I threw two bags of spaghetti noodles into my shopping cart. I was finally nearing the end of the shopping list. I just had one more item to find and I was free at last. I began pushing the cart down the aisle when my phone began to ring. I pushed my cart to the side to free up the aisle for other shoppers then reached into my pocket. I pulled out my phone and brought it to my ear, "Hello"
"Is this Sherry Birkin?"
"It is. Who's this?" The persons voice on the other end was vaguely familiar.
"Sherry, it's so good to hear your voice I-"
"Who's this?" I asked cutting him off abruptly mid-sentence.
"Dayton. It's your father, Sherry."
I became silent. Daxton Birkin was the last person I expected to call me. He was the last person I ever wanted to talk to.
"Sherry, are you there?" he repeated into the phone.
I hissed, the emotions getting the best of me. "I told you that I never wanted to speak to you ever again."
"I know you're angry, you have every right to be angry with me. You do, and I know you've told me to never call, but I'm only getting older. I'd really like to somehow make this work," he said sincerely.
"I hope jail is speeding up the aging process for you," My teeth grind. "I hope you're as miserable in jail as you have made me here."
"I'm sorry Sherry, I really am."
"Sorry doesn't fix the damage you've done, Daxton." He wasn't deserving being called dad. I grew up without him from age 3 and on.
"I need you to come visit me. Please."
"I want absolutely nothing to do with you." I'm so much better off without him in my life.
"Just for a short visit."
"Even if I were to come visit, which I won't be," I wanted to make that really clear, "I don't live in Dallas anymore."
"You and your mother moved away?"
"Yea, we moved. Course I don't live with that woman anymore either. I'm on my own now," I said.
"Oh. Wow. You're okay though right?" he asked rather concerned. "You don't need any money do you?"
"I've been doing fine all by myself."
"You're aunt Carmen is coming to visit in August, Sherry. I'm sure she'd love for you to tag along. Make it a family reunion of some sorts," he suggested.
"I'm not in touch with any of your family members, Daxton. Once you were imprisoned, mom and I bolted and never looked back," I huffed.
Silence ensued on the other line. The only thing I could hear was his heavy breathing.
"How did you even get my number?" I asked, trying to undo the awkward silence. I felt almost a little bad speaking to him the way I was.
"Your mom passed it along to Carmen and then Carmen gave it to me," he explained quickly.
"Oh," I mumbled. I leaned against the cart and wrapped my free arm around my waist. "How much longer can we talk? I know there is a time period you only have to make calls."
"My time was up a few minutes ago, but I'll deal with the consequences later," he replied very softly into the phone. As if he didn't want to be found out.
"No please, just go I don't need to hear you getting beat," Sure, I hated my dad with all my might but to hear....him inflicted with pain, I---I couldn't deal with that. I still cared..I kinda wished I didn't. I sighed, "Call me back when you can."
