Little Miss Understood

Chapter Two - Home Sweet Home

-Jennica-

*

I cut across Stanley's lawn and rush across the road, ducking behind the hedges off to the side of my parents' front porch. Why I'm creeping around like a burglar in front of the house I grew up in is a mystery to me, but I'm in the zone so I just go with it. Creeping up the stairs, I'm almost to the front door when it's pulled open and I'm nearly run over by my father. 

He grabs my arms at the elbows and pulls me into his chest, more to steady himself than me, "Jennica! I'm sorry, darling." 

"Whoa, Dad!" I can't help but giggle when I look up at him, "What's got you in such a rush this early on a Saturday morning?"

He screws his face up just a little and shakes his head, "This early? It's nearly two o'clock in the afternoon, Jennica."

Huh. Considering I was scheduled to work at noon today, getting fired makes a little more sense now. Right on cue, as if he can read my mind, he goes there, "Shouldn't you be at work right now?"

I glance over his right shoulder, "yeahhh... so I got fired today." It comes out more like a groan than anything and I'm instantly back on edge.

My father drops his hands from my arms and takes a step back, and I'm pretty sure he's trying to create enough space between us to fill it all up with his disappointment. "Again?" His voice is cold, that one word damn near chilling me to the bone.

In another attempt to avoid making eye contact with him, I push by him and step into the house, but of course, he is hot on my heels, "Jennica Willow Frost! Don't you dare walk away from me when I am speaking to you."

I turn on my heel and face him again, finally making eye contact, "Sorry dad, I just don't want to have this conversation on the front porch for the entire neighbourhood to hear." He nods and follows me into the house.

After kicking off my shoes in the foyer, I head into the kitchen and take a seat at the island in the center of the room. Dad follows and grabs a cutting board and a knife, placing both in front of me. I watch as he rummages through the cupboards until he finds the glass pitcher he is looking for. Moving to the counter and grabbing a lemon from the pretty decorative bowl they sit in, he tosses it to me, " Wedged and sliced please, and mind your fingers this time."

I roll my eyes and get to slicing, just barely missing the tip of my thumb in the process. My dad fills the jug with ice and water and a heavy helping of the powdered iced tea mix that mom never lets him drink. Bringing the jug over to the island he takes a seat across from me and begins to stir the powder in, watching as it dissolves. "So, are you going to tell me what happened?"

I stifle a groan as I stand to grab a couple of glasses from the cupboard, "It just didn't work out. I guess I wasn't a good fit."

He grabs a few lemon slices and drops them into the tea before pouring us each a glass and settling back down into his chair. "You know that's a lame-ass excuse, Jennica."

"Really dad, lame-ass?" I sigh as I look up at him. Thankfully it's not the disappointment I see looking back at me this time. But I know he won't quit until I come clean, "Yesterday I got off work early and walked in on Chris and our landlord in a rather delicate situation."

He takes a big gulp of his tea and nods his head, "They have to snake the pipes again?" 

I'm mid-sip when he says it and it takes everything in me not to choke, "Um... I guess you could call it that..."

He looks confused, "Call what, what?" 

This is so uncomfortable!

"I walked in on them together, dad." I watch for a reaction, any reaction, but I get nothing.