Emery

The car came to a stop. Home again. He leaned toward me in the car, I leaned back.
“Um, see you tomorrow?” I slowly got out of the door. I still saw a glimpse of the smile on his face.
“Maybe,” I voiced as I got up to the door. The smile left his mouth but remained in his eyes.
It wasn’t until I got in the door when I realized a piece of vital information. Today’s Friday. Why would he say that when tomorrow’s Saturday? Why did I say maybe? Some questions won’t be solved, I guess.

I was awoken by vibrations, a text message: Good Morning, Sunshine. I almost forgot, I gave Neptune my number yesterday. Oh, hey. Err. I forgot today was Saturday… His reply was automatic. Does that mean you don’t want to see me? What was I supposed to reply to that? Of course I want to see you! I never replied.

Awake, I crept into the living room. Guess whose dad is passed out drunk on the couch? Yeah, mine. Wearing his light wash jeans and old red flannel shirt, beer bottle in hand, dad snored.
I nudged his shoulder “Come on, go to your bed”. Groaning and mumbling curse words under his breath. He came to a dizzy stance and stumbled into his room, falling into bed -sound asleep. The door banged shut. I wonder if he’s always drowned his sorrows. After the death of mother his beer intake went from a beer a day to a few cases a day. After the hangover subsides he’ll go back to covering up his depression with humor. Carry on. That’s what I've always told myself. He's never grasped that concept.

A honey bagel with strawberry cream cheese- my breakfast. The door bell echoed throughout the house. Who’d be here this early? I stuffed the rest of my bagel into my mouth and ran to open the door. A pair of blue eyes met my own. Neptune. And there I stood: messy hair, no makeup, and in my pajamas.
“Good Morning” his lips formed a half-smile. My eyebrows automatically lifted, I raised my ringer to my lips in a silent ‘shh’ and pointed to my father’s room. He took my hand and pulled me outside.
“I was thinking,” he jingled his keys “maybe you’d like to join me for a ride?” I narrowed my eyes.
“You thought wrong, I hardly know you.” He was stunned for a few minutes.

“Let’s fix that.” He spoke confidently, his voice filled with sureness.
“One minute” I ran back into the house. I pulled on black skinny jeans, a form-fitted tee, and my boots. Brushing my teeth, I found my cellphone. The next minute I was out of the house.

I’m going to do this on my own terms, I decided.
“Let’s walk around the property,” I said -not a question. I led him around to the yard and within the edge of the forest green, leafy trees.