Daddy took me out for a driving lesson in grandpa’s old Chevy truck the next morning. Mom took grandpa to town again for the day. The birds sang to me for the second morning in a row. I could definitely get use to this. Everyone was silent when I came to breakfast. I had the feeling they were talking about me but stopped once they heard me bounce down the stairs. It felt a little weird when I walked in on them. Their eyes were on the doorway as if they expected me. They looked like dolls posed purposefully at the table. I shivered at the strangeness of it all.
“Good morning, Regina.” Grandpa grumbled roughly. I patted his shoulder softly as I walked by. Today they were finalizing the funeral arrangements. Mom told me last night the funeral would be in two days.
After they left, I asked daddy for a driving lesson. He seemed irritated when I asked, but nodded his head and grabbed grandpa’s keys. Daddy seemed darker today. His eyes sagged with exhaustion like he didn’t sleep at all last night. With Grandma Lydia’s funeral approaching, everyone seemed a little depressed, and since I didn’t share their emotion, guilt jolted through me like an electric shock.
We drove for a few extra miles. I wanted to remember my way around. Daddy stayed silent, which was unusual because he always found problems with the way I drove. Constantly, he was at me on how I could improve my skills in driving and in life, but this was not the man sitting beside me. This man looked sad, as if he would cry at any moment. After an hour of driving, I suggested lunch in town.
“Maybe we could check out a shop on the way to kill some time?” I suggested.
“I don’t think so sweetie. I don’t feel in the mood to go to town. I think I just want to go back.”
“Oh, come on, daddy! Let’s go into town and get out a little.” I poked his arm safely with my elbow while I smiled at him. I thought he would laugh and come out of his mood but that did not happen. His face turned cold and his eyes became hard blocks of hatred. My smile fell immediately. “I’m sorry daddy! I just wanted to help you. Everyone seemed so upset this morning ….I wanted to make you smile.”
Then, my old daddy returned. His face softened and his lips relaxed. A smile crossed his face, but it looked ....as if he was faking it. “Thanks, G. Why don’t we go to that thrift store we saw just off main street yesterday?”
Daddy was cool and let me drive us there. I had a temporary permit until June thirteenth, my sixteenth birthday! While we were at the thrift shop, I saw the same girl from the store yesterday. She scanned the book section. Her fingertips touched the spines as she read the titles. As she turned around, I could not help but make eye contact with her. Those brown eyes instantly connected with mine. A smile formed on her face as she stopped in front of me. Her frame was stiff and she walked as if she was nervous. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her sheer yellow skirt.
“Hi. Do I know you?” She asked. Her voice was light as air and her eyes searched mine as if she really did know me.
“I don’t think so, I’m just visiting. My name is Regina Roth.” I said to her.
“I’m Katie. Katie Kramer.” Her soft, smooth hand extended out to mine. I shook it politely, she had a tight grip! “Roth? Are you related to the Underwoods?”
“Uh, yes, George and Lydia are my grandparents. I’m here for her funeral.”
“Oh! Mrs. Underwood was my mother’s teacher when she was a little girl. You’re Lynda’s daughter, right?” Katie exclaimed.
“That’s right.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Mrs. Underwood was a wonderful lady.”
“Thanks.”
“I bet you’re excited to see Michael and MeKayla.” Her eyebrows rose at me. She looked so happy to be having this conversation with me.
My eyes scrunched in confusion. “Michael and Mekayla?”
My father appeared out of nowhere and gave Katie a cold stare, but she didn’t seem intimidated by him. “Yes, uh…..well, we haven’t seen all the family, yet. I’m done looking. Are you ready to go, Regina?”
Katie was polite and nodded to him. I wanted to introduce him to Katie, but the toxic look on his face told me otherwise. I dared to ask him for a minute to talk to Katie. He didn’t like it, but he did go to another aisle to browse for a moment. I found out she was sixteen and going to be a junior in high school. She liked living in Lee, but dreamed of leaving to move to New York or California. At one point, Katie whispered in my ear while daddy was distracted.
“I know you’re here for a funeral, but there’s a bunch of us getting together at Charles Turner’s house tomorrow night. Wanna come?” She asked.
“Oh yeah! What’s your phone number?” I asked. I took out my cell phone to program her number.
I said goodbye to Katie and promised I would call her. Daddy and I left the store and headed home. I tried to call Jane and Jeff while I was in town and had service, but I got their voicemails. I got to drive again and that made me happy. I wanted to ask daddy who Michael and MeKayla were, but he didn’t want to talk on the way home. His sadness seemed to return.
When we pulled up to the house, we saw our rental car was still gone, which meant mom and grandpa weren’t back yet. We had been away for over two hours. Daddy and I went into the kitchen make lunch. The drive home gave me time to think about this town. The people in town seemed real polite, as did Katie. They were nothing like daddy described to me.
“Daddy?” I asked while we made lunch. It was a simple lunch of sandwiches and tomato soup. I made the sandwiches while daddy chopped the vegetables and warmed the soup.
“Yes, Regina?” His voice croaked.
“When I was talking to Katie, you said we haven’t met all the family yet? Who else lives here?”
“Your mother’s sister, Rachel, and her two children, MeKayla, and Michael.” He said with a flat voice.
Obviously, he wasn’t going to tell me anything unless I asked him first. I spun around to look at him. His blue eyes were cold, voided of any emotion for me. I was taken back by his lack of love. It was as if this man in front of me felt nothing but hatred for me, his daughter.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me about her before? Why didn’t I know I had an aunt and cousins? I have family?” I asked.
“The same reason we didn’t consult you about coming here, you are a child and you do what your mother and I tell you. That’s it. Nothing further.”
A cold shiver ran up my spine and I stopped arguing with this man. I knew it was pointless. This subtle change in my father’s mood suddenly became not so subtle.
I backed away from the room. My father’s malevolent eyes followed me the whole way. It reminded me of that movie when little Regan did the same to the priest who came to give her an exorcism. His face was like stone, forever holding the murderous look on his face. I ran through the living room and out the door. I kept going until I was safe behind the tree line. I looked back to see my father standing on the porch, looking out at the water. From this distance, I could see the vicious look on his face.