Page 1 of The Cleaner

Chapter

One

LISA

"Ma?"I call out as I close the front door behind me and throw my school bag on the ground. "You here?"

"In the kitchen," I hear her reply, and I'm surprised by the cheerful tone she has.

Over the past few months, Ma has been in a depressive state. Her medication hasn't been helping. Doctors have tried various medications at different dosages yet nothing seems to be working. Right now, however, she sounds upbeat—happy even—and that's not something I've heard in a while.

Unable to keep the smile from my lips, I pad toward the kitchen, hoping like hell that she is, in fact, coming out of her depression and this round of medication is helping.

"Hey, baby," she greets me with a smile.

My heart hammers wildly as I take her in. She's clean, and she smells of peaches, so I know she's had a shower. Over the past month or so, I've had to be the one to push her into the bathroom and clean her. Today, she's done it herself. She's wearing a cute summer dress too. I honestly can't recall how long it's been since I last saw her wearing anything other than her nightdress. That's all she's been wearing lately.

"Hey, Ma. Did you have a good day?"

She walks around the counter, still smiling brightly, and presses a kiss against my cheek. "I did, baby. I really did. How about you? How was school?"

I lift my shoulders and shrug. "Eh, it was school. I'm glad it's the weekend."

She runs her hand along my hair. "Your dad will be here to pick you up soon," she says and I roll my eyes. Great, just what I need. Not. "And, honey, I know things have been difficult as of late, but you have to go to your dad's. He loves you."

I can't stop my lip from curling. "Yeah, he loved me so much he screwed his receptionist. He cheated on you, Ma. He broke our family." It makes me sick to know he's living with her and they're happy, all while Ma's suffering. He's the reason she went into a depressive state.

Ma sighs heavily. "Mine and your father's relationship hadn't been working for a long time."

"Ma," I say a lot harder than I had intended. "He cheated on you. If it wasn't working, he should have left you, not screwed a woman young enough to be my sister."

Tanya is nineteen and barely out of school. She goes all doe-eyed whenever she stares at my dad. It's so icky and I don't like her. She tries her very hardest to be a friend of mine, and then in the same breath tries to parent me. I don't go to my dad's house because I don't want to see Tanya. I hate her, and I'm not really liking my dad either right now. Besides, I've had Ma to look after, and I'd rather do that than spend time with two people who hurt us both.

"I know, honey, but he's still your father."

I stare at my ma and see the pain she's trying to hide from me. Her eyes are filled with fear and hurt. "Ma, no lies, remember?" I tell her what she told me when the shit with my dad's affair came out.

"He's threatening to take me to court if you don't see him."

I blink, shocked to my core that my dad would be so callous, but when the shock settles, I realise that my dad is an asshole and this is him to a bloody T. Whatever he wants, he'll get. He's proven that time and time again, but this time, he's pushing me too far. I'll never choose him over Ma, and if he threatens to take me away, I'll make it known how much I despise him and his plaything.

"It's not happening," I snap. "I promise you, Ma, it won't happen."

She pulls me into her arms and I sink into her embrace. "Just for tonight," she whispers. "I want you to go just for tonight. Please, baby, for me?"

I swallow hard. "Fine," I sigh. "For you."

She presses a kiss to my forehead and pulls back. "Dinner will be ready soon. Why don't you go on up and get washed and changed, pack a bag to go to your father's, and we'll have something to eat before you leave?"

I nod, knowing that if I don't go to Dad's, it'll cause an argument. Ma's happy today. She's so damn happy that I won't do anything to jeopardize that. She's worked so damn hard to be where she is right now, and I can't—I won't let Dad spoil that by being a complete dick. She releases me and I give her a quick smile before hurrying upstairs, grabbing my school bag as I do.

The second I'm inside my bedroom, I reach into my bag for my phone and hit dial on my dad's number. The anger coursing through my veins is unlike anything I have ever felt in my life. I was angry, devastated when my dad cheated on Ma, hurt beyond belief that our family had been destroyed by his stupidity and recklessness, but never have I felt such hatred toward him or so much anger.

"Lisa," he greets me with a soft sigh.

"You really think the way to get on my good side is to tell Ma you're going to take her to court for custody?" I ask, still in disbelief.

"Lis—"

---