Ocean Pearl by J.C. Burke Read Free Book Online Page B

happens
with Davo? Micki didn't really tell me. She just said he
was a drug addict.'
    Dad began to walk towards me, his arms open.
    'Kia.' He sat down on the bed and held me tight.
'Just because you're a grown-up and a parent doesn't
mean you're perfect and get it right.'
    'But what does Davo do? I don't understand.'
    Dad began to talk. But he was holding back; I could
tell by the way he kept stopping in the middle of
sentences. He didn't tell me any bad stories. Mostly just
stuff about Micki's home life and how tough it was for
her. He explained that I had to think of Davo as being
sick and not being able to do normal things dads
usually did.
    In my opinion, Micki did heaps more than just dad
stuff. She did dad and mum stuff. Everything! The
cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping. I hadn't even
touched a lawn mower, yet according to Dad, Micki
mowed the grass outside the front of their house every
weekend.
    'Well, maybe if she stopped doing it then Davo
would have to!'
    Dad didn't answer. His eyebrows said it all as they
stretched towards the ceiling.
    'What? Are you saying it's okay that Micki mows the
grass and does basically everything?'
    'No, I'm not,' he said and sighed.
    'Well, you don't seem to be – to be angry about it.'
Dad was hardly moving. His voice was soft, his face
was blank. I wanted him to be shouting and yelling
'cause that's what I wanted to do. That's what he
should've done with me. 'I mean, why, Dad? Why is
he even still your friend?'
    'Because he is and because he needs me.'
    'Micki needs you!'
    'And I'm always there for her!'
    'Obviously Davo too.'
    'It's not that simple, Kia,' Dad told me. 'Sometimes
people do things that aren't good for them.'
    He stopped but I knew what he was trying to say. I
wasn't a complete idiot. But I wasn't like Davo. I was
nothing like him and I would show Dad that.
    'I just don't think it's fair for Micki.' I shrugged.
'That's all I'm trying to say.'
    'It's not fair,' Dad said. 'It's very, very unfair. But the
reason Micki does things like mow the lawn is because
she wants them to at least look like a normal, regular
family.'
    'They are not a normal, regular family.'
    'I know that, Kia. But try and imagine you didn't
have Mum and Charlie and I was like Davo. Hey? No
one to make your lunch; no one to drive you to surf
contests; too embarrassed to have any friends over –
what would you be like? What would you do?'
    'If you were like Davo I'd force you to get better!' I
yelled. 'If you were taking drugs, I'd make it so difficult
for you that – that you'd just have to quit. I wouldn't do
any of those chores. I wouldn't go to school. Stuff the
lawn! I'd . . . I'd . . .'
    Dad wrapped his arms around me. 'How can Micki
stand to live with him?' I continued. It was almost too
much, Dad holding me. Was it because I was angry?
Was it because Dad thought my 'problem' made
me like Davo? All I knew was that I couldn't sit still. I
struggled out of his embrace and got up. 'She must
hate him. Hate him! I know I would.'
    'He's her father, Kia. She loves him.'
    'She's too nice, that's Micki's problem.' And that's
when I said, 'She should come and live with us.'
    Dad grabbed for my hand as I paced around his bed.
'Do you really mean that?'
    'Yes, I do! The sooner the better.'
    'That's very generous of you, Kia.' Dad smiled. 'I'm
very proud of you.'
    'Really?'
    Coming up with the idea of Micki moving in wasn't
the only reason I felt proud that night or proud still,
sitting here having breakfast with Dad and Micki six
weeks later.
    After Dad and I'd finished talking, I kissed him
goodnight, went back to my room, got straight into bed
and fell asleep. Eventually.
    My mind was rushing around and there were so
many things I felt angry about but they were whizzing
through my head too fast to catch and see them. But
not once did I lie there digging my nails into my wrists
while bad thoughts of what Dad really thought of me
tricked and teased my brain. I didn't spend hours
talking myself out of