to get his own meals?
She parked her Jeep in front of the house. It was a small, white one story house and Emerald smiled at the Santa poster that SM3 had put on the front door. She’d decorated for Christmas the year before as well. Emerald and Shawn tended to ignore Christmas decorations but in recent years they had given each other some Christmas gifts. As a child, she’d rarely gotten anything. They’d almost always been too poor for Christmas.
Emerald walked up the few stairs that led up to the porch and knocked on the door, shivering as a cold gust of air blasted her in the face.
“Emerald’s here!” Samantha called, smiling and tugging Emerald by the hand. Samantha was very petite and very round and had skin that was a shade or two darker than Emerald’s own milk chocolate complexion. She was beyond voluptuous and had very short curly hair. Emerald liked her enough. She just didn’t think she’d last very long.
The front door was in the living room and Emerald could see her father sitting on the couch as she hung up her coat. He stood up, remote control in hand, and walked over.
“Hi, baby,” He said, kissing her forehead. They were about the same height and even looked close in age. There were many times that her father had lied about his age to get younger women. Sometimes he’d even dated women that were Emerald’s age or younger.
“Hi, Daddy.” Emerald smiled at him. He tugged her ear then went back to the couch. He was still dressed in his uniform. He worked at Click’s, a home improvement store, and Emerald had called him much earlier to make sure of his hours that day. Even though she was okay with SM3, they didn’t need any time alone together.
“Excuse the mess,” Samantha said as she sat on the couch next to Shawn. “I overslept today and I didn’t get any cleaning done.”
“It’s okay.” Emerald had barely noticed that the house was a little cluttered. SM3 was a good housekeeper. She usually kept the house clean and food -nasty food but food nonetheless- on the table.
“Do you want something to eat, Emerald?” Samantha asked. “We just finished lunch not that long ago.”
“No thanks,” Emerald said and gestured to her bag. “I stopped for a sandwich.”
“Okay.” Samantha looked towards the TV.
“How’s your week been?” Her dad asked, a small smirk on his face. Emerald had told him months before that she’d never eat his wife’s cooking again. He’s just laughed.
“It was good,” Emerald said, thinking about Lincoln. They’d spent the last few nights together, taking turns going to each other’s homes, and then leaving in the middle of the night. If she counted their fling at the wedding, they’d been together for a week. But they’d already established a routine.
“How was yours, Daddy?”
“Good, good,” He grinned. “I finally got the promotion. Just in time for Christmas!”
“That’s great, Daddy,” Emerald said, genuinely happy for him. He’d been waiting on the promotion to store manager for months. Considering his shoddy work history, she was very proud of him.
He was nodding. “Starting Monday I’ll be working a lot more hours. That means a lot more money and hopefully me and Sam can move out of here.”
“I thought you liked this house,” Emerald murmured with a frown. Her father had begun renting the house shortly after Emerald had moved out on her own.
“I like it just fine.” Shawn said, nodding slowly. “But that doesn’t mean I want to stay here forever.”
“I want a change,” Samantha interjected. Emerald had thought SM3 was watching the TV so she was surprised that she had something to say. “We sometimes get mail for your father’s exes here. I want to get out. And I want to go to a nicer neighborhood.”
“This neighborhood is nice,” Emerald said, opening her bag to remove her sandwich. They lived in an okay neighborhood in Jersey City. In fact, Robyn’s house was probably only ten blocks
She parked her Jeep in front of the house. It was a small, white one story house and Emerald smiled at the Santa poster that SM3 had put on the front door. She’d decorated for Christmas the year before as well. Emerald and Shawn tended to ignore Christmas decorations but in recent years they had given each other some Christmas gifts. As a child, she’d rarely gotten anything. They’d almost always been too poor for Christmas.
Emerald walked up the few stairs that led up to the porch and knocked on the door, shivering as a cold gust of air blasted her in the face.
“Emerald’s here!” Samantha called, smiling and tugging Emerald by the hand. Samantha was very petite and very round and had skin that was a shade or two darker than Emerald’s own milk chocolate complexion. She was beyond voluptuous and had very short curly hair. Emerald liked her enough. She just didn’t think she’d last very long.
The front door was in the living room and Emerald could see her father sitting on the couch as she hung up her coat. He stood up, remote control in hand, and walked over.
“Hi, baby,” He said, kissing her forehead. They were about the same height and even looked close in age. There were many times that her father had lied about his age to get younger women. Sometimes he’d even dated women that were Emerald’s age or younger.
“Hi, Daddy.” Emerald smiled at him. He tugged her ear then went back to the couch. He was still dressed in his uniform. He worked at Click’s, a home improvement store, and Emerald had called him much earlier to make sure of his hours that day. Even though she was okay with SM3, they didn’t need any time alone together.
“Excuse the mess,” Samantha said as she sat on the couch next to Shawn. “I overslept today and I didn’t get any cleaning done.”
“It’s okay.” Emerald had barely noticed that the house was a little cluttered. SM3 was a good housekeeper. She usually kept the house clean and food -nasty food but food nonetheless- on the table.
“Do you want something to eat, Emerald?” Samantha asked. “We just finished lunch not that long ago.”
“No thanks,” Emerald said and gestured to her bag. “I stopped for a sandwich.”
“Okay.” Samantha looked towards the TV.
“How’s your week been?” Her dad asked, a small smirk on his face. Emerald had told him months before that she’d never eat his wife’s cooking again. He’s just laughed.
“It was good,” Emerald said, thinking about Lincoln. They’d spent the last few nights together, taking turns going to each other’s homes, and then leaving in the middle of the night. If she counted their fling at the wedding, they’d been together for a week. But they’d already established a routine.
“How was yours, Daddy?”
“Good, good,” He grinned. “I finally got the promotion. Just in time for Christmas!”
“That’s great, Daddy,” Emerald said, genuinely happy for him. He’d been waiting on the promotion to store manager for months. Considering his shoddy work history, she was very proud of him.
He was nodding. “Starting Monday I’ll be working a lot more hours. That means a lot more money and hopefully me and Sam can move out of here.”
“I thought you liked this house,” Emerald murmured with a frown. Her father had begun renting the house shortly after Emerald had moved out on her own.
“I like it just fine.” Shawn said, nodding slowly. “But that doesn’t mean I want to stay here forever.”
“I want a change,” Samantha interjected. Emerald had thought SM3 was watching the TV so she was surprised that she had something to say. “We sometimes get mail for your father’s exes here. I want to get out. And I want to go to a nicer neighborhood.”
“This neighborhood is nice,” Emerald said, opening her bag to remove her sandwich. They lived in an okay neighborhood in Jersey City. In fact, Robyn’s house was probably only ten blocks
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