Chapter 2: Men

I wake up and my entire body is throbbing. I couldn’t even sleep on my back. The pain. The pain was too much.

I slowly get out of bed and stretch until my legs shake and my butt cheeks jiggle.

“Penelope?” I hear my mother’s faint voice.

I take a deep breath and open my door, going across the hall to my mum.

“Hi mama. How are you feeling?” I puff up her pillow and brush the hair off of her face.

“I’m okay, honey, you?”

“I’m good.” I lie.

“What happened with your dad after I fell asleep?”

“I just helped him to bed.” I smile.

I haven’t told my mum what happens with dad. She has enough stress with her sickness as it is. And I don’t want to change her opinion on dad.

The doctors say she won’t get better. So I want her last memories of him to be loving and happy, how they have been their whole lives.

She’s partly deaf, I don’t know if it’s a side effect of the cancer or it just happened. So I think that’s why she can’t hear unless you’re right near her.

“Did you get the flowers?” A pale smile spreads her lips.

I nod, “Do you like them, mama? I can get different ones if you don’t like them—I hope they don’t make you sneeze, wait do they smell bad, I didn’t really check, oh go—.”

“P, honey, they are beautiful.”

I nod, “Okay.”

“Now go enjoy your day, the sun’s shining.”

“Will you be okay?”

“Of course.”

I kiss her forehead before returning to my bedroom.

I peel off my singlet and turn around in the mirror looking at my back.

Bruises spread across in an array of colours. Blue, green, purple, black, yellow. I could make a rainbow.

I wipe my tears and quickly get dressed for the day making sure my outfit covers my back.

I add some mascara and blush and smile to myself in the mirror.

Smiling makes me happy.

My stomach flies like butterflies as I think of where I’m about to go. Who I’m about to see.

I quietly creep downstairs and my heart calms as I look to the sofa and see my dad slung over the couch, dead to the world asleep.

Thank goodness.

I go out the front door and take in the crisp morning air.

It feels weird not to ride my bike places. I begin walking, using my maps as a guide.

I don’t know how to drive a car, I don’t have a license. I never needed to know.

It’s not like I go anywhere but our town.

I spot a cat walking along the footpath and I bend down patting its head.

It reveals its teeth and growls at me.

I flinch and back away.

“I’m sorry. I hope you have a good day, kitty.”

I continue my way, smiling at everyone, until I’m in front of the large shed from last night.

There’s men everywhere.

All of them tall, wearing matching uniforms, and fixing cars.

A blonde comes out from under a car and looks at me.

He smirks leaning against the car, “Can we help you?”

All of the men proceed to turn their attention on to me.

“Um hi,” I smile, “I’m here to pick up my bike.” I point to it as it sits in the shop.

They all look between each other and back to me, “I don’t remember a bike coming in.” A ginger says.

“It was when you were closed. I spoke with Parker.” I feel my cheeks heat up at the thought of the tall man, with muscles and tattoos.

“I’ll go get him.” The red-head says before disappearing out the back.

“What’s your name?” The blonde lifts the bottom of his shirt wiping his face.

“I’m Penelope. Who are you?”

“I’m Gavin, and that’s Nico and Wes is the ginger.”

“You guys could be Neapolitan ice cream.” I giggle.

He frowns, “What?”

“You know, the ice cream?”

He nods, “How could we be that?”

“Well all together you make all the natural hair colours.”

All of them begin to laugh and I smile proud of myself for making them laugh.

“You little fuckers!” I hear a door slam.

I flinch and turn around seeing a middle-aged man as he storms up the driveway, steam blowing out his ears.

“You told me my car would be done today, I can’t fucking wait till tomorrow.” He yells.

I slowly back away as he charges. He looks so scary.

“Mate, your car is more fucked then we thought. We’re making it better for you.” Nico says.

“My car isn’t fucked.” The man yells coming into the garage.

Him and the few boys begin getting into an argument but all I can hear is the yelling. The screaming.

My mind fogs and I step forward I feel like everything is spinning.

