car.”
“Then I'll drive you home.”
Nice thought for a moment. “No. I'm okay. I can walk. It's not far. That's how I usually get there anyway.”
He looked offended. “No. I'm not letting you walk home at,” he fished his cell out of his pocket, “3:30 AM. No way.”
She rolled her eyes. “I've been doing it since forever, I'm fine.” He opened his mouth to protest and she stopped him. “I'm fine. Really.”
He raised his hands in defeat. “Fine, then call me when you get there so I won’t worry.”
“I'll text you. Maybe.”
He sighed in defeat and snaked his arm around her waist pulling her close. “Are you really going to make this more difficult?” His eyes were cloudy and deep.
“Okay, I'll call,” she replied, smiling softly.
“Thank you,” he said, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Now get out of my bar so I can lock up. Last call was over an hour ago!”
He laughed deep in his chest as he released her to go shut off the lights and grab her keys. She walked out as he held the door open for her. Shutting it behind them, she locked up and stood on the steps. He leaned down and kissed her again. “Call me. Tonight. As soon as you're safe at home.”
She nodded not wanting to leave him, but knowing she had too. He limped off the steps and down the street to his own car. She waited until he turned the corner before leaving the steps and walking in the opposite direction.
Chapter Four
Nice was abruptly woken from sleep by her father banging on her door. She pulled herself from the heavy tendrils of sleep. “Hold on!” she shouted, knowing it would do no good. She rubbed her eyes, fighting the sleep that was threatening to drag her back under.
She pulled herself into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes. They focused on the blurry clock. It was only 8:30 AM. “Jesus, Dad,” she mumbled to herself. She stood up on shaky legs and walked to her bedroom door. She unlocked it and opened it quickly, “What?” she snarled up at him.
Sam Sr. was tall and wide. He had played football in his youth, but now the muscle that had once been there was wasted away to flab. Still he was an imposing figure and took up most of the door. Her father looked her up and down and turned away, “Put some clothes on.”
She looked down at herself and quickly closed the door hiding her barely clad body. The t-shirt from the night before didn't do much to cover her panties. She pulled on a pair of yoga pants that were on the end of her bed and opened the door. Her father's bloodshot eyes met hers. “I need you to run to the store for me.”
“Dad, no, it's too early. They're not even open yet.” She moved to close the door and he stopped it with his hand.
“Bernice, I need your help honey,” he said, the pleading evident in his voice.
She sighed, it was always worse when he was sweet to her. “Dad, there's nothing I can do. The stores aren't open yet.”
“Go to the bar. Get me something.”
She backed away from the door. “No, I can't. That's a rule. You know that, it's the one rule. Don't drink the stock.”
He nodded. “I know, I know. It's just that I'm shaking.” He held out his hand. There was a visible tremor.
“Dad...”
She had no choice. She didn't know where he'd been the last couple of days but now he needed a drink and he needed it in
“Then I'll drive you home.”
Nice thought for a moment. “No. I'm okay. I can walk. It's not far. That's how I usually get there anyway.”
He looked offended. “No. I'm not letting you walk home at,” he fished his cell out of his pocket, “3:30 AM. No way.”
She rolled her eyes. “I've been doing it since forever, I'm fine.” He opened his mouth to protest and she stopped him. “I'm fine. Really.”
He raised his hands in defeat. “Fine, then call me when you get there so I won’t worry.”
“I'll text you. Maybe.”
He sighed in defeat and snaked his arm around her waist pulling her close. “Are you really going to make this more difficult?” His eyes were cloudy and deep.
“Okay, I'll call,” she replied, smiling softly.
“Thank you,” he said, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Now get out of my bar so I can lock up. Last call was over an hour ago!”
He laughed deep in his chest as he released her to go shut off the lights and grab her keys. She walked out as he held the door open for her. Shutting it behind them, she locked up and stood on the steps. He leaned down and kissed her again. “Call me. Tonight. As soon as you're safe at home.”
She nodded not wanting to leave him, but knowing she had too. He limped off the steps and down the street to his own car. She waited until he turned the corner before leaving the steps and walking in the opposite direction.
Chapter Four
Nice was abruptly woken from sleep by her father banging on her door. She pulled herself from the heavy tendrils of sleep. “Hold on!” she shouted, knowing it would do no good. She rubbed her eyes, fighting the sleep that was threatening to drag her back under.
She pulled herself into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes. They focused on the blurry clock. It was only 8:30 AM. “Jesus, Dad,” she mumbled to herself. She stood up on shaky legs and walked to her bedroom door. She unlocked it and opened it quickly, “What?” she snarled up at him.
Sam Sr. was tall and wide. He had played football in his youth, but now the muscle that had once been there was wasted away to flab. Still he was an imposing figure and took up most of the door. Her father looked her up and down and turned away, “Put some clothes on.”
She looked down at herself and quickly closed the door hiding her barely clad body. The t-shirt from the night before didn't do much to cover her panties. She pulled on a pair of yoga pants that were on the end of her bed and opened the door. Her father's bloodshot eyes met hers. “I need you to run to the store for me.”
“Dad, no, it's too early. They're not even open yet.” She moved to close the door and he stopped it with his hand.
“Bernice, I need your help honey,” he said, the pleading evident in his voice.
She sighed, it was always worse when he was sweet to her. “Dad, there's nothing I can do. The stores aren't open yet.”
“Go to the bar. Get me something.”
She backed away from the door. “No, I can't. That's a rule. You know that, it's the one rule. Don't drink the stock.”
He nodded. “I know, I know. It's just that I'm shaking.” He held out his hand. There was a visible tremor.
“Dad...”
She had no choice. She didn't know where he'd been the last couple of days but now he needed a drink and he needed it in
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