Page 71 of Fall From Grace
“Hey, Priss,” he mumbled. “What are you doing?”
“Sitting here on the couch.”
“… Okay, what’s wrong?” he muttered. “Your voice doesn’t sound right.”
I smiled. “You’ve got to stop doing that, or I’ll never be able to hide anything from you.”
“I don’t want you to hide your feelings from me, ever. That’s not us.”
“I know,” I whispered. “Just one of those days, I guess, and I think I have a migraine coming on.” I stood up. “Most of all, I just miss you and I hate this only seeing you once a week or worse, longer!” It wasn’t a lie, I just left out the worst part, his dad.
“I know,” he agreed. “It won’t be like this forever.”
Mom stepped into the house carrying bags of groceries. “Grace, help me carry in the groceries.”
Noah must have heard her. “I’ll call you back in a bit.”
I knew that was for that best, the longer I was on the phone with him, the easier he’d find out something was wrong.
_______
Sara took me home from practice again the next day and guess who was waiting for me? Mom wasn’t home this time and an awful amount of dread hit me at the thought of dealing with him again. I had just given him twenty yesterday. I thought I might have fifteen left in my wallet…
“Who’s this guy?” Sara asked as she pulled into the driveway. “Seriously, it’s starting to get creepy, these dudes hanging around your house… it looks like he’s waiting on you.”
They didn’t know he was Noah’s dad. “It’s one of our neighbors.”
“I didn’t realize this was a bad neighborhood,” she mumbled.
“It’s not bad,” I told her, trying to dismiss the dread I felt. “Thanks for taking me home again.”
“Ask your parents for a car.” She had been saying that since I got my license.
“Bye.”
When she pulled out, John approached me. “No,” I said right away.
“Hear me out,” he started.
“John, please,” I blinked and muttered. “All I have is fifteen dollars!”
“Look at this house.” He pointed toward it. “You guys have money.”
“No, my parents have money.”
“Will you give me Noah’s number?”
“I’ve been coming over with food for the last few years. I begged and pleaded with you to try and get your son back but you never would. You never once asked me for money then but since I told you I’m with Noah, you’ve changed! You’d be freezing right now if it wasn’t for your son having a heart.”
“I would have gotten by just fine without his help, I always manage to make it through.”
I sneered. “Then stop asking me for money.”
“This and that are different. Kids should want to help their parents out.”
“You need help, just not with money,” I argued.
“I know, I know.” He nodded. “Will you loan me some money until I get my check?”