Page 48 of The Only Seconds that Matter
Johnny snorted, then laughed.“You ain’t gonna do much better ‘round these parts.Daisy was the best I could do, and God knows she is a real fuckin’ piece of work.”Johnny sighed.“Gave real good head though.”
Victor tried to keep himself from laughing by pressing his lips together.“Is that the only standard by which you rate women?”
“That’s the standard by which they rateme.Can’t tell you how much pussy I got back when I was winning on the rodeo circuit.When I tell you these ladies cannot resist a rodeo star, I mean it.When I was a kid, the girls did not like meat all.I was lanky and goofy and didn’t know how to talk to ‘em.Once I started winning buckles, suddenly I was Mr.Tall, Dark, and Handsome.”
“I wouldn’t call youdarkby any estimation.Redis more likely.”
Johnny snickered.“So here I am, some dumb fuck eighteen-year-old and these hot blondes are just popping up like daffodils.Or daisies, I guess.”He snorted.“Man, if I wasn’t straddlin’ a horse I was straddlin’ somethin’ else, if you know what I mean.Kinda incredible I didn’t knock anyone up.Maybe I did, but no one told me anythin’.”He tipped his head back and looked at the porch ceiling.“Those were the days.Now my back aches all the damn time, I’m broke as shit, and the only woman who wants in my pants is the one who broke my heart more times than I can count.”
Victor spotted a pair of headlights headed up the road.At first he thought it might be a passer-by, but then it slowed and pulled into the driveway.He lightly tapped Johnny’s arm.
“I think that’s your sister.”
With a heavy sigh, Johnny hauled himself to a stand.“Best go inside then.I’ll handle this.”
Victor nodded and stepped into the house.After closing the door, he pressed his back to it.It wasn’t right to eavesdrop, but he desperately needed to listen to what Kayla had to say about the situation.
Victor heard the slam of a door and then the crunch of gravel as Kayla walked toward the house.When she was just close enough for her voice to carry, Victor heard her say, “Explain to me what the fuck is goin’ on.”
“You tell me.You’re the one with the boyfriend who beat your daughter’s ass so bad she can’t ride a horse.”
“Ain’t no way that’s true.”
“Oh yeah?You gonna believe Mike over your own kid?”
“I can see who’s side you’ve taken.”
“If you think I’m not gonna believe my own flesh-and-blood over that pit stain you call a boyfriend then you got another thing comin’.”
“He told me he barely hit her.Since when is spankin’ a problem with you?”
“Goddamn it, Kayla!Did you and I grow up in the same fuckin’ house or was it all a fever dream?”
Her response was even more irate.“It ain’t like that.Don’t youdarecompare Mike to Daddy.”
“Why not?What’s the fuckin’ difference?”Johnny demanded.
“Don’t be a damn idiot.You said yourself she’s not even bruised.Daddy woulda had my whole ass black and blue, and all for nothin’.She talked back to Mike, and I’ve told her what she gets for runnin’ her mouth.She’s been warned a hundred thousand times.”
“If she’s such a terror, why don’tyouspank her?”
“Because I can’t do it,” Kayla replied.
“Why not?”
“Because I ain’t got the heart for it!There?Is that what you wanted to hear?I don’t like hittin’ my kids.I don’t want Mike to do it either, but she’s such a little shit sometimes and I’m so afraid that if she don’t shape up she’s gonna be pregnant by fifteen and a drop-out by sixteen.Her grades are already shit, and she’s startin’ fights at school.What else am I supposed to do?You wanna preach, you try parentin’ a kid with a smart mouth and the stubbornness of a goddamn mule.”
“Wonder who she gets that from,” Johnny muttered.
“I’m doin’ my best.You think you can do better?You’re fuckin’ welcome to try.You can’t even keep a damn job because you keep showin’ up drunk or gettin’ in fights.I’m workin’ two jobs just to pay the bills.”
“Maybe stop breedin’ kids and fuckin’ losers who can’t pull their weight then.”
“You’re one to talk,” Kayla shot back.“Datin’ the biggest slut in the county and cryin’ to me about it when she sucks off your friends behind your back.”
“Maybe don’t run your fuckin’ mouth when you’re punishin’ your kid for doin’ the same shit.”
“You can lecture me all day about my parentin’ skills, but the fact of the matter is that you haven’t been in my shoes and you don’t know the first thing about bein’ a father.Maybe she’s some perfect angel with you, but you haven’t seen her in the ways I have.You get to be the fun uncle who takes her on little trips.You don’t have to do any of the hard work of fatherin’.”
