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DESMOND . . . MAY HAVE MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE. He may have had a drink or two (or six) to ease himself of some tension after his morning road crew shift before heading off to the bank that he worked at, his breath may have reeked of a certain substance, he may have stumbled around and slurred his words in front of the customers, he may have passed out on the floor, and he may have gotten fired.
(...he did all of those things.)
Betty, who's stomach bug seemed to be improving, yelled at him since they didn't have money, he yelled back with his brown paper bag-wrapped alcohol bottle in hand, and Adaline stayed quiet in the kitchen while she washed the dishes.
Long story short, Desmond was now working two shifts on the road crew every day while Betty rested and recuperated, and Addy did everything else.
During one of Desmond's night shifts, Betty had been back and forth between her bedroom and the bathroom, so Adaline assumed she was taking a bath for the first time in a week; however, when Adaline was about to go into the bathroom herself, she saw her mother walk out of her room in the trench coat she always wore to visit Aunt Sally.
"You ain't goin' to see Aunt Sally, are you?" Adaline asked, frozen in shock. "You're still gettin' over your stomach bug."
Betty waved her off as she rummaged through her purse, "Oh, that's long gone. I missed her last weekend, so I told her I'd come tonight." She slung the purse straps over her shoulder before kissing each of Adaline's cheeks, "I love you, hun. It'll just be a short trip this time, so I'll be back tonight or tomorrow mornin'." She smiled at her daughter before opening the door that Adaline stopped from closing, suspicious and worried.
It began to drizzle rain outside and Adaline crossed her arms, "How 'bout you let me come with? It's beginnin' to rain."
Betty laughed, "I've driven in worse than this, Adaline. Go back inside now, and go prepare dinner for your father. They'll probably be sendin' them all home soon."
"Does he know you're leavin'?"
Betty shrugged, "Nope, I don't need permission—especially from him." She waved one last time, "Bye, hun. Love you." Adaline half-heartedly waved as she saw her mom pull the car, that Desmond was planning to sell soon yet Betty conveniently took it for a drive every time Desmond brought someone over to the house to look at it, out of the driveway and down the street.
Adaline hurried inside and rummaged through the kitchen drawers in search of a pen and any piece of paper she could write a note on, telling her father that she was going out with Eli tonight. She put the note on the kitchen table and glanced in the fridge to see barely any food in it, but she didn't have time to worry about that. Desmond was a grown man, he'd figure something out.
