When I wasn’t browsing through trippy books, I spent my time going to my fake job. The staff at the internet café got to know me well by the time Thursday rolled around, since I spent most of the week in their presence, applying for pretty much every job I could. At one point the manager offered me a job there if I didn’t find something soon. The gesture was very nice but I was not a people person and dealing with customers would be the downfall of me and the café. God knows why I was still applying for receptionist jobs.
My parents never really caught on, even though I spent every waking minute in complete paranoia whenever they were around. I knew they had no reason to question whether I went to my job every morning but that didn’t stop me from taking every precaution, including a script of what to say in case they asked me “how was work?”
The real challenge came when I had to tell them I was going to New Mexico that weekend. I decided to tell them on Wednesday during dinner, after they both had a couple of glasses of wine and Ada wasn’t in one of her moods. I was going to need her support.
“So,” I said, pushing my chicken around on my plate. “I’m going to New Mexico tomorrow.”
My father literally spat out a little bit of his wine.
“What?” He wiped his chin quickly.
“New Mexico? Perry, what are you talking about?” my mom asked, her face automatically in worried mode.
“Oh, it’s for the show,” I said casually. “We’re shooting the next episode there.”
“Next episode? I thought that was a one-time thing” said my dad.
“No, I said it was a demo and if it was successful enough it would keep going. Aside from you two, other people seem to like it and Dex’s boss has asked us to continue. There’s a poltergeist or something on this ranch and we’re going down there to film it.”
My dad sighed, took off his glasses, and squeezed the bridge of his nose, something he did when he was trying to control his temper. My mom shook her head, utterly befuddled.
“Well you can’t just go off to New Mexico,” she said. “Don’t they know you have a real job?”
I could feel Ada’s eyes on me. I nodded quickly. “Yes they do and I asked my boss and she said it wouldn’t be a problem. In fact, she’s seen the show and thought she saw potential in it.”
Dad put the glasses back on and pushed back his chair, arms stiff against the table. “I don’t believe it.”
I shrugged and turned my eyes to my chicken. “Anyway, she said I could have a four-day weekend, no problem.”
“And will you be getting paid for those two days you miss?” he asked.
“Of course not, but –”
“Perry, your mother and I don’t like this one bit.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “You don’t even know what she thinks.”
I looked at my mom. I was the rock and my dad was the hard place.
She took a deep breath. “If Perry’s work is OK with it, I think she should be allowed to go. Just this once though. Then we’ll see what happens.”
I shot a smug look at my father who answered with, “You understand that this doesn’t look good for you. A new promotion and you just flit it all away by taking time off? That doesn’t look good at all.”
“Do you think I would do this if it jeopardized my job?” I asked with such conviction that it almost seemed true. Ada kicked me under the table. I felt very dirty.
“Besides,” I continued, “I am getting paid for the work this weekend. It’s hourly but it’s still something. And flights and accommodation are covered. So technically I’m actually working more by doing this.”
My dad stared me straight in the eye, trying to assess if I was telling the truth or not. Satisfied, he looked away and shrugged. I knew that if I brought the money factor into it he would eventually yield.
“So I suppose you are going with this Dexter guy?” my mom said.
“Dex…not Dexter. It’s short for Declan. Somehow,” I said tersely. “And yeah. He’s the cameraman. And the producer. Otherwise it would just be me wandering around the desert and talking to myself.”
“I still don’t like it,” dad said, getting out of his chair and bringing the dishes to the sink.
“You don’t like anything,” Ada interjected.
He dismissed her with his hand and left the room, a defeated hang to his head.
My mother watched him go and gave us a tired smile. “Don’t mind him. Do you girls mind cleaning up?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. Do you mind that I’m going away?”
She looked down, the light catching on the slight wrinkles on her forehead. I hated those moments when you realized your parents were getting older.
“I’d rather you didn’t. Not for the reasons your old dad worries about, but…you’re my daughter. I don’t like the idea of you going off all over the country. With some strange man.”
“He’s not a strange man anymore. I mean…he’s strange,” I said, then noticed her face growing even more worried. “He’s not a stranger, is what I am trying to say. He took great care of me last time. You talked to Uncle Al, you know.”
“Last time? You were almost blown up in Al’s lighthouse last time.”
“But I made it out alive…,” I reasoned.
“I worry about you,” she said, putting her hand on my hand. My mother rarely showed any affection with me so the quiet gesture was touching.
“I’ll be fine. Dex is a…smart…man.” I smiled convincingly. It was really hard to come up with a positive adjective to use to describe Dex. I knew “sexy” wouldn’t cut it with my mom.
“I worry about you, Perry. Not this guy. Not this show. I worry about you and that head of yours.”
I took my hand out from under my mom’s and gave her a caustic look.
“My head is fine,” I said slowly. I didn’t know why my parents had to fret over me so much. What happened to me in the past, was in the past. Sometimes I thought it was all in their head instead of mine.
She clasped her hands together and nodded. “You’re right. I know. I’m just being a worried mom.”
She turned her attention to Ada who was sitting silently beside me, observing everything.