~~

“Do you have any updates from the doctor?” I ask my dad as I walk in the door from school.

He looks at me and his eyes sink into mine, “Yes.”

I smile, “What did they say?”

“She’s not going to fucking live.”

My smile drops and I can’t stop the tears as they flow.

Dad comes towards me as he stands, “You are the fucking reason she’s going to die. You know that? All your fucking fault you little shit.” He slaps me across the face.

I grab my cheek and hold it.

He’s never hit me before.

“My wife is fucked. All because of you.”

~~

I lean against the pillar between the roller doors and try to focus back in on my surroundings.

I watch as the angry man throws a tool to the ground. He walks over to my bike and my eyes widen.

“Don’t touch that,” I say, “Please.”

It was my mum’s bike back when she was my age. I love it so much.

The man snaps his eyes to me and I step away. He looks so angry.

“Who the fuck are you? Are you the one that fucked my car? Would make sense. Women aren’t capable of fixing that shit.”

“Don’t fucking yell at her.” Parker sneers walking over.

The guy takes steps towards me and I step back. He continues prowling toward me, and I back away.

Hands wrap on my waist and my back hits a chest.

I flinch and back away. I turn around and Parker frowns at me before grabbing my hand and leading me away.

“Sort it out.” He mumbles to Wes before pushing open the door.

It leads to a small corridor with four doors on each side. Parker opens the first right door and it leads to some type of office.

There’s a wall of books and a big brown desk with chairs in front and a chair behind.

“What happened to your wrist?” Parker takes my left wrist in his palm.

“Huh?” I frown looking into his eyes.

“The massive bruise on your wrist?”

I look down and see there is actually a massive bruise.

“What’s it from?”

“Uh mmmm hm ooo when I fell over in here yesterday.” I smile and nod.

He frowns dropping my wrist and leaning against the desk crossing his arms.

“Thank you for fixing my bike. How much do I owe you?”

He stays silent just staring at me and I start to get flustered.

I hate the silence.

“Hey you know what my friend told me? That avocado tastes like wieners.”

His lips curl into a smirk.

My knees buckle and I lean on the chair to keep myself standing, “I’ve never tried one, so I couldn’t know. But I like avocado so I think it would be great.”

“Which friend told you this?”

“Uhmmm,” I scratch my neck, “My friend Google.”

“Your friend’s name is Google?”

“Yup, my other friend’s name is Safari,” I smile to myself proud of my joke.

He doesn’t even smile.
He doesn’t laugh.

He doesn’t like my jokes.

That’s okay. I have better ones.

“Was it hard to fix my bike?” I ask.

“Just had a nail in the front tire, I changed it.”

“Cool. Thank you.”

He nods.

“How much is it?” I pull my purse out my bum pocket.

“Don’t worry about it,” He breaks eye contact.

“Everyone deserves their pay, mr.”

His eyes snap back to me and the smirk returns.

“How much was it to change the tire?” I stare.

“Sixty bucks, don’t worry about it. It’s okay.”

My phone buzzes and I see a message from my dad reading, “Come home.”

It’s only 9am. Something must be wrong with mum.

“I have to go. But thank you for fixing my bike.” I smile and turn around leaving his office and back to the garage.

All the men look at me as I grab my bike.

“Bye.” I wave climbing onto my bike.

They all smile and wave, “Bye.”

I ride home as quick as I can and go inside.

My drunk father stared at me, “Why are you here?”

I frown, “You told me to come, dad.”

“I did?” He laughs taking a swig of his beer, “Don’t know why, you’re fucking useless.”

“Oh, thanks.” I nod.

“Get out.”

“Uhm, yeah, I can go now if that’s what you want.”

This is very confusing.

He raises his voice as he begins to yell, “Hurry up! Get the fuck out of here! No one even wants you.”

I rush out the front door and I forget my bike as I leave, speed walking on my feet.

Great, I forgot my bike and I’m alone in town all day.

Sometimes I wish this wasn’t my reality. I wish it was different.

But deep down, I know I deserve it.