Sequel: Pins and Needles ›
Philly Ink
Push Comes to Shove
(Abigail’s POV)
“I swear to fucking God Tim- if the place isn’t ready within the week, I’ll find some other contractor!”
Lauren was on her cell with Tim Glomb and by the expression on her face, what he wasn’t saying didn’t agree with her. She was bright red in anger and if she could strangle him through the phone, I’d say the man would be dead ten times over.
“Don’t start that shit! Just do your fucking job!”
Spinning the whiskey in my glass, I stared into the amber liquid and sighed. Since the fight with Matt, I hadn’t spoken to him or Deron. Deron was MIA and none of the family had gotten a hold of him. Not that I cared much… Deron and I were never close, but the outburst had been out of nowhere.
I had picked Claudia up that morning and she was adamant on swimming in Uncle Bameo’s pool. Deciding I could raid the pirate bar while she swam with the other kids, I drove us over. Lauren was already here screaming on the phone with Glomb and since arriving twenty minutes ago, she was still at it.
Bam’s nieces were in the pool as well and his mother, April, was outside watching over the girls. So I nearly ran to the bar to fix my whiskey and there I sat without moving an inch. Money had started to become scarce and if the shop wasn’t up and running soon, I would be out of funds to pay for my rent, groceries or even school activities for my daughter. I had originally quit my receptionist job thinking I would be in our shop within a week or two. I hadn’t expected over a month.
Grumbling to myself, I stood and began to walk to the refrigerator. I needed to grab a can of soda to mix with my whiskey. It was the only thing I could think of that would make the strong taste of the alcohol slightly less toxic.
As I opened the fridge, I heard the door open behind me. Turning to see who had entered, I froze at the sight of Chad standing there looking at me with open surprise. We hadn’t seen or spoken to one another since our argument at his house.
“I- uh…” Chad began, stuttering in his confusion. “I mean… hey, Abby.”
I didn’t smile. I didn’t acknowledge that we even knew each other. Definitely didn’t act like we were once the best of friends. “Hi.”
Pouring the cola into a glass, I heard him sigh loudly and approach where I stood. Putting the bottle back into the refrigerator, I returned to the island to get my drink when I realized he was holding the glass.
Holding out my hand towards him, I demanded, “Give me the glass.”
“Just give me a minute to talk, ok?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest defensively.
Taking that as a cue to keep speaking, Chad set the glass down, but didn’t release his grip on it. “I wanted to apologize for what I said at the house. I shouldn’t have acted that way, but I couldn’t help it. I just worry for you and Claudia. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
Not meeting his eyes, I nodded. “I get what you are trying to say.”
“I’m glad.” He said, almost sounding relieved.
Allowing myself to look into his dark eyes, I gave a small smile. “Chad?”
“Yeah?”
The smile disappeared. “Try suckering some other girl into forgiving you. I’m not an idiot.”
Turning on my heel, I left the drink in his hand and headed straight for the staircase.
***
(Chad’s POV)
I wouldn’t have been surprised if my mouth had dropped open in outrage. Abigail had never talked to me like that, or any of our other friends for that matter. She was definitely not herself and the wide eyes Lauren was staring at me with just proved that it wasn’t something Lauren had seen either.
“Awkward…” The youngest Margera whispered. I didn’t know if I had been meant to hear it, but I had.
Rolling my eyes, I downed the drink in the glass I had taken from Abby before slamming the glass to the island counter. Standing up, I headed for the door I had entered in not more than five minutes before. It was obvious I wasn’t welcome into the Margera house that day.
I heard Lauren following me before she had said a word. Pausing with my hand on the doorknob, I gave her a peeved look. “What?”
I could hear Glomb screaming at someone on the phone she had glued to her ear. Realizing this, Lauren snapped the cell phone closed, promptly hanging up on the man who had been busting his ass on her shop.
“Try giving Babs a break, Chad.” Lauren said with sympathy. “She’s dealing with family problems, Vern problems, money- well a whole shitload of problems.”
“Stop trying to get us to makeup. There’s no point.” I told her perhaps a little harshly.
Lauren stared at me for a moment before responding with a blunt, “You’re an idiot.”
