Hometown Chapter Eight
Well we lost the game tonight. Not a shocker there. It was a sad game. We didn't even score a point. Thankfully, I didn't even get put in. Dad didn't show up for the game which I am thankful for. That would have been pointless.
I followed the guys to the locker room. I was determined to get these pads off. I had never seen a girl wear any type protective gear like this. I had to wear what the guys wore. It didn't bother me. But these things were hot when I was just sitting there. I couldn't imagine actually running and sweating in them.
I had to admit changing with the guys was somewhat awkward. I think they were kind of shocked to see me changing in there with them. I was being decent so there was no reason not to. Besides, I could not ride my bike with that stuff on. It would have been way too hard! They were joking around so it wasn't too bad. I could tell that they had not accepted me fully. It was kind of disappointing. I was hoping they would be thrilled to have me on the team. But they weren't, except for Tex.
"Bye y'all," I said as I headed for the door.
If any of the guys said bye, I never heard them. I could still hear chatter here and there but not much.
I went to my bike and unlocked it. I headed towards the house.
Tonight was the start of my weekend. I had finished most of my homework during breaks at school. I could always do it tomorrow. I would have more than enough time to complete it.
I did what I normally do on Friday nights. I go to bed as early as possible to avoid everything. Dad was busy writing as usual which is fine. We had nothing to talk about.
I sat on my bed with a dim lamp on. I had gotten out the wooden box. I took off my hearing aide and compared it to my first one. The only difference was the size and color. But everything else looked the same.
I quickly put it away. I was scared that dad would walk in if I didn't hear him coming.
I woke up the next morning with the sun shining in through my window. I hoped it was warm today. Maybe I could work on some lacrosse. I liked that the warm weather was coming. It meant that summer is close and it's time to wear shorts again!
I got dresses and headed outside. It was kind of warm. I got onto my bike and headed to Main Street. I needed to grab some lunch. I had slept in and missed breakfast. I slept in whenever I got the chance. I enjoyed sleeping. It was a good way to waste time and I always have time to kill.
I saw a Pizza Hut and headed straight for it. Sadly, it was Saturday so their pizza buffet was not going on.
After lunch I rode around some more. I like riding my bike through town. It was so adorable and to think I could have grown up here if we had never moved away. I wish I would have. I would have so many friends. I could have friends that were girls and we could have slumber parties. We would stay up late talking about boys and everything else. That would have been a fun life.
I passed a hardware store and Tex's truck was parked out front. I could feel a car driving really close to the back of my bike so I pulled over to the side. Right then, Tex came out of the store with couple of bags resting on his shoulder.
He waved real big to get my attention.
"Hey, whatcha up to," I asked, "do you need help?"
"Naw, I have it," he said, "I'm picking up some feed."
"Oh cool," I said.
I watched him drop the tailgate of his truck. Once he was finished setting he feed down he spun around to face me.
"Whatcha up to on beautiful day," he asked.
"Nothing," I shrugged, "I just got done with lunch."
"Oh cool, where did ya eat," he asked.
"Pizza Hut," I said.
"You chose Pizza Hut over Gracie's Diner," he asked surprised.
"I like my pizza," I stated, "I'm sure I'll eat at Gracie's soon enough!"
"Okay," he said laughing, "well, I better get back to work! I have to take this feed to Mr. Tanner's."
"Okay, have fun," I said.
I made a loop back around the town and headed home. I made it home before dark.
I put my bike down by the front porch and went inside.
My grandparents were actually sitting in the living room with dad. It looked like my grandpa and dad were having a conversation. They were laughing a little bit. At least they were getting along right now.
After my adventure today, I will be able to sleep good tonight.
We ended up going to go eat at Gracie's Diner in town. I smiled and laughed to myself when we pulled into the parking place.
Dinner was really good! Some of the best friend chicken I had in a while. I ate every bit of my chicken. I had a side of roasted corn and it was delicious! I barely talked through dinner since I was too busy stuffing my face.
"How is school going," Grandma asked randomly.
"It's good," I signed since my mouth was full.
She let out a chuckle as dad started glaring at me.
I guess it was hard enough on him to do something with his in-laws and with me signing. It probably brought back memories from before I was born. The good ole days.
"Have you made any friends yet," Grandpa asked.
"Sorta," I shrugged, "I guess I'm friends with Tex."
"Oh now that's a handsome young man," Grandma said.
"Not to mention a hard working kid," Grandpa added.
"I guess so," I shrugged, "what do you do Grandpa?"
"I own the hardware store across the street," he said, "it's been in the family for as long as I can remember!"
"Oh cool," I said.
"Are you going to be looking for a summer job anytime soon," he asked smiling.
