wanting to see the anger and disgust in her face.
“Hayley.” Her voice was sharp despite the soft tone.
“Y…yes, mother?” Hayley stopped what she was doing and faced her mother meekly.
“Why is dinner not ready yet?”
“I...I…I” Hayley stuttered, still unable to form any excuse.
“What?!” Mrs. Price roared, causing Hayley to jump. The metal ladle in her hand dropped to the floor with a clang. Hayley stooped down to pick up the ladle and was instantaneously jerked back with a sharp pull of her hair. Hayley’s hands went to her hair to support it, her eyes shut tight. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from crying out in pain. A moment later, a stinging slap hit her cheeks. She spun to her left, her forehead hitting the edge of the cabinet. A trickle of warm blood dripped down the side of her face to the floor. A kick to her ribs caused Hayley to double over, clutching her stomach. “Now, tell me.”
“I’m sorry mother, I lost track of the time while doing my schoolwork.” Hayley’s voice came almost in a whisper. She had no choice but to use the first reasoning that came to mind, praying hard that her father would not suddenly decide to join them in the kitchen. He had never interfered in their mother-daughter affair before and she hoped that he would leave them alone as usual. Then again, her hopes never came true and she cringed when she heard her father’s heavy footsteps entering the kitchen.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.” Mrs. Price hissed, throwing another kick at Hayley, this time with a greater force that caused Hayley to fall to her side from her crouch position. Mrs. Price herself had to hold on to the kitchen counter as she stumbled from the force.
“It’s true. I had reminded her to watch the time but she didn’t listen. I wonder why she even bothers to spend so much time on her school work.” Mr. Price spoke nonchalantly. Hayley glanced nervously at him from underneath her hair that had fallen over her face. He leaned lazily against the wall, twirling a cap in his hand with a bored expression on his face. Hayley wondered what her father was up to. He had never stood up for her willingly before. There must be something more than meets the eye with his gesture. Mrs. Price seemed to have the same idea as she stared shrewdly at her husband.
“You reminded Hayley?” Mrs. Price’s tone was sharp, her voice full of incredulity.
Mr. Price was not rattled though. He shrugged his shoulder and went to grab a drink from the fridge. “I can’t have her holding up dinner, can I? A man got to have his timely meals.”
Mrs. Price seemed to have accepted his explanation as she returned her attention to Hayley. “Listen to your father next time. Now clean up this mess and get dinner ready on the table.” With that, Mrs. Price turned on her heels and stomped out of the kitchen. Her cold voice was like another slap to Hayley’s face. There was no apology for what she had done even though it might have been a mistake had Hayley and her father been telling the truth. The realization tore through Hayley’s fragile heart causing her to let out a defeated sigh as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
Shakily, Hayley stood up, still clutching her stomach in pain. She winced as she made her way to the kitchen sink to wash the wound on her forehead, vaguely aware that her father was still in the kitchen, watching her every movement. Sensing a presence behind her, Hayley spun around suddenly. She gasped and stumbled backwards, surprised at the proximity of her father.
“Now, now, is that any way to repay my help?”
When Hayley was younger, she had used to wish for her father to talk to her, even if it was just one word. At least she knew that her presence was acknowledged. However, that day when her father finally spoke directly to her for the first time, it made her wished that he hadn’t bothered to at all. That, she was in
“Hayley.” Her voice was sharp despite the soft tone.
“Y…yes, mother?” Hayley stopped what she was doing and faced her mother meekly.
“Why is dinner not ready yet?”
“I...I…I” Hayley stuttered, still unable to form any excuse.
“What?!” Mrs. Price roared, causing Hayley to jump. The metal ladle in her hand dropped to the floor with a clang. Hayley stooped down to pick up the ladle and was instantaneously jerked back with a sharp pull of her hair. Hayley’s hands went to her hair to support it, her eyes shut tight. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from crying out in pain. A moment later, a stinging slap hit her cheeks. She spun to her left, her forehead hitting the edge of the cabinet. A trickle of warm blood dripped down the side of her face to the floor. A kick to her ribs caused Hayley to double over, clutching her stomach. “Now, tell me.”
“I’m sorry mother, I lost track of the time while doing my schoolwork.” Hayley’s voice came almost in a whisper. She had no choice but to use the first reasoning that came to mind, praying hard that her father would not suddenly decide to join them in the kitchen. He had never interfered in their mother-daughter affair before and she hoped that he would leave them alone as usual. Then again, her hopes never came true and she cringed when she heard her father’s heavy footsteps entering the kitchen.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.” Mrs. Price hissed, throwing another kick at Hayley, this time with a greater force that caused Hayley to fall to her side from her crouch position. Mrs. Price herself had to hold on to the kitchen counter as she stumbled from the force.
“It’s true. I had reminded her to watch the time but she didn’t listen. I wonder why she even bothers to spend so much time on her school work.” Mr. Price spoke nonchalantly. Hayley glanced nervously at him from underneath her hair that had fallen over her face. He leaned lazily against the wall, twirling a cap in his hand with a bored expression on his face. Hayley wondered what her father was up to. He had never stood up for her willingly before. There must be something more than meets the eye with his gesture. Mrs. Price seemed to have the same idea as she stared shrewdly at her husband.
“You reminded Hayley?” Mrs. Price’s tone was sharp, her voice full of incredulity.
Mr. Price was not rattled though. He shrugged his shoulder and went to grab a drink from the fridge. “I can’t have her holding up dinner, can I? A man got to have his timely meals.”
Mrs. Price seemed to have accepted his explanation as she returned her attention to Hayley. “Listen to your father next time. Now clean up this mess and get dinner ready on the table.” With that, Mrs. Price turned on her heels and stomped out of the kitchen. Her cold voice was like another slap to Hayley’s face. There was no apology for what she had done even though it might have been a mistake had Hayley and her father been telling the truth. The realization tore through Hayley’s fragile heart causing her to let out a defeated sigh as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
Shakily, Hayley stood up, still clutching her stomach in pain. She winced as she made her way to the kitchen sink to wash the wound on her forehead, vaguely aware that her father was still in the kitchen, watching her every movement. Sensing a presence behind her, Hayley spun around suddenly. She gasped and stumbled backwards, surprised at the proximity of her father.
“Now, now, is that any way to repay my help?”
When Hayley was younger, she had used to wish for her father to talk to her, even if it was just one word. At least she knew that her presence was acknowledged. However, that day when her father finally spoke directly to her for the first time, it made her wished that he hadn’t bothered to at all. That, she was in
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