Monty After Dark

Chapter 22

(Editor's note: This one is a long one!)

Monday afternoon, sitting in algebra, still no answer from Chan, and my stomach had been feeling sick all day. Someone came to the door and spoke to the teacher who called me over. "There's someone at the office here to see you," he said. I wondered who it was. Chan wouldn't come to my school, neither would my dad.

I headed to the office and saw Shel hanging around outside.

"Hey man, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Thought I'd pop by and check up on you, see how you're doing," said Shel. I looked at him a little strangely. "Hope you don't mind me pulling you out of class, I was nearby and thought I'd see if we can chat."

The guidance counsellor had agreed to let Shel use her office, so we ducked in there and I sat down on the arm chair beside the door.

"So, how was the rest of your weekend?" he asked.

"I don't even know how to begin to answer that," I replied. Really, it was a pretty fucked up weekend, when you get down to it. Some dumb bitch fucked up my girlfriend's car, my girlfriend disappeared, my dad arrested the bitch who fucked with my girlfriend's car, and I somehow managed not to get caught for sleeping with her. But how do I try to explain that in a way that will make sense to Shel?

"Well, let's start with your dad, did you end up speaking to him finally?"

"Yeah ... something ... shitty happened, and he wanted to know if I was responsible. I wasn't, but I know who was. My dad is a cop, so he went over to her house and she ended up being arrested."

"Interesting, and how is your relationship now?"

"Strained? But that's normal for us, we're sort of just like two mean dogs who try to stay out of each other's way."

"I hope you don't mind, Carts filled me in a little on your ... situation, that your dad doesn't really watch out for you much, and your, uh, neighbour helps you out sometimes?" My eyes lit up when he mentioned her.

"Chantelle, yeah, she's awesome. She moved in during the summer, Mrs. Murphy used to live there, but she passed away and then I just kind of watched out for myself, but when Chan came, it was good, again. She cooks for me sometimes and shows me how to take photos, and ..." I trailed off, realising I was babbling and that I needed to put a lid on it. "It's really nice, she doesn't have to do it, I guess she's just a good person."

"And that's how you know Carts," it wasn't really a question.

"Yeah, I was shooting some hoops one night and he came to play horse with me. He's been really nice, too. We're going to work out together," I said. I was trying to figure out Shel's angle, why he came by the school to see me.

"Awesome, yeah, he's a great guy. If you don't mind me asking, where is your mother, Matt, is she in the picture at all?" I hate talking about my mother. Everyone who gave a shit already knew I didn't have a mother and so nobody talked about her.

"Ah, I don't really know where she's at," I replied truthfully. "She left when I was 5, I don't really remember much about her."

"No contact with her or any family members since?"

"Her parents are dead, and she didn't have any siblings, so there's not really anyone to contact. My dad's family all lives in Calgary, he moved out here to be with my mom, but she left him, so he just works a lot." I was worried he was going to ask me how I feel about that, since I'm pretty sure that's what shrinks do.