Something Great (h.s.)

1

Harry's POV:

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
I roll over under my white sheets, and put the pillow over my head to block out the annoying sound.

"D*mn alarm clock.." I mutter, and it's muzzled by the pillow. I lazily hit my hand on the snooze button; the  ringing doesn't stop, and I sink deeper into my mattress, letting a sigh.

The annoyingly loud ringing goes on for two agonisingly slow minutes; I realise it was my telephone.

It finally stops, and I hear the machine say "you have one voice message". I sit up slowly on my squeaky bed, and press the play button.

"Hey, dad, it's me.. Harold. I know it's been a while, but I really need you. I f*cked up on the job, and there are some people after me. I know. I know. I have to stop putting myself in danger." He sounds nervous. I roll my eyes at the ignorance of my son. Not again,boy. Ever since you started hanging with that girls mother, you've been up to no good.

The machine continues "I was really hoping Darcie could live with you, just for a little while. I'd ask mom, but she's out of town for the month on vacation. It'll only be for a couple of weeks,dad. Till everything clears out. Please call back soon. I love you."

I scoot to the edge of my bed once the voice mail stops. I grab my robe and glasses, then begin shuffling towards my bathroom.

I look in the mirror and splash cold water on my face after brushing my teeth. I run a hand through my almost silver hair. It's so thin now. Funny what old age does to you. I take in my appearance, noting the changes that have taken place over the last forty years.

My face is wrinkly,my cheeks are saggy (both pair) and my ears have  hair growing out of them. I have age spots in places that I would've never imagined, and I can't help but feel I've gotten shorter.

My back has never been in good condition, I've seen a chiropractor since I was 18, and now that I'm 64, it's gotten way worst. I'm not meant to chase after kids at this time in my life. I love the little girl, but she's a handful.

The phone starts ringing again. It's quickly stops, and immediately plays the recorded voice message.

"Dad, please. I can't look after her right now. My jobs too dangerous. I know. I know. I've gotta stop getting myself into these situations, but.."

I zone out. He's restless. He knows good and well, I'll watch the little girl, and he continues to annoy me. I continue listening to the voicemail..

"Please, dad. I promise, after this last run, I'll stop. Darcie and I will move away, and I'll get a career; one where I don't have to try and make fast money."

He's made that promise so many times before. I love my son, but he makes horrible decisions that put he and Darcie in danger.

His ex-girlfriend, or Darcies mother, is no help. She spends her nights being a prostitute, so she can spend her money on buying hard core drugs: crack, crystal meth, cocaine, heroine, Mary- juwanna.. You name it, she's probably addicted to it. That's actually how she met my son.

At a young age, he'd somehow become  involved in some type of gang, and started selling drugs. He grew up in a good home. My wife and I taught him right from wrong. Both of us despise drugs, and at a time, he did too.

Yeah, we got divorced, but it was over my ignorance, and my wife's stupid assumptions. She didn't give me a chance to explain myself, and she told me the only way she could be happy is if she were set free from me.

Did it kill him? Yeah; but I didn't want to stand between my Sterling and her happiness. I figured he would get over it, but for the past thirty years, he holds on to that grudge. 'You left me at the most important time of my life. The time when I transitioned into being a man.' Or 'you're the reason I am the way I am'.

He was considered one of the nerdy kids in school, and in order to fit in, would do this snot nosed kids' dirty work. He would beat up kids who owed his boss money, and once smashed this guy's head against the side walk. He stayed in jail for two nights because his mother didn't have the heart to get him. He met Gianna (Darcie's  mother) through her brother, the towns drug dealer. They fell 'in love' and had their love child, who just so happens to be my baby girl, Darcie.

I dial his number, and he answers at the second ring. I speak before he does.
"Bring Darcie, and all of her stuff. Don't come back for her until you get your lazy a** a decent job, and become a real man." I blow up on him.

I wait for him to respond but there's no answer. I know he's there because I can hear his breathing, so I just continue,"I'm disappointed in you, putting this little girl's safety at risk. I may not have been able to be with you all the time, and I blame that on myself, but I taught you to take care of the things that matter."

"You broke my mothers heart into a million pieces. Don't act so innocent and heroic" he scoffs and I can practically see his eye roll.

"If only you knew the truth behind that story"

"You calling my mother a liar?"

"No. I'm saying that for the past 30 years, she didn't know the truth, and she won't listen to me. I don't owe you an explanation. Bring the girl, and leave."

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