The Seaside Café

Chapter 11- Why Aren't You Baristing?

“Well then talk because like I said, I’m driving.” I point out.

“Right, okay, well how are you?” She asks.

“I’m fine,” I sigh. “I’m busy, though.” I add, hoping that maybe she can take the hint that I don’t want to talk to her.

“I’m sure you are, being a senior and all. Aren’t you on winter break right now?” She wonders.

I nod before realizing that she can’t even see me, so I clear my throat and answer her. “Yep, I am.”

“Well, Christmas is coming up, you know.” She informs me.

“Yeah, that usually happens during winter break.” I retort sarcastically.

“Right. I think it’d be nice if we all, me you and Michael, go visit Dad for Christmas.” She chirps as if it’s the most brilliant plan she’s ever come up with.

“Charley,” I sigh heavily, seeing the welcome sign to the town, so I know that I have another five minute drive to get to the café. “I am not spending my Christmas inside of a jail with a man that I don’t even know. I’m spending Christmas with my family. Michael, Caroline, and Carter.”

“You don’t consider our father part of your family?” She asks me incredulously.

“He’s been out of jail for maybe two years of my life, Charley. I hardly even know the man. So no, I don’t exactly consider him part of my family.”

“He loves you, you know.” She sniffles and I know that it’s fake but she wants me to think that she’s crying for some reason. I really wish we weren’t related, because she’s just a really annoying person. “He’s your dad.”

“Yep, well I obviously don’t need him and he’s not worth spending Christmas with.” I say. “There are five more days until Christmas, I’m sure you can find somebody else to spend Christmas with, other than me. Go visit Dad if you want, just leave me out of it.”

“Do you think Michael would want to go visit with me?” She asks, sniffle-free, I notice.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Are you kidding? He hates Dad more than I do. So no, he won’t want to go visit Dad on Christmas.”

“You know,” She snaps, obviously upset now. “I don’t know why you guys are so hostile towards him. He really is such an amazing guy, and he’s a really good dad.”

I park outside of the café just as my jaw grazes the floor. “A good dad?” I wail. “Charley, you are aware that fathers are supposed to raise their children, right?”

“He raised me.” She huffs.

“And look how well you turned out.” I snap. “The first time I met him, I was seven, and then he was gone again and that was it. He is the farthest thing from a good dad to me. I mean, he may be all rainbows and sunshine to you, but he is nothing to me.” I grab my guitar and head into the café even though I’m still an hour and a half earlier than I usually am.

“How can you say that?” She whines with another fake sniffle. “That really hurts me that you think so lowly of him, Emma.”

I slam through the café doors and the bell dings violently above my head as I make my entrance. Luckily, there aren’t very many people in the café, but I do notice Jace give me a strange look from behind the counter. However, I really don’t care because I’m just so aggravated as I march towards the lounge. “I may think lowly of him but that doesn’t even compare to how lowly I think of you. You’re a piece of nagging, self-centered, ignorant, stupid, annoying, falsetto, stupid, little bitchy piece of stupid trash that has ever walked this planet. And if I ever hear you defend Dad to me again, I will block your number and I swear to god, I will never talk to you again. Leave. Me. Alone.” I bark into the phone just as I storm through the door into the lounge and force myself to calm down so that I don’t throw my guitar or anything.