Lullaby

"Jassy, wake up." I was peacefully sleeping, until I heard this.

"Go away, Uncle Tommy," I groaned.

"No! Get up so we can go wake your dad up!"

"Why?"

"Because I want to spend some time with you, and your Dad and I have a meeting this morning. But, after, we're all going out." He was talking a million words a second, like he was on a sugar rush.

"If I go wake him up, will you shut up?"

His smile increased. "Maybe."

I sighed, throwing the blankets off of me and heading towards Dad's room. "Make him go away," I whined, crawling under the blankets with Dad. He looked at me confused at first, then Uncle Tommy jumped onto him.

"Wake up, Buddie!"

Dad growled lowly. "Do you have any idea what time it is, Asshole?"

"Yep! Seven a.m., and we need to be at the meeting by nine. So get your lazy ass out of bed and get ready!"

"Where did we hide the duck tape?" I asked, becoming desperate.

Dad laughed softly, before sighing. "I guess I better get up before he gets any worse."

"But you're warm," I mumbled, snuggling up to him even more.

"We'll watch a movie and snuggle tonight. I promise." He kissed my forehead, before getting up. At some point I had fallen back to sleep, because Dad woke me up before they left. He told me where to meet them for lunch, then left.

A lot of times, I would sleep in Dad's bed. I felt better in here sometimes more than my own bed. It was only when Donna wasn't here and after the split, that I could, though.

By Noon, I was ready to leave, when the door bell rang. "Can I help you?" I asked the guy at the door. He was giving me weird vibes.

"Uh, is Nikki around?" He asked, glancing everywhere but me.

I frowned. "Not right now. Can I take a message?"

He sighed. "Yeah, can you give this to him?" I looked down and my blood boiled.

I took the baggy from him and slammed the door in his face. Oh, my dad was so going to get it!

When I got to the restaurant, it was more than lunch with just Dad and Uncle Tommy. A bunch of other people were here, too.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Uncle Tommy said, giving me a hug.

"Not right now, Uncle Tommy," I said, not in the best of moods.

"What's wrong, Kiddo?" He asked, frowning.

"Nothing," I sighed, going and sitting down. Dad smiled and tried talking to me when he sat next to me, but I wasn't as enthusiastic.

Throughout lunch, I pretty much stayed quiet. That is, until Dad ordered some Wine. "Really, Dad?" I hissed.

He gave me a confused look. "What? I can't drink a glass of wine?"

"I thought you were done with all alcohol? One glass of wine can turn into a bottle. Then, who knows what?"

He leaned his elbows on the table and looked at me carefully. "What's bothering you, Jas?" This isn't like you."

"How about you, Dad? You aren't acting yourself lately," I threw back, glaring.

"What is this about, Jasmine?" He snapped.

"This!" I yelled, standing up and throwing the baggy of cocaine onto the table. "I seriously can't believe you! You swore you would stop! Looks like you're just back to your lieing ways. Or maybe they never went away." I gave him on last glance, before shaking my head and storming out of the restaurant.

"Jasmine!" DJ yelled, catching up with me.

"Leave me alone," I said, trying to shake him off.

"Jas, you can't believe that your Dad's back on drugs. Whoever left that baggy was just trying to start some bullshit."

"I don't need you making excuses for him. Just... Tell him not to worry about me. I'll be moved out before he can get home tonight." Before DJ could say anything else, I got in my car and sped off.

I grew up with more problems than most kids had, but I never let it get to me. Except one thing: Dad and his addiction.

He never did Heroin after having us kids,but that cocaine problem was still there. When I was six, I remember making him promise me that he would stop. And he did.

Well... At least I thought.

I showed up at Gunner's apartment about a half hour later. I was going to need a place to stay, and I was going to need him to help me move.

"Jas? What's wrong?" He asked, frowning. As I explained everything, he shook his head. "That can't be right," he said, anger evident in his voice.

"Well it is," I spat.

"Did you give him a change to at least explain?"

"Explain? Explain what?! There's noting to explain, Gunner!"

"Jas," he sighed. "I think you, Dad, and I need to talk."

That's when it clicked. "I get it," I said, standing up and shaking my head. "You're taking his side."

"Jas-"

"No, Gunner." I held my hand up to stop him. "It's fine. You go ahead and turn your head to his addiction. I'm not going to put up with it."

"I really wish you would give him a chance to give his side of the story."

I sighed. "I'll see you later, Gunner."

Now what was I going to do?.