Silent Tears, chapter 9
*Billie Joe's P.O.V*
When we got home, I immediately started thinking of things me and Skye could do, so that we could spend some time together at the weekend.
She's still like a little kid in some ways, so maybe we should do something that a toddler would enjoy doing, but maybe she would be insulted. Maybe we should go to a concert, but there are no good bands playing at the weekend, the only one with tickets left is the Pussycat Dolls, and something tells me she won't be to pleased if I get her tickets to see them...
I know! I'll take her too the zoo!
Joey and Jakob used to love the zoo; I named the chimpanzee Tre, so Tre named the hippo Billie Joe, then Adie stepped in and named these naked mole rat things Tre, Mike and Billie Joe. Then Mike complained, 'cause what had he done, so we spent the rest of the day trip acting like little kids.
I miss Adie, I bet she'd know what to do about Skye.
***
I pay to get in and me and Skye walk into the zoo. Skye attracts some strange looks, then they see me, and they seem to think better of it.
We walk past the chimpanzee enclosure and I point and say; "Look, Skye, it's Tre." And she lets out a funny high-pitched giggle.
She's got this little smile all over her pale face, bless. She looks just like a little kid; it's so sweet. It's just like when I used to take Joey round the zoo, only he used to point every time we went past the chimpanzee enclosure and shout; "Look, daddy, it's Tre!" and he would laugh like it was the funniest and most original joke in the world.
I miss Joey.
It feels so weird walking around with her. It's probably one of the first times I've been seen in public with her.
We walk into the hippo enclosure, Skye whips out her notepad and gives me a note.
'Look, Dad, it's you.'
Adie used to say that. Only without the 'Dad' part.
When we walk into the reptile hose, Skye's face brightens even more if that is humanely possible. She looks at all the geckos and corn snakes and bearded dragons, all sitting around in their tanks. She spends ages looking at one snake, a boa constrictor. It's massive, but Skye seems to love it. She spends ages staring at it and smiling. Until some fat kid waddles up and pushes her away.
"Out the way, bitch," he says, pushing her hard in the stomach so that she falls backwards onto the floor. She gets up and gives him death-glare until he says; "It's boring." Then her fist goes straight out and smashes the glass.
Alarms start to go off everywhere and the snake slithers out. The fat kid is running as fast as he can away from the snake, people are screaming, keepers are shouting, and in the middle of it all stands Skye, licking the blood off her knuckles.
Someone asks me if that is my kid. I am forced to say she is.
This is so embarrassing.
I miss Joey.
I miss Jakob.
I miss Adie.
But I've got Skye now, and a whole new responsibility. I hate her.
When we got home, I immediately started thinking of things me and Skye could do, so that we could spend some time together at the weekend.
She's still like a little kid in some ways, so maybe we should do something that a toddler would enjoy doing, but maybe she would be insulted. Maybe we should go to a concert, but there are no good bands playing at the weekend, the only one with tickets left is the Pussycat Dolls, and something tells me she won't be to pleased if I get her tickets to see them...
I know! I'll take her too the zoo!
Joey and Jakob used to love the zoo; I named the chimpanzee Tre, so Tre named the hippo Billie Joe, then Adie stepped in and named these naked mole rat things Tre, Mike and Billie Joe. Then Mike complained, 'cause what had he done, so we spent the rest of the day trip acting like little kids.
I miss Adie, I bet she'd know what to do about Skye.
***
I pay to get in and me and Skye walk into the zoo. Skye attracts some strange looks, then they see me, and they seem to think better of it.
We walk past the chimpanzee enclosure and I point and say; "Look, Skye, it's Tre." And she lets out a funny high-pitched giggle.
She's got this little smile all over her pale face, bless. She looks just like a little kid; it's so sweet. It's just like when I used to take Joey round the zoo, only he used to point every time we went past the chimpanzee enclosure and shout; "Look, daddy, it's Tre!" and he would laugh like it was the funniest and most original joke in the world.
I miss Joey.
It feels so weird walking around with her. It's probably one of the first times I've been seen in public with her.
We walk into the hippo enclosure, Skye whips out her notepad and gives me a note.
'Look, Dad, it's you.'
Adie used to say that. Only without the 'Dad' part.
When we walk into the reptile hose, Skye's face brightens even more if that is humanely possible. She looks at all the geckos and corn snakes and bearded dragons, all sitting around in their tanks. She spends ages looking at one snake, a boa constrictor. It's massive, but Skye seems to love it. She spends ages staring at it and smiling. Until some fat kid waddles up and pushes her away.
"Out the way, bitch," he says, pushing her hard in the stomach so that she falls backwards onto the floor. She gets up and gives him death-glare until he says; "It's boring." Then her fist goes straight out and smashes the glass.
Alarms start to go off everywhere and the snake slithers out. The fat kid is running as fast as he can away from the snake, people are screaming, keepers are shouting, and in the middle of it all stands Skye, licking the blood off her knuckles.
Someone asks me if that is my kid. I am forced to say she is.
This is so embarrassing.
I miss Joey.
I miss Jakob.
I miss Adie.
But I've got Skye now, and a whole new responsibility. I hate her.
