Walker: Wish To Be A Walker

Chapter 13

'Maddie, what in god’s name are you doing up at this ridiculous hour?”’

Maddie stopped, cringhing as she turned back and saw her Dad standing in the doorway of his bedroom. ‘I am so sorry Dad… I didn’t mean to wake you.’

‘Well. You did.’ He looked her up and down, noticing that she was already dressed. Slung over her back was her cat carrying backpack. He frowned. ‘You going somewhere?’

She swallowed as she nodded. ‘The Walker ranch, I start work at seven each day.’

‘It’s only a quarter to six-’

‘Dad, I know. I was going to make you breakfast and lunch before I head out. It takes me half an hour to ride to the ranch, and a good twenty minutes to get my mare ready for the ride.’ She looked up at him, trying to read if he was going to get mad with her or not. ‘I get up at five thirty every day, I’m sorry. I will try to be quieter so I don’t disturb you.’

‘Well, it’s a little late for that.’ He grumbled. ‘I’m up now.’

‘Sorry-’

‘Just shut up and make me my coffee.’ 

She nodded, not wishing to make him more annoyed with her then he already was. Her father was notorious for being cranky if he hadn’t had his morning coffee. ‘I’ll get the kettle on right away.’

His bedroom door was slammed shut as she walked away, the girl jumping at the noise. After a moment her heart had returned to its usual pace and she continued on her way into the kitchen. Bubbles was curled up, fast asleep, on the bed in her carrier as Maddie set the backpack down and set to work.

Ten minutes later her father stumbled into the kitchen, having dressed and readied himself for the day. ‘Coffee done yet?’

‘Mmhmm.’ She replied, motioning to the mug on the table. ‘And these eggs are almost finished too. Scrambled eggs on toast okay?’

‘As long as they don’t taste like rubber.’ He took a sip of his coffee. ‘Your coffee making is better than your cooking abilities. You can’t really stuff up with pre-made coffee mix.’

‘Your eggs won’t be rubber, promise. Mrs. Walker has been teaching me how to do some cooking, I’ve become a lot better cook.’

‘Yeah, we’ll see.’ He lent back in his chair, watching her at the stove. ‘So, these Walkers. What’s the deal with them?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, since I got home, they’re all you can talk about.’

‘I’ve been working for them, that’s all.’ With the toast buttered and on the plate it was only the eggs left to go to finish off breakfast. ‘They offered me a job in exchange for riding lessons, but Mr. Walker has been paying me as well. It’s a good thing he has too-’ She glanced back at him. ‘The food you bought me ran out months ago.’

‘Don’t tell me you spent all that two hundred I gave you.’

‘Uh, I had to when the owners came for the rent, not to mention the gas bill when they came to fill the tank up. Next time you have to go away Dad, can you please make sure that you have the rent and the utilities paid up?’

‘Like I said, the job came up unexpected like.’

‘I know that-’ She brought the plate over, placing it in front of him and returned to the cupboard for the ketchup. ‘But no phone calls? No messages-’

‘Maddie.’ He glared at her, the girl shutting up abruptly. ‘I don’t want to hear another word about it. I already told you what happened. You understand?’