Good Enough (Book 1)

Untitled Part 3

Chapter 11

"I'm sick of you!"

October 3, 2001

I can hear rain but I can't bear to open my eyes to look out my bedroom window. I'm so tired. I slept like shit. What the hell happened last night? How did the night go so wrong? I turn my head to look at my alarm clock to see what time it is.

12:40 p.m.

I guess now is as good a time as any to get up. I don't hear any other voices in the house so I won't be bothered by anyone. All I hear is the rain pouring down. I wonder if we'll get a thunderstorm. I love sitting with my dad on the back of his tailgate in the garage watching the rain come down, listen to the rumbles of thunder and see the lightning strikes. I haven't done that with him in a while. Today would be a good day for that.

***

After I'm showered and dressed I go to the kitchen to find something to eat. It's almost 2:00 p.m., so breakfast is kind of ridiculous to think about. Opening the refrigerator I laugh, because it's pretty bare. I guess breakfast is back on the table for my 2:00 p.m. meal. Cereal it is.

I curl up on the couch with my bowl of Cinnamon French Toast and grab the TV remote. I haven't been home on a Saturday afternoon in a while. I'm not even sure what there is to watch. Flipping through the channels I see a very recognizable person on the screen, Jennifer Grey. Yes! Thank you TBS for playing classic movies on the weekend. "Dirty Dancing".

CRACK!

I jump from hearing what sounded like a strike of lightning behind me. As I turn to look out of the picture window from the living room I see my mother pulling in to the driveway. That's my cue to get out of this room. This would be the perfect time to go see if my dad is downstairs in the garage watching the storm roll through. Grabbing my shoes I trot down the stairs, turn right through the door to the garage and I see the top of his head over his truck. Yup, I was right. Just where I knew he would be. For some reason that puts a smile on my face.

"Hi, Daddy. Watcha' doin'?"

"Hiya Poopsie Bear. Just watching the storm."

My dad has been calling me Poopsie Bear forever. Even as a so-called adult, it still makes me all mooshy inside when he says it.

"Cool. I'll join ya."

"What are you doing home anyway? I'm surprised you're not out and about."

I can't tell him the truth. My dad is a great man but talking to him sometimes, I don't know. I don't think he realizes how shitty his comments come out. It's easier just to lie.

"I don't know. I think the rain is just making me sleepy and lazy today. I don't feel like going anywhere."

He doesn't say anything. He just nods his head, takes a swig of his Busch beer, a drag of his Marlboro light cigarette and just stares out at the rain. We sit just like that, no words, just stare for well over an hour.

***

"Hi Mrs. Boudreaux. Is Tess there?"

"Oh hello Hillary. No dear, she's with Jameson. I think she's at his house. Do you want the number?"

Un-Fucking believable!

"No thanks Mrs. Boudreaux. I'll talk to her later."

I hang up the phone and cover my face with my hands and just cry. How could she do this to me? I thought she was my friend? What kind of friend does something like that? A swamp crotch friend, that's what kind. Yes, as pretty as she is she smells like swamp crotch. I grin evilly. I would never tell her that but a pretty face can't hide that kind of smell.