His Choice - Rafe Cameron

20. Kind Gesture

"Where are you going?" JJ looks up at me from the ground where he is sitting with a fishing rod between his legs, trying to untangle the line. 

"I'm going for a walk. I am sick of this house." I quickly glance over at John B who is sitting on the deck chair in the far corner of the yard. "No offence."

He shrugs it off, unbothered by my comment. It has been 8 days since my father showed up and used me as his personal punching bag. That same night, JJ packed up most of our things, John B picked us up, and then took us to his place. We're not much safer there, my Dad knows where he lives. But I guess anywhere is safer than home. 

John B, JJ and Pope have all been on rotating shifts, taking turns of babysitting me. Usually I am paid to babysit Emily. Now the roles are reversed and I am being watched constantly by 3 teenage boys. I didn't tell Miranda what happened. She wouldn't be pleased to see my face all beaten up. I told her that I caught a bad virus and didn't want to risk getting Emily sick. I hope I still have a job to go back to. 

"I am sick of doing the same thing everyday. Waking up, eating eggs on toast, walking down to the jetty, playing cards, fishing, lunch, more cards, tv, dinner and sleep. Not to mention, the bread is stale and we are low on food so I want to head into town." I watch as JJ and John B are about to protest my decision. I told my finger up to silence them. "And before you remind me, yes I know that my face still looks fucked up but it is healing much quicker than I anticipated. I'll put a hat on and I'll duck in and out real quick."

"Fine, but I'm coming with you."

I shake my head in disagreement. "JJ, I love you, but I need alone time. I've had you all watching over me for 8 days. I will be okay, I need this time to myself." I pick up my phone from the table beside me. "I have this with me and I will call you if anything happens."

John B and JJ exchange a glance, before John B places his hand in his back pocket. He retrieves his keys and throws them at me. "Take the old girl then. It's safer than the bike. Be careful with her though." He says in a warning tone. 

I laugh at him while spinning the keys around my finger. I'm not the best driver so I really appreciate him offering me to drive Twinkie. 

After grabbing a few necessities from the store, I carry the paper bag out through the exit and glance around the carpark for the old kombi van. Twinkie isn't hard to miss, she stands out in the crowd. I am so embarrassed by the way I parked her. I'm taking up two spots and she is crooked as hell. 

Despite driving a car since I was the age of 12, I was never properly taught how to park and all of the rules that go along with it. Since the age of 12, I have picked up my drunk father from the bar in his car. 

Most of the time my mother did it, but when she was in a bad condition and couldn't see out of her eyes because they were severely swollen, I was the next person he relied on. I also drive the tractors on the farm at home and that is basically like driving a car too, right? So I can drive okay, it's just the rules that go along with it like who to give way to and following all of the signs. 

"If you brushed your hair and changed your style, you might be able to hide it. But with those parking skills, you definitely are a Pogue." Someone says from behind me and I turn around to see Topper heading my way. He holds his keys over his shoulder and locks his car which is of course parked perfectly in the row across from mine. 

"Hey Topper." I raise my leg and balance the paper bag on my knee and hold it in place with one hand while using my other hand to insert the key into the drivers side of the van. 

"Here, let me take that." He grabs the bag from me and I successfully open the door. When I turn to him, ready to take the bag back, I can see his eyes peering into the bag with a judgemental expression on his face. "You going fishing?"