It's been a few months since I moved in with Zack's family, and today is my 16th birthday. Normally it would just be a dinner-with-a-present deal, but Zack's family really likes to go overboard when it comes to any celebration, so I'm sitting in their dining room, eating brownies and receiving an unnecessary amount of presents.
Carl is standing behind me, holding a beer, and Mr. Livingston is sitting next to me, trying to make sure I'm as excited as possible. Zack is also next to me, smiling whenever I smile because he's like that. I've unwrapped all this insanely awesome shit: video games, my own bong, the promise of driver's ed, clothes, books, and all this other glorious stuff. I'm now reaching for the last two presents, which are two envelopes. One is from a town nearby, the other is from my grandma's house.
"We got them in the mail a few days ago, and we thought we'd give them to you now." Mr. Livingston said with a smile. Zack looks at me with worry. Just to be on the safe side, I open the one from nearby first.
Hey Kiddo,
How are you doing? Your mother never told me if you were still in town, so I thought I'd just send a letter to Zack's house and tell you that you can live with me if you want to. But just in case you don't, I put some money inside. It's a birthday present. You can use it on whatever you want.
Except cocaine.
Love,
Dad
The crowd falls silent. There's a $100 bill inside. I fold up the letter and make a mental note to put it on my dresser next to the other one. Carl and Zack look at me sadly, and Mr. Livingston's giddy grin fades a bit.
"What does it say?" Mr. Livingston asks.
"A letter from my dad, Dave." A tiny tear escapes my eye and I pretend not to care. Mr. Livingston's soft smile drifts into a traumatized stare. Without giving my dad a second thought, I pull the second envelope towards me. Opening it gingerly, I wince when a sheet of paper is pulled out. It wasn't a letter. it was a crisp, typed-up form. I read it, and couldn't believe my eyes.
"Holy shit, she wants you to go to court?" Carl says, reading over my shoulder like the nosy bastard he is. Dave/Mr.Livingston looks at me with concern.
"Can I see the paper, please?" He asks. It's handed over solemnly. Dave read it all the way through, muttering words out to himself.
"Demonstrate means of support... Stable source of income... Jesus Christ." He slams the sheet down on the table in frustration. "There's no way you can do this stuff, you're not ready for it."
"What is it?" Zack asks.
"It's an emancipation form." Dave declares.
"Well, what's going to happen to Darcy?"
"I don't know. I don't think I can fight for custody of a kid that isn't mine."
"Should she live with her dad?" Carl interjects. Mr. Livingston put his head in his hands.
"I don't want her to... Don't worry, I'll figure it out." He says, but he clearly wasn't sure of himself.
~
May Seem Macabre-Peter Bjorn & John
