Loneliness and I had grown quite close over the years. We shared a bond that I had never shared with anyone else. When everything in life was spiraling out of control, loneliness was the one thing I could always count on.
Loneliness was my best fri...
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I was leaning over the coffee table, my fuzzy socks tucked neatly under my butt. I was trying to hurry and finish my homework before dad got home, he promised to take me to the soccer field for some practice. I always looked forward to days like today. I was 14, naive, happy, and had more popularity than I really knew what to do with.
I was the daughter of Grady and Carol Parker, well known by everyone in town because of my parents professions. My dad was Chief of Police in our small town, and my mom was a kindergarten teacher at the only school in our town. Dad was a deacon on Sunday mornings, and mama was a Sunday school teacher.
We had a normal, happy life, until that day.
I had just finished up my math homework, closing the book and letting out a deep breath as I relaxed in the chair. I could hear mama bustling around in the kitchen preparing for dinner. She was humming Amazing Grace under her breath, and I smiled as I heard my dads motorcycle pull into the driveway.
"Emmy June leave your dad alone when he comes in the door. He had a bad day." She called, and I noticed she sounded a little irritable. I brushed it off and scooted my chair out from under the table, rushing across the living room.
"Daddy!" I called, smiling at him with my dazzlingly white teeth. On any other day, my dad would've wrapped his arms around me and asked me how my day was. Today, it was almost like he was a different man.
"Shut up, Emmy. Not today." He stumbled past me into the kitchen. Why was he so tired? And why did he smell so bad?
"You drove like this, Grady? Did you not think at all?" I heard my mom ask, her voice shrill.
"I'm the fucking police chief, Carol. I can do whatever I want." He said, slamming a glass on the kitchen counter. He reached above the stove and grabbed a big bottle with brown liquid in it. He usually only got it down for special occasions.
"Do not use that language in front of your daughter!" My mom hissed, I could practically hear the fear in her voice. What was going on?
I turned and stood in the hallway, out of view.
"Grady, Emmy J has been waiting on you all afternoon. You knew she wanted to play soccer today and you promised to take her." My mom said, disparity clinging to her words. What happened to the cheerful, smiling woman that was just humming away church hymns?
"Don't call that brat my daughter!" My dad roared. "You know I never even wanted her!"
Tears were stinging my eyes already, he was lying right?
Surely my own dad wanted me, right?
"Grady you're not thinking straight." My mom urged. I could hear her sniffling, too. At least she still wanted me.
"I'm thinking perfectly fucking fine, Carol. Now get out of my way!" My dad yelled again, and I heard the scuffling of feet before a loud slap rang out in the kitchen.
