A Hope and a Chance(2)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“Um, I don’t know what to say to that.” This female in front of me seemed so made up. I couldn’t understand how my dad had gone from my average looking mother, to this hot-mess.

I suppose what made it worse for me was the fact that I never put any effort into dolling myself up for anyone. My hair and skin gave me enough decent features to allow me to get away with walking out the door looking natural. I never saw an interest in becoming something that I wasn’t. It was obvious this person in front of me struggled with her appearance. I almost felt sorry for her, because I was certain that somewhere in there she was probably very beautiful.

She seemed to act offended, but shortly after put on another million-dollar smile. “Oh, sweetie, I’m just paying you a compliment. Come on inside. Your father’s going to be so happy you’re finally here. He’s been talking about you non-stop.” Before I could say yes, or even hell-to-the-no, she grabbed me by the arm and tugged me into the house.

The woman never let go of me as she lead us through a large foyer, into a family room. My father was sitting in a leather recliner watching a golf match on the television. He didn’t even turn in our direction, even with the volume level of his Barbie up higher than the surround sound. “Baby, look who I found outside,” she said, as she let go of me and bounced herself onto his lap. Before he could even turn in my direction, she was slapping him with a kiss that may or may not have contained her entire tongue.

I cringed at the sight, but quickly gained my composure as my father shoved her to the side, standing up to finally give me his attention.

“Well, look at my little girl, all grown up.” He took my hands into his and gave me a once over. “You look very pretty, honey. It’s been so long.” He leaned over to kiss me on the forehead. “I see you’ve met Buffy already. Isn’t she a keeper?” He gazed back at her as if she was some prize. Once again I fought the bile rising in my throat. I put on my best casual smile, but in the back of my mind all I could think of was belting out that song from the eighties “Angel is a Centerfold”.

“We met outside, dad.” It wasn’t like I needed to explain. I’m sure it was a rhetorical statement.

“Why don’t you come on in and make yourself at home. We haven’t had time to furnish the whole house yet, but the kitchen is stocked, and Buffy’s made a nice spread for us to feast on.” I stared at my father, who hadn’t really aged much. His hair has some gray on the sides, but still was thick and a dark brown in color. To say that I favored his side of the family would have been an understatement. There was no denying that I was his child.

Out of nowhere, the chick grabbed my arm again, dragging me through the house. She took me upstairs and showed me the four large bedrooms, which each had their own bathroom. Two of them looked out into the backyard. I saw the pool and fell in love instantly, before Buffy pulled me along to show off more of her and my father’s ginormous crib.

When we’d finally made it back down to the kitchen, the food was ready to eat. “We have to take a break from the tour for a bit, so we can eat before all of this food gets cold. Do you like fresh tea?” She asked.

“Um, sure.” I watched as she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a large pitcher.

“Great. Here.” She poured me a glass before continuing. “You go on and sit yourself down over there and we’ll join you in a sec.” Buffy pointed in the direction of the morning room. It faced the pool, which I couldn’t take my eyes off of.

My grandparent’s house was small, to say the least. They never expected to have my mom and I move in when we lost our home. A small den had been converted into a bedroom for me, but it didn’t even have a real closet. I had to use one we bought at a store that took up half the room.

Brunch tasted fantastic, but my father barely spoke. He left the conversation up to his new squeeze. She tried to talk to me about fashion, music and finally television, claiming her favorite show was that horrible reality one on MTV with the young mothers. She made a point to mention the age at which my mother had been when she got pregnant with me. I thought I was going to choke on a piece of French toast as she offered that bit of information, as if they’d been long-lost friends. My father seemed mesmerized with everything that came out of her pretty little mouth. She could have talked about a shit fetish and had his undivided attention. It was absurd, and got under my skin.

I wasn’t sure if it was an instantaneous decision, but I was fully aware that I had lost my appetite.

“So tell me, Hope, what’s there to do in this town? Your father and I need to get out there and meet some people. We have this big house and no one to entertain.” Buffy flipped her hair as she questioned me. It was as if everything she did was annoying me. I was coming to the realization that it probably wasn’t her that was annoying me so much as the fact that my father was being a tool.

I cleared my throat and looked directly at him, hoping in some way he could read my mind and snap out of whatever spell he was under.

“Do you know of any bars or places that Buff and I could go dancing? I know about the country club, we’ve already joined that.” I’d been to the country club with my ex, and didn’t care for the snooty people that hung out there.

Had my dad turned into one of those people?

Was this a bad dream?

“I don’t know of any clubs or bars, dad. They aren’t my thing, and besides I’m only seventeen. I’m not even allowed to enter into any of those types of establishments until I’m twenty one.” He clearly should have known that. Wasn’t the parent supposed to be protective about their daughters running around late at night, where they had no business being in the first place?

“Well I guess things have changed a lot since I was a teenager.” He laughed it off, as if he’d gone out as a kid and did whatever he wanted. “I’m just teasing you, kiddo. I wanted to make sure your mother was doing a good job keeping you under lock and key. Lord knows she’d let you run around just to spite me.”

It was impossible for me to not be offended. While trying to grasp what he’d just said to me, I caught him watching Buffy as she leaned over to clear his plate from the table. The vomit began to surface in my mouth, and I needed some air, pronto. “Do you mind if I check out the back yard?”

“Sure, make yourself at home.” My father was too busy admiring his piece of ass to give a damn about what I was doing.