever you want kid," he said he turned into the driveway. "I think I got a name...." I said I took out a pin and wrote the word, Flood.