Chapter Twenty-Five Elsie
Chapter Twenty-Five
Elsie
Have I got a surprise for you! The text from her father buzzed into Elsie’s cell. Dots scrolled, then the rest of his message appeared. Phone me back. Great news. Miss you, kiddo.
Elsie had ignored two calls from her dad in the past hour rather than explode at him.
Great news? Her world currently sucked. Porter’s fault.
And hers for being gullible. Still, none of that made her dad any less of a jerk, so he could just wait for a response while she figured out how to access her college fund and pay off Porter to delete those photos.
Because even though the texter had tried to be “anonymous,” she wasn’t so easily fooled anymore.
Outside a Podunk repair shop, she kicked the old soda machine that had eaten all her change without releasing a drink.
What should have been a short drive from the motel to the hospice facility in Alexandria had already been derailed after less than an hour.
They’d barely made it onto the interstate before the van’s back hatch had popped open, compliments of the damage from yesterday’s accident.
Luckily, no suitcases and none of her mom’s equipment had fallen out—three cheers for bungee cords—but Elsie mourned the loss of her favorite pillow, which had been flattened by a passing truck full of chickens.
Rude.
After a frantic pullover on the side of the road to close and secure the hatch—again, cheers for multifunctional bungee cords—they’d been forced to detour to the nearest repair shop.
By the looks of the run-down place, they might never get back on the road again.
Her mom and Grammie were arguing with Scooter the Mechanic, who’d insisted he would have to wait for a part to be delivered.
Surely the graveyard of wrecked cars behind the cinder-block building had something that would work.
Elsie kicked the old Coke machine again until finally, the clunk, clunk, clunk echoed.
A bottle rolled into the tray. She wrapped both hands around the cold drink and scouted for a shady spot since the tiny waiting area was packed with sweaty people.
Plus somebody had reheated fried fish in the microwave and stunk up the place.
Better to use the time outside in the muggy heat under the shade of a sprawling red maple tree researching community colleges.
She’d already registered for the GED and scouted out part-time jobs near Grammie’s.
Elsie dropped to the ground and leaned back against the trunk, googling options while sipping her cold Coke.
Maybe a detailed budget would convince her mom to release the funds.
When the time came to actually pay the bill, Elsie could apply for a school loan—
Another text from her father buzzed through.
Then another.
Followed by a simple question mark. Again. And again.
When she’d done that same thing to him, she’d never considered he would use the tactic on her.
A GIF came through this time, of a cartoon character tapping his watch.
GIFs. Ugh.
Something else she’d taught her father and now he used them for everything. Like that little impersonal blip constituted a meaningful exchange.
Sighing, Elsie resisted the urge to send him a GIF of a middle finger and video-called her dad. “Hey, what’s the big surprise?”
“Took you long enough to phone me back,” he teased, his smile wide as he sat on a hotel bed. He probably had the air conditioner set to subarctic levels.
Just as well to let him see where she was seated by comparison. Did the man have no shame?
She scratched the toe of her shoe over her ankle to dislodge a hungry mosquito. “Where are you?”
“Still in Biloxi.” He flipped the phone orientation to showcase the view outside his window. Waterfront. With a riverboat a stone’s throw away. “How about you? Did y’all make it up to Lillian’s yet?”
Had he missed the car graveyard towering in the background?
“Nope. We’re getting the van repaired at some mom-and-pop shop.
” Her mother wouldn’t have had to ask her location.
She would have tracked Elsie’s cell phone down to the mile marker, every minute of the trip.
Such as the time she’d been next to a boat repair shop and her mom had been convinced she was being abducted, like in some episode of Dexter.
That had always bugged her. But right now? It seemed kinda caring in light of her dad’s neglect. “Do you want to know what’s wrong with it?”
He turned the phone back toward his face. “Sure. Do tell.”
If he’d really wanted to know, she wouldn’t have had to prompt him. And that pissed her off.
“The back hatch flew open on the interstate.” The words tumbled out of her mouth fast and furious. “We almost got creamed by a semi.”
Sure, she’d exaggerated. Was it so wrong to want him to feel a smidge guilty for hanging out in that icy hotel room while they struggled? They could have met the same fate as her pillow.
“Wow, Elsie, glad you’re all okay. Sounds like it could have been worse.”
He had a way of minimizing stuff to cut himself slack. Classic loser move.
She needed to remember to fight against those genes, to think of others. She hadn’t even asked him about his trip. Not really. “Are y’all getting any bad weather there?”
“Clear skies all around.” He adjusted the fluffy pillow behind his head. “The storm seems to be rolling up the coastline following your path. Are you catching any rain?”
“We get little sprinkles every now and again.” She’d had it with this superficial conversation.
She needed her dad to be real. “I’m kinda worried about Mom driving back, though.
