When I open my dad's front door I have to push past some garbage, as if it wasn't clear enough my mom did all the house cleaning. The house smells funky, not it's usual old wood furniture and lemon Pledge combination.
Dad's passed out on the couch, face down, so at least he won't choke on his own vomit. I put the groceries in the kitchen where they belong and come back to see he's still knocked out. I decide to clean what I can while I'm here. Put the empty bottles in the recycling bin, as well as the empty rolls of toilet paper and paper towels, along with other miscellaneous recyclables.
"God, if I didn't know any better I'd think it was a Sunday morning and your mother's doing her weekend cleaning." He mumbles, still slightly drunk.
"Try Tuesday, and it's 3:00 pm." I answer, mildly irritated with him already
"Oh hell, I was supposed to start working again this week." He says, scratching his eyes to wake himself up a little.
"Yeah, I called ahead again. Told Asher you were still sick."
I see my dad's face sour even more at the mention of Asher "Fuckin Daddy's Boy. The only reason he got that management job is because his father owns our division. Kid can't tell his face from his ass. Wearing a tie and dress shoes to a factory, looking like a damn French waiter."
"Not that I'm not riveted by this subject, but when was the last time you showered, Dad?" I ask, interrupting his vitriolic schpeel.
"Eh, I don't remember. Few days maybe. Even I can tell I'm getting pretty ripe." He says, smelling his own armpit.
"Go shower, I'll order something for you to eat before I go and leave money for it on the dining table." I answer
"I'm tired of eating take out. When's your mother gonna get over what I did and come back home? This is getting ridiculous, and her chores are piling up." He complains, gesturing to the floor that hasn't been vacuumed since Mom left.
"Mom might leave you because you cheated on her for years and you're concerned with dinner and the carpet being clean?" I ask incredulous
"Jesus, calm down. Swear to god, you sound like your sister. I got enough women shitting on me, don't pile on."
"Dad, are you fucking serious? I'm the only one still taking care of you."
"One of the main reasons I want your mother back here, all you do is make sure I'm not dead and order food for me."
"At least I'm fucking trying!"
"Shut up you fucking Momma's Boy! Just go home! At least when Jennifer scolds me it might be because she's on her period, what's your fuckin excuse? Panties in a twist too tight?"
I just scoff, take my stuff and walk out the front door with him screaming obscenities behind me.
I take out my phone to call Jen while I'm turning on the car.
"Hello?"
"Hey, you're on Dad duty from now on. I'm fuckin done."
"Jesus Christ, what'd he do now?"
"Apparently I'm not doing enough for him and he wants Mom back home because her chores are piling up and he's tired of the food I order for him."
"He seriously said that?"
"Yep. I know he's Dad and everything but I'm seriously running out of sympathy. I was never this bad, was I?" I ask, genuinely scared of the answer.
"Eh. You were different."
"Hmmp, different, but not better." I say, disappointed
"Look, I'm on my way there to pick something up for Mom. How bad is he?"
"Is it urgent? If not, I'd postpone it for tomorrow."
"It's...lady stuff."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Yes Wyatt, it's somewhat urgent."
"I honestly don't know if it'd be better if I went to get it myself or let you do it. He's still a little drunk from ... whenever the last time he started drinking was." I say, turning off my car, still in the driveway.
"Headache's really setting in.." I add, rubbing my temples.
"Just go home and keep doing more digging, that always makes you less anxious. I'll get it for
Mom, she says Hi by the way."
"Mom's in the car with you?" I ask, worried she heard what Dad said.
"No dumbass, she would've said Hi herself then. She misses you by the way. Why've you been avoiding her? She thinks you're taking Dad's side."
"I'm not taking Dad's side, I just know she won't die if I leave her alone too long."
"I hate that that's not even an exaggeration." She sighs
"Me, too. How is she?"
"Keeping busy. Cleaning everything I just cleaned just to make sure it's clean. According to her anyway. I love her so much but if she wakes me up again at 5:30 am to wash the bathtub in our room again I am going to rip my skin off and eat it."
"Thanks for the mental image Jen..."
I see that I'm getting another call on the car console so I say goodbye and answer the call from the random number.
"Hello?" I say
"Is this Wyatt?"
"Who's asking?"
"I was told you need my help. I can help you find some shit on your wife's boyfriend."
YOU ARE READING
No Spare Key
RomanceLucy has made a lot of mistakes, she doesn't regret any of them because they gave her little Rosie. That does not mean however that she would be stupid enough to repeat those mistakes. Without her god-awful ex husband, she's been able to make a go...
