I just laughed.
Last time, I was a total idiot, stressing over
this ungrateful brat.
My heart was turning cold. “This isn’t for you
guys. It’s for me.”
“I wanted to treat myself, so I ordered a
feast.”
“If you want some, ask your dad. He’ll get you
whatever you want. He loves you so much,
he’ll say yes.”
“Just butter him up. He might get you
something even better.”
She got mad.
She grabbed a box of crawfish and threw it
on the ground.
The box broke, crawfish went everywhere,
sauce splattered on the walls.
“You are such a b*tch!”
“I knew you were up to something! Saying
you wouldn’t bother me, you were just waiting
for this!”
“You want me to beg you, say sorry, promise
to do art!”
“Never! I’m never doing art! And I’m never
going to that camp!”
“Fine, don’t feed me. I’ll have Dad buy me
food!”
“I’m his favorite daughter! He’ll buy me
anything I want, you jealous witch!”
I sighed.
Brittany was just like her dad, ungrateful,
always wanting something.
I guess I only gave her my looks and art skills.
She called Tom, right in front of me.
“Dad! I’m so hungry!”
“That woman ordered crawfish and skewers,
it smells so good! But she won’t give me any!
She’s saying she won’t take care of me
anymore!”
“Can you get me some food? I want to have
dinner with you!”
“Okay, okay! Anything! Thanks, Dad!”
She glanced at my receipt, and added, “She
spent three hundred dollars, so I want six
hundred dollars worth! That’ll show her!”
“Huh? Bad signal? Okay, bye!”
I just rolled my eyes.
Bad signal? Bad signal when she was asking
for expensive stuff?
Hilarious.
She hung up, and said to me, “See? Dad’s
coming home! He’s getting me six hundred
く
dollars worth of food!”
“He’s a hundred times better than you! You
can’t threaten me with being hungry!”
“I’ve got Dad! You can’t win!”
Then she went inside, all proud.
I shrugged, ate my skewers, and watched TV,
enjoying my new life.
An hour later, Tom came home.
He was carrying a nine–dollar takeout of
noodles.
Brittany ran out, and hugged Tom.
“Dad! You’re home! What did you get me? I’m
Г
When she saw the noodles, her face dropped.
Tom, though, didn’t flinch.
He patted her head, and handed her the bag.
“I know you love noodles, so I told them to
make it extra spicy. You’ll love it.”
“I already ate with my friends at work. I can’t
eat with you, but I’ll eat with you next time,
okay?”
I peeled a crawfish, watched the show.
I could smell the cheap hot pot on him from
across the room.
He was lying about eating. He didn’t want to
spend the money on dinner, so he ate hot pot
and bought sheer needles
He was two–faced.
Brittany did like noodles, especially from
shady street vendors.
I tried to get her to stop, but she wouldn’t
listen, always getting Tom to buy them,
saying he was the best.
But this time, she wasn’t happy.
She said, “Dad, I said I wanted six hundred
dollars…”
Tom looked surprised. “What? I didn’t hear
that! The signal must’ve been bad! I’ll get you
something next time, okay?”
Brittany nodded sadly.
<
He always said “next time,” promising big
things, but never following through.
I knew it, but Brittany still believed him.
Last time, I warned her, but she yelled at me,
called me a liar, said I was trying to ruin her
relationship with her dad.
Tom knew how to play people.
He pulled out a pink purse. “Brittany, I got
you this!”
I saw it.
The same kind they sold at the stalls, fifteen
bucks.
ᄀ
Brittany’s eyes lit up. “So pretty! You bought
it? It must’ve cost hundreds! Thanks, Dad!”
I almost laughed.
She had no idea what was good.
I got it.
She didn’t care about the quality, just who
gave it to her.
Anything I gave her was trash.
Anything her dad gave her was perfect.
I just sighed, and ate.
Tom took off his shoes, saw the mess, and
frowned. “Janice, what’s going on?”
I pointed at Brittany. “Ask her.”
Brittany stomped her foot. “Don’t blame me!
You got mad because Dad was going to get
me food, and you threw it!”
“Look, the walls are dirty! What are you going
to do about it?! Dad, make her clean it up!”
Tom believed Brittany, not me.
Or maybe he was just trying to be a good
dad, siding with her on purpose.
He lectured me, “You’re an adult, stop acting
like a kid! Clean this up! I can’t even walk in
here, and it smells! How are we supposed to
sleep?!”
<
“Are you even a woman anymore? You can’t
clean the house!”
I smiled, and pointed to the living room.
“The divorce papers are on the table. Sign
them. Let’s get this over with.”
Brittany’s ears perked up. “Divorce? You’re
getting divorced?”
“Yes! I want to live with Dad! Not you!”
“Dad, I love you! Take me with you! Or she’ll
kill me!”
“Sign it, Dad! Let’s get rid of her!”
Tom said, “Of course, I want my baby girl. Let
<
me look at the papers.”
Brittany cheered, “Yes! Finally a happy life
with Dad!”
Tom read the papers, and his face changed.
“What is this?!” he demanded.
I said, “It’s what it looks like. Sign it.”
Brittany said, “Sign it, Dad! I’m waiting!”
Tom threw the papers at me. “Are you kidding
me?! You want me to take care of Brittany,
and you want everything?!”
I raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t want
to take care of your daughter?”
Г
Brittany yelled, “Don’t try to turn us against
each other! I’ll throw soup on you!”
“Dad, tell her you want to take care of me!”
“I’m glad you’re going to be alone!”
With Brittany on his side, Tom had to say, “Of
course I do! Why would I give up my
daughter?”
“But I can’t give up everything! I need money
to take care of her!”
I smiled. “You want everything? And I get
nothing?”
He was speechless.
Г
He wanted to control me, force me to choose
between money and Brittany.
He bit his lip. “Half! Give me half! But if you
want Brittany, I’ll give her to you, if you give
me everything!”
Brittany yelled, “I don’t want to live with her!”
Tom was turning red, wanting to shut her up.
I stood up, cold. “You cheated on me, and
you want money?!”
“If you don’t sign and leave, I’ll sue you, and
you’ll have to give back everything you gave
your mistress!”
“You’ll lose everything.”
Г
“Think about it, Tom. Then sign.
Tom backed up, pale.
