I Don't Want A Bloody Dad!

Jamia and Scarlet

“Becky! Leave the goddamn cat alone!”
“But it’s sooo cute uncle Mikey!”
“LEAVE IT!”
I glanced over from the bench I was sitting on, and saw Becky pout. The she stood up and made her way over to me. She flopped down beside me and sighed.
“Just wanted to play with the cat.”
I laughed, “Becky you were practically sending the poor thing crazy with that stick.”
Becky just made a Humph sound and slouched down in the bench. Just had to laugh at the state of her.
“So what are we going to do now then? Need entertainment.”
“Oh, so you’re finished crazying (sp) up Bunny then?” Mikey had picked up the cat and strolled over to us by this time.
It’s a cute cat, but I wouldn’t have called the thing Bunny. Still cute though.
I reached out my arms for Bunny and Mikey passed him over to me. I leaned back in the bench again and stroked behind his ears as he lay down on my jeans.
“Yeah right enough girls we need something to do,” Mikey exclaimed as he sat Indian-style on the grass in front of us.
“Mikey? Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah sure Scarlet. What’s up? You okay?”
“Do you always take Bunny out for walks in the park?”
Mikey turned slightly red and scratched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah sometimes. Fresh air I suppose.”
I just returned to scratching Bunny’s ears as his purring rang in my own.

Becky was getting frustrated, I could tell. But then so was i. We hadn’t been to school in a week now, seeing as we were expelled/voluntarily left Belleville Academy. We’d been lying around the town together all week and we were getting severely bored. Mikey came out with us an odd time, trying to find us things to do, but we’d done just about everything Belleville had to offer by now.
I wasn’t just frustrated because of that though. I haven’t seen Frank since that day in Bradson’s office last week. I know he has my number because Mikey asked if he could give it to him. And I said yeah.
Maybe he just doesn’t want to talk to me.
Did I embarrass or shame him or something?
Maybe he’s just busy with the band?
Shut the fuck up brain.
No but seriously, he might be.
If he was busy with the band, then Mikey wouldn’t be here either.
Yeah but maybe him and Ray are doing guitar-like activities?
Yeah but the whole band would be there would they not?
Not necessarily I mean they might just be going over riffs or something.
Or maybe he hates me.
Why the hell would he hate you? I mean sure you talk to yourself a hell of a lot, but he stuck up for you in that office. And he smiled. I’m sure he doesn’t hate you.
Bet you a packet of skittles he does.

“Scarlet? Hello?”
I snapped out of it long enough to see Becky ad Mikey walking away from the bench. I guess they saw my confused look because Mikey said, “Come on! We’re going to meet the guys for something to eat. You are coming right?”
“Yeah I suppose.”
“Bring Bunny.”
I looked down to my lap, and saw him staring up to me with his big cute eyes, his left paw lightly resting on my arm.
I picked him up in my arms and started after the others.

It was about an hour later, and we were sitting inside some café place in the centre of town. Becky, Mikey, Ray and Bob were searching the menus for something they would like. Gerard and the other one hadn’t appeared yet.
I was sat, twiddling my thumbs. Literally. It’s quite fun actually.
I heard a Misfits song playing lightly near me, and glanced up in time to see Mikey flip open his cell phone and look at the screen.
“Hey. I’m at The Bistro.”
. . .
“Yeah we’re getting something to eat. You coming down?”
. . .
“Great! We’ll keep you a seat. Want me to order for you?”
. . .
“Yeah okay no problem. Will do.”
. . .
“Yeah see you in a bit. Love you, bye.”
He shut it and put it down beside him. Who was he talking to?
I looked around the table, noone seemed to be surprised by this phone call. I glanced over to Becky, who was sitting beside me.
She caught my look and just said one word, “Alicia,” and then went back to examining the menu like it was nothing special.
I don’t feel well all of a sudden.

We were still waiting for Gerard, Frank, and Alicia whoever she was, 10 minutes later. And with each passing moment I felt just that little bit more nauseous.
The guys who were here had pulled up 4 chairs. One for Gerard, Frank, Alicia …
With one to spare.
Who else was coming?
My question was answered as the café door swung open and the chill was let in. I didn’t turn, I just kept looking at my thumbs and twiddling them.
I saw 4 pairs of legs approach the table and pull out chairs. It was a circle table. One of the newcomers sat between Bob and Mikey, another to the other side of Mikey and beside Becky. I was on the other side of Becky with two empty seats beside me and on the other side of that, which were quickly taken up too. After these two newcomers, sat Ray and Bob on the other side of him.
I looked to my left, where the newcomer beside me was. It was a man, short, with Halloween on his fingers.
Three guesses.
I kept my head down though as the chatter started at the table.
“What took you guys so long to get here? I think the waitress was just about to throw us out,” a voice I recognised as Bob said.
The guy beside me said, “Yeah I know dude. Jamia couldn’t find her other shoe, sorry.”
So the other one was called Jamia then? Okay.
The man beside be turned his head to me, “Scarlet? Sweetie? You okay? You’re all quiet.”
Thankfully I didn’t have to respond because the waitress came with our food. And you can’t talk with your mouth full after all.

I just stared at my untouched korma curry and rice and looked around the table. Everyone was talking away like little mad talking things. The guys shovelling the food into their mouths like they’d never been fed before. They girls being more gracious. I put down my fork and looked over to my left, where the Jamia girl was. She was yattering away to Frank, laughing at all his jokes, generally looking stupid. She was pretty though.
She was eating her Caesar salad and chicken in tiny bits. I stared at the chicken in disgust, wondering if she actually knew where that chicken most likely came from.
But then everyone at this table had some form of meat on their plates.
Except Frank.
Just so you know, I’m vegetarian.

