Cinders

~9~ Boss Mode

I spend the rest of the afternoon in my room, hating life. By the time dad gets here, I'm thankful. Maybe dad will feel sorry for me and convince mom to let me go home with him.

I hear dad come in, and say something to mom. I come out then, and shuffle over to him. He wraps me up in a hug.

"I've missed you, champ," he says, kissing my head. It's only been a day since I've seen him, but I know what he means. The idea of not staying with him for three weeks is awful.

"Me too," I say with a small smile.

"What's wrong?"

I shake my head "I got spanked a bit ago."

"Again?" He asks, sounding appalled and looking at mom for an answer.

Mom's tone is clipped. "He skipped because he got caught cheating."

She's just waiting for dad to give her an attitude...She almost sounds bored—Don't be fooled, dad...She's like a freakin' panther, waiting to strike!

Dad rolls his eyes and sighs loudly. "You couldn't have given him a break? Come on Ellie. You already spanked him once."

"Somebody's gotta be the parent, Alex!"

"You've already made that quite clear, thank you," he snaps back. I've literally never seen my dad like this before—So mad— then again, mom's never kept me from him either.

"I'm starving. You guys ready?" he asks, trying to calm his voice down.

"Yeah, I've just gottta get my shoes," I say as I go to my room to grab them.

Dinner is awkward. Mom and dad barely speak to each other, and when they do, it's just a few words at a time—Dad and I did most of the talking.

By the time we get back home, I'm honestly just ready for him to leave. The tension is giving me a headache. Dad gets a phone call, and excuses himself to the hall for a couple minutes. Once he comes back, mom can read his expression, and it's obvious the call didn't go well.

"Why don't we play a board game?" Mom says, trying to break the awkwardness.

"Sure," dad says quietly.

"Can't dad and I just play Call of Duty?" I try, knowing it's not going to work.

Mom says nothing as she gives me her mom look.

I roll my eyes and flop down on the couch. I immediately regret that decision, once I feel the fire reignite in my butt.

"Ok, Clue it is!" She says as she goes to the linen closet and gets out the game. She and dad get it set up on the table, and I eventually come over and sit down, more carefully this time.

Want something to drink, Alex?" Mom asks as she goes to the fridge to get herself a soda.

"Got any beer?"

"Get to know me already. No, I don't have any beer," she says with a teasing smile. The ice is finally starting to thaw.

"I don't know why I even asked. Remember that time I convinced you to try it for the first time? You threw up all night. You were so pissed at me," he chuckles, remembering another lifetime ago.

"I wasn't pissed you made me try it, I was pissed that Jake saw and turned me in. I was in so much trouble."

"Yeah," he chuckles. "I blocked that part out. Your dad was really mad," he says, laughing again. "I'll take a soda."

Mom hands him the soda and sits down next to him, picking out the cards that go into the envelope.

We spend the next hour trying to figure out who the murderer was. Finally, I declared that Mr. Green was the killer, he did it in the Billiard Room, and used a rope as his weapon.