Community Service

Day 0

My dad arrives at the station, not too soon after that.

"Where the fuck is my fucking daughter?", he bellows throughout the police station.

I cringe at the sound of his voice."Mr. Fergas, your daughter's in custody right now. Please wait a moment."

I hear some shuffling and then a security guard shows up. "Miss Fergas. Please come out. Now.", he says with forced pleasantness.

My dad is breathing really heavily. I can hear him through the door. The sound of an angry man, waiting to tear his daughter apart.

I take a deep breath and stand. "Bye, Kama-llama-laka.", Isiah says. "It's Kamaliah.", I tell him. He waves his hand in the air. "Whatever."

I huff and face the guard again. He gestures with his hand. It says, "Come on. Come on. Your dad scares us!"

I striaghten and walk out. He's standing there fuming. "Shoplifting?", he bellows. 

I flinch. "Dad, it's not what it sounds like.", I start.

"Then why are you doing community service like some kind of lowlife criminal?"

I remain silent, not finding an answer to his question. 

He nods. "That's what I thought. LEt's fucking go. Get in the fucking car.", he says pointing.

I am frozen. Scared of his tone. "FUCKING MARCH KAMALIAH!", he roars.

I scream and skitter out of the police station. It's a police station. They should've stopped that.

I get in the car and buckle up. I set my hands in my lap and stare straight ahead.

I see my father get in the car from the corner of my eye. "Dad...", I whisper.

"Don't fucking start.", he says. He starts the car and the ride home is silent.

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We arrive at the dirty yellow house and park. I unbuckle my seatbelt and run inside. 

"Kamaliah.", I hear my dad outside. I ignore him and try to find Mom.

"Mom?", I call out and I am answered with a drunken giggle.

"In heeeerree!", she answered in a slurred voice. I look into the living room.

She's in her housecoat, cradling a bottle of Jack Daniels. "Not this again!", I complain, crossing the room to her.

She giggles and holds her bottle out of reach. "Not this time!", she exclaims. My dad walks in and sees her and sneers.

"Really Maya? Its