If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.
- Maya Angelou
It was the fifth night in a row that dad came home from the office and went straight to his study. It was strange to say the least and so unlike him. My dad was loyal to his job but not to the point of neglecting his family.
Normally you could count on dad to peek his head into your room. He would ask about your day or offer a lame joke. He would be quick to comment on how his day went and always say he loved us. Lately I hardly saw him at breakfast and he was never in time for dinner.
The worst part was I seemed to be the only person who noticed. You would think mom would comment about the absence of her husband but there has been nothing. Mom was too busy with her charity work. When I brought it up she dismissed me saying dad always got busy when he was working on a big new case.
Zoe, my older sister and middle child to my parents, told me to not be such a daddy’s girl. She insisted that I needed to stop worrying about it and only a dork like me would be clocking my own father. Zoe was just happy dad was too busy to notice the new charges she made on his card.
The first born, my eldest sister, Ada was off exploring the world. This was her third year in college and she was studying abroad. Ada only came home on holiday and even then she was always catching up with old friends not hanging around the house. When I called to talk about dad with Ada she gave me the same line as everyone else.
Unlike the others I wasn’t so convinced. Something was wrong with dad. I’ve seen how he is busy with a new case and this was something different. I wasn’t going to be happy until I got down to the bottom of this. The worst case I could think of was he’s been stepping out on mom.
Would dad do that?
“Earth to Nia,” my best friend, and first choice to bury a body with, Winter Smith called out to me. She threw a handful of popcorn at me and the buttery snack hit the side of my face. Winter was this bubbly over the top kind of character. She was always talking about boys and doing outlandish things just to get attention from her parents. She was a stunning redhead with freckles covering her cheeks and nose with forest green eyes against porcelain pale skin.
At the moment Winter was hanging backwards off the couch. Her hair touching the dark brown carpet mom had just put in the entertainment room. There was some cheesy horror movie playing on the big screen that Winter had picked when we first came into the room.
“What?” I asked throwing my own handful of popcorn back at her. My mind had been elsewhere and I couldn’t begin to explain what was happening on the screen. From the way the dumb teens were running through the woods I would guess the big bad monster was after them right now.
“What’s got you so lost in thought?” Winter asked and I sighed rubbing my chin as I tried to put my thoughts in order.
“I think my dad is cheating on my mom,” I admitted and Winter burst into laughter. “I’m being serious.” I yelled throwing more popcorn at her. “He’s been acting really weird lately. It’s not like dad at all.”
“One,” Winter held up her index finger to tick off her count, “you’re way too invested in your parents lives. Two,” she added a second finger to the first, “Monty would never cheat. Your dad is like the guy all the other desperate housewives wish they were married to.”
I laughed softly because I had heard her own mother say as much about my dad before. “Three,” a third finger was added to the count, “Nora is scary as hell. No man or woman is crazy enough to cross your mom. And last but not least who would he even be cheating with?” Winter finished righting herself on the couch and dusting the popcorn onto the floor.
“Chantell,” I answered without thought.
“Chantell who?” Winter asked and I rolled my eyes at her.
“Chantell Teshima. She’s been coming over here a lot lately without Tokiyo. She and my mom aren’t that good of friends. So why would she need to keep visiting without her children or husband in tow?”
“You think your dad is the kind of man who would cheat on his wife with the wife of his best friend.” Winter was giving me side eye and I sighed. Honestly I didn’t think my dad was the kind of guy to cheat at all. He loved my mom and that was something I always admired in the both of them. That even after all of these years of being together they were still crazy in love with each other.
“No,” I admitted. “But what else could it be?” What else would have my dad so out of it lately. Mom said it was a case but if it really was then what kind of case was he working on. My dad was a world renowned child psychiatrist.
He wrote books and did tours and took on lots of famous cases. Even with this he’s never been so . . . distracted. So who was this child he was working with? What was wrong with them that it took my dad away from his family.
