When the Paint goes Dry

Chapter Six

I love my new cover, cause lbr, the guy's butt looks great

The sound of the phone ringing was getting on my nerves. Was this my new way of waking up, my new alarm clock? Where was the damn thing? I reached under my pillow, nope it was gone. The sound stopped and I sighed, thank god, but soon it started up again. I squinted looking around, where the hell was it? I was half off the bed as I found it under a newspaper, what the hell was it doing there?

“Hello?” I asked yawning.

“It’s midday, why are you still in bed?”

“Huh?”

I looked at the clock and sure enough it was just on the dot, noon. I groaned turning around, trust Archie, my nephew to be calling me up now, “Where’s your dad?” I asked. What the hell was Arnold doing letting his kid call me. Why was I sleeping  late? Oh right that’s because Mrs Harrison had a breakdown and rattled on and on about how she thought her husband was cheating on her.

I grumbled, men.

“What do you want kid?” I snapped hiding my face in the pillow, damn my shampoo smelled good. How come my hair didn’t?

“What’s today’s date?”

“Is it you birthday?”

“Aunty Ava!” I winced and sat up feeling a pounding headache, I was pretty sure I didn’t drink last night.

“What?”

“You said you would come to my swimming competition!”

I groaned, of course, he was moving from beginner to the next level up or what they called, from crab to claw fish.

“When is it?”

“NOW!” I resisted the urge to swear at his screechy voice and jumped out of bed.

“I’m coming,”

The pools were only a twenty minute drive, maybe if I pushed the speed limit I could get there in time. Perfect.

“Am I late?” I yelled running towards where Arnold and Emily his wife were standing. Half the people sitting turned around giving me a dirty look which I brushed off.

A loud whistle was blown and I nearly tripped over, “No running!” snapped a voice from behind me and I looked behind to see Liam smirking at me. I waved a hand, “Morning to you too Liam,” I snapped slowing down but still speed walking.

“Am I late?” I asked breathlessly as I grabbed Emily’s shoulder as I caught my breath.

“No, just in time,” She said smiling. I nodded looking around, were all the seats taken? Damn.

I shifted on my feet pulling down my polka dotted skirt, maybe not the best attire to the pool but it was the first thing I found.

“So, Archie has his own phone now?” I asked.

“Isn’t he too young for one,” the kid was only eight, in grade three but he acted like he was fifteen. I am proud to say I was the one who educated and tutored, but those manners were from Arnold. Like now how he was still on the phone texting.

“Arnold,” I said louder.

“Oh hey Ava,” he said leaning over and kissing my forehead. I swapped glanced with Emily who just sighed shaking her head.

“Business deal,” she said and I nodded in understanding, of course, when there was a business deal there was nothing else in Arnold’s world.

“At least he showed up,” I said looking around. I caught Liam’s eyes and he waved across the pool and I nodded at him. God how much I just wanted push him into the water, the guy positively made my trips to the pools hell.