How bad can a good girl get?
With her entire future planned out in excruciating detail, all Adelina Baker wants is to protect her little brother and maybe do things that she never thought she would along the way. And who better to teach her some bad...
Every time Tom did something bad to us at night, he would wake up early and make us pancakes. He either doesn't remember what happened the day before or pretends not to. He tries to act like the perfect father, but I don't buy his bullshit. I understand he's been in so much pain since my mom's death, but so are all of us, and it doesn't justify what he does.
He's a monster.
My father knows I don't believe anything he says, but he is smart enough to make Sammy believe he is still a good dad and that he just changes from one day to the other. My little brother is still a child so he thinks that our father will be there for us, every single damn time.
"Hey sweetie, do you want some pancakes?" Tom asks as he offers me a breakfast plate, a soft and caring smile forming on his face. Expression lines appear on his forehead, serving as an indication of how much he has suffered and changed since my mom's death last year. He never told me what really happened inside that hospital after the accident but I can tell it still affects him deeply.
Being forty years old is considered young, yet my father appears to be so much older.
If anyone looked at his face right now, they would probably think he's an excellent parent. The one who cooks a delicious breakfast every morning. The one who actually goes to their little kid's presentation.
"No, thanks," I mumble before opening the fridge to grab the orange juice I have every morning.
Sammy arrives quickly, running beside me to hug our dad and tell him good morning. All I can do is sigh and then breathe, slowly in and out.
I'm losing it every day. And I can't pretend anymore. I can't just sit still every damn morning and watch as Tom puts on an act.
"You don't remember, do you?" I ask him while sitting next to my little brother at the marble countertop.
"Remember what?" He asks as he hands us plates piled high with pancakes and maple syrup on top, his smile growing wider every second.
How could he fake it so well?
"Nothing," I say as Samuel looks at me from the corner of his eye and silently pleads for me not to say anything. He always tells me that dad has changed and he shouldn't be reminded of his past mistakes. I wish.
7:30 am.
"Time to go, Sammy," I say, ruffling his hair. My brother quickly says bye to our father and grabbing his snack for break time - which I had to prepare last night when our dad was nowhere to be seen - before running out of the house and directly to my car.
I don't even bother to look back at him while leaving but I can feel Tom's gaze burning on my back.
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"Bye gummy bear, love you!" I wave to my little brother while dropping him off at his school that is actually close to mine.
He narrows his eyes and continues to walk, without even saying bye to me.
