Seven Ways to Sunday

Seven Ways To Sunday (9,10)

Chapter 9

"We are going to play a game okay Tammy?" I said putting her into the closet. "It's called secret agent, you stay here because you're a secret agent. Now if someone finds you. You lose so you have to stay quiet okay," she nodded her little pig tails flying all over the place she was only eight and I was twelve. "The games not over till I come get you so stay here till then okay," she nodded again.

My father was on his way home; my mother was out of town taking care of my grandmother who was sick. Not that she would stop what I knew was coming. I closed the closet door and went into the living room. I made sure everything was in its place. Then I went to the kitchen and straitened the cans so that the labels faced out. I made sure all the towels were folded correctly and made sure all of Tamsen's toys were put away.

My hands started to shake as I heard the front door open. I tried to predict where he would go so I could avoid him, but it was hard to say. He may be hungry, he may have to go to the bathroom and he might just wanna come after me right off the bat.

"Eve where are you?" I tried to open my mouth to say that I was in the kitchen, but I couldn't bring myself to. "I said where the hell..." he came into the kitchen and saw me standing there. "Why didn't you answer me girl?" once again I couldn't say anything. "Are you deaf?"

"I...sorry," I managed to spit out.

"Well where's dinner?" he said sitting down at the table. I went over to the stove and opened the oven pulling out one of the meals mom had frozen for us to eat while she was gone then I placed some of it on the table in front of him. I went over to the fridge and got him a can of beer, then went to leave. "Where are you going?"

"I...I have...a...a paper due tomorrow," I lied.

"You liar, I talked to your teacher today and he didn't say nothing about no paper," I knew he hadn't really talked to my teacher, because I only had female teachers.

"She may have forgotten to tell you," I realized my mistake the moment I said it. I had corrected him and exposed one of his lies. His hand sprang out grabbing onto my arm.

"You saying that I'm a liar?"

"No daddy...I was..." his hand connected with my left cheek with such force that I lost my balance. The only thing keeping me from hitting the floor was his holding my arm.

"I'll teach you to back talk," he said then he started dragging me toward his wood working room. It had an old cot in the corner and a padlock on the door. I wouldn't scream, it might make Tamsen come out and I didn't want him to get her. I couldn't let him get her.

Chapter 10

Bryce put his hand on my shoulder to calm me down. I took a deep breath. I didn't want my father to go off. In fact that's the last thing anyone would want.

"Why are you going to sell my house?"

"It's our house. It's in our name, the mortgage and everything is in our name," my father said in a voice that told me it didn't Matter that this was where his only daughters were living. I really couldn't handle this. Not after last night and not after this morning. "We need the sale money to buy a house in Florida."

"Dad...Please we have been paying for this place..."

"We helped you get this place now you are going to help us get ours. The house goes on the market tomorrow, if you come up with the money it's yours," I closed my eyes hoping that today never happened.

"I'll see you at Sunday dinner darling." my mother said kissing my cheek as she walked by. I hoped she held her breath for me to show up.