Payment

It's On

  The next morning I get up early and head down to put breakfast on for my dad and me. I'm standing over the stove when he comes in wearing a business suit and tie.

"Morning honey" dad says setting at the table

"Morning"

I go about putting his plate on the table and mine, then set down in a chair beside him.

"You alright," he asks

"Yeah"

"You seem a little preoccupied."

"It's just work and school."

"How is work."

I put my fork down and looked over at him; my dad was one of them dad's you can tell anything to, and he'll understand. He wasn't one to set and judge you; you made your own decisions in life when you reached a certain age.

"The guy that I babysit for is in a bit of a pickle," I tell him

"I see, what kind of a predicament is he in."

"The sour kind that don't taste real good. You know how I told you he got mugged a while back."

"Yeah"

"Will I kind of let him off on paying me because of that and now he's just started a new job and his not going to be able to pay me until next week."

"Oh, is he good on it."

"I believe he is, but with the electric bill coming up it's going to make things hard for us."

"Don't you worry about that, I'll cover it this week."

"But that's not the problem; the problem is this will be the third week I keep his little girl for nothing."

"I see."

I bow my head rubbing at my temples

"He told me he'd pay me another way."

"Oh," I feel my dad looking at me " This other way does it have to do with you and sex."

I glance up at him my eyes finding his.

"Hum," he hums "And have you."

"No, he told me to think about it, and that's what I'm doing. I just don't know....I know I'm ready, I just don't know if I'm ready for him."

"Will, I'm not going to tell you not to do it because then your do it just to show me you can. But I will tell you to be careful."

"Thank you, daddy."

He smiles getting up

"How old is this guy again."

I smile

"His seventeen daddy, if he were in his twenty's I would have turned him down already."

"Good, you going to be alright."

"Yeah"

"I love you."

"I love you too daddy."

"I got to go to work."

"Ok"

He hugs me bye, then leaves me alone to think about things. I head up to get ready for school; I wear a navy blue dress that comes mid thigh with a pair of black flip flops. I pull my hair up into a pony teal then head to school.

Bea meets me at my locker,

"Hey" she's all smiles

"Hi"