When Life Doesn't Give You Enough Cards to Play the Game, You Deal
Chapter 2
“Who is that?” Someone, who I guessed was Chance, asked.
“This is Kat.” Jack said. “She’s going to be staying with us a while.”
“Why?” He asked, hostility rolling off of him like an ocean wave.
“She needed a place to stay, and I couldn’t let her stay on the streets.” He explained. “You be nice to her.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you Kat.” Chance extended his hand to me, and I took it. I could tell he was being insincere, but I ignored it to humour his father. He shook my hand so hard, it me feel like a rag doll. “I’m Chance Damien.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.” I returned, with just as much insincerity, while trying to gain some of the feeling back in my arm after that vicious handshake.
***
“You can have Chance’s room.” Jack offered after dinner. “He can sleep on the couch.”
“No, that’s okay.” I assured. “I can take the couch.”
“But you’re the guest.” Jack countered.
“Dad, stop bugging her. If she wants the couch, she can have it.” Chance said after popping into the room and shooting me a death glare.
Jack shot Chance a venomous look but Chance’s glare certainly didn’t falter.
“Chance…” Jack warned. “Go to you room.” He said sternly, then added, “Now!”
“Gladly.” Chance returned, a satisfied smirk making it’s way onto his face. He strode smoothly out of the room and Jack started to calm down.
“I’m sorry about him.” He apologized. “He’s just got a lot going on right now.”
“No problem.” I said lightly. “I’ve been treated worse. I think I can handle a few harsh words.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.”
I shrugged. “Could you point me in the direction of the bathroom please? I want to get changed.”
“Oh, of course.” Jack said, pointing toward the hallway. “Second door on your right.”
“Thanks.”
I trudged sleepily into the bathroom, lugging my suitcase behind. I shut the door behind me and unzipped my suitcase. I pulled out a pair of sweatpants and pulled them on. I dropped my jeans back in before zipping the suitcase back up.
I carried it back into the living room, tired of it obnoxious thumping. I set it beside the couch.
“I’ll clean up the guest bedroom tomorrow and you can have that.” Jack said, going to stand in front of the entrance of the hallway, waiting for my response.
“You don’t have to. I won’t be here for much longer.” I reasoned.
“So you might as well make the best of, right?” He asked rhetorically before he left.
“I guess so.” I mumbled to myself.
I set the pillow Jack had provided me on the arm of the couch unfolded the blanket, laying it across the whole thing. Satisfied with my makeshift bed, I crawled in and happily let sleep take me over.
“This is Kat.” Jack said. “She’s going to be staying with us a while.”
“Why?” He asked, hostility rolling off of him like an ocean wave.
“She needed a place to stay, and I couldn’t let her stay on the streets.” He explained. “You be nice to her.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you Kat.” Chance extended his hand to me, and I took it. I could tell he was being insincere, but I ignored it to humour his father. He shook my hand so hard, it me feel like a rag doll. “I’m Chance Damien.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.” I returned, with just as much insincerity, while trying to gain some of the feeling back in my arm after that vicious handshake.
***
“You can have Chance’s room.” Jack offered after dinner. “He can sleep on the couch.”
“No, that’s okay.” I assured. “I can take the couch.”
“But you’re the guest.” Jack countered.
“Dad, stop bugging her. If she wants the couch, she can have it.” Chance said after popping into the room and shooting me a death glare.
Jack shot Chance a venomous look but Chance’s glare certainly didn’t falter.
“Chance…” Jack warned. “Go to you room.” He said sternly, then added, “Now!”
“Gladly.” Chance returned, a satisfied smirk making it’s way onto his face. He strode smoothly out of the room and Jack started to calm down.
“I’m sorry about him.” He apologized. “He’s just got a lot going on right now.”
“No problem.” I said lightly. “I’ve been treated worse. I think I can handle a few harsh words.”
“But you shouldn’t have to.”
I shrugged. “Could you point me in the direction of the bathroom please? I want to get changed.”
“Oh, of course.” Jack said, pointing toward the hallway. “Second door on your right.”
“Thanks.”
I trudged sleepily into the bathroom, lugging my suitcase behind. I shut the door behind me and unzipped my suitcase. I pulled out a pair of sweatpants and pulled them on. I dropped my jeans back in before zipping the suitcase back up.
I carried it back into the living room, tired of it obnoxious thumping. I set it beside the couch.
“I’ll clean up the guest bedroom tomorrow and you can have that.” Jack said, going to stand in front of the entrance of the hallway, waiting for my response.
“You don’t have to. I won’t be here for much longer.” I reasoned.
“So you might as well make the best of, right?” He asked rhetorically before he left.
“I guess so.” I mumbled to myself.
I set the pillow Jack had provided me on the arm of the couch unfolded the blanket, laying it across the whole thing. Satisfied with my makeshift bed, I crawled in and happily let sleep take me over.