The Devil's Pawn

Chapter 19

Trenton didn’t go to school Monday.

                He sent me a text saying that I had to ride the bus.

                I would’ve been mildly annoyed that he couldn’t at least drive, but he sent a frowning face through punctuation at the end. Maybe he really was sick.

                I snorted at that comment.

                I finished dressing, slipping a sweatshirt over top of me to hide the shirt I was borrowing from Erica. Ever since the first time I wore the outfit she had loaned to me, I found myself wearing more of her clothing than of my own. I liked hers more.

                I pulled my hair into a high pony tail, letting a few curls hang loose. Giving myself a once-over, I was satisfied with my appearance. It would look like I had over slept until I was able to take the sweatshirt off.

                I slipped my flip-flops on, deciding the weather was warm enough to break those out. I made my way to the kitchen, clacking away.

                The sight before me stopped me dead in my tracks.

                I froze, my eyes wide with shock, surprise, disbelief at what was before me.

                “Morning, Taylor.” My dad’s familiar deep voice cracked the wall of silence that had formed. I blinked.

                “You… You’re back.” I whispered.

                It had been nearly a month.

                He half-smiled, “Only for a little.”

                I frowned, “What?”

                Dad straightened up, folding the newspaper he had been reading in half. He pushed his mug of coffee off to the side, looking me dead on. He licked his lips nervously as he struggled to phrase his words the way he wanted.

                “Your mother and I… are having a rather momentous disagreement at the moment.” He began, but I quickly cut him off.

                “I know that. What do you mean by ‘only for a little’”

                His eyes narrowed, “You know it’s rude to interrupted.”

                I bit my tongue, looking away, “Sorry.”

                “It’s fine.” He cleared his throat. “Anyways, we were intending to tell you together, but for now, I’m going to get an apartment nearby. I just returned to get my clothes.”

                I blinked, unable to process what he was saying, “But you’re… you’re sitting here drinking coffee like you always do.”

                “I know.”

                “Dad…”

                “I’m sorry, sweetie.” He sounded sincere. If he truly was sorry, he wouldn’t be leaving me alone with my mother, “I can’t handle the tension between your mother and myself now. I’ll return soon, but I just need… a break.”

                “You’re not… you guys won’t…. you’ll come back right?” I asked, thinking of the positive rather than the negative.