A Reason to Exist

Chapter 43

We ate Thai takeaway with the TV on. Dad and Sandra were very quiet. I went to bed early. I could hear dad on the telephone, speaking to the insurance company and some collectors, his voice twisted black liquorice. In the morning, again, breakfast with minimal conversation, worries popping up in the toaster. I said, 'I've got homework,' and I went to my room, shutting the door and turning my laptop on. I heard dad and Sandra whispering phrases like 'overheads', 'oversaturation of the market', 'inconsistent income.' Doom gloomed through the apartment.

I read secondary texts on the Shakespeare play we were studying for English. Occasionally I checked my emails to see if there was a message from Tucker. I span myself around on the office chair, checked my nails, looked out the window, sniffed my raspberry pen, blinked my eyes, and strapped myself in to the waiting room of my Sunday morning.

Dad knocked on my door, paused, and came in. 'What should we do today?'

'Oh, I don't mind. I know you've got a lot on. I'm happy doing homework.'

'That's boring on our weekend. We could see a movie or something. It could be good to lose myself in something else for a while. Anything you'd like to see?'

We looked up the latest releases and watched previews online. We checked out the session times and decided on a French film at 11am at the Classic cinema. I had a shower and dressed, ran a brush through my hair and checked my emails again, just in case. Tucker must've been busy. Perhaps he was at the skate park or with mates. I wished so badly I had a smartphone like an ordinary girl and we could message each other as much as we wanted.

At the cinema, we bought a mega popcorn. Dad was searching through his pockets for the cinema tickets when his phone rang. He looked at the number. 'I have to get this,' he said. 'Let's step outside.'

We walked away from the crowd and out on to the street. 'Hello?' He mouthed the words 'the police' to me. He listened intently, nodded his head, checked his watch, looked at me and nodded again. 'You can't email it through?' he asked. 'Okay, we'll be there in twenty minutes.'

He hung up the phone and sighed. 'They've got footage from the pharmacy over the road. They want me to come to the station to take a look at it. Sorry darling. Maybe we can change these tickets to later on today.'

'Can I still eat the popcorn?'

'Of course.'