One Detention Saved My Life

Chapter 20

    I walk into the bakery, grab an apron, and join Cookie at our work station.
   "What are we baking today?"
   Cookie jumps. "You scared me and we're making pumpkin muffins. Apparently, they're a huge success."
    "How can I help?"
  "Set the oven to  two hundred and twenty degrees and pour the batter into a muffin tin."
   I preheat the oven to two hundred and twenty degrees and wait for the timer to go off. I see Cookie working hard on another batch of batter, sweat dripping from her forehead.
   "Cook, let me help you with that," I say taking the bowl from her hands. I'm almost done mixing up the batter when I hear Dakota calling my name. Since Olivia's been the assistant manager he hasn't had to be the barista.
   "Yeah," I call out.
  "Your grandparents want to talk to you."
  "I'm busy."
  "Your Grandma says it's urgent."
   I hand Cookie the bowl to take over. Grandma gets quite impatient when you make her wait. God forbid I wouldn't want to make her mad and hear her go on a rampage for an hour. I walk quickly to the counter, they both grett me with a smile.
   "We were wondering if you'd want to go for pizza tonight." Grandma blurts out.
  "Sorry," I say frowning. "I'm with my mom tonight."
     "How she doing?" Grandpa asks.
    "For a phycho I'm thinking pretty well," Grandma murmurs under her breath. My hands clench into fists by my sides. From time to time Grandma forgets to hide her hatred for Mom. I try to ignore her comment as I say,"Pretty good. She just started back to work."
  "Excellent," Grandpa replies. "Maybe next time we decide to go for pizza your mother should join us."
   "Yeah, maybe." That's the worst idea I've ever heard of.
   I could just imagine all of us having dinner together. Grandma staring daggers at Mom the entire time. Drinks being knocked over left and right. I probably would get an enormous headache from all the yelling. At the end of the night it would feel like World War III broke out and would never end. I shudder at the thought.
  "Well, thanks for stopping by. If you want to buy anything just ask Dakota. I have to get back to work," I say politely turning away from them.

   By seven p.m Cookie and I have made twelve dozen muffins. I'm exhausted, my hands sore from mixing up a ton of batter. Beside me Cookie yawns.
  "We worked really hard today," I say as Dad approaches us.
  "Yes, we did, honey."
"Tim, you ready to go. Cookie you worked hard today. It will be rewarded with a big fat check next Friday. Were you satisfied with the last check you received?"
  "Yeah. I make more here than I did driving bus."
  "That's good to here. Tim, remind me to write you a check on the way home."
  "Okay," I reply as we walk out of the bakery, turning the sign on the window to closed.
   As soon as we get inside Dad's truck he writes me a check for two hundred and fifty dollars, signing his messy signature to the bottom of it. He hands it to me slowly and I take it proudly.
      We're almost to Mom's house when a deer crosses the road, Dad slams down hard on the brakes. If it weren't for my seat belt I would've been ejected through the window.
  "You okay?" Dad asks when we both calm down.
  "I'm fine."
      When we pull up to Mom's house I grab my duffel bag. Dad looks so sad as I climb out of the truck.
   "I'm going to miss you," Dad says."
    "I know."
   I start to head closer to the house when I hear Dad shout,"I love you."
   My heart flutters. When I was little I had dreams of meeting Dad and him telling me that he loved me. I give Dad a little smile before a put the key in the keyhole.
   When the door shuts behind me I hear giggling coming from the living room. Mom's giggles. I approach the living room and see Mom on top of a man. Luckily their clothes are still on.
   "Mom, what's going on?"
  Mom and the guy both flinch and look up at me . I gasp as I recognize Jimmy's spiked up hair, skull earring, and eagle tattoo.
   "You," I manage to spit out.
   Jimmy looks wide-eyed at me.
    "You and Patrick know each other?"
   "His name is Jimmy and he used to be Dad's assistant ."
    "Tim, you must be confusing Patrick with someone else."
   "No, I'm not!"
    Jimmy carfully slides Mom off of him and gets up off the couch.
  "Teresa, can I talk to your son privately?"
  "I agree with Jimmy."
  "Well, if Tim's okay with that than I can't argue."
   I lead Jimmy through the kitchen and into my bedroom where I shut the door behind me.
   "Jimmy, dating my mom is not cool."
"I didn't know she was your mom."
"You're a terrible lier. I know you're dating my mom to get revenge on me and Dad."
  "I love your mom. I'm glad I'm not working for your asshole father."
   "Dad is not an asshole!"
  "You're right. Your father is not the asshole, you are."
  My hands are clenching and unclenching at my side.
   "Get the hell out of my house!"
   "I can't do that."
   I shove my phone in his face. "I still have that video on my phone." Jimmy's face turns to anger and he grabs my phone forcefully out of my hands. He surfs through my gallery, finds it, and deletes the video. He drops my phone on the floor like it's garbage.
  "You were saying?"
   I glare at him.
  "That's what I thought. And Tim, I go by my middle name, Patrick now. I couldn't risk keeping my real name because I thought your dad would ruin my reputation."
   "I'm not calling you Patrick!"
  "Then, I'll convince your mom not to let you see Amy anymore. It would be a shame if both your parents disapproved of her."
    I stare down at my phone on the floor.
  "So, is it a deal?"
    I couldn't risk my relationship with Amy. She meant to much to me to throw it all away.
   "Yes. . . Patrick."
   "That's what I thought," Jimmy says exiting my room. I see a smile form on his face as he shuts my door. I hear Jimmy talking to Mom.
   "How did everything go?"
   "Amazing," Jimmy lies. "Your son loves me."
  I wanted to shout This is bullshit, but somehow I stop myself from saying it. I guess it's the threat that he was going to ruin the relationship I had with Amy. I pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. I feel pain which means I'm not dreaming. This nightmare is reality.
   I pick up my phone and dial Dad's number. He answers on the first ring.
  "Tim, are you okay?"
   "No, I need you to pick me up."
   "I'll be there in five minutes," Dad says hanging up the phone."
   I open my door and head into the living room, picking up my  bag.
  "Tim, what's going on?" Mom asks holding Jimmy's hand.
  "I left my school project at Dad's. He's heading back to get me right now."
   "You're with me tonight."
  "I really need this project. Besides you and Jim- Patrick need some alone time. I clearly interrupted something."
Mom blushes. "Fine, you can spend the night with your dad."
   "Thank you," I say hugging her.
   "You're welcome."
  "Patrick it was nice meeting you," I say heading out of the living room and though the kitchen door. I wait the rest of my minutes until Dad arrives outside. It's cold, but at least I don't have to be under the same roof as Jimmy. Mom sure can pick her men.