Sweet Tea and Summer Love by Regan Claire

Author:Regan Claire [Claire, Regan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Regan Claire
Published: 2017-02-07T16:00:00+00:00

Then

“S’this?” the man asked after he almost tripped into the apartment and caught sight of me. I got a whiff of more than just booze, and when Jill turned on a nearby lamp, I saw that it had been quite a while since the man—Henry—had bathed.

“A friend, Dad. Don’t worry about her. What do you want?” Jillian said, irritation thick in her tone.

I didn’t know what to do except just stand there. This man was her father? He looked homeless!

“Aw, can’t a father come by to see his only childr’n?” He looked around. “Where’s your brother?”

“He’s working. He’s always working when you decide to come by. Don’t pretend that you don’t know that.” Jill turned her back and went into the kitchen. A cabinet gets shut a little too fiercely.

“So, you’re a friend of my lil’girl? Whast’your name?” He was swaying a little, side to side, as he stood there.

“Uh—”

Jill came back out, saving me from having to answer. “I told you not to worry about her, Henry,” she said while shoving a brown paper sack in one of her father’s hands and what looked like some money in his other. “It’s your usual. Food and money. Will’s going to be home any minute, so don’t bother asking for more.”

“Aw Jilly Bean, tha’s not why I come—”

“Save it, Dad. Now get out of here before Will gets home,” Jill said. She sounded so tired.

His eyes focused long enough to look at his daughter. “You’re a good girl, Jilly.” Then, just as quickly as he arrived, he turned around and walked back out the door.

Jillian walked up and locked the door behind him, then turned to look at me. “Uh, so that just happened.” She looked so embarrassed. “Don’t worry, he won’t be back tonight. And he’s mostly harmless anyway; too drunk to cause any real trouble.”

“How often does he come over?” I asked.

She looked away. “Oh, barely ever.” I knew she was lying. “Look, I would rather Will not find out about it.”

“Uh, he doesn’t know?”

“I mean, Dad used to come around when Will was here, too, but Will kept calling the police on him. Now Dad just comes when Will is gone, and I haven’t felt the need to enlighten him.” She was cracking her knuckles, and I didn’t know if she was nervous or only embarrassed.

“So you lie? Doesn’t he hate that?”

She looked at me sharply. “I don’t lie to my brother. It just hasn’t come up, and Will wouldn’t approve of my giving him anything, especially money. But it’s my money and…” she trailed off.

I wasn’t sure I approved either, but I didn’t know the situation at all. The air was thick with the awkwardness of what just happened.

“Want some popcorn?” Jill asked suddenly. I think she knew neither of us were going back to sleep right away.

I smiled. “Definitely.”

I hiked myself back onto the stool by the kitchen while she threw a bag in the microwave.

“So…” There was something else that was bothering me. “Why did you think it was going to be Jack instead of your dad?” I asked.

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