How To Raise Native Children....(On Reserve) #wattys2017

9. Confrontations

I wasn't sure when I finally got to sleep. I know I must've kept Brenda awake until at least 4 in the morning. I had tried calling home again around 3 and Frank had finally answered. I wasn't impressed. I had told him I was calling and calling and asked why he didn't answer.

"I was sleeping Sam. It is late you know." Was his answer.

I didn't believe him. But I didn't say anything either. His voice wasn't cloudy as if he were sleeping, that heavy, slow tone. He spoke as if he were awake. I didn't confront him. I couldn't. What could I have confronted him on? His words weren't strained or slurred either so he wasn't drinking. I was happy about that.

I had told him what had happened to me. He didn't seem worried. There was silence on the phone. And then a very uninterested "oh" came through the receiver. I had sighed silently when he said that.

It took a lot of energy to keep the strain from my voice as I spoke through gritted teeth. How could he not have cared? He could've at least asked how I was doing!

Frank was disconnected. And I knew it. I was in a lot of denial but I believed things would work out. At least I WANTED to. The difference was unknown to me.

I had called Brenda back after talking with Frank. I told her how he'd been so cold and distant. All I said to him was I had gone for my ultrasound and ended up having an emergency surgery. I told him that they put me to sleep at 7 pm and I woke up at 11 pm and that I'd tried calling him since then. All he said was he fell asleep playing the game.

Brenda wasn't impressed. I heard her huff on the phone. She wondered why he didn't ask for specifics or if I was okay as well. He didn't even ask me why I needed surgery. He seemed more concerned with who he had to ask for a ride to pick me up. Even made excuses as to why he wouldn't ask. I was left to my own devices.

So my plan this morning was to find a ride for me to get home. I looked at the time, 7 am. Breakfast would be served in about an hour. There had to be someone awake at this hour I could call. I didn't trust my conversation with Frank. I had to get home. I was adamant. There were arguments going through my mind that I would have with the doctor if he had said otherwise.

I climbed out of my bed and grabbed my cigarettes. First things first, have a smoke, call Frank, look for a ride, call Brenda. And I gave myself an hour to do it.

When I made it back to my floor I scurried to the payphone, only to find someone was already occupying it. Seriously, who uses the payphone this early when they're not even a patient?

I went back down to the ground floor. I remembered there was a payphone by the main entrance. I dialled the operator and made a collect call home. No answer. For fuck sakes, Frank!! The kids would've been up by this time. Why wasn't he answering. I bet he stayed up after my call! I grumbled. I tried again. Then again. And again.

"Hello?" A weary voice answered.

"Well it's about time!! Why didn't you pick up earlier?" I demanded to know.

"Well I'm tired Sam! You did call at three in the morning!" Frank snapped.

"Well it's not like you were sleeping!" I snapped back.

There was silence on the phone.

"Yeah, see? I knew you were awake. You honestly thought you could fool me with your lazy speech? That was you getting caught!"

More silence.

"What were you doing?!"

"I told you. I fell asleep playing the game."