"Are you asking me to work there," I asked wide eyed.
"Sure am," he said as he took another bite of his food.
"That would be cool," I said.
"Talulah put your hair behind your shoulders; it's getting in your food," dad said.
"Yes sir," I said as I tucked it away.
"What is that in your ear," he asked.
I felt my stomach drop. I thought I was about to throw up. I untucked my hair from behind my hair.
"What," I asked as I tried to play it off.
I felt my ear and tried to pull the heading aid off without him noticing.
"Where did you get those," he asked.
His forked clinked as it hit his plate. It rang through my hearing aid in my other ear.
I couldn't answer him. I was too stunned. I swallowed hard; I was trying to find my voice but I couldn't.
Grandma began to open her mouth but dad cut her off.
"Are you going to answer me," dad asked furious.
"Now David, let's not make a scene," Grandpa said.
"We will talk about this as soon as we get home," dad said stern.
I had lost my appetite. All this good food was going to waste now. My eyes were filling with tears. I held them back. I was going to fight against dad, no matter what. I wanted to keep them. I need them if I wanted to get through school.
Grandpa pulled into our driveway. I was hoping we would never make it home.
"Thank y'all for dinner. I would ask you to come but I need to talk to my daughter about her lying to me," he said.
"Thank you grandpa and grandma," I said, "and daddy, I haven't been lying to you. You have been lying to me!"
"Get inside, right now," he demanded.
I did as he told me to. No sense in making this any worse then it was.
I sat inside on the couch waiting for lecture to come. Waiting him to get on to me.
"You lied to me," I said after 20 minutes of silence.
"I was protecting you," he said.
"By making me get bad grades and feeling isolated from world," I asked.
"Let's not get dramatic Talulah," he said.
"I'm telling the truth," I said, "I don't know why you kept this from me! I have clearly needed them and you have deprived me of it."
"You don't need them. You only think that cause that teacher said something to you," he said.
"No sir. I have struggled in school. Dad you know I've struggled trying to hear you in the house," I stated.
"You're doing this to get attention. You don't need them. Is this your way of trying to make friends," he asked, "by making them feel sorry for you?"
"No one knows except for Tex," I said as I looked down, "I haven't been playing the pity card. No one knows so don't worry about it!"
I went to my room and hid them. I quickly changed into my pajamas and jumped into bed. There was no sense in arguing about this. I was not going to win this battle.
Well we lost the game tonight. Not a shocker there. It was a sad game. We didn't even score a point. Thankfully, I didn't even get put in. Dad didn't show up for the game which I am thankful for. That would have been pointless.
I followed the guys to the locker room. I was determined to get these pads off. I had never seen a girl wear any type protective gear like this. I had to wear what the guys wore. It didn't bother me. But these things were hot when I was just sitting there. I couldn't imagine actually running and sweating in them.
I had to admit changing with the guys was somewhat awkward. I think they were kind of shocked to see me changing in there with them. I was being decent so there was no reason not to. Besides, I could not ride my bike with that stuff on. It would have been way too hard! They were joking around so it wasn't too bad. I could tell that they had not accepted me fully. It was kind of disappointing. I was hoping they would be thrilled to have me on the team. But they weren't, except for Tex.
"Bye y'all," I said as I headed for the door.
If any of the guys said bye, I never heard them. I could still hear chatter here and there but not much.
I went to my bike and unlocked it. I headed towards the house.
Tonight was the start of my weekend. I had finished most of my homework during breaks at school. I could always do it tomorrow. I would have more than enough time to complete it.
I did what I normally do on Friday nights. I go to bed as early as possible to avoid everything. Dad was busy writing as usual which is fine. We had nothing to talk about.
I sat on my bed with a dim lamp on. I had gotten out the wooden box. I took off my hearing aide and compared it to my first one. The only difference was the size and color. But everything else looked the same.
I quickly put it away. I was scared that dad would walk in if I didn't hear him coming.
I woke up the next morning with the sun shining in through my window. I hoped it was warm today. Maybe I could work on some lacrosse. I liked that the warm weather was coming. It meant that summer is close and it's time to wear shorts again!
I got dresses and headed outside. It was kind of warm. I got onto my bike and headed to Main Street. I needed to grab some lunch. I had slept in and missed breakfast. I slept in whenever I got the chance. I enjoyed sleeping. It was a good way to waste time and I always have time to kill.
I saw a Pizza Hut and headed straight for it. Sadly, it was Saturday so their pizza buffet was not going on.
After lunch I rode around some more. I like riding my bike through town. It was so adorable and to think I could have grown up here if we had never moved away. I wish I would have. I would have so many friends. I could have friends that were girls and we could have slumber parties. We would stay up late talking about boys and everything else. That would have been a fun life.
