Look at this and look at us Who: Dahlia and Avery Where: Last Exit Auto Shop When: Friday Early Afternoon Warnings: mild
"Are you reading the paper?" Her father's bitter voice cut through the story she'd been reading; making Dahlia's head quickly swivel up to glance at the tall man. "I am" she responded simply, her gaze shifting back towards the paper in front of her. She barely managed to read another sentence before the paper was tugged away from her and crumbled up. "You don't have time for that." Dahlia's features scrunched up as she tried to grab for the paper. But even unwell, her father still had some speed and managed to evade her and throw the paper in the trash. "Why don't I have time for it?" she retorted with a tiny bit of venom. She could see her twin smiling in the distance, giving her a thumb's up. It was meant to be encouraging, maybe, but only further irritated Dahlia.
"You need to go to the store, we are out of eggs. I tried earlier but couldn't. And you still need to take the car in! The light was on still when I started it." Dahlia had the grace to cringe slightly then. She'd meant to take the car in last Sunday but before she could, she'd become engrossed in her drawing. By the time she remembered it was late and the following day she'd lost the thought to other tasks. "I..." she began but her father waved a hand, furthering Dahlia's frown.
Huffing she got up, grabbing the car keys from where they hung in the kitchen. "I will go right now. See!" she shook the keys and grabbed her satchel off the table. "Yeah...sure..." her father muttered with obvious disbelief. Dahlia felt the urge to be irritated, offended even, but she knew she didn't have a right to. Not with this. She had forgotten and that was her fault.
"I will. And I will get eggs. Do you need anything else?" she pulled out her journal as she spoke, writing the two things down. It wasn't much to remember but Dahlia tended to need all the reminders she could get. Especially since there was an art store near the grocery store...
Her father went to the fridge and began to list off everything he could need; the list growing by the seconds. Dahlia didn't really want to do a grocery trip today (she hated grocery shopping) but she had asked and was determined to get it all done today to make up for how long it had taken her to get the car taken care of. "Okay..." she spoke every now and again, repeating what he needed. "And my meds." Dahlia did sigh slightly then. As she really hated getting his meds. There was always a line and they always looked at her funny and had to call him to be sure. "Okay...your meds too." she repeated, tucking the journal back into her bag.
With keys in hand she headed towards the door, only to be stopped just as she was hoping it by another grumble. “And make sure to go to Auto Shop on Alpine.” He’d told her that before, and she mostly remembered, but she nodded her head all the same. “Alpine.” She repeated and didn’t bother waving or saying goodbye before heading out the door.
Dahlia didn’t really mind driving the car. Or doing some errands. She just didn’t like that she had to do them on her father’s terms. If she wanted to go out she wanted to when she wanted to, not when he told her she had to. She hated being interrupted in her drawing or painting, to get him something. She wanted him better because it would be better for him yes, but it would be better for her too.
"Why wait till he’s better? Just leave?” Dahlia glanced towards her twin who always knew what she was thinking and shook her head. “I can’t.” she answered as she started the car and began towards town. “I know you’ll say I can. But I can’t. I…” she had nowhere else to really go. Much as she didn’t want to be in his home, she wasn’t entirely sure how to be outside of it. Her twin’s grumble was very much like their fathers, but she didn’t say anything.
Dahlia turned on the music.
Twenty minutes later Dahlia began to scan the streets; vaguely remembering the last time she’d been to the auto shop but it had been awhile. "There it is.” helpful as ever her twin pointed towards Allard Boulevard. Dahlia glanced at the street for a moment before shaking her head. “No I think it was Alpine.” She commented, about to turn away. "It’s an auto shop on an A street, just stop.”
Maybe it had been Allard?
Shrugging slightly, figuring it didn’t really matter which shop she went to, Dahlia pulled the car into the parking lot and headed inside.