I think Mikey and Alicia are married. To each other of course.
They both have the wedding bands, and they matched.
And the fact they kept feeding food to each other. And every time they did it, I got just that little bit sicker.
Of course, what made it worse was that Frank was doing the same thing for Jamia.
I really think I’m going to hurl here.

[[Frank’s pov.]]
I really love this woman. She’s perfect for me.
Okay Frank, aim the fork. Please don’t get it on her face, please don’t get it on her face. Okay Frank you got it in, just a little bit on her chin. Fairly good work I think.
I saw her reach her hand with the napkin up to wipe off the sauce, and I stuck out my arm to stop her.
Then I reached in and licked it off her chin gently, then I kissed her and shared the sauce on my tongue with hers. I’d better not start with that, otherwise I wont stop. And I can’t do it in front of the guys.
I withdrew from her, and gently stroked my finger on her cheek. Her eyes glistened as she giggled quietly beside me, making me giggle too.
God I love this woman.
I returned my attention to my food. Macaroni and cheese. I’m a vegetarian you see. Don’t go in for the whole animal kill business.
I was just about to shove a forkful into my mouth, when something caught my eye.
Scarlet was holding her stomach, and shaking too.
Is she okay? She cant be sick or anything can she? She hasn’t said anything about it.
But then again she hasn’t said a word since I got here. Not even a hello.
Maybe she’s not talking to me? But why! I haven’t even talked to her since the office thing.
I put down my fork with a clatter and turned in my seat to face Scarlet. I reached down my hand to lift up her hair covered face.
Her face was warm, and I could feel her body shivering.
I looked for her eyes under her mess of hair. They looked watery.
Everyone had stopped talking at this point to watch what I was doing.
“Scarlet? Sweetheart? Are you okay? Are you sick?”
Silence.
What the hell was wrong with her? Maybe she was sick. She hasn’t touched her food.
“Scarlet?”
Just then she pushed back her chair and stormed away from the table and out the front door. I looked around the table, everyone looked gob smacked that she just stormed away like that.
“What’s her bloody problem? Who is she anyway?”
I turned to face Jamia with, I can only guess was, a grim expression, because she just stared at my eyes.
“That was my daughter Jamia.”
She removed her gaze from my eyes and stared at her plate. She wasn’t the only one. Everyone else was still staring at either me, Jamia or their feet.
Becky got up and ran out the door, after Scarlet I suppose.
“Sorry I said that Frank.”
I looked at Jamia again. The woman I loved. I had hoped she’d get on with Scarlet.
Especially after I told her, and she was furious. I think we nearly broke up over that actually.

*flashback*

“Jamia, babe? I need to talk to you.”
I sat down on our couch gently beside her. She looked up to me with her big puppy eyes and put down her nail file. “Frank? Hun? What’s wrong?”
I averted my eyes. I couldn’t bear to tell her. I had kept it from her for so long, kept it from almost everyone.
Jamia scooted over beside me on the sofa and laid her hand on mines, which were clasped in a sweaty grip.
“Frank baby are you okay? Tell me.”
“I-I-I-I have a d-d-daughter Jamia.”
Her hand froze on top of mines.
“What? No you don’t.”
I kept my head down and whispered to her, “Yes I do.”
“No. You don’t Frank.”
“Yes I do. Her name is Scarlet. She’s 15.”
With that, Jamia suddenly stood up and just stared at me. “Are you telling me you have a kid and you’ve never even told me?”
I stood up too and took her hand in mines, “I wanted to babe. It’s just her mom took her away when she was a baby. I haven’t seen her since she was 2 years old.”
“Well then what’s caused the big fuss that you’re telling me now?”
Did she seriously just say that? I tell my fiancé that I have a daughter and she’s saying things like that?
“Well, her mom just died. She’s been taken into care. I need to go and find her Jamia. I need to.”
“No you don’t Frank. If you’ve lasted this long you can keep going without the brat.”
WHAT THE FUCK!
“Don’t call my daughter a brat Jamia! You don’t even know her!”
“And neither do you apparently!”
“Fuck you Jamia! She’s my daughter!”
I was bloody furious! How dare she!
Jamia’s eyes started to water, and she stormed out of the room in a huff I suppose.
Like I fucking care, not after hearing all that.
Where’s the bloody Jack Daniels?

-Time elapse-
This is Halloween, This is Halloween, pumpkins scream in the dead of night …
I groaned at the sound coming from my jeans. I usually loved Nightmare Before Christmas, but it was also the ring tone to my phone and I really wasn’t in the mood for talking.
But I flipped it open anyway.
“Frank? You there?”
I could hear a woman blubbering to me, calling my name. Eventually I answered her.
“Yes Jamia. What do you want now?”
She sniffed, “I’m sooo sorry baby. I over reacted. I didn’t mean to be so bitchy about it I’m sorry. I just wished you’d have told me sooner.”
And my heart melted. Like it always does when she talks.
“No I should be sorry baby. I shouldn’t have gotten mad like that. It’s just she’s my daughter, and I want her back in my life. And you were saying those things and I – I guess it just made me mad to think I might have had to choose between you.”
“I’d never make you choose Frank. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too babe.”
“So…when am I going to meet her?”

*end of flashback*

I can’t believe she didn't know who Scarlet was.
But then again, I never bothered to introduce them.
Maybe that’s why she ran?
There you go Frank. You’re a screw-up father and you haven’t even been a month on the job.
I have to go after her.