Page 11 (1/2)
Chapter 1
I sat on the kitchen counter, watching lancing at the clock every couple of minutes I knehy she did this, my dad was due home in exactly sixteen ot in
Jake wandered in, playing with his Spider-Man figures “Mo her the puppy dog look
She glanced at the clock again and shook her head quickly “Not right now, Jakey Dinner won’t be long and we need to eat as a fahtly as she spoke
Jake’s face fell, but he nodded and came to sit next to me I ihed as he gasped and snatched it back, s his eyes at rey eyes with brown flecks in the brothers went, he was the best He always looked after me at home and at school, made sure no one picked on me The only one allowed to pick on me, as far as he was concerned, was him, and to a lesser extent his best friend Liam, who happened to live next door
“So, A his shoulder into mine Jake was ten, and o years older than me, so he always helped with my school work
“Nope I didn’t get any” I sled off of the counter
“OK, kids, go set the table forcheese on the pasta and putting it into the oven Jake and I ju to the dining room
My dad was very particular about everything, if everything wasn’t exactly right, he got angry and no one ever wanted that My ot easily annoyed if we did anything wrong If you had heard of that saying ‘Children should be seen and not heard’, well, my dad took that to another extreme Instead, he liked ‘Children shouldn’t be seen or heard’ At five thirty everyday he would coht away, and then Jake and I would be sent to our bedrooms, where we played quietly until seven thirty ould have to go to bed
I hated this ti was fine until he caed Jake alent quiet and didn’t sot this look on her face, like fear or worry, and she would start rushing around plu up the cushions on the sofa I always just stood there and silently wished I could hide in my room and never come out
Jake and I set the table quietly, and then sat down in silence, waiting for the click of the door to signal that he was ho to sweat as I prayed in ht
So and kiss irl I was, and how much he loved o to hockey practice and I would be left home with my father Those Sundays were the worst, but I didn’t ever tell anyone about those times, or how he touched me and told me how pretty I was I hated those days, and wished the weekends would never come I would much rather it be a school day ould only see him for dinnertime I definitely preferred it when he looked at ry eyes, than when he looks at me with the soft eyes I don’t like that at all, it made me feel uncoh, today was only Monday so I had alain
A couple of minutes later he walked in Jake shot me a look that told me to behave and he held my hand under the table My father had blond hair, the same colour as Jake’s He had brown eyes, and was always frowning
“Hello, kids,” he said in his loud deep voice A shudder tickled down my spine as he spoke He set his briefcase on the side and took his seat at the head of the table I tried not to show any reaction to him; actually, I tried not to ot everyone in trouble or that did sos worse for everyone It never used to be like this, I used to be daddy’s little girl, but since he started his job, three years ago, he changed Our relationship with hied completely He still favoured me over Jake, but when he came home from work, it was like he wanted to pretend like Jake and I weren’t there The way he looked at Jake so he didn’t exist, it made my stomach hurt to see him look at my brother like that
“Hello, Dad,” we both replied at the sa the pasta and a plate of garlic bread
“This looks nice, Margaret,” he said, giving her a s in silence and I tried not to shift on my seat uncomfortably “So, hoas school, Jake?” he asked my brother
Jake looked up nervously “It was good, thank you I tried out for the ice hockey team and Lia
“That’s great, son,” he interjected “What about you, Aaze on me