Peppermint Omega

32

Never in my life had I been so angry. My body was hot, and I carried her the entire way, without thinking to put on my coat. I just put on hers and wrapped mine around her before stomping out. Fa's voice was on the line as Moonie tried to talk to him as she cried. She had been scared. It was understandable. She had never seen me that way, truly angry.

It was absolutely ridiculous of me to even think that I would have been able to sit through all that bullshit. I should have just let Moonie come alone, but what would she have endured? She was quite a mature child, but that was nothing she should have gone through alone. I knew first hand the cruelty of adults.. especially to those who didn't want you.

I didn't know how far we'd gone, but we had made it to a gas station with most of the lights off. It was quite late. I thought..

'Moonie, baby,' I said kneeling as I placed her feet on the ground before me. She wouldn't look at me and trembled. 'I'm so sorry. I really am. Mama..'

'Y-you were.. [sob] s-scary, Mama.'

I rested my butt on my heels and looked up at the sky trying to keep my own tears from falling. 'I was.. I'm sorry. Mama was very, very, very angry.'

'Mama,' she said, showing me the phone. 'It's my father.'

'Ignore it please. I need time to think.'

'You should say sorry.'

'Why?' I asked sniffling.

'His party is ruined..' What logic.. His party? More like life torture.

'It will be better since I'm not there,' I mumbled.

'He's calling again.'

'Baby, Mama is being very childish right now. Please let it be..'

'But don't you say, you need to apologize when you do things wrong?' she sniffed, looking down at me. I couldn't see her face in the low light, but it had a red sheen.

'You are right. I do say that,' I sighed trying to control myself to no burden my child with more of the adult situation she witnessed. 'But this time it is very complicated. I can't just say sorry to make it better -- there are a lot of factors..'

She handed me the phone. The name of Father displayed at the top of the screen. 'Answer, Mama.'

Watching the screen until it faded then lit up again, I got to my feet and realized just how tired I was.

'Thi--'

'WHERE ARE YOU?!?'

'Do--'

'Where are you?! Don't give me any bullshit, Quinton.'

'So--'

'MOTHERFUCK! [exhales heavily] Where are you?'

'There's someone coming.'

'No. I called Fa myself. Told him you were angry and a little drunk. He's not coming. So, tell me where you are.'

'Yo--'

'Yes. And you don't get to run away.. Quinton. Please, tell me where you are..' His was strained, sounding vulnerable and weak, nothing I had heard before.

'Give me a minute.'

'Huh? Quin--'

I hung up and called Fa. I wanted to confirm what he said. That sly old man did tell me the same thing, but he explained this was for my own good. That I couldn't just get drunk and run away from that good man twice. And I got scolded for using the child and that he would take her from me if I ever pulled the same shit again. Feeling weak, I texted Lucian the name of the place we were.