Page 36 of The Good Char
Hopefully, tales of my deeds in the realm of men didn’t return with them once they went back to the underworld.I frowned at what Zychor and Belchar would say about what transpired here.They didn’t understand what I had to deal with during my sentence.They never would.
Hell, they should be happy I was adding souls back home.
“I should have killed him,” I grumbled as I started the car.But I didn’t know the ins and outs of how to maintain a building if he went missing.I didn’t need a miserable Kimmy coming to work or worse yet, not coming at all.
This was getting more complicated than I anticipated.
The blasted little human, what was she doing to me?
Chapter22
KIMMY
As I sat here getting beratedby my parents, I reminded myself as to why I was doing what I was doing.
I was a full grown woman, getting lectured about curfews.I understood that they were scared for my safety because I hadn’t been away from home most of my life.Sleepovers were rare in itself since we worked so much at the restaurant.
But wasn’t that the perfect reason why I needed to break from this cycle?Were my own children destined to forever be a part of this restaurant legacy?Sure, sleeping in my apartment alone for the first time was laced with some fear, but I kept a knife under my pillow just in case.
How was I supposed to stretch my wings like this?
“Kimmy!Are you listening?How could you scare us like that?”my mother whined before she plopped down on the kitchen chair dramatically with her head hung in her hands.
I quietly looked at my father, who was fuming in silence with his hands clasped behind him.He shook his head and turned away from me, facing the outside window.
It was always going to be this way.Maybe because I was a younger generation thrown into western assimilation harder than they were, but with my first taste of independence, I was no longer the girl they knew.
I was no longer a girl.I was a woman and they needed to understand that.I just didn’t know how to fully explain my reasoning without sounding like I was retaliating or being disrespectful for disrespect's sake.
“Mother, Father, I’m sorry.You won’t understand it, but I need to do this.For me, for us.Please, just trust me,” I tried.
The weight of their disapproval weighed heavily on my shoulders and old feelings of obligation and duty threatened to choke me, but I sat there with a soft smile, trying to keep calm.
“I need to go to work.My shift starts soon,” I whispered before getting to my feet.
“Have you been staying with him?Was that why you were gone last night?”My father finally spoke without turning around.
“You’re pregnant.I knew it.You’re farther along and you’re trying to hide your belly from us.You don’t need to live under his rule, Kimmy.You can still stay with us.”my mother sniffed.
I let out a sigh.“I’m not pregnant.There’s just a lot that’s been going on in my head and I need to figure things out on my own.You understand that, don’t you?You guys came here and started a new life.I’m just doing the same in my own way.It’s time.I’m going to be in my mid twenties soon enough.I can’t stay with my parents forever,” I explained.
My mother bawled while my father turned to look at me seriously before pacing.“Why are you trying to leave me?”
“I’m not leaving forever.I just won't be living here.I need to get out on my own.I’m sorry.”I blinked back a few of my tears as I ran up the stairs and grabbed a backpack, stuffing more clothes in it and a few pictures of my family.
Avoiding their faces, I quickly made my way to my bicycle and pedaled as fast as I could, letting the wind erase my sadness and the sun replace my happiness as I weaved through the suburbs toward Hellscape Mall.
By the time I made it to the mall’s plaza, cars were filling up and I had to carefully ride to the sidewalk, then walk the rest of the way.
“Today is going to be a good day.The sun is shining.My first night at the apartment went okay.Besides the weird argument outside my window, I thought it went pretty well,” I talked to myself as I walked through the glass doors.
The air conditioning hit me in the face and I let out a relieved sigh.Who would have thought a trip to the mall would be uplifting?It was sad that my parents home was now something I cringed about.
The food court wasn’t bustling yet as I waved at some of the other employees who were setting up.
I watched my boss’ back as he worked on the batter, never once turning when I made my way behind the counter.
“Good morning, Mr.Dzik,” I greeted him as I grabbed my apron and hat.
