August 10

August 10

            When I woke up Dad was frying up pancake with bacon bits in them. I wanted to scream, but didn’t.

            Instead I sat at the head of the table and waited for Dad to give me my plate.

            He sat down beside me and placed a 500-count bottle of Tylenol beside his plate. The label on the bottle was faded which told me he has held the bottle many times in the last few months.

            He took four pills with a large gulp of coffee.

            “So what’s your plan for today?” He took his fork and cut a large square from the waffle.

            I hovered my fork over my plan, but finally laid it by the sink. “I wish I knew.”

            “I’m free today, maybe… we could do something.”

            “For some reason I doubt it.” I said harshly. “You’ll get a call from someone and…”

            Before I could finish the sentence Dad raises his fork and threatened, “If you’re going to speak like that too me then you’re going to be in huge trouble.” 

            “Sorry.” I mumbled half-heartedly. Of course I wasn’t really sorry. Dad hates it when I talk about his job in a negative light. There are many people who say the ministry is worth its weight in gold, note these are the people on the outside. For me, an insider, I know it has its down falls, but overall a greater propose.

            Whenever the ministry comes to mind I try to block out the negatives and remember that God called my Dad for him. I know God has a plan for him and will bless on when we are in heaven.

            I volunteered to wash the dishes. While scrubbing the grease off the frying pan Dad came out of his room and told me to go into the living room. Normally when he tells me to do that I’m in trouble.

            Hitherto Dad wouldn’t help out with the dishes because he says it’s my chore, but I noticed him finishing off the dishes for me. I watched him scrub this pan until it shined.

            The image of him in thick yellow rubber gloves and trying to scrub plate clean reminded me of the country song ‘Mister Mom.’

            Dad awkwardly took the wet and soapy gloves off and sat them in the sink. He turned around and grasped the edges of the counter. “Are you sure you have no plans for today?”

            “I am.”

            He smiled “How does Mayan Waterpark sound?”

            As soon as he said water park I could feel my skin crawl. That was one of the last places I would want to be. A shiver goes up my spine when I think about people seeing my huge belly and butt in a bikini.

            Normally though I never want to disappoint Dad so I shook my head and he told me to be ready in an hour.

            I had to dig through three huge tuber boxes to find a dingy looking one blue piece with small holes on the hips.

            I tried on the one piece and shoved my nigh clothes into the box I found the bathing suit on.

            Passing by my vanity I couldn’t help but to catch a glance of myself. My tummy did look bigger. Instead of the concave stomach I grew to know I now have a straight line as a stomach.

            I felt the room with a minimal amount of my self-esteem still intact.

            “Are you ready to go?”

            The ride to the water park left me with a sickening feeling. The eerie silence in the car reminded me of the ride to Bryant’s back in the earlier part of the summer.

            The time there was bittersweet at best and tiring at worst.

            It was a frying 90 degrees and all the lines to the ride that used the most water was a beast.

            I was able to ride one ride after standing in line for an hour. In that one ride a guy who looked my age shoved me down a long tube and at the end I was hurried off of the slide.

            There was a booth by the slide ride that showed pictures of people as they came down. Dad was foolish enough to by two 3x5. In the photo my arms where up in the air, one was open with the other one closed, and my mouth was wide open.

            Dad said he would hang that photo in his office. To others I look like I’m having fun, but to me it’s plain embarrassing. I might burn it one day when he isn’t looking.

            We spent five hours there. Dad treated me to lemon flavored Italian ice and he bought me a stuffed penguin. When he picked it out in the gift shop I kept telling him no, but I was so happy to have it.

            It wasn’t until three hours we came home that I realized I had a horrible sun burn. Dad asked me if had even taken it with me. I looked through the bag I took and it wasn’t there; after looking more I found the bottle of sunscreen in a drawer in the bathroom.

Reviews

[PyroKitty24]

Interesting. I think she puts up with too much crap from her father though. She's old enough that she needs to start being able to do things on her own and have her own mind.

[Tina Kline]

It seemed she had a little bit of fun but at least her dad was trying. A break anyway from her usual routine.

[Chris38]

An interesting chapter interesting in that not much happened. nice to see her gettimg on with her dad.

[trainwreck]

This was an interesting chapter. I love how she's trying to connect with her dad. Plus, as a pastor's kid, this is exactly how the ministry feels.