Motorcycle Girl: Book Four

Chapter 2: Truth

What do you guys think of the kids on the side?

_____

Nathan

The only sound in the house is of the heat coming through the vents. I look around my house.

It reeks of alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes. Red solo cups litter the floor, along with trash, crushed chips into the carpets, broken beer bottles...

The pool is a weird shade a blue from all the beer that got poured in it.  The lawn is covered in trash too, bans of beer or glass bottles, soda, snacks...

We got home around midnight and it's well past two in the morning now, and we're all just sitting in silence. My right ankle rests on my left knee, my left arm stretched across the back of the couch. My wife sits a foot away from me, her legs folded like a lady. Her right leg bouncing up and down, her arms folded across her chest. She's been glaring at all four kids for two hours straight.

She sighs then and gets up, walking over to the cooler, kicking a few bottles out of the way. She reaches in and grabs two beers, walking back to the living room. She hands one to me and puts the edge of the lid on the edge of the coffee table. In one swift movement, she slams her hand down on the lid and the top pops off. She hands me that one and does the same with the one in her hand, she raises the bottle to her lips and takes a long swing, and then her face contorts in disgust.

"You could have at least bought decent beer." She mutters. Raylen opens his mouth to reply, but she puts her hand up. "Do not talk to me until I tell you to respond."

He presses his lips together and sinks back into the couch.

She takes another sip and I raise my bottle to my lips, taking a long swing.

It could be worse. I hold the bottle out and read the label. It's some weird name.

"Did you spike this?" I ask Raylen bluntly. He doesn't say anything. "Answer me!" I snap. He jumps.

"No." He mutters.

"How many blunts did you inhale?" My wife asks.

He looks at her and shrugs one shoulder.

"I lost count at nine." Noemie mumbles.

"You smoked?" I shout, standing up. Her eyes widen.

"No Daddy, I was counting Raylen!" She exclaims.

"She smoked." Raylen says.

"No, you forced my mouth open and tried to make me smoke!"

"You what?" Odeletta hisses. "Raylen, she's fourteen!"

"I don't know what she's talking about." He lies.

I glance down at my little girl, her short dress reaching her mid-thigh. She's grown since Valentines Day. That was eight months ago.

"Go put on clothing." I snap at her. "You are fourteen, not twenty one. That dress is way too short."

"Daddy!" She whispers.

"Go." I point to the staircase. She glances at Odeletta and then stands up.

"When you are dressed, come back." Odeletta says without turning her head.

"Yes ma'am." She mumbles. I hear her footsteps go up the stairs and disappear down the hallway. A moment later, her bedroom door shuts.

We fall back into silence.