She left me standing there with a pissed off look on my face.
“I swear to fucking God Tim- if the place isn’t ready within the week, I’ll find some other contractor!”
Lauren was on her cell with Tim Glomb and by the expression on her face, what he wasn’t saying didn’t agree with her. She was bright red in anger and if she could strangle him through the phone, I’d say the man would be dead ten times over.
“Don’t start that shit! Just do your fucking job!”
Spinning the whiskey in my glass, I stared into the amber liquid and sighed. Since the fight with Matt, I hadn’t spoken to him or Deron. Deron was MIA and none of the family had gotten a hold of him. Not that I cared much… Deron and I were never close, but the outburst had been out of nowhere.
I had picked Claudia up that morning and she was adamant on swimming in Uncle Bameo’s pool. Deciding I could raid the pirate bar while she swam with the other kids, I drove us over. Lauren was already here screaming on the phone with Glomb and since arriving twenty minutes ago, she was still at it.
Bam’s nieces were in the pool as well and his mother, April, was outside watching over the girls. So I nearly ran to the bar to fix my whiskey and there I sat without moving an inch. Money had started to become scarce and if the shop wasn’t up and running soon, I would be out of funds to pay for my rent, groceries or even school activities for my daughter. I had originally quit my receptionist job thinking I would be in our shop within a week or two. I hadn’t expected over a month.
Grumbling to myself, I stood and began to walk to the refrigerator. I needed to grab a can of soda to mix with my whiskey. It was the only thing I could think of that would make the strong taste of the alcohol slightly less toxic.
As I opened the fridge, I heard the door open behind me. Turning to see who had entered, I froze at the sight of Chad standing there looking at me with open surprise. We hadn’t seen or spoken to one another since our argument at his house.
“I- uh…” Chad began, stuttering in his confusion. “I mean… hey, Abby.”
I didn’t smile. I didn’t acknowledge that we even knew each other. Definitely didn’t act like we were once the best of friends. “Hi.”
Pouring the cola into a glass, I heard him sigh loudly and approach where I stood. Putting the bottle back into the refrigerator, I returned to the island to get my drink when I realized he was holding the glass.
Holding out my hand towards him, I demanded, “Give me the glass.”
“Just give me a minute to talk, ok?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest defensively.
Taking that as a cue to keep speaking, Chad set the glass down, but didn’t release his grip on it. “I wanted to apologize for what I said at the house. I shouldn’t have acted that way, but I couldn’t help it. I just worry for you and Claudia. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
Not meeting his eyes, I nodded. “I get what you are trying to say.”
“I’m glad.” He said, almost sounding relieved.
Allowing myself to look into his dark eyes, I gave a small smile. “Chad?”
“Yeah?”
The smile disappeared. “Try suckering some other girl into forgiving you. I’m not an idiot.”
Turning on my heel, I left the drink in his hand and headed straight for the staircase.
***
(Chad’s POV)
I wouldn’t have been surprised if my mouth had dropped open in outrage. Abigail had never talked to me like that, or any of our other friends for that matter. She was definitely not herself and the wide eyes Lauren was staring at me with just proved that it wasn’t something Lauren had seen either.
“Awkward…” The youngest Margera whispered. I didn’t know if I had been meant to hear it, but I had.
Rolling my eyes, I downed the drink in the glass I had taken from Abby before slamming the glass to the island counter. Standing up, I headed for the door I had entered in not more than five minutes before. It was obvious I wasn’t welcome into the Margera house that day.
I heard Lauren following me before she had said a word. Pausing with my hand on the doorknob, I gave her a peeved look. “What?”
I could hear Glomb screaming at someone on the phone she had glued to her ear. Realizing this, Lauren snapped the cell phone closed, promptly hanging up on the man who had been busting his ass on her shop.
“Try giving Babs a break, Chad.” Lauren said with sympathy. “She’s dealing with family problems, Vern problems, money- well a whole shitload of problems.”
“Stop trying to get us to makeup. There’s no point.” I told her perhaps a little harshly.
Lauren stared at me for a moment before responding with a blunt, “You’re an idiot.”
She left me standing there with a pissed off look on my face.