H.O.R.S.E
"Get out!" A voice roared.
Turning his head, the boy saw a wide-eyed face staring back at him. They both jump at the slamming of the front door. Keeping his eye on his sister, he threw the ball not really expecting it to go through the hoop (it did, though). Looking back to the basketball net, he blinked to see if what he saw was real and suddenly the little girl was yanking on his shirt.
"Teach me how to do that," she demanded.
He frowned at her. "It was an accident."
"You're lying!" She whined, stomping her foot.
Angry, he shoved her back. "Shut up Paige."
"No!" She yelled back, tears pooling in her eyes.
Shrugging he walked over to get the ball where it had rolled after going through the basketball hoop. Bending down, he heard the slap of bare feet on pavement. "It's not that warm, why don't you have shoes?"
Paige shrugged. "Daddy didn't let me put them on."
"Why'd he throw you out anyway?" The boy asked as he aimed for another hoop.
"I was too loud he said."
The boy grinned. "Yeah? What were you doing? Practicing your dance number?"
"Getting a drink of water," she whispered; staring at her naked toes.
All his cheer left him. A drink of water. What had he gotten kicked out for today? Not finishing his breakfast. At least that sort of made sense. But for a drink of water? "What, did you break a glass?"
"No!" She cried. "I was e-extra careful and didn't even turn the tap on all the way! I was just thirsty!" She wailed. "Perry why's daddy hate us!?"
Looking around, Perry put the basketball next to them and lifted his sister's chin. "Hey now," he mumbled. "He doesn't."
"They why's he always kicking us out?"
He's twelve. He doesn't have any answers. Just excuses. And the boy knows they're only going to get them so far; taking a breath, he avoided her eyes. "Dad gets headaches-migraines-they're really sensitive to noise. Remember? We read about them at the library once."
Paige nodded. "I remember, that was after my arm got broken." Got broken being the keyword. She hadn't done it. Dad had pushed her half-way down the stairs and well, Perry got a good wallop for being mouthy that night.
"H.O.R.S.E?" He implored. She looked to her feet. Rolling his eyes, he kicked off his shoes and handed them to her. "You're just going to trip up in them."
She nodded. "That's okay, you'll make my ouchies all better."
"You bet I will," Perry affirmed.
Shyly, Paige smiled at him and made a grabby motion for the ball. "H.O.R.S.E now?"
"Loser has to do the dishes!" The boy yelled throwing the ball into the hoop.
Clomping after it, Paige shouted; "It won't be me!"
Making baskets and heckling one another, neither spoke about the man lurking inside their home; the need for this game to stretch on forever and ever until all the world is quiet and they are the last two standing (victorious).
Because the episode "My New God" always made me really wonder.
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