Not Having Fun

042

⚠️TW casual racism

Dad doesn't like his parents. He says his dad especially was really mean to him and his brother. I overheard him telling Chris his father was 'abusive' and his mother is 'toxic' and that's why we don't see her much. We haven't seen her since grandpa's funeral. She also really doesn't like Mum and calls her names sometimes. But today Mum got her arm burned badly at work. Chris said her skin was like a mutant monster! Because she got burned, Dad had to take her to the hospital and it was our grandma who picked me up from school.

"Granny!" I run over to see her. She's smaller than I remember and her hair is more grey. She's older than all the other grandparents the same way Mum and Dad are older than all the other parents. That's okay, I like having older parents because they aren't going out all night without us like all my classmates say their parents do.

"Is Mum okay?!" Is my first question.

"She'll be fine, Max. Let's pick up your brother and get you both to the house,"

Granny drives really weird. One time, she hit someone trying to park outside the pharmacy and didn't leave a note. She complains about the traffic when we get to Chris' school. I see him coming out at the gate and wave over. When he sees Granny's car he stops right there. She rolls the window down.

"Come on, hurry up. We wanna get 'ome before the bloody school rush,"

"I texted Dad and he says I'm allowed to stay at Marcus' tonight," Chris rolls his eyes.

"Ugh, did I drive over 'ere for nothing?!" Granny shakes her head. "Your father doesn't tell me anything!"

He shrugs. "Sorry," he was looking at me when he said sorry.

I've never stayed over at Granny's since I was a little baby. I remember some things about her house, like her massive garden and the shed that would make an amazing clubhouse! She also has this really cool Wizard of Oz pop up book! I read that while she makes my dinner.

"Max, have you got homework?"

Ugh. "Yes Granny," I admit. If I lie, Dad will know!

"You'd better do it then. And I mean right now, it's gettin' dark," the streetlights are already on. I kneel on the floor with my schoolbooks and start doing my homework. But Granny stops me.

"I'll get you a bobble for that hair. You can't do your homework with it fallin' in yer face,"

"It doesn't fall in my face, I can do this," I tuck it behind my ears. She shakes her head.

"I don't know why your father lets you boys have long hair like that. Especially your brother! That must be one big mat. Do you know what I used to call your mother's hair? The beehive! Because that's what it looks like. A big beehive on top of her head,"

I frown. I've seen beehives in books. Mum'a hair doesn't look like one of those at all.

I've been girls wear bobbles, but I've never worn one. Granny comes over and tired my hair up at the top of my head. "There, that should keep it out of your eyes,"

Immediately, I hate it! It tugs my hair up like is going to rip it out. I'm not wearing this! When Granny takes my dinner tray back to the kitchen, I pull out my bobble. She comes back.

"Max! Put that back in. We're keeping your hair tidy for doing your homework," she huffs and shakes her head with her hands on her hips.

"But I don't like it!"

"It doesn't matter. We're keepin' it tidy," she puts it in again.

I take it out again. She puts it in again. And again and again! I don't understand my Granny. Im finished my homework by now! I don't need to see it. And I don't want to wear the bobble.

After the last time she puts it in, I ask "Why d'you keep putting it back in when I'm just going to take it back out?"

She looks at me all angry-like. What did I do now? "If you take it out again, I'll slipper you young Mister,"

I don't know what that means. She'll make me wear slippers? When I'm out of her sight, I take my bobble out again and go back to reading my book.

Granny comes back. "Max! What did I tell you if I saw that out your hair?!"

"That you'd slipper me?"

"That's right!" She pulls me up by my arm. Sitting down on the couch, she picks up her slipper from the floor. She's holding it just like how Mum holds the spoon.

"No!" I scream and try and wriggle out her grip.

"Stop that, you've been acting like a little brat all evening and I'm sick of it! You'll keep that bobble in and maybe this will remind you!" Granny pulls me over her lap. With her slipper, she starts to spank me hard.

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK!

I scream and kick over her lap. Granny is small, how can she spank as hard as Dad?! I kick my legs as she keeps smacking my bum with the slipper. Slippers seem softer than the spoon, but they hurt just as much.

She finishes with six slaps to my legs, and those hurt the most! When she stands me back up, I keep crying and crying as she tries my hair back up in the bobble.

"Get upstairs for a bath," she grabs my hand to take me up to the bathroom. "Then you can get to bed,"

I like her bathroom, it's blue like the sea and has fishies on it. After my bath, I get to sleep in the big double bed with Bexley.

The next day, Dad picks me up. He says Mum is fine! She just needs to rest her arm that got burnt, so he'll have to carry Roxie all the time.

"Why is your hair in that bobble?" Dad asks and helps me take it out. It was on the top of my head and was all tangled. It was less uncomfortable since it was in all night but I still don't like it.

"She said it'd keep my hair out my eyes!" I tell him. I don't wanna tell him I got spanked cause I kept taking it out. Maybe he'll give me in trouble too!

"Oh, alright. If you want something like that at home we could do it,"

"No thanks!" I say quickly as I get in the car.

"We're going to do some shopping for supplies since your Mum won't be able to for a while. I think some cake is in order,"

"Yes please!"