Page 8 of Wizard's Spitfire

“They are not criminals or murderers. Stop watching TV and expecting everyone to be like what you see.”

“I didn’t get it from TV. Dad told me...”

“Your father has no idea what he’s talking about. Not to mention this job paid your tuition,” I blurt out.

“What?” Ma said. “I thought JR paid that at the beginning of the year.”

I shake my head. I shouldn’t have said anything in front of the girls. They don’t know the asshole doesn’t pay his child support much less that he skipped out on their tuition.

“He had money problems,” Valentina says.

“Then why did he buy that expensive new sports car?” Lucia adds.

“He works hard. He deserves that car. If he didn’t have to pay you so much child support, he could have paid for our schooling,” Valentina adds with venom.

“Young lady, that is quite enough!” Ma says. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, I do! She left him and ruined everything,” Valentina insists.

“Why your mother left your father is grown-up business, which you are not. Plus, he’s lying to you.”

“Ma,” I warned.

“Your Ma’s right, Charlotte. The girls are old enough to know their father doesn’t pay any child support hasn’t for years,” Pops adds.

“That’s not true. You’re lying!” Valentina yells.

“Yell at your grandfather again and you’re grounded for a month. No social media, no phone, no after school activities. You can disagree in a respectful tone. Call him a liar again and I’m going to bust your ass like I did when you were little.”

“That’s abuse,” Valentina says.

Her face is screwed up in anger.

“No, that’s discipline,” I reply, calmly.

“Well. It’s not true. Dad pays you and you blow the money.”

“If you want, I’ll show you the paperwork from the courts,” I say with resignation.

I didn’t want the girls to know but JR is filling their head with lies. I don’t have a choice at this point. I won’t continue to let him undermine me with my daughters. Daughters he barely has time to see. And apparently his excuse is to blame me that he has to work long hours so he can’t see his girls. Which is utter bullshit. He spends half his time golfing with his buddies.

“Those can be forged,” Valentina snarls.

“That is enough young lady. I have said nothing because I wanted to keep this between your father and me. He’s filling your head full of nothing but lies. It’s time you stop blaming me for everything. Your father made choices that affected our marriage.”

“What choices are those?” Valentina asks, snidely.

“He cheated on Mom. Several times,” Francesca adds, quietly.

We reach the compound, and I have to turn into the front gate before I can respond. A man dressed in jeans, boots, a tee, and a cut comes out of the booth. He smiles as he approaches the car with a clipboard in his hand.

“Name please?”

“Charlie Caruso.”

I watch him scan the list.

“I’ve got you right here. Just pull through the gates and go straight. You’ll see the clubhouse. You can go in or walk around back.”

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