I passed a hardware store and Tex's truck was parked out front. I could feel a car driving really close to the back of my bike so I pulled over to the side. Right then, Tex came out of the store with couple of bags resting on his shoulder.
He waved real big to get my attention.
"Hey, whatcha up to," I asked, "do you need help?"
"Naw, I have it," he said, "I'm picking up some feed."
"Oh cool," I said.
I watched him drop the tailgate of his truck. Once he was finished setting he feed down he spun around to face me.
"Whatcha up to on beautiful day," he asked.
"Nothing," I shrugged, "I just got done with lunch."
"Oh cool, where did ya eat," he asked.
"Pizza Hut," I said.
"You chose Pizza Hut over Gracie's Diner," he asked surprised.
"I like my pizza," I stated, "I'm sure I'll eat at Gracie's soon enough!"
"Okay," he said laughing, "well, I better get back to work! I have to take this feed to Mr. Tanner's."
"Okay, have fun," I said.
I made a loop back around the town and headed home. I made it home before dark.
I put my bike down by the front porch and went inside.
My grandparents were actually sitting in the living room with dad. It looked like my grandpa and dad were having a conversation. They were laughing a little bit. At least they were getting along right now.
After my adventure today, I will be able to sleep good tonight.
We ended up going to go eat at Gracie's Diner in town. I smiled and laughed to myself when we pulled into the parking place.
Dinner was really good! Some of the best friend chicken I had in a while. I ate every bit of my chicken. I had a side of roasted corn and it was delicious! I barely talked through dinner since I was too busy stuffing my face.
"How is school going," Grandma asked randomly.
"It's good," I signed since my mouth was full.
She let out a chuckle as dad started glaring at me.
I guess it was hard enough on him to do something with his in-laws and with me signing. It probably brought back memories from before I was born. The good ole days.
"Have you made any friends yet," Grandpa asked.
"Sorta," I shrugged, "I guess I'm friends with Tex."
"Oh now that's a handsome young man," Grandma said.
"Not to mention a hard working kid," Grandpa added.
"I guess so," I shrugged, "what do you do Grandpa?"
"I own the hardware store across the street," he said, "it's been in the family for as long as I can remember!"
"Oh cool," I said.
"Are you going to be looking for a summer job anytime soon," he asked smiling.
"Are you asking me to work there," I asked wide eyed.
"Sure am," he said as he took another bite of his food.
"That would be cool," I said.
"Talulah put your hair behind your shoulders; it's getting in your food," dad said.
"Yes sir," I said as I tucked it away.
"What is that in your ear," he asked.
I felt my stomach drop. I thought I was about to throw up. I untucked my hair from behind my hair.
"What," I asked as I tried to play it off.
I felt my ear and tried to pull the heading aid off without him noticing.
"Where did you get those," he asked.
His forked clinked as it hit his plate. It rang through my hearing aid in my other ear.
I couldn't answer him. I was too stunned. I swallowed hard; I was trying to find my voice but I couldn't.
Grandma began to open her mouth but dad cut her off.
"Are you going to answer me," dad asked furious.
"Now David, let's not make a scene," Grandpa said.
"We will talk about this as soon as we get home," dad said stern.
I had lost my appetite. All this good food was going to waste now. My eyes were filling with tears. I held them back. I was going to fight against dad, no matter what. I wanted to keep them. I need them if I wanted to get through school.
Grandpa pulled into our driveway. I was hoping we would never make it home.
"Thank y'all for dinner. I would ask you to come but I need to talk to my daughter about her lying to me," he said.
"Thank you grandpa and grandma," I said, "and daddy, I haven't been lying to you. You have been lying to me!"
"Get inside, right now," he demanded.
I did as he told me to. No sense in making this any worse then it was.
I sat inside on the couch waiting for lecture to come. Waiting him to get on to me.
"You lied to me," I said after 20 minutes of silence.
"I was protecting you," he said.
"By making me get bad grades and feeling isolated from world," I asked.
"Let's not get dramatic Talulah," he said.
"I'm telling the truth," I said, "I don't know why you kept this from me! I have clearly needed them and you have deprived me of it."
"You don't need them. You only think that cause that teacher said something to you," he said.
"No sir. I have struggled in school. Dad you know I've struggled trying to hear you in the house," I stated.
"You're doing this to get attention. You don't need them. Is this your way of trying to make friends," he asked, "by making them feel sorry for you?"
"No one knows except for Tex," I said as I looked down, "I haven't been playing the pity card. No one knows so don't worry about it!"
I went to my room and hid them. I quickly changed into my pajamas and jumped into bed. There was no sense in arguing about this. I was not going to win this battle.