“Maybe you should stop focusing on your parents love life and start giving your own some thought,” Winter offered and I rolled my eyes at her.
“I don’t want to go over this again.” I told her laying back on the couch. The movie was long forgotten even though it still played as mere background noise.
“The whole school is talking about it. Will they, won’t they, I wish they would just get it over with already.” Winter moved closer to me and I moved farther away from her. “Are you telling me you don’t like Rick?” Winter rested her head on my shoulder because at the end of the day there was no getting away from her.
“Sure I like Rick,” I answered. “But not in that way. He’s been my friend for as long as you have. Just because Rick suddenly has a boner for me doesn’t mean my feelings changed for him.”
“You’re so mean. Rick is a catch. He’s handsome, smart, athletic, and comes from a good family. He’s the all American boy.” Winter batted her eyes at me.
“Great, you date him then.” I countered and Winter pulled away from me. She started to make the gagging sound and I giggled at her over the top reaction to my comment.
“Rick is way to vanila for my taste. I like to add some flavor in my coffee.” Winter protested and I laughed. “Don’t you like anyone at school. I’m sick of never getting any good gossip from you. I wish you would live a little.”
“I’ll start living after we get into Somerset,” I told her and Winter blew out a breath.
“If we get in,” she added sobering the both of us. We fell silent the screams of the victims from the movie echoing around the room.
Our silence was broken when the door to the room opened. Winter and I both turned around expecting it to be Zoe but saw Chantell Teshima standing in the doorway. Dr. Teshima was a stunning woman. My mom was just as beautiful but if a husband decided to step out on their wife I could understand why the caramel skinned beauty was their pick.
Chantell had natural black hair that was worn in a well tamed curly afro. Her dark brown eyes held an intelligence in them that intimated a lot of people. Even without her husband she was a successful doctor well known in the community.
My mom worked with her once a year to plan the annual charity ball the Teshima’s always had to raise awareness for mentally ill children. The proceeds always went to the Institution of Troubled Youth.
Chantell was the kind of woman people noticed. She was the kind of woman that wanted people to notice her. So my own question was had all of that cool confidence she carried around caught the eye of my dad. Was she stepping out on her husband and dragging my dad down with her?
“I’m sorry girls. I’m still not use to the new set up. I swear your mom changes this place around everyday.” Chantell spoke and a small laugh followed her statement. It was true that every season my mom decided she wanted to redo the house and all the rooms were shifted around but I didn’t laugh at Dr. Teshima’s joke.
“What are you looking for?” I asked always nice and polite to an adult. Still my eyes slide over to Winter who had turned around to hide a smile on her lips.
“Your father’s office. I have a few more files to drop off to him.” Chantell answered holding up a thick folder that seemed to be ready to burst papers.
“You and dad have the same patient?” I asked, that would explain why she was around. Dr. Teshima was a medial doctor who owned her own clinic. Maybe one of her patients also needed some mental health care. Could it all be explained away that easily. For some reason I felt there was still many layers to this tale.
When I asked my question something dark crossed Chantell’s face. We all fell silent and it seemed as if the air was becoming thick with the tension that was building. Why isn't she answering. It was a simple yes or no question. I could see the way her eyes moved from me to Winter who had turned around again. She was trying to decide if she was going to tell us the truth or not. Maybe she wouldn’t answer at all.
“His new pantient is my—”
“There you are,” Dad’s voice cut Chantell off. “Great you bought it,” Dad went on to say taking the file from Chantell.
“I have more in the car.” Chantell said the tension in the room seeming to break. She seemed happy that dad came along before she could finish whatever she was about to say.
“I’ll come help you then,” Dad gave her a friendly smile. “You girls have fun,” he called in at Winter and I before closing the door back as the two of them walked away.
What was Chantell about to say?
Her what?
Her who?
What were they hiding?
And more importantly why?
To Be Continued . . .