It All Started With An Apple

Chapter 11

“I’m fine,” I muttered for what felt like the thousandth time.

 I glared at Britain from my spot on Britain’s bedroom floor.  He stood before me, a worried expression on his face.  He was even worse than Dannon!  And Dannon was pretty bad.  For the past two hours the two of them had been hovering over me, asking me if I felt light headed or if I hurt anywhere.  At first it was amusing, but now?  Now I just wanted to clank their heads together so they would be unconscious.  That way they’d shut up, even if just for a moment.

Kyla rolled her eyes from her spot next to me.  She, unlike the boys, had gotten the hint that I was okay after our hug.  She hadn’t asked me anything, for which I was immensely grateful for.  “Guys, if I hear that sentence come out of your mouths one more time I’m going to kill you,” she said bluntly, looking at her toes as she did her toe nails.  She borrowed some of Aunt Jill’s nail polish, promising to return it as soon as she was done.  I think Aunt Jill and I both knew that Kyla was going to forget to return it the second she finished her pinky toe.  Aunt Jill would never see the nail polish again.

“Shh!” Britain snapped.  “My mom will kill us if she hears any threats.”

“Oh yeah.  Forgot.”

We all looked up as my dad appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a crestfallen expression on his face.  I immediately knew that we weren’t going home tonight.  Translation?  I was going to be missing school tomorrow.  Insert sarcastic yay! here.

“Um, guys,” he mumbled slowly as though he was afraid to tell us whatever he was going to say.  We all watched silently as he mustered the courage to say the words we were dreading.  “The car still isn’t working.”

“Quick question,” Kyla piped up before anyone could say anything.  “Why didn’t you just call someone to come and fix it?”

My dad grinned, bringing a hand through his curls.  They bounced through his fingertips, reminding me of little springs.  “Well, Kyla,” he said, a hint of laughter still obvious in his voice, “we were attempting to fix it ourselves.”

“Well that was stupid!” she exclaimed, going back to work on her nails.  “Your child’s education is on the line, you know.”

That made him laugh.  Oh yeah, Dad.  Laugh at your daughter’s failure.  I see how you are.

“I will call someone tomorrow.  Everyone still has to go to bed by ten because Britain here is going to school tomorrow.”  My dad smiled as Britain groaned.  “Yeah, your mom said so.  Sorry, bud.”

“Dam—darn it,” Britain muttered under his breath, amending his words when he realized an adult was present.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just start to swear,” my dad mused, pushing away from the door frame.  He stood out in the hall now, his arms crossed lightly over his chest in amusement.

“Okay, you do that.”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes.  I glanced at Dannon, surprised to see that he already had his phone to his ear, eyes at the ceiling.  Unlike yesterday there wasn’t any sadness in his eyes.  It was like he expected this to happen.  Though, I had to say, I wasn’t really all that surprised either.

“Dad,” he murmured as his father answered the phone.  “They couldn’t get the car fixed.”  There was a pause.  “Yeah.  Sorry about the appointment.”  Another pause.  “Yeah, I know.  Hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow?”  Pause.  “I love you, too.  Bye.”