Free Cheating to Survive (Fix It or Get Out) by Christine Ardigo
Authors: Christine Ardigo
Tags: Fiction
all of them to respond. Would barfing on his shoes be an appropriate response?
Cue the chirping crickets .
“I did it, I made partner. Finally. They made me partner today!”
Heather pulled Rori into her lap and straddled her reedy legs around her. Heather’s shield. Unable to respond, she contemplated her word choice. Instead of enthusiasm, her heart twisted into a lump. Empty.
Laurel sensed the pause and threw herself into her dad’s arms. Gia and Rori, unclear of the meaning to his news, followed. Three beautiful girls hugging their father, but his eyes remained on the ceiling.
Heather wrestled herself to a standing position and managed a weak smile.
Lance pushed the girls aside like they were a pack of mischievous puppies and sauntered into the center of the living room. “Yes, I did it. Partner. I knew they’d come around. They couldn’t resist me, knew I’d be an asset to their team. Only a matter of time.”
Nine years. Yep, only a matter of a decade. They probably realized he’d never go away and asked him out of sheer aggravation.
“Bet they discussed it all week. How they would tell me. Catch me at just the right time, spring the surprise on me knowing others would scoop me up if they didn’t.”
She’d like to scoop him up. Like dog shit. And toss him in a bag and dump him in the bottom of their garbage can. Watch the garbage men come, heave the can up and smash it on its side, emptying the contents, the bag perhaps breaking and spilling his remains on top of toddler barf, spoiled chicken parts and maggots.
Lance thrust his hands on his hips flipping his suit jacket tails back. “We have to celebrate of course…a party or something. This is an enormous accomplishment.”
“So was my graduation from college, passing my RD exam, landing my first job, the birth of your three daughters, their birthdays, graduations, dance recitals…”
“Yes, a party, a grand one. I’m sure my mother will have no problem throwing one for me.”
And Heather would have no problem throwing his ass out, and she was sure mommy would have no problem taking him back. His bed still had his Jets pillow on it and let’s not forget Shooba his stuffed puppy.
“In fact, we should go on vacation. The whole family.” He threw his arms into the air waiting for the audience’s applause.
Rori spun the spinner on the Twister game, unaware his babbling continued.
“Ooh,” Gia shouted. “Disney, you promised.”
“I did no such thing. Disney? That’s for kids.”
The cleft between Heather’s eyebrows collapsed from the flames thrust from her pupils. “They are kids. Yours. Laurel will be thirteen and none of us have ever been to Disney.”
“That’s not true, I’ve been to Disney countless times.”
“ We have not,” she exploded. “We agreed the next vacation would be in Disney.”
Lance scanned each of them, then paused on Rori, pointing a finger at her. “She’s too little, we can’t take her to Disney.”
Rori’s chin trembled. Before Heather reached her, Rori chucked the spinner across the room smashing it into the wall. Tears gushed down her face, her mouth opened and quivered but no noise materialized. Silent yelps spewed, crushing Heather’s heart.
“And now she’s going to cry, ruining my moment. This is supposed to be about me.”
When wasn’t it about you?
Laurel gritted her teeth, but unsure what to do, she bolted to her room. Gia stepped back, stumbled over a sneaker and fell on her butt.
“Well that’s gratitude. I’m going out. My own family can’t even be happy for my success.” He stormed toward the kitchen but glanced back at Heather before he reached the front door. “I blame you for this. You’ve turned my girls against me.”
Chapter 11
Catherine
Catherine trudged out of Meadow Lakes Elementary school following a long drawn out PTA meeting and after working all day alongside Jean who needed help for a catering event when her prize employee called out
Cue the chirping crickets .
“I did it, I made partner. Finally. They made me partner today!”
Heather pulled Rori into her lap and straddled her reedy legs around her. Heather’s shield. Unable to respond, she contemplated her word choice. Instead of enthusiasm, her heart twisted into a lump. Empty.
Laurel sensed the pause and threw herself into her dad’s arms. Gia and Rori, unclear of the meaning to his news, followed. Three beautiful girls hugging their father, but his eyes remained on the ceiling.
Heather wrestled herself to a standing position and managed a weak smile.
Lance pushed the girls aside like they were a pack of mischievous puppies and sauntered into the center of the living room. “Yes, I did it. Partner. I knew they’d come around. They couldn’t resist me, knew I’d be an asset to their team. Only a matter of time.”
Nine years. Yep, only a matter of a decade. They probably realized he’d never go away and asked him out of sheer aggravation.
“Bet they discussed it all week. How they would tell me. Catch me at just the right time, spring the surprise on me knowing others would scoop me up if they didn’t.”
She’d like to scoop him up. Like dog shit. And toss him in a bag and dump him in the bottom of their garbage can. Watch the garbage men come, heave the can up and smash it on its side, emptying the contents, the bag perhaps breaking and spilling his remains on top of toddler barf, spoiled chicken parts and maggots.
Lance thrust his hands on his hips flipping his suit jacket tails back. “We have to celebrate of course…a party or something. This is an enormous accomplishment.”
“So was my graduation from college, passing my RD exam, landing my first job, the birth of your three daughters, their birthdays, graduations, dance recitals…”
“Yes, a party, a grand one. I’m sure my mother will have no problem throwing one for me.”
And Heather would have no problem throwing his ass out, and she was sure mommy would have no problem taking him back. His bed still had his Jets pillow on it and let’s not forget Shooba his stuffed puppy.
“In fact, we should go on vacation. The whole family.” He threw his arms into the air waiting for the audience’s applause.
Rori spun the spinner on the Twister game, unaware his babbling continued.
“Ooh,” Gia shouted. “Disney, you promised.”
“I did no such thing. Disney? That’s for kids.”
The cleft between Heather’s eyebrows collapsed from the flames thrust from her pupils. “They are kids. Yours. Laurel will be thirteen and none of us have ever been to Disney.”
“That’s not true, I’ve been to Disney countless times.”
“ We have not,” she exploded. “We agreed the next vacation would be in Disney.”
Lance scanned each of them, then paused on Rori, pointing a finger at her. “She’s too little, we can’t take her to Disney.”
Rori’s chin trembled. Before Heather reached her, Rori chucked the spinner across the room smashing it into the wall. Tears gushed down her face, her mouth opened and quivered but no noise materialized. Silent yelps spewed, crushing Heather’s heart.
“And now she’s going to cry, ruining my moment. This is supposed to be about me.”
When wasn’t it about you?
Laurel gritted her teeth, but unsure what to do, she bolted to her room. Gia stepped back, stumbled over a sneaker and fell on her butt.
“Well that’s gratitude. I’m going out. My own family can’t even be happy for my success.” He stormed toward the kitchen but glanced back at Heather before he reached the front door. “I blame you for this. You’ve turned my girls against me.”
Chapter 11
Catherine
Catherine trudged out of Meadow Lakes Elementary school following a long drawn out PTA meeting and after working all day alongside Jean who needed help for a catering event when her prize employee called out