Daughter of a Whore [on hold]

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” 

― Albert Einstein

Estella agrees to come with me after being coaxed with the mention of ice-cream, and chocolate. I can’t believe I am hanging out with a little kid. Why the sudden love for a little kid. I used to not like little kids, but then now… I’m being taken over by baby hormones, if there’s anything like that.

So, after raiding grandma’s fridge and consuming a disgusting amount of chocolate and ice-cream, we settle in the living room. I find one fairytale, Minderella, the Mickey & Mouse version of Cinderella, and I read it to her twice when she asked me to. I wonder my granda even has this book around the house, but glad I found it.

After that, I have no idea how to entertain a young child. I scan through the cable channels until I find something that looks like cartoon.

One hour. Two hours. I can tell she’s getting bored, and so am I.

I take her to my room, and we watch lame videos on YouTube that capture her attention and send her into sessions of laughter. It is surprising what kids find funny.

Ma comes home a few minutes later, and I help her take in the groceries and sort them into the fridge.

When Chase arrived, I was in my room watching another video with Estela. I heard him speaking to Ma, and the next thing I know I hear his footsteps approaching. I stand up from the chair immediately, and close my wardrobe. I look around and make sure there’s no stray bra hanging around.

He knocks and comes in right after, and I’m standing there in the middle of the room. Estela has turned in her chair, and we’re both looking at him blankly.

“Hey,” he laughs nervously maybe, "is this a girls only territory?" He looks at Estela and smiles, “Barbara está aqui. Você quer ir com ela?” She climbs down, and runs out the door.

My eyebrows lift in confusion. “What was that you said?”

“Told her her sister is here. She out with your grandma in the garden.”

I move over to the chair at my desk and sit. “Never knew you spoke Portuguese.”

“I’m half Portuguese, from my dad's side.” Half Portuguese, is that supposed to be hot or what?

He takes a step into my room, and leans on the desk. “So,” he hesitates, not knowing exactky how to phrase the next works, “I never asked about Alex.” Which was good, until now that you did. “Is he taking responsibilities?”

I frown because I really do not want to talk about this. “He doesn’t know.”

“What, you never told him?” He asks, surprised.

I just shrugg, dismissing any thoughts of Alex from my head, and the depressing fact that I am carrying a baby of his. “There’s no point. He hates me like I hate him.” Chase doesn’t respond, so I continue, “He’s a guy, all he’ll do is to deny.”