No Spare Key

Chap 10 👵

It can't be that all men make the same exact mistakes.  It's been three days since my mother and I both found out about my father's infidelity from like 20-something years ago.  Since then, Jen found out too (from Mom telling) her and asking to stay with her and her girlfriend for the time being until Mom figures out what to do.  Dad hasn't taken it well.  He's been drinking almost the entire time he's been awake, I had to call into work for him and tell them he's really sick so they don't fire him.  Which might not end up being a lie if he keeps going the way he's going, since he may have to get his stomach pumped or something.  I guess I know how everyone felt when I was in my downward spiral. I don't know if it's me feeling bad for the man who raised me or me empathising with him as a fellow piece of shit or both but I feel like it's my job to help my dad right now, which is why I'm at this weird old people grocery store now.  I know he can be better, I know he didn't intend on hurting Mom. In a lot of ways I think I'm more at fault than he is. We know how bad cheating is now. How damaging it is, how shitty it feels to have it be done to you. In Dad's time it was pretty much normal. The loyal stay-at-home mom takes care of the kids, cooks, cleans, and pleases while the husband brings home the bacon and fools around with the secretary. It's sociological cliché at this point.

  "Son, are you okay?" I see an older man ask me with a concerned look on his.

  "Uh, yes sir."

"I didn't mean to bother, I just saw you looking at those cabbages about ten minutes ago and I past by just now and you looked exactly the same.  Thought you might've been having a seizure."

  "No no, I'm fine.  Thank you, no need to worry."  I laugh off awkwardly

  "Alright well, if there's anything I could help you with let me know." He smiles and walks off with his cart

  How long had I been standing here?  I can't even remember what I came here for so I might as well just check out. 
   I'm not against letting our elderly work if they want to, but they're taking forever to ring out every.single.thing.  There was only one person ahead of me with maybe ten things to check out and it took half an hour.  How does dad just stay here-

  "Hey, you!"  I head behind me
I turn to see a disgruntled older guy looking at me annoyed
  "What're you doing here?  This store is for people older than sixty."

  "Oh, my dad sent me here to get groceries."

  "You coulda gotten them somewhere else!  We don't need you here tappin your foot, waiting for Ellis to hurry up."

  "I didn't know I was tappin-"

"Yeah yeah..whatever.." he grumbles

  I turn around and roll my eyes, starting to set all my things up to get scanned. 

  "Don't listen to Paul honey, he just doesn't like people in general.  I think it's sweet you're getting your daddy his things." Ellis comforts smiling at me a little

   I smile a little and mumble a "thanks" and pay.

  "Tell Greg I said 'Hi' for me hon!" He yells out as I'm walking off

I turn to ask "You know my dad?"

She giggles and responds "Really well, I could see the family resemblance in your face."

I laugh back awkwardly and ask "What do you mean really well?"

"Oh, nothing important. All in the past. Run along now, your freezables are melting."

*******

"Did I just meet one of my dad's mistresses?" I ask myself once I'm in the car.   It was an uncomfortable drive.  I didn't turn on the radio, and I couldn't stop thinking that maybe that's why he sent me to that specific grocery store.  I could've gone to WalMart or something an gotten the exact same things but he wanted me to go to that one because "he wants to support his local economy."  Never known him to be so involved in his community...
   I open the front door to my parents house with the key I still have and put all the groceries away.  My dad comes down stairs and says hi, clearly having woke up from a nap. 
  "Hey Dad." I say, sounding weird even to myself.

   "Find everything at the store alright?"

"Yeah, I think so.."

  "You okay?"

"Um, yeah.  Just tired I guess."

"Wyatt, shut the fridge door and look at me.  Look at me!" He demands and I do as he asks, reluctantly.  "What happened at the store?"

  "I met someone."

His face cheered up a little "Really?  That's great!  I knew you wouldn't stay hung up on that Lucy for too-"

"No no, not like that!  I met someone you know."

"Oh, who?"

  "Uh, I think her name's Ellis?  Plain looking, gray roots, brown hair."

  "Well, I wouldn't say Elli is plain looking."

"How do you know her?"

He sighs looking down "She used to be my secretary.  Before you ask, don't bother.  Yes, we had something a few years ago."

  "A few years ago?  What is a few years ago?  You said you hadn't cheated since the very beginning of your marriage."

  "Eh, I'm not totally sure son.  Doesn't matter.  She and I are just friends now, all we ever did was have a little fun.-"

  "Are all the women you cheated on Mom with that forgettable looking?" I sneer

"Watch it now!  She's a great lady."

"Yeah just the classiest, I wonder how many other married men she's fucked." 

"Hey!"

"Hey what Dad?!  What the fuck could you say to validate her or what you've done?!  I don't care if she's a fucking saint to you, all she'll ever be to me or anyone with any understanding of what decency is, is an old whore!"

"Yeah?!  You don't have much room to talk Wy!  You're a regular chip off the old block!  How many forgettable or even ugly bitches did you cheat on Lucy with?  How many times did you make her cry?  At least when I did what I did, I made sure your mother didn't find out about it until I wanted her to."

  "Congratulations Dad!  You're a better liar than I am!  I guess I should've paid more attention when you were teaching me to be a TERRIBLE PERSON!" 

  "You're in my house!  You wanna scream like a crazy bitch you get the fuck out!"

"I will!  Great job Dad, you lost the last bit of family you had left that didn't hate you now!"  I yelled and shoved him aside, grabbing my keys off the table and storming out.