Hopefully Grammie can convince her to stick around until the storm cleanup is under control and they stop rationing fuel. ”
“Your mother is strong-willed, but she’s also one of the most competent people I’ve ever known. If she decides to go home, no one can stop her, and she will make the journey in record time.”
That felt like another cop-out. Just because a person was an overachiever didn’t mean everyone else could bail on helping. “How much longer are you going to stay there?”
“I had planned to go home tonight, but that brings me to the surprise I wanted to tell you about.” His grin spread wider. “I’ve hit a winning streak. So I think I’m going to stick around awhile longer.”
“That’s great, Dad.” She tried to fake enthusiasm even though she knew his “win” would just cause another argument between her parents. Then an idea tugged at her. One that seemed too good to be true. “How big of a winning streak?”
“Five figures, baby girl,” he said with the same overconfidence she’d seen dozens of times. “High five figures.”
“That’s incredible,” she said, rather than discourage him.
Because right now, she needed a piece of that good fortune.
“I was hoping to go ahead and start college early. But Mom keeps changing the subject every time I talk about cashing in the savings. I think she’s worried about money with the move. ”
Twirling a loose lock of hair, she studied his face as she tested the waters. Just before she’d returned his call, she’d spotted a community college that looked affordable. Earlier in the day, she’d made a list of ways she could help her grandmother and Ace.
Her father fidgeted with his college ring, and a twinge of anxiety shot through her. Somebody should let him know that was a “poker tell” that said he probably only had a pair of twos.
“Well, Elsie, I think you should listen to your mother.”
She deflated in disappointment, the bark rough against her tank top. She twisted the lock of hair tighter around her finger until it tugged at the roots. But she wasn’t accepting defeat. He could bluff all he wanted. She was every bit as stubborn as her mama and grandmother.
“I shouldn’t stress her out, what with the divorce and all.
” Elsie wasn’t above applying a little guilt-pressure herself.
“I really want to go ahead and start college. I’ve signed up for the GED—I passed the practice test easy.
I’ve even looked up how to emancipate so y’all won’t have to worry about me anymore.
I thought I might move up to Alexandria and spend some time with Ace, because he’s, you know . . .”
With all the other awful things going on in her life, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. Like if she didn’t speak it out loud, then maybe he would live longer.
“Elsie, the last thing your grandmother needs is someone else to take care of right now.”
She tried not to bristle. Since when was she a burden?
“Exactly. I will help her. It’ll be easier for Mom too, not to have to worry about me.
So if you could use some of the money you won to pay for my first semester, I could prove that I’m every bit as determined as she is.
How about giving me your account info now so I can go ahead and pass it along to the college. ”
“This sounds like a mighty big plan. Does your mom know about it?”
“Yes.” She nodded fast, wincing at the yank to the strand of hair. “I’ve talked to both Mom and Grammie.”
No need to confess they both hated the idea.
He spun the clunky gold band faster, the red gem flashing like a hazard light. “I’m not sure I should do something like that without checking with your mother first.”
Now, of all times, he decided to be a parent rather than a buddy? Where had he been when she would have given anything for fatherly help, guidance, support? What would it be like to have the kind of dad she could trust to fix her colossal problem?
“Daddy, please, just think about it.” She hated that she sounded desperate. Even kinda pathetic. But she was so scared. More than she’d ever been in her whole life. “What if your win is a sign?”
His hand fell from his jaw and he nodded. “You may have a point there. I’m a big believer in luck.”
Her hopeful heart just about leaped out of her chest. To think her problem could be solved without her mother knowing—without her dad learning her secret either—was more than she could have hoped for. “Then this is my lucky day too.”
“Well, baby girl,” he said, sitting upright and swinging his legs off the hotel bed, “I need to make hay while the sun’s shining.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, confused at his shift. “Are you going home? What about the hurricane?”
“Exactly. I’m going back to the casino and make the most of this streak of good fortune.” He straightened the collar on his polo shirt. “By tomorrow morning, I bet I’ll have enough to cover your whole four-year degree.”
Back to the casino. More gambling.
Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach, and all those arguments between her parents played on repeat in her head.
Of the time her dad lost their down payment for Rosalynn’s new van by betting on a horse race.
Or when he’d lied about joining Gamblers Anonymous and her mom found out because of credit card purchases at a pool hall when he was supposed to be at meetings.
As she remembered the aftermath of that rough time, her gaze went to the rotating Goodyear tire sign that held the name of Scooter’s garage.
Even though her dad wouldn’t darken the doorstep of Gamblers Anonymous, her mother had taken Elsie along to some of the support groups for families, which had been totally embarrassing.
But also informative enough that Elsie wanted to kick herself for believing that he was serious about cashing in his chips.
By tomorrow morning, he wouldn’t have anything left.
There was no easy way out for her. She was going to have to find someone to trust.
And soon.