Feeling

Chapter 22 - The Plan

Dad left the house almost immediately after reading the note he had been left.

“See you later” He shouted

“Wait where are you going?”

“Out!”

Before I could say another word dad was out of the door. Boggled by what had happened went to the living room to think, I got easily distracted by the tele, however it didn’t take long for me to start wondering what dad was up to. To put my mind at rest I went into the kitchen and reached for the crumpled note that was left on the table.

‘Hey honey, have some cake, I baked it just for you, then come meet me at the supermarket, I won’t be long with my friends so come soon, I’ll wait for you in the alley…’

As told to do so Dad had taken a bite of the cake and stormed off to meet his girl. I analysed the piece of paper carefully before taking it to dad’s room to put it safe on his bed. On the other side of the bed – which is where his girlfriend sleeps – I saw another slip of paper. This sheet was smaller and less crumpled, it was folded and placed neatly in line with the duvet. This letter read:

‘Darling, Once you’re done with your friends I’ll pick you up from the restaurant you’re at, see you there, love you x’

The two letters were written in the same familiar boyish hand writing. How did I not predict something as childish as this from Sam and Chris. They obviously planned this so that they would have an argument.

I wasn’t too sure if an argument would break them up but I thought their plan was crafty and evil. Dad would want to be right, and hates being proved wrong, especially by women. The plan was looking strong and then I only had to wait.

I waited for a few hours for dads return but nothing happened so I pulled myself into bed. It was only 40 or so minutes later when he came bursting through the door. I shot up and leaned out my door to see Dad covered in scratches. His hair was messed up and his clothes were ripped, he was fuming. His anger frightened me but it soon turned to upset and disappointment, which by now I am more than used to seeing in my dad.

“Dad, what’s happened?”

He looked at me and scoffed. “The bitch wanted to meet me, she didn’t show up and once I had been attacked by cats and a fox I decided it was time to leave. I’m having a shower.”

Dad walked into the bathroom and I got up and went into the kitchen. I pulled out the medicine box and got out some cut and sting cream and some bandages for when he got out. The shower stopped and I heard him get out, I realised that both letters were in his room, written in the same hand writing, I sped into his room and took both letters. After doing this the phone rang, I went to pick it up but Dad picked it up first. I could only hear what he was saying.

“Hello?...I’m at home…where are you?...well I did wait for you…I got attacked by cats! OH STOP WHINING WOMAN!” Dad threw the phone to the floor and went into his room drying the back of his head. Obviously from this side the plan was working. I was tempted to ring her back and find out what she thinks of it all, just as I thought of it the phone rang again, this time I picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Heyy!” Chris answered the phone sounding very jolly and upbeat, I could hear Sam in the background.

“Why did you call?” I asked him as I heard him and Sam laughing.

“Wanted to see how your dad was really, me and Sam watched the lady who’s in this have her meal, then paid a random guy to try to hit on her, he ended up buying her a drink and she snogged him!”

“WHAT?!” I was so shocked to hear the news, part of me felt horrible inside, but I knew if dad found out then the relationship would end.

“yeah, then she waited outside the restaurant and a bird shat on her, then a car went past and splashed her from the puddles and you wouldn’t believe it but then she tried to cross the road and a cyclist nearly ran her over!!”

“How horrible, I didn’t want either of them getting hurt you idiot!” I shouted down the phone being careful that dad couldn’t hear. “my dad was attacked by cats!”

“I knew there was a fox down there, didn’t know about the cats, awesome!”

I heard him and Sam high-five each other in the background.

“You two are evil” I spoke genuinely and they both stopped laughing, they didn’t say anything else so I hung up and went into dad’s room.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes, he had the cream in his hand and was putting it on the scratches that bled down his arms. I moved in towards him and asked what he planned to do. He told me he’d go see her tomorrow if he could and try to talk to her, he sounded genuinely upset and like he would apologise to her even though he’d done nothing wrong, I started to worry about the strength of the plan, and how it was falling apart.