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Part Ten
Sharki clutched the steering wheel as they
slowly made their way down the snowy city road. “This is taking forever. Maybe
we should have walked.”
“We’ll be there shortly.” Delaney put her hand on Sharki’s thigh. “Esta is okay.
You know better than anyone that she can handle anyone.”
“I know,” the taller woman sighed. “It’s just after all these years why are they
here?”
Delaney knew the answer to the question, but didn’t want to voice her opinion.
“We’ll find out when we get there.”
*****************************
Esta leaned against the counter watching her daughter and son in law. She
noticed that since she last saw them they still look pretty much the same. Just
a few gray hairs and some wrinkles showed that some time had passed.
“Can I have a refill?” Clark asked softly.
Esta grabbed the coffeepot and filled up her son in law’s cup. “You two gonna
give me a hint at all?”
“Maybe we just stopped by to say hi,” Susan remarked calmly.
“Sure you did.” Esta placed the coffeepot on the table. “Just like I might like
to go around wearing a purple thong with Captain Crunch on the front.”
“Mother, please.” Susan sets her cup down.
Esta grinned. “My house, I can say and do whatever I like.”
*****************************
After an hour of fighting the streets, Sharki and Delaney finally pulled up in
front of Esta’s house.
“You ready to meet Godzilla and Mothra?” Sharki opened her door.
Delaney couldn’t help but laugh. “Now that’s an image.”
*****************************
Esta heard the sound of two car doors and rushed to the front door. She spotted
Sharki helping Delaney over a snowdrift. She nearly snorted out a mouth full of
coffee when the two almost fell down.
She opened the door and yelled out, “Careful you two. I don’t want to have to
come out there and dig your asses out of three feet of snow.”
“Ha ha Grandma,” Sharki waved at the older woman in the doorway. When she
stepped up the stairs she lowered her voice. “Frick and Frack still here?”
“Unfortunately yes,” Esta grabbed the both girls’ coats. “They’re in the
kitchen.”
“Well, let’s get this over with.” The tall woman headed down the hallway.
Delaney wrapped her arm around Esta. “How are you doing?”
Esta smiled. “I’m doing okay. Just hope they don’t hurt my baby anymore than
they already have.”
“We will just have to make sure they don’t.” Delaney guided Esta towards the
kitchen.
*****************************
Sharki stopped in the kitchen door before she took a deep breath. She could see
her parents sitting around the table talking softly. She wished she could hear
what they were saying to give her some clue why they had suddenly showed up.
“Well, I’m here now. What do you want?”
Susan and Clark turned to face their daughter. “Thought I taught you better
manners than that.”
“What you taught me makes no difference now,” Sharki snapped back. “I will ask
this one more time. What do you want?”
Delaney and Esta walked in at the moment. Susan spied the young blonde and
pointed, “Who is that? This is family business and she’s not family.”
Esta glared at her daughter. “She is more family than you will ever be. So I
suggest you shut up and spill it why you are here.”
Sharki held out her hand for Delaney to take. “This is my girlfriend and like
Grandma said, she is family.” She squeezed the smaller hand that had slipped in
hers.
“Fine, we’re here to talk to you about some unfortunate circumstances Clark and
I have come upon.” Susan looked down to the floor then back up to meet her
daughter’s cold eyes. “We’re gonna lose everything if we don’t pay some guy one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
“What do you mean? Some guy?” Sharki leaned back against the wall.
“I’ve been gambling and I lost big,” Clark mumbled. “I’ve tried to quit but I
can’t.”
“So you owe some bookie and if you don’t pay what will happen?” Esta questioned
as she poured herself some more coffee.
“He’ll kill Clark.” Susan started to cry. When she reached into her purse to
pull out a tissue a brochure dropped to the floor. On it was a picture of a
tropical beach.
“What’s that?” Sharki asked as she quickly grabbed at the folded paper. “Nice
vacation spot.” She flipped through the brightly colored brochure.
“That was to be our anniversary present to each other, but now it is impossible
to go.” Susan twisted the Kleenex with her fingers. “I know we don’t deserve
your help. Especially after the way we treated you, but you have to help us.”
“So the worms have come up from the ground to grab a piece of the money train,”
Sharki spat out. “You toss me out without a second thought. You take away my
future by making me quit college. Something both of you knew I loved. You didn’t
care that I had no money. No place to live. No food.” She slammed her hand on
the table. “You toss me out like I was garbage, but I wasn’t garbage. I was your
daughter.”
“You’re right and for that I’m sorry.” Clark tried to rest his hand on top of
his daughter’s but it was quickly pulled away.
“Don’t,” Sharki brought her hand up to make a fist. “Just don’t.”
*****************************
Delaney watched Sharki pace back and forth in front of her. She could tell that
the woman was trying her hardest not to totally lose it. She was unsure what to
do to help, but when Sharki stopped to look out the window of the front room she
stood up and walked behind the taller woman and wrapped her arms tightly around
the trim waist. “I’m here for you.”
Sharki lowered her head and let a few tears fall. “I know I shouldn’t help them.
They may have stopped loving me, but the little girl inside still loves them.”
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I know these are smaller parts than I usually put out, but I want to take my time and make sure I do these characters justice. Let them grow and develop.
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