Page 119 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Chapter Twenty

weekend, I need to start sucking up to him on Monday and
every day after that. It’s all a game. And guess who’s teaching
me? HE IS! I’m learning how to lie and manipulate, just like
him. I’m always working the game just to get on the right side
of him. It is all about performance.
Vian and I were raised to do chores around the house.
From a very young age, farm work was expected too. But Mike
believes in an untenable work ethic. If we aren’t busy doing
something productive when that back gate opens at 5 o’clock
we are in deep trouble! My sister and I are now in charge of
all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, ironing, yard work, grass-
mowing and snow-shovelling. I know it’s good to learn how
to do these things but it sure sucks having to do all of them
when you’re only 15. Especially when our friends are doing
fun things! There is no fun for my little sister and me. We are
stuck like two Cinderellas, doing all the chores and ironing his
darned shirts. I hate those bloody shirts!
If we ever forget to empty the dishwasher, he will haul us
out of our warm beds in the middle of the night. One time, one
of us had thrown a piece of chewing gum in the waste basket
and it was stuck to the bottom. He freaked out! He dragged us
out of bed at 3 o’clock in the morning to remove it!
You just never know when some miniscule thing is going
to make him blow a gasket! The mental anguish is insane. It’s
exhausting. We can never let our guard down. We can never
relax in our own home. So much for this being a safe place.
And friends? I rarely ever bring friends home. Our mother
spent thousands of dollars so we could have a beautifully
finished basement, but it’s hardly ever used. I know he doesn’t
want a group of teenagers hanging around his house or
property. Besides, I’d be terrified of what embarrassing prattle
might come out of his mouth.

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