Never Take the Brown Bomber Jacket

My Mom, Satan

“Bye, Holly!” my best friend, Cassie, shouted as I walked up to the front iron gate that blocked access to my driveway.

            I turned my head around to see her waving at me with a big goofy smile on her face.  “See you on Monday!” I called back, laughing.  She nodded and ceased her waving, continuing to walk down the street to her house, which was only a couple streets over.  I shook my head, smiling, as I unlocked the gate and walked through it.  I made sure to lock it back up again before walking up the quarter mile long driveway to my house.  Cathy would be pissed if she found it unlocked when she came home tonight.

            The front door was locked as well, but that was nothing new so I just walked around out back to get inside like I usually did.  I never had a key to the front door, however the back door was always unlocked so there was no problem.

            I closed the back door and sighed tiredly, dropping my heavy school bag to the floor and sliding down along the door to sit.  Usually, Cathy hired a driver to take me everywhere.  She thought walking and public transportation were too low for a filthy rich family like ours.  I thought she was a stuck up little prick.  Walking is fun, not to mention a great way to get in some exercise.  I loved walking, so I was pleased to find out that she gave our driver a six months’ vacation.

            “Holly?” I heard my dad’s voice say.  I looked up to see him standing in the doorway of the room I was in, which happened to be the laundry room.

            A big smile spread across my face.  “Daddy!” I squealed like a five year old, jumping up to give him a hug.  He hugged me back, then grabbed my shoulders and separated himself from me.

            “Do you always come in through the back door?” he asked, giving me a confused look.

            I raised an eyebrow.  “Yes…?  You never gave me a key to the front door, and I thought that’s why this door was always unlocked.”

            His eyes widened.  “The back door was always unlocked?”  I nodded.  He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.  “You know, the key I gave you is a skeleton key.”

            I stared at him blankly for a moment, waiting for an explanation that didn't come.  “Which means…?”

            “Which means that it can unlock any door on this property; including the front door.”

            I smiled sheepishly.  “Haha…  Oh.”

            He sighed again and shook his head.  “Well, now you know.”

            I grabbed my bag and puffed my cheeks out at him childishly as I walked out of the laundry room and through a few others, heading for the stairs.  A sudden thought stopped me before I disappeared up them.  “Hey, Dad?” I called.  He came into view a few seconds later.  “I thought you were supposed to come home later with Cathy.”  I said her name with a slight sneer.

            He looked confused for a moment, and then apprehension dawned on his face.  “Oh, right.  My flight was bumped up two hours.”

            “Oh, okay.  Where are you going this time?” I asked curiously.  I always loved to hear about the places he was able travel to due to his job.

            “China.”  He grimaced.

            “Oh, gross, again?”  I wrinkled my nose.  The last time he went to China was about two years ago, and…  Well, let’s just say it wasn’t a pleasant experience.  He told me all about it.