Bunny

3

I made it back home and got out the groceries.

"Welcome ba-...You okay?" my dad asked.
"Hm?"
"You look scared. Thought you were only goin' to the store?"
"I did only go to the store."
"Then what's up? Tomatoes too expensive?"
I snickered. "No, nothing. I'm okay."
"You don't look okay."
"No, it was bad traffic for some reason, I had to fight my way back home on the road so that might be it. But really I'm fine."
"Mm. Alright."

I couldn't tell my dad what happened because he's the type to drive down there and beat up each of those men I saw in the parking lot. Including Isaiah. And I don't know how I'd work in his house after my father kicked his ass.
My father's a big guy. Bearded. Strong. Been to jail. That was the time frame where I lived with my grandma for a few years. I only recently found out where he was. He didn't want them to tell me without him being there to explain. Battery and theft. He beat up a businessman that kept rushing him in line at a grocery store then stole his and the man's groceries out of the store. The store had cameras. My father didn't make smart decisions. That was when I was a baby and he was struggling to feed us both, so I and my grandma don't hold it against him. I think he's learned.

I began putting all of the groceries away.

"What'd you get?" he asked and came to the kitchen to open the fridge for a beer.
"I got stuff for burgers, is that cool?"
"Perfect."

____________________________________

Sunday wasn't much, I just helped my dad fix some things for our neighbors. By "help" I mean I passed him the tools and a beer when he asked. My dad works in packaging for a factory most of the time but when he's at home he's a fixer upper and gets money that way. He's gone at night and when he's home during the day he's either asleep or working on someone's microwave.

Today was Monday and that meant I had to go in on my first day.
The homes I work at never specify what I should wear so I just put on a t-shirt and pair of jeans.

"DAD, I'M LEAVING!" I yelled to him as I walked down the stairs.
"DRIVE SAFE!" he commanded in a half sleep tone.

I locked the door behind me then hopped in my car.

For the ride, I just thought about how this would play out. Seeing Isaiah with such a scary group of people and now going to clean his mansion was weird. I hoped he wasn't there. Hopefully, it would just be his mother and everything would be fine. I'd clean quickly then hurry home before he arrives. That was the plan.

I made it to their house and knocked on the door. Pam said she'd have a key made for me at some point.

I knocked a second time after not receiving a response the first two minutes.

After still not getting anything, I figured she was upstairs and it was too hard to hear a gentle knock on the door so I rang the doorbell.

I waited again.

I could see a body approaching the door through the frosted glass.

It opened.

Isaiah stared at me then looked around the neighborhood as he exhaled the smoke in his lungs. It was a cigarette this time.

"Fuck are you doin'?" he asked me and looked back down at me.
I looked at the concrete.
"Hello? You sellin' Girl Scout cookies or somethin'?" he wondered and I watched his hand leave my peripheral which I assumed was him bringing the cigarette back to his lips.
I looked up at him. "How old do you think I am?" I wondered.
"I don't know." he shrugged. "You're tall but you got a baby face."
"I'm 21..."
"Mm. Why're you on my doorstep, bunny?"

I guess that nickname isn't going anywhere.

"Where's Pam?" I asked.
"Pam? You two friends or somethin'? Fuck are you callin' her Pam for?"
"That's...what she told me to call her..."
He snickered. "I'm fuckin' wit' you. I don't really care what you call her as long as you watch your mouth. But she ain't here."
"Oh..."

I turned around to head back to my car.

"You need somethin'?" he asked behind me.
"I'm supposed to start working today..."
"A'ight?"
"I'll just wait until she gets back..."
"Why?" he questioned and tossed his cigarette on the ground.
"Because..."
"Let's go, it's cold out here." he commanded and walked inside with the door open.

I know I'm not necessarily the most fearless person on the planet but this boy sparks genuine fear in me. He's like...hot...but in a menacing way. Like if prisons had vogue models I guess.

I followed behind him and into the house, closing the door behind me.

We made it to the kitchen and he'd taken out a water bottle then began to drink.

I just stood there.
He saw me.

"What?" he asked.
"I don't know where your supplies are..."
He opened the cabinet under the sink and took some things out.

"There." he said after getting a towel as well. "Go crazy." He walked out and back upstairs.

I looked at what he'd left me.
I'd need other things but I guess I'd get as much done as I could with what he'd given me.

I started in the kitchen since I was already there.

I was wondering about my responsibilities as I began cleaning.
Some homes required me to go grocery shopping for them, of course they'd give me the money and the grocery list, but I wondered if Pam wanted that as well. Some homes didn't want me going into any specific rooms. I wondered if Pam had that too.

Their home wasn't dirty or gross, just clutter-y. They had plates, cups, and pots everywhere and I was only in the kitchen. On the plus side, their living room and dining room were clean.

I'd probably be here for a while.