This is a continuation of The Backyard Portal - See Sidebar for Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Overwhelm
Claudia gave him a cursory glance looking perturbed. She was a beautiful woman with a kind heart yet life had taken its toll. She felt like she was holding up the world. She was sitting beside Sami, their eight-year old, an alert blonde soccer crazy kid, with her math homework.
“You’re late. Why didn’t you call? “
Though Nathan was prepared for this question, it was the last thing he wanted to deal with.
”Working on an important presentation for the board meeting tomorrow morning-crack of dawn. Where are Shae and Trevor?“
“No need to be short with me. Leave your work at work...They’re coming back later. I’ve news about ...”
Sami interrupted at this point. “Mom... I’m stuck. I just don’t get this!”
Claudia, looking a bit exasperated, fired back “In a moment... maybe Dad can help you.”
Nathan flopped down on the couch. Speaking in Sami’s general direction with a tired yet warm voice he said, “I’ve enough problems of my own. You do your job and I’ll do mine. My job is to put food on the table; yours is to be brilliant at school.”
Sami jumped up from the table ran into the living room plunking herself down beside her dad. She was always full of energy, with her eyes shining brightly. His face softened as he put his arm around her.
”So you and your teacher butted heads again.”
Sami looked at her Dad incredulously as if he might have spies hiding on the classroom walls. “How did you know?”
Nathan shrugged. Sami looked puzzled and impressed. The exchange didn’t go unnoticed by Claudia who indignantly spurted out, “Well... you just gave her more attention than you have given me in weeks!”
Nathan’s face returned to its hardened world-weary state.
“Come on… Enough. I get it at work. I get it at home. Nothing I do seems good enough.”
Wearing the look of a cornered cat, Nathan exuded anger. Sami noted the signals, got up and headed back to the table, pretty aware that being in the same room with two angry parents is not the best place to be.
Claudia unleashed a whack of sarcasm. “Well awards go to you for being the only one on the block whose life is not perfect. Want to hear about my day?“
Nathan looked up knowing it was a rhetorical question. Might as well stay uncomfortable and listen up.
”Shae has been diagnosed as autistic.”
Nathan was only half listening. ”As what?”
Claudia was clearly exasperated. “Autistic… Nathan she’s five years old and hasn’t said a word!”
”So? She’s just a bit shy. Aren’t you supposed to be teaching her?“
With that statement, Claudia exploded.
”Me! Me! Nathan, when are you going to wake up and be a part of this family!!!”
Throwing her arms in the air, she stormed upstairs slamming the door for emphasis. Sami grabbed her books off the table, rolled her eyes and headed up to her room. This wasn’t the first time her homework help time had been blown away by fighting. Nathan got up slowly, headed to the front door and walked out. Claudia sat on the bed, put her head in her hands and cried.
©2009 Dawna Jones. All Rights Reserved. Next Friday: Chapter 3: The Numbers Never Lie
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