I sat on the couch feeling calm. That was unusual for me. I rarely feel calm. Something had to have been going on. I shook my head and smiled. I had silently laughed at myself. What was wrong with me?? I wanted to bask in the sense of peace I was feeling.
I looked around the livingroom. Heather and Mary were playing on the floor. Sandra was asleep, wrapped snug in her receiving blanket. It felt good. Everything felt good. The livingroom was clean, Brad was busy in the kitchen. The kids were healthy. I sighed. It was a nice feeling.
Cartoons played on the tv. The girls ignored it happily. They were busy in their own world of imagination and couldn't care less about someone else's.
I looked out the window. My maroon sheet, that was tediously tacked to the upper window trim, was tied in a knot to let the sunlight in. I wasn't able to think of what kind of curtain rod to buy. Me and Brad had discussed it a lot but could never settle on which kind. We settled with a sheet tacked up for the time.
I noticed a silver truck slow down at the edge of my property. I frowned at it. I leaned forward in my seat and watched it slow down even more. What the hell?
My heart skipped a beat and started to thrash at my chest. It was clawing its way up into my throat so it could rip itself out. I stood up and stared out my window.
The truck pulled in.
I stopped breathing.
"You expecting anyone, Sam?" Brad called from the kitchen. He was washing dishes.
"No." I answered. I frowned harder at the truck.
The passenger door opened. An older looking white man climbed out.
My back tensed.
He looked in through the cab at the driver before shutting the door.
My eyes flicked over to the driver side.
The driver door opened. A tall, younger looking white man climbed out.
I choked on my heart. It was still trying to rip a hole in my neck to escape. It was Jason.
In an instant, all my calm and happy feelings sank and disappeared into a vat of thick ooze. Fear, anxiety and an instinct to fight took over. I felt the muscles in my arms tighten. My fingers started to scratch the tips of my thumbs. I was fidgeting.
I stepped out of sight from the window and looked at my girls playing on the floor. I glanced around to see what shape my home was in. What did they want? And who's the other guy?!
I peeked out the window again, hoping they wouldn't see me. They we talking to each other. Quietly and quickly. I had a sudden urge to kick Jason for bringing a stranger to my home.
I heard the water was still running in the kitchen. Then it stopped. I turned around and looked into the short hallway. Brad scuffled quickly and made a sharp turn into the long hallway. I heard his feet on the floor as he made another sharp turn to go down the long hallway to our bedroom.
We were in one of the smaller bedrooms. My dad was living with us at this time. Supposedly. He had gone over to Deborah's in February for a visit and never came back. It was April. Me and Brad had discussed sending dad's things over there but never did it. I was too much of a chicken shit.
Brad had talked with dad a year before to tell him it was time for him to move out. Dad agreed and asked that we give him some time to find a place and get situated. But it had been a year.
Our bedroom door closed.
I frowned. What the hell was he doing? He had to have seen Jason come up to the house. Why did he take off to